The Molecular Structure Laboratory of the UW-Madison chemistry department is beginning its third statewide Wisconsin Crystal Growing Contest March 1 for both middle school and high school students.
Students are allowed to work either individually or in small groups to grow crystals from two safe materials, according to a university release.
More than 500 students participated in the contest in 2015, and leaders of the event expect that number to rise in 2016, as it is the first year that middle school students can participate.
All of the participants will be invited to the UW-Madison campus May 20 for an awards ceremony and a tour of the university’s research facilities.
Director of the UW-Madison X-ray crystallography lab Ilia Guzei said the contest is organized by UW-Madison to attract more students to the university.
“We’re trying to make the campus more accessible as a destination for the best and brightest students in our state,” Guzei said in the release.
The contest closes April 30.
