Tournament Updates

Hello all,

We are excited to announce that Science Olympiad @ Berkeley Board Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year are now open! Board members assist with all things to do with our chapter, from planning socials to running club meetings to directing our Division B tournament.

Please note that this is separate from being an Event Supervisor/General Volunteer; applications for those roles will open in Fall 2026.

All incoming or current UC Berkeley students are welcome to apply, including both undergraduate and graduate students! It is strongly encouraged that all applicants have prior experience with Science Olympiad, whether that be as a competitor or alumni volunteer.

If you are interested, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 4 @ 11:59 PM PDT.

Please don't hesitate to contact us at berkeleyscioly@norcalscioly.org if you have any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

Thank you for joining us at the 2026 SO@B Invitational this past weekend! We were thrilled to host you all at our first ever Division B tournament at Berkeley, and we hope you had as great an experience as we did. We want to congratulate all coaches, competitors, and volunteers for making this invitational possible! As the tournament has come to a close, we’d like to share some final updates and reminders:

1. Final results have been posted on Duosmium. Histograms can be viewed by clicking on any team name and then clicking on the desired event. As a reminder, all scores are final, and our tournament is not taking score inquiries.
2. Tests and answer keys have been publicly released! They can be accessed here.
3. If tests from other schools were accidentally filed with yours, please let us know as soon as possible. We can coordinate test exchanges by scanning and emailing tests to the correct schools.
4. Tournament photos can be viewed here. They will be available until May 15th, so be sure to save any pictures you would like to keep before then!

We hope to see you all next year, and we wish you luck at your upcoming tournaments!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

The 2026 SO@B Invitational is TOMORROW! Please read this email carefully, as it includes important reminders and updates regarding the tournament.

1. Please review the Coaches Packet and Event Schedule for detailed information about day-of logistics.
2. Please submit a list of your team members to this form ASAP. Only list competitors who have completed waivers. Please note that we will hand out wristbands according to the number of signed liability waivers we received in your submitted Google Drive folder(s).
3. Crime Busters and Potions & Poisons have been moved to Latimer 201.
4. Check-in for coaches begins at 7:30 AM at the McCone Hall First Floor Entrance. Impound for Hovercraft and Scrambler also begins at 7:30 AM, at the areas listed on the Event Schedule.
5. Doors to the Awards Ceremony in Pimentel Hall will open at 5:00 PM. Due to space limitations, seats are reserved for competitors and one coach per team only. Wristbands are required for entry. We will be hosting overflow in McCone 575, where we will screenshare the ceremony. Parents, coaches, and spectators are welcome to attend.
6. Coaches can pick up graded exams and score sheets from McCone 340 after the Awards Ceremony, provided that base camps are in satisfactory condition. As a reminder, base camps should be cleaned and vacated by 4:45 PM.

We’ll see you soon! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

In preparation for the 2026 SO@B Invitational on Saturday, February 28th, we would like to share some important tournament updates!

You can view our Coaches Packet. Please review the packet and the contents of this email carefully and in their entirety.

A summary of its contents is below:

1. Schedule:

   1. Check-in begins at 7:30 AM at the McCone Hall Entrance, where you will pick up your Coaches Packet that contains student wristbands (required for competitors), arbitration forms, accident report forms, and all information from the Coaches Packet document linked above. Only coaches must be present for check-in. After checking in, head to Memorial Glade to set up your assigned base camp area and settle in.

      Note: Students must wear their wristbands to compete, and we will hand out wristbands according to the number of signed liability waivers we have received.

   2. See the full event schedule for our impound and block schedule, as well as room assignments and assigned times for self-scheduled events. As a reminder, the impound events for this tournament are Hovercraft and Scrambler. Additionally, the Helicopter ceiling height is 9.5 ft (290 cm).

   3. The Awards Ceremony will take place in Pimentel Hall. Doors will open at 5:00 PM, and due to space constraints, chairs are reserved for competitors and one coach per team only. Wristbands are required for entry into the venue. The ceremony will conclude by 7:00 PM, after which coaches can pick up graded exams and score sheets from McCone 340.

      Note: Tests will be released to each team following the Awards Ceremony only if base camps are in satisfactory condition.

2. Logistics:

   1. The weather looks clear on Saturday, but please continue monitoring and prepare accordingly for transporting devices, etc.
   2. The event map can be viewed via the Coaches Packet or Google Maps. A parking map can be found here. For check-in, buses may park at West Circle/Crescent Parking or drop off students and park at the Berkeley Marina.
   3. Each team has a designated base camp area on Memorial Glade. Assigned areas will be marked with flags; please set up camp within your assigned area to remain in compliance with UC Berkeley fire code. You may set up tables, chairs, and canopies, but your area must be returned to its original condition by 4:45 PM. This includes throwing away all trash.
   4. Competitors are not permitted to bring any food into the event rooms. Unfortunately, we must enforce this rule very strictly to avoid facing fines. Custodians will be monitoring the rooms and checking trash bins for food waste. If the weather is as forecasted, we hope your team can grab a bite to eat outside during our designated lunch break from 12:00–12:40 PM —  here are some of our food/drink recommendations.
   5. Free WiFi is available through Berkeley-Visitor.
   6. Everyone must abide by the “never alone” policy, which states that there should never be a minor alone in a room with one adult at any time — nor should a minor ever be forced into a one-on-one situation with a volunteer, event staffer, or other adult. We take this very seriously; if you see a violation of this policy, notify headquarters in McCone 340 immediately.

Thank you for reading through all these reminders and updates. Please be sure to review the Coaches Packet in its entirety. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, and we’re excited to host you all at UC Berkeley this weekend!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

The 2026 SO@B tournament is less than 2 weeks away! In the meantime, we have a few updates for you all.

All schools must fill out our mandatory transportation form by Friday, February 20 @ 11:59 PM PT to indicate the modes of transportation they will use to reach the UC Berkeley campus. This information is required by campus administration, and it will help us account for bus parking and loading areas if needed.

If any of your students require accessibility accommodations, please fill out this form by Friday, February 20 @ 11:59 PM PT to indicate which events they are competing in, so we can ensure that these events are assigned to ADA-compliant spaces.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

We are excited to host you at the first annual SO@B Invitational at the end of this month! As we approach tournament day, we have a few reminders and updates for you.

This season’s self-scheduled events are Boomilever, Helicopter, Hovercraft, Mission Possible, and Scrambler. Self-scheduled sign-ups will open on Tuesday, February 10th @ 4:00 PM PT and close on Tuesday, February 24th @ 4:00 PM PT. Sign-ups will take place on ESUS, and head coaches have been emailed their login information and instructions. You may view a quick ESUS demo here.

We would also like to note our refund policy in the event that your team is no longer able to compete. Refunds on registration payments are issued based on when a team withdraws, as outlined below:

• Until February 1st: Full refund
• After February 1st: 50% refund
• After February 14th: No refund

We encourage teams to notify us as early as possible if your plans change, so we can adjust scheduling and logistics accordingly. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

We’re reaching out today with a few quick updates!

Our event schedule and team numbers are now available on this spreadsheet. Event locations will be updated in the coming weeks. If you would like us to modify your team names, please let us know.

Additionally, all events will be run following regional-level rules.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

Thank you for registering for the 2026 Science Olympiad @ Berkeley Invitational! We are excited to announce that our tournament has officially reached full capacity. All schools eligible to register a second team have been contacted and fully registered.

Additionally, in accordance with university policy, we ask that you have all minors attending the tournament (competitors, alternates, spectators) fill out each of the following forms:

• Waiver of Liability
• Authorization to Consent to Treat
• Photo Release

PDFs can also be found on Scilympiad under Resources → Tournament Documents. Please scan and submit all completed forms to this Google Form by Friday, January 30th @ 11:59 PM PT; additional instructions are detailed in the form.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

This is a friendly reminder that your registration for the 2026 Science Olympiad @ Berkeley Invitational must be completed before Friday, December 19th to secure your spot! Registration is only confirmed once payment has been received; if you are marked as a paid team on Scilympiad, no further action is required.

If spaces remain, schools that are eligible to pay for a second team will be contacted on December 19th. Waitlist spots for second teams will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by when payment for the first team was received.

Schools that register or pay for their first team starting on December 19th will be placed on the waitlist after all second teams, in order of registration.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Hello all,

Registration for the 2026 Science Olympiad @ Berkeley Invitational is now open on Scilympiad!

Below is our clarified registration policy, which is also available on Scilympiad:

This tournament will host a maximum of 36 Division B teams. Registration is limited to one team per school, with a second team on the waitlist. Only teams from Northern California are eligible to register. Registration is only confirmed once payment has been received.

If spaces remain, schools that are eligible to pay for a second team will be contacted on December 19th. Waitlist spots for second teams will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by when payment for the first team is received. Schools that register or pay for their first team starting on December 19th will be placed on the waitlist after all second teams, in order of registration.

To receive future updates about our tournament, please sign up for our mailing list.

Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Register for Division B Invitational

Hello all,

We are excited to announce that the first annual Science Olympiad @ Berkeley (SO@B) Invitational will be held in-person at UC Berkeley on February 28, 2026! Events will be run entirely by Science Olympiad alumni at Berkeley.

Registration will open on Friday, November 21 at 3:45 PM PST via Scilympiad.

This year's tournament will be capped at 36 Division B teams. Each school may register one team, with the option to place a second team on the waitlist. If space allows, second teams will be placed in the competition following Friday, December 19. Only Northern California schools may register.

The registration fee is $250 per team. Spots in the competition will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis once payment is received; you are not officially registered until payment is received. The fee can be paid via PayPal (strongly preferred) on Scilympiad or check. Additional payment instructions will be detailed on Scilympiad.

Don't hesitate to contact us at berkeleyscioly@norcalscioly.org if you have any questions!

Best,
The SO@B Planning Committee

Register for Division B Invitational