Alyse Gray Parker Student Video Challenge 2026: $5,500 in Prizes
Explain why one piece of research deserves public support
The Science Coalition’s 2026 Alyse Gray Parker Memorial Student Video Challenge asks college students to make the case for scientific research in 60 to 90 seconds. This is not a lab-demo contest. The strongest entry will connect one useful example of research to the people, economy, health, or future it can change—and explain why sustained federal support matters.
Contest details
Deadline: October 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Who can enter: Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at a member institution of The Science Coalition in the United States. Students from any major may enter, individually or as a team.
Entry fee: No entry fee is listed.
Prizes: $2,500 for the undergraduate winner, $2,500 for the graduate winner, and $500 for the People’s Choice winner.
Video format: One 60- to 90-second video. Files up to 100 MB can be uploaded directly; larger videos may be submitted through a download link.
Make the research matter to someone outside the lab
The video should identify the student and their institution, introduce an example of interesting research, and show how it benefits—or could benefit—the country, individuals, or the wider world. It also needs a clear argument for continued federal support for basic science, whether the case rests on economic growth, global competitiveness, technology leadership, health outcomes, or another concrete public benefit.
You do not need to study science or engineering. The example can come from your own work, research happening at your university, or a past discovery with a lasting impact. Judges evaluate messaging and communication, creativity, and video and editing quality, so a focused explanation with a real audience in mind matters more than stuffing the script with technical detail.
How to enter
Record and edit the 60- to 90-second video, then complete the organizer’s submission form with your name, email, institution, undergraduate or graduate category, and video file or download URL. Mixed undergraduate-and-graduate teams enter in the graduate category, and group entries need one team leader for communication.
Before submitting, confirm that the school appears on The Science Coalition’s current member list. Keep the first few seconds efficient: members of Congress and the public are the intended audience, so the research question and its human stakes should be easy to understand immediately.
Rights terms worth reading
Submission grants The Science Coalition rights to use the video for promotional purposes. Winning and featured entries may appear on the organizer’s website, social accounts, and other outreach materials, including communications shared with members of Congress and their staffs. The public page does not spell out a detailed term or media limit, so entrants should ask the organizer if they need a narrower license before submitting work containing collaborators, unpublished research, or third-party material.
Read the official Student Video Challenge page and submit your entry.
Online Video Contests independently summarizes opportunities and is not the contest organizer. Confirm the current deadline, member-institution eligibility, format, prizes, and rights terms on the official page before entering.
FREE WEEKLY ALERT
Never miss a video contest deadline.
Get one practical email each week with newly verified contests, meaningful prizes, and deadlines coming up soon. No daily clutter. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fresh contests we have verified
Deadlines approaching soon
Direct links to the official rules
