Compete in the 2027 Blue Lobster Bowl at MIT
WHEN
- Saturday 3/13/2027, 9:30am-6pm Entire teams must participate all day.
- Rain Date: 3/14/2027
Postponement decision will be made by 3pm on Thursday 3/11/2027. -
Sign up by 12/21/2026
Complete, sign, scan & email the 2027 Team Intent form and pay by bank transfer, credit card, or PayPal by 12/21/2026.
Or send your Team Intent form & CHECK by the 12/21 postmark deadline, PLUS EMAIL Team Intent form by 12/21 in case of USPS delays.
WHAT
Fun and engaging, head-to-head, in-person, ocean sciences competition for high school students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, plus Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
This competition is hosted by People Making a Difference (PMD), the long-time host of the MA Blue Lobster Bowl; 2025-2027 Sponge Bowl; 2024 NY Bay Scallop and NJ Shore Bowls; 2021 & 2022 CT-RI Quahog Bowl; 2023, 2024 & 2026 NSB Maine High School Science Bowl; and 2023 Alumni Ocean Sciences Invitational.
Many volunteers age 18+ are needed to officiate for the competition's matches. Details will be on PMD's web site after Thanksgiving, and applications will close on 2/12/2027 or whenever all positions have been filled. All volunteers must participate in at least one training-practice session at MIT or WHOI in advance, and new moderators must participate in two and demonstrate mastery of this key role. In addition, Moderators and Rules Judges must participate in a NEW zoom meeting about the competition rules and their enforcement.
WHERE
M.I.T. Cambridge, MA
WHY
The NOSB's focus on ocean science education is important. Humans rely on a healthy ocean for oxygen, resources, jobs, and more. Our future leaders must be knowledgeable about ocean issues.
The ocean is an ideal interdisciplinary teaching tool for science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) that puts study in a real-world context. Working in the ocean environment poses challenges that push the innovation, engineering, and technology development needed in our workforce. However, ocean science is not a course generally offered at the high school level. The NOSB is one of the only ways students gain exposure to all of ocean science and related careers as they are beginning to chart their course in life.
Science bowls provide high school students with exciting opportunities to test their knowledge and understanding and to practice working together as a team to solve problems.
National Ocean Scholar Program
As part of the NOSB's continuing effort to recognize individual achievement, NOSB offers the National Ocean Scholar Program, awarding scholarships for tuition assistance to NOSB students who have an interest in pursuing an ocean or environmental science major in their first year of post-high school education. All applicants for this scholarship program must have competed in a regional NOSB competition at least once during their high school careers.
Learn about additional criteria and deadline at https://nosb.org/scholarships
HOW
To apply to compete in the 2027 bowl, head coaches must complete a separate Team Intent Form for each one of a high school's A and (optional) B teams. One co-signed and completed form per team must be POSTMARKED by Monday, December 21, 2026. Full registration fee payment must also be received or postmarked by 12/21/2026.
Pay by bank transfer (ACH) with discount (so no fees) or credit card with fees, PayPal to [email protected], or make checks payable to "People Making a Difference" and send one check per team with form(s) to
Lori Tsuruda/PMD
P.O. Box 120189
Boston, MA 02112-0189
Multiple teams from the same school can combine their forms inside one envelope, but we encourage you to send SEPARATE checks for each team in case of wait-listing/refunds. (Do NOT use FedEx or UPS since they don't deliver to post office boxes and there is no one to sign/accept delivery.)
Accounts payable folks can download PMD's Form W-9 if they need it.
If we have more interested teams than we can accommodate, we will accept one team (the "A Team") from every school that has applied. If we have raised enough funding and sufficient space remains, we will then accept all secondary teams ("B Teams"). If we cannot accommodate all of the teams in a class (A or B), we will determine competing schools from that class by random drawing of teams whose completed intent forms and payments are received.
Coaches will be notified of their respective teams' statuses (competing or wait-listed*** to compete in case there are cancellations) via email by January 4, 2027.
By 1/4/2027, coaches will also receive the PDF forms and links for student and coach registrations and consents due 2/5/2027 online. New: Coaches will be able to change students and upload forms up to 3/5/2027, but after 3/5/2027 no team changes will be allowed. After 2/5/2027, we cannot accommodate changes to t-shirt sizes or meal preferences.
***We strongly encourage coaches of waitlisted teams to register students online and for coaches and parents/guardians to complete their online consents also by the deadline, and to prepare to compete fully in case teams cancel or we recruit additional volunteers so that we can enlarge this bowl.
Registration Summary
1. Coach submits a co-signed and completed INTENT FORM with $75 registration fee for their team, to be POSTMARKED by 12/21/2026.
2. Regional Coordinator notifies the coaches of accepted and waitlisted teams and provides forms and registration links for team members and coaches by 1/4/2026.
3. Parents/guardians upload completed and SIGNED (with real signatures, NOT typed names) media and recruitment consents, plus new family for all students by the 2/5/2027 online.
4. Coach enters at least four students' and coach data online and uploads each person's forms by 2/5/2027.
5. Coaches may change students, team captain role, and upload forms before 3/5/2027.
COST
A $75 registration fee per team paid by check* payable to "People Making a Difference" must be sent to PMD, P.O. Box 120189, Boston, MA 02112-0189, POSTMARKED by Monday 12/21/2026. Specify team A or B. If using a personal check, please specify the school name and team A or B.
*Alternatively, payment can be made via free bank transfer or credit card with fees
at https://pmd.nickelpayments.com by 12/21/2026. Bank transfer and credit card receipts will be automatically emailed to payees.
OR
via PayPal to [email protected]
Remember to designate your school name and team A or B! RESOURCES
Coach Q&A Opportunities
Coaches may have their questions about the competition addressed during zoom office hours, 2-6pm on Wednesdays 9/23, 9/30, and 10/14-28. These sessions will be question-driven by participants and so will NOT be recorded. The zoom hyperlink is provided at the bottom of page one of the Team Intent form. After 11/22, coaches may schedule 1:1 time with Regional Coordinator Lori Tsuruda.
WHO
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an academic competition and program that addresses a national gap in environmental and earth sciences in public education by introducing high school students to and engaging them in ocean science, preparing them for ocean science-related and other STEM careers, and helping them become knowledgeable citizens and environmental stewards.Pre-pandemic, about 2,000 high school students on 350 teams compete in 25 high school regional events.
The Blue Lobster Bowl regional competition for high school students in Massachusetts (and in 2024-2026, also Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) tests their knowledge of the marine sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, and geology as well as enhances public understanding and stewardship of the oceans.
High school teams of four to six* students and a unique** teacher who serves as an advisor and coach, compete in fast-paced, head-to-head question-and-answer matches using a lock-out buzzer system. Teams also work together to solve longer Team Challenge Questions (TCQs).
*We highly recommend registering six students to maintain a team's competitive viability. Sixth students will gain valuable experience from playing head-to-head matches for fun and receive lunch, t-shirts, snacks, and swag.
**An adult coach must be present for all of a team's matches, meaning that one person cannot serve as the sole coach for more than one team.
Any public, private, or parochial high school or sanctioned home school is welcome to form a team of students in grades 9 through 12 to compete in the 2027 Blue Lobster Bowl on Saturday March 13, 2027, and must also commit to the snow postponement date, Sunday March 14, 2027.
Competing students must be less than 20 years old on 3/13/2027 or receive a special waiver from the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) BEFORE 3/5/2027.
Cost: $75/team
All participants will receive t-shirts, lunch, snacks, and swag.
The top teams of the Blue Lobster Bowl competition will earn trophies and prizes. (The championship team will represent the region if it meets all requirements (i.e., at least four students from the winning regional championship team and 100% participation) in the virtual, scored poster presentation competition of the 2027 NOSB National Finals Competition.)
Teams Registered to Compete: alphabetically, as of 9/5
People Making a Difference (PMD) is a nonprofit organization that promotes informed and responsible volunteerism by involving people in mostly tangible, hands-on tasks and science bowls that meet local needs and by assisting companies and charities in building successful community involvement programs that:
- Produce appreciable results while conserving recipients' limited resources
- Educate volunteers about broader issues
- Bring people together to make a difference
People Making a Difference (PMD) aims to strengthen the community, including STEM education, by engaging volunteers as officials and role models. PMD has hosted all virtual Blue Lobster Bowl (BLB; MA), Bay Scallop Bowl (NY); Shore Bowl (NJ) Quahog Bowl (CT & RI), and Sponge Bowl regional competitions, plus the 2025 virtual "head-to-head" Finals (and all prior in-person BLB competitions at MIT) for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), founded by Admiral James D. Watkins seven years after he founded the National Science Bowl (NSB).
The MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences (MIT EAPS) is a vibrant learning community where the turbulent oceans and atmosphere, the inaccessible depths of the inner Earth, distant planets, and the origins of life all come together. EAPS also fosters connections between EAPS scientists and schools and educational programs in the Boston area. EAPS' LINK-12 program is designed to fuel students' natural curiosity, igniting an interest in scientific discovery and STEM careers.
"Discovery is to see what everybody has seen and think what nobody has thought."
Nobel Laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgyi (1957)