Final preparations are underway for the 2026 West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania Science Bowls, exciting academic challenges designed to test middle and high school students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and inspire the next generation to pursue rewarding STEM-related careers.

"As a country, we must build a talent pipeline to make tomorrow's innovations. These competitions are important because they ignite a passion to not only excel in the classroom but also pursue dreams to ensure reliable, affordable and secure energy for the nation and achieve critical scientific and technical breakthroughs in other fields," said NETL's Adam Lott, regional coordinator for the contests.

The West Virginia Science Bowl (WVSB) will be held Friday, Feb. 6, for middle schools and Saturday, Feb. 7, for high schools. Both events will be held in the Mountainlair at West Virginia University in Morgantown.

The Community College of Allegheny County South Campus in West Mifflin will serve as the site for the Western Pennsylvania Science Bowl (WPASB), which will be held Friday, Feb. 27, for middle schools and Saturday, Feb. 28, for high schools.

The 2026 contests mark the 35th year that NETL has held regional Science Bowls in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. The theme for this year's competitions is "Science: The Power Behind the Magic," which acknowledges how STEM makes discoveries that once seemed impossible possible.

Middle and high school students will compete as teams in a fast-paced quiz bowl format. Questions are multiple choice or short answer and cover a range of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, energy, mathematics and physics.

The winning middle school and high school teams at the WVSB and WPASB will advance to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Science Bowl to be held April 30 to May 4.

Middle schools competing in the WVSB are Belington Middle School, Fayetteville PK-8, John Adams Middle School (Charleston), Liberty Middle School (Clarksburg), Monongah Middle School, Mountaineer Middle School (Morgantown), Robert L. Bland Middle School (Weston), St. Francis De Sales Central Catholic School (Morgantown), Suncrest Middle School (Morgantown), West Fairmont Middle School, Westwood Middle School (Westover), and Williamstown Middle/High School.

High schools to compete in the WVSB are Braxton County High School, Bridgeport High School, Capital High School (Charleston), Central Catholic High School (Wheeling), Clay County High School, George Washington High School (Charleston), Morgantown High School, Nicholas County High School, Oak Hill High School, Parkersburg High School, Pikeview High School, Princeton Senior High School, Ravenswood High School, Ripley High School, The Linsly School (Wheeling), University High School (Morgantown), Wheeling Park High School, Williamstown High School, and Woodrow Wilson High School (Beckley).

Middle schools to compete in the WPASB are Albert Gallatin North, Carson Middle School (North Allegheny), Fort Couch Middle School (Upper St. Clair), Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School (Connellsville), Harrison Middle School (Baldwin-Whitehall), Independence Middle School (Bethel Park), Ingomar Middle School (North Allegheny), Mars Area Middle School, Marshall Middle School (North Allegheny), Peters Township Middle School, Pine-Richland Middle School, and Winchester Thurston School (Pittsburgh).

High schools competing in the WPASB are Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan (Canonsburg), Central Catholic (Pittsburgh), Charleroi Area, Fox Chapel Area, Gateway, Keystone Oaks (Dormont), Lenape Technical School (Ford City), Mars Area, Moon Area, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Parkland (Allentown), Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Sewickley Academy, South Fayette, State College Area, Thomas Jefferson (Jefferson Hills), Upper St. Clair, and Winchester Thurston.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory dedicated to innovating and accelerating the nation's energy solutions in hydrocarbon, geothermal energy and critical minerals production. With research sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NETL operates as one laboratory to create advanced energy technologies that support DOE's mission and enable affordable, reliable and secure energy to fuel human prosperity.