Santosh Sadasiuam, a sixth grader from Columbia Elementary School in Madison, Alabama, competed against 25 middle school students to win the state of Alabama  You Be The Chemist Challenge. He will represent Alabama at the 12th annual National You Be The Chemist Challenge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20.

Developed by the Chemical Educational Foundation® (CEF), the Challenge is a question and answer competition that motivates fifth to eighth grade students to test their knowledge of chemistry concepts and real-world applications as they compete to represent their state on a national level.

BASF Corporation and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) sponsored the state of Alabama challenge, which took place at the Materials Science Building at UAH. The program is supported by BASF’s African American Employee Group whose members serve as role models and encourage student participation.

“As the world’s leading chemical company, BASF understands the importance of engaging students in science education at an early age,” said Prashanth Rao, BASF Site Director at the Huntsville, Alabama site. “Our strength as a company lies in our ability to find innovative solutions to meet the needs of the future. It is essential that we support and develop the best scientific and technical talents.”

“This kind of challenge encourages students to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts beyond the classroom,” said Dr. Bernhard Vogler, Science Professor at UAH. “Through our interaction, we hope to inspire them to pursue careers in the sciences.”

At the national competition on June 20, 2016, the top four finalists will receive scholarships totaling $18,500.

“Competing in the Challenge is a wonderful way for middle school students to explore the chemistry of their everyday lives,” said John Rice, CEF Executive Director. “The competition brings teachers, parents and local industry members together to support students – inside and outside of the classroom – in learning about science, its impact on society and the variety of careers in the STEM fields.”