Podcast Contest: Ask-a-Biologist web site has launched podcasts and they are rapidly becoming a hit. Now Dr. Biology is scouting the Phoenix area for student co-hosts. Something that has never before been done in Phoenix! Students! If you have an interest in science, biology, or broadcast media and live in  Arizona, this could be your opportunity to guest host and interview one of the leading researchers in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Teachers and Parents, we will need your help with the competition. The guidelines for the competition are listed below and include a short PDF guide and entry forms. We are counting on you to help us locate the best student possible for this exciting new broadcast.

Did you know that the Ask-a-Biologist web site is visited by over 750,000 people from around the world each year?

Who should try out?

Curious kids that have questions about the living world are just what we are looking for and they can be from any of the following K-12 groups.

• Public Schools
• Private Schools
• Charter Schools
• Home Schools

How it works

• Each year, we will have twelve students that will co-host the Ask-a-Biologist podcast.
• Students will be selected on the basis of a podcast audition. Schools can submit up to three students recordings for consideration.
• Submissions will be accepted twice each year. The deadlines are October 1, and March 1. We are now accepting submissions for the October 1, 2009 deadline.
• We will review the all works submitted by the current deadline, and make our selections and invite students to co-host the program.

During each year, we will select up to 12 students and two alternate students to come to ASU to participate in the production of the Ask-a-Biologist podcast. Each student co-host will interview a guest biologist. Depending on the number of submissions, and the quality of the auditions, we may select additional students and/or reduce the total number of students selected.

Students must have a teacher or parent (or both) accompany them to ASU on the day of the broadcast recording. Transportation to and from ASU will need to be provided by the school or parent of the student. Parking, lunch, and a tour of ASU will be provided including funds to release the teacher on the day of the podcast.

Winning students that come to ASU as cohosts will receive an iPod shuffle. The top three students from each school also receive an Ask-a-Biologist podcast t-shirt.

Complete contest and audition entry information including release and permission forms can be found in the PDF download at the bottom of this page. The PDF file contains

• Podcast Audition Requirements
• How we will judge the submission
• What will students win?
• How to submit your entry to Ask-a-Biologist
• Suggestions for running your local star search
• Technology and tools used to make podcasts
• Entry form and model release form 

Complete contest details in a PDF file  (opens in a new window)

Listen to past co-host shows.

This contest is sponsored by
ASU School of Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.