BIEA 2021 STEM Competition First Round Guideline

BIEA 2021 STEM COMPETITION
GUIDE
(ROUND 1)
The British International Education Association

WWW.BIEACOMPETITION.ORG.UK
Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Task 1 – The report ........................................................................................................................... 3
INSTRUCTION for Reports .............................................................................................................. 3
GUIDANCE NOTES for Reports ....................................................................................................... 7
Task 2A – Innovation ........................................................................................................................ 8
INSTRUCTION for Innovation ......................................................................................................... 8
GUIDANCE NOTE for Innovation .................................................................................................... 8
Task 2B – Experimentation ............................................................................................................... 9
INSTRUCTION for Experimentation ................................................................................................ 9
GUIDANCE NOTES for Experimentation........................................................................................ 11
RISK ASSESSMENT for Conducting Experiments ........................................................................... 12
Submissions & Deadline ................................................................................................................. 13
Deadline ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Submission file format ................................................................................................................. 13
Next stage ................................................................................................................................... 13
Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 14
Appendix - Entry Submission Cover Form..................................................................................... 16
Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:
competition@biea.org.uk
Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational
Page 1 of 17
Introduction
Plastic. It is one of the most important materials in protecting, preserving and transporting food. It is
flexible, transparent, strong, light and waterproof. Without plastic packaging, many of our food
products would be difficult to transport or perish before we could consume them.
Plastic, however, has an enormous environmental impact. We know that the world has a plastic
problem. Plastic pollution is filling up our landfills and our oceans and will take thousands of years to
break down.
What can we do?
We can use innovative ideas and modern technology to devise new, sustainable ways of packaging
food to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced.
The competition theme in 2021 reflects two major concepts: Technological innovation, and the
replacement of plastic packaging: (Re)Pack to restore our world.
In this year’s competition, you will need to consider how food can be conveniently (re)packaged
without using plastic.
Imagine you are working for an international environmental organisation looking at ways of
replacing the plastics used to package food. Liquids, gels, powders, grains, fruit and other perishable
products – all sold and transported in plastic packaging that will be discarded. Many types of plastic
products are considered food safe - bottles, bags, films, lids – but ultimately, all are destined to be
thrown away.
How can we safely repackage foods without using plastic?
Industry has been considering the plastic problem for some time. Many companies are working
towards sustainable packaging for their products, and are committed to becoming low-carbon by
changing their plastic packaging to reusable, recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
We also have, as individuals, the responsibility and opportunity to come up with innovative ideas to
reduce our dependence on plastics and consider new ways of containing our foods – to repackage
food so they can be safely transported and protected from spoiling.
For the first round (Regional Heat) of the competition, you will be working on 3 tasks:
Task 1: A research report

Task 2A: Innovation (Prototyping) task
Task 2B: Experimentation task
Please read the relevant section for instructions & guidelines
Page 2 of 17
Task 1 – The report
INSTRUCTION for Reports
Your team has been asked to produce a report to highlight some of the different packaging materials
being investigated by science and industry around the world. You will then use some of these ideas
to design packaging for foodstuffs that are currently wrapped in plastic, using examples from your
own home.
You may use the Internet, books and media articles to research information and use this to design
packaging suitable for different food types that you might take to school/university or on a picnic.
Each kind of food packaging can be made from different materials (e.g. you are not limited to a
single material to be used for all five food packaging designs). Multiple materials may be used for
packaging the same food.
● A liquid (for example - juice, yoghurt, soft drink)

● Fragile food (for example - soft fruit, berries, tomatoes)
● Granular foods (for example - rice, maize, pasta, nuts)
● Sandwich-based food (for example - quesadilla, flatbread, baguette)
● One of these foods should be hot* and can be either liquid or solid
*In the interests of safety, we ask that you test your packaging for hot foods, but please ensure that
during the testing and final product development, the temperature of the foods does not exceed
60oC (140oF).
We have made the BIEA plastic packaging challenge flexible so there are no wrong answers – we just
want you to show us how creative and innovative you can be! Your report will need to include
several different key ideas. This will depend on your age group.
All age groups must make sure to clearly reference your sources and add these to the end of your
report or presentation (a website name will be fine for internet sources).
If you are in the 9-11 age category, your report will need to include:
● A description of the four types of plastic-covered food products in your home that you will
repackage
● Three benefits of using plastic to package food
● Two environmental problems in your area/country caused by plastic packaging
● One material that is being used by manufacturers or industry instead of plastic
Diagrams or drawings of four non-plastics ways to repackage your food.
Include labels on your drawings to identify key features.
Page 3 of 17
• You will need to consider:
o Materials –how is your packaging better than plastic?

o Weight – how heavy will your packaging make the total product?
o Safety – is your packaging safe for food (including breakability)?
You will also need to include some information about what will happen to the materials when the
food is eaten. Are they recyclable or reusable?
IMPORTANT NOTE
In the innovation and experimentation tasks of the competition, we will ask you to make non-plastic
packaging for each of the different food types and complete at least one experiment to test your
design ideas. In the report, your design ideas can include materials currently being trialled or used in
industry which you may not have access to in the next stage of the competition.
If you are in the 12-14 age category, you will need to include all the above, plus:
• A description of how much plastic is recycled in your area

• Ways in which the environmental problems caused by plastic in your area/country are being
managed or resolved
• A least two potential problems of new innovative materials being introduced by industry
For each of your packaging designs, you will need to add:
• Two benefits of using this material to package your food

• Two problems of using this material to package your food
IMPORTANT NOTE
In the second stage of the competition, we will ask you to make non-plastic packaging for each of
the different food types and complete an experiment to test each design idea. In the report, your
design ideas can include materials currently being trialled or used in industry which you may not
have access to in the next stage of the competition.
If you are in the 15-17 age category, your report will need to include all the above, plus:
• Quantitative evidence supporting the uses of plastic (for example, shelf life extended by…;)
• A description of types of plastic that are not recyclable and reasons why
• A breakdown of how much it will cost to make your packaging
For each of your packaging designs, you will need to add details describing:
• Three benefits of using this material to package your food

• Three problems of using this material to package your food
IMPORTANT NOTE
Page 4 of 17
packaging for each of the different food types and complete two experiments for each of your
If you are in the 18 -21 or University age category, your report will need to include all of the above,
plus:
• A summary of how two types of non-plastic packing can be made (these can be submitted as
labelled diagrams).
For each of your packaging designs, you will need to add details describing:
• An alternative solution to using each packaging material you have chosen.

• How problems using the materials you have chosen might be resolved.
IMPORTANT NOTE
packaging for each of the different food types and complete three experiments for each of your
Report design
Your report should be submitted as a PDF including scans or photos of your design diagrams.
Rules
Where possible, please work in a team of between three to five people. Individual entries will be
accepted, but marks may be lost on teamwork aspects.
The work you submit must be your own.
All secondary sources, including webpages and images must be referenced at the end of your report.
Your report should be no longer than 2,500 words (in English) – this can be typed or handwritten.
You should include diagrams to illustrate your design ideas. You will need to include a diagram for
each food type:
● A liquid (for example - soup, yoghurt, soft drink)

● Fragile food (for example - soft fruit, berries, tomatoes)
● Granular foods (for example - rice, maize, pasta, nuts)
● Sandwich-based food (for example - quesadilla, flatbread, baguette)
● One of these foods should be hot* and can be either liquid or solid
Page 5 of 17
60oC (140oF).
Page 6 of 17
GUIDANCE NOTES for Reports
Your team will have to produce a report for the work done during the competition. The quality of
this report will be considered by the judges. Marks are awarded for clarity and coherence of the
report.
We recommend that you think of the report as one section of the overall project and if you
successfully pass through to the finals, you can use it to help you produce your presentation and
display.
The report should be written using simple, straightforward language without long passages of prose.
Please include labelled and annotated diagrams to explain your packaging designs. It is helpful to
structure your report using suitable titles and sub-titles for each section.
Your report should be divided into sections. These might include:
• A brief summary of your team members and your teacher, explaining the roles that each
team member played
• Explain how your planning process - who would do what and when you would do it
• The research undertaken to fully understand the plastic packaging challenge
• Some reasons for choosing the materials and designs for each food
• Describe any experiments you could do and how you might judge the success of these
experiments
• Explain how your packaging designs and final products relate to the project challenge and
whether any of your ideas might be useful in other contexts
Page 7 of 17
Task 2A – Innovation (Prototyping)
INSTRUCTION for Innovation (Prototyping)
In this task, we would like you to make non-plastic packaging for each of the food types described in
your report. These included:
• A liquid (for example - soup, yoghurt, soft drink)

• Fragile food (for example - soft fruit, berries, tomatoes)
• Granular foods (for example - rice, maize, pasta, nuts)
• Sandwich-based food (for example - quesadilla, flatbread, baguette)
• One of these foods should be hot* and can be either liquid or solid
60oC (140oF).
It may not be feasible to use the materials you outlined in your report designs (due to limitations of
cost, availability or trademark), so you may use any non-plastic material for your prototypes in the
innovation round. Each prototype of your final design ideas that you make should illustrate:
• Shape
• Size
• Suitability as packaging for the chosen food
GUIDANCE NOTE for Innovation (Prototyping)
Please submit the final prototype packaging as photos embedded into a PDF document. Split this
document into 4 sections, one for each food type.
Each section should include at least two photos:
• One empty of food

• One containing the food described in your report
For the hot food, we would also like you to include a photograph indicating its temperature, ideally
using a thermometer.
Each section should also include:
• Dimensions of the packaging (including food)

• Weight of the packaging without food
• An explanation of why the packaging is suitable for your food type
• The materials you have chosen for your prototype and at least two reasons for your choice
Page 8 of 17
Task 2B – Experimentation
INSTRUCTION for Experimentation
We would like you to experiment with your prototype designs to help inform your final decisions.
These can be simple experiments that highlight the suitability of your design for each food that you
have chosen.
9-11 age category
Please design one experiment to test two of your prototypes. These can be a test of strength, shape,
or any characteristic you feel is an important factor for your design. The experiments do not need to
be the same for each prototype.
Please submit a video of up to three minutes long that should include:
• Methods used for your experiments

• How the experiment results informed your final decisions
during the testing stages, the temperature of the foods does not exceed 60oC (140oF).
12-14 age category
Please design one experiment for each one of your four prototypes. This can be a test of strength,
shape, or any characteristic you feel is an important factor for your design. The experiments can be
different for each prototype.
Please submit a video of up to five minutes long that should include:
• Methods used for your experiments

• How the results informed your final decisions
15-17 age category
Please design two experiments for each one of your four prototypes. This can be a test of any
characteristic you feel is an important factor for your design ideas. The experiments can be different
for each prototype.
Please submit a video of up to seven minutes long which summarises:
• The methods used for your experiments

Page 9 of 17
18+ /University age category
Please design three experiments for each one of your four prototypes. This can be a test of any
characteristic you feel is an important factor for your designs. The experiments can be different for
each prototype. You will need to summarise your findings into a short video.
Please submit a video of up to 10 minutes long which summarises:
• The methods used for your experiments

Page 10 of 17
GUIDANCE NOTES for Experimentation
We would like you to experiment with your designs to help inform your final decisions. These can be
simple experiments that highlight the suitability of your design for each food that you have chosen.
Your experiments can test any factor that you consider to be important in your packaging material.
Your chosen packaging material can be different for each food type and multiple materials can be
used within the same design.
Your experiments might test (but are not limited to):
• Strength
• Size
• Weight
• Shape
• Brittleness
• Heatproof
• Impermeable
• Sanitation
• Protective
• Transparency
during the testing stages, the temperature of the foods does not exceed 60oC (140oF). Safety during
the experimental stage will be considered by the judges.
The submission is in video format, please check the relevant age group for how long your video
needs to be.
Age 9-11 Age 12-14 Age 15-17 Age 18+/Uni
Edited video Up to 3min Up to 5min Up to 7min Up to 10min

length
No. of One experiment One experiment Two experiments Three
experiments to test two of for each one of for each one of experiments for
your prototypes your four your four each one of your
Total: 1 prototypes. prototypes four prototypes
experiment Total: 4 Total: 8 Total: 12
experiments experiments experiments
Note: You only have to show an experiment method once, thereafter you need only show results.
Page 11 of 17
RISK ASSESSMENT for Conducting Experiments
Hazard Controls
Burns or scalds caused by hot food Limit food temperature to 60oC (140oF)
spillage Small amounts used wherever possible
Flood or spillage of liquid foods Ensure that all liquid tests are conducted outside or over a sink to
contain spillage
Use newspapers on the floor to contain spills
Slipping on spilled foods Conduct all experiments over a sink or basin to catch spillage
Inhalation of noxious fumes or Ensure all packaging materials are nontoxic by testing a small
particulates area with the foodstuff before constructing final designs
Loss of control link and potential The vehicle should only be driven in shallow water (maximum 15 cm).
loss of direct control of the vehicle Staff wearing appropriate clothing should retrieve vehicles. All staff
while in water and students should remain vigilant while the vehicle is moving on
water. The vehicle must be restarted on land.
Contamination of food by No foods used in the experimentation or final designs should be
packaging materials consumed. All foods used to be discarded
Burns from hot glue guns Wear safety glasses and take your time
Ensure glue is cooled before handling
Take care not to touch the tip of gun
High volumes of food waste Small quantities of food to be used in the experimental stages
Drop equipment on floor Make sure experiments are conducted on the centre of stable surfaces
General safety advice Wear safety goggles

Tie long hair back
Ensure surfaces are clean before and after experimentation
Discard all tested food and used packaging responsibly
Ensure experiments are completed away from electrical sources
Do not eat/drink while conducting experiments
Keep fingers away from face
Page 12 of 17
Submissions & Deadline
Deadline
30 April 2021 for all 3 tasks (report, innovation & experimentation)
Submission file format

File format
Task 1 - Report Word, PDF (less than 25MB)
Prototype photos documented with appropriate titles and
Task 2A - Innovation captions and saved as a PDF
(prototyping)
Task 2B - Experimentation Video link on YouTube, Vimeo or other Cloud file-sharing site. If
the video is on a Cloud drive (such as Google Drive/Drop Box),
please ensure the video is in *MP4 format and the size is not more
than 150MB.
Team Photo High Resolution photo of the team in JPEG can be headshots
edited together. File size: 1MB – 5MB
Please download and complete the editable form below:
BIEA 2021 Competition Submission Cover Form

(PDF version available in appendix at the end of this document) and
submit with your work (report, prototype photos, team photo & video link) by email to
Next stage
Finalist teams will be selected from the regional heats. We will notify finalist teams in May 2021 to
take part in the international final. The format of the international final will be announced in May
2021.
Page 13 of 17
Terms and Conditions
This competition is open to anyone between the ages of 9 and 21 years old. Entries will be divided
into four age groups:
• 9-11
• 12-14
• 15-17
• 18-21/University age
Team members should fall in the age group that reflects the age they will be in on 31st August 2021.
If there are multiple ages, the age of the oldest team member should be used.
Finalist teams will be announced in May. If you are part of a finalist team, you will receive an email
notification inviting you to take part in the next round. Further information will be given to the
teams in May 2021.
ENTRY AND COMPETITION

 Only one entry will be accepted per person/team
 Any form of plagiarism is prohibited and will result in disqualification
 BIEA shall not be responsible for any intellectual property violation by competition participants
 Competition participants are responsible for copyright clearance for materials used in the
project
 BIEA has no responsibility for entries not received

 All materials submitted will be retained by BIEA
 All materials received during the judging process shall be used exclusively for the BIEA International
STEM Youth Innovation Competition
 Any attempt by an entrant or any third party to circumvent, tamper, disrupt or damage the competition
entry process, defraud or gain an unfair advantage, engage in unsportsmanlike, disruptive, annoying,
harassing or threatening conduct, or otherwise undermine the fairness, integrity and legitimate
operation of the competition, will result in automatic disqualification and may constitute a violation of
criminal and civil laws. BIEA reserves all rights, including the right to seek remedies and damages, to the
fullest extent of the law, including the possibility of criminal prosecution
 In no event will BIEA be liable to you for any direct, special, incidental, exemplary, punitive or
consequential damages (including loss of use, data, business or profits) arising out of or in connection
with your participation in the competition, whether such liability arises from any claim based upon
contract, warranty, strict liability or otherwise
 BIEA assumes no responsibility for any administrative or typographical errors in the course of operating
the competition or in the competition terms and conditions. BIEA reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
Page 14 of 17
to cancel, modify or suspend the competition in whole or in part, in the event of fraud, technical or other
difficulties or if the integrity of the competition is compromised, without liability to the entrant. BIEA
reserves the right to disqualify any entrant or winner, as determined by BIEA, by its sole discretion. The
competition is subject to these terms and conditions and the competition official rules and all applicable
regional and local laws and regulations apply. By participating in the competition, you acknowledge that
you have read the terms and conditions and the official rules and agree to abide by them and by the
decisions of BIEA, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to the competition. British law will
govern the competition and terms and conditions and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Courts of England. In case of any disputes, the competition committee's decision shall
be final and binding
 By entering this competition, you agree that judges’ decision is final
DATA PROTECTION AND PUBLICITY

 BIEA reserves the right to use the entries in any publicity both in print and online
 Any personal data relating to entrants will not be disclosed to any third parties without the individual’s
consent
Page 15 of 17
Appendix - Entry Submission Cover Form
Editable Word file: https://bieacompetition.org.uk/biea-2021-competition-submission-cover-form/
BIEA 2021 International STEM Youth Innovation Competition
- (Re)Pack to Restore Our World -
Entry Submission Cover Form
Country:
Region/City:
School/University
Name & website
Key Contact person: Full name (include title)
(For under 18s, each
entry form must be Contact number including country code
submitted by a
responsible adult, Email address
teacher or instructor)
Team name:
Team age group: 9-11 12-14 15-17 18-21

(Please use more than
one form if entering
teams in multiple
categories)
Team members’ Name Date of birth Gender
details:
* Each team has a Name Date of birth Gender
minimum of 3 and a
maximum of 5 students Name Date of birth Gender
Individual entries are Name Date of birth Gender

accepted, but may lose
mark in team aspects
Name Date of birth Gender
Submission check list:

( ) Task 1 Report – less than 2500 words
( ) Task 2A Innovation (prototyping) – prototype photo documentation evidence in PDF format
( ) Task 2B Experimentation - presentation video – please insert Cloud link or YouTube link:
_______________________________________________________________
( ) Entry submission form (this form)
( ) Team photo – High Resolution, JPEG, 1MB to 5MB.
Deadlines:
Regional Heats: The entry form must be submitted with all relevant entry files for each team by the key
contact person or responsible adult to competition@biea.org.uk by 30st April 2021.
International Final: Finalist teams will be notified in April/May to take part in the international final
June/July.
Page 16 of 17
Note:
Due to current unpredictability of COVID, BIEA reserves the right to amend submission deadlines and
final competition format.
Page 17 of 17

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BIEA 2021 STEM COMPETITION

The British International Education Association

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

What can we do?

How can we safely repackage foods without using plastic?

Task 1: A research report

Please read the relevant section for instructions & guidelines

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

INSTRUCTION for Reports

● A liquid (for example - juice, yoghurt, soft drink)

Diagrams or drawings of four non-plastics ways to repackage your food.

Include labels on your drawings to identify key features.

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

o Materials –how is your packaging better than plastic?

• A description of how much plastic is recycled in your area

For each of your packaging designs, you will need to add:

• Two benefits of using this material to package your food

• Three benefits of using this material to package your food

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

• An alternative solution to using each packaging material you have chosen.

The work you submit must be your own.

● A liquid (for example - soup, yoghurt, soft drink)

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

Your report should be divided into sections. These might include:

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

INSTRUCTION for Innovation (Prototyping)

• A liquid (for example - soup, yoghurt, soft drink)

GUIDANCE NOTE for Innovation (Prototyping)

Each section should include at least two photos:

• One empty of food

Each section should also include:

• Dimensions of the packaging (including food)

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

INSTRUCTION for Experimentation

9-11 age category

Please submit a video of up to three minutes long that should include:

• Methods used for your experiments

12-14 age category

Please submit a video of up to five minutes long that should include:

• Methods used for your experiments

15-17 age category

Please submit a video of up to seven minutes long which summarises:

• The methods used for your experiments

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

18+ /University age category

Please submit a video of up to 10 minutes long which summarises:

• The methods used for your experiments

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational

Your experiments might test (but are not limited to):

Age 9-11 Age 12-14 Age 15-17 Age 18+/Uni

Edited video Up to 3min Up to 5min Up to 7min Up to 10min

Website: www.bieacompetition.org.uk E-mail:

Twitter: BIEAeducation Facebook: BIEAinternational