The 2015-16 NASA Astrobiology Debates (University Division) includes West Coast and East Coast national debate tournaments culminating in a national championship debate between the winning teams, an online speech competition, an online debate tournament and a series of public exhibition debates to be held over the 2015-16 school year. Results and videos posted below!
The NASA Debates Western Championship
The NASA Astrobiology Debates Western Championship Tournament (University Division) was held at the University of Washington on October 17 & 18, 2015. The winners were:
Champions: The George Washington University
Finalists: Yale University
Semifinalists: University of Texas & Gonzaga University
Top Speaker: Haley Tuchman, University of Texas
The NASA Astrobiology Debates Eastern Championship Tournament (University Division) was held at the George Washington University on March 5 & 6, 2016. The winners were:
Champions: Emory University
Finalists The George Washington University
Semifinalists: James Madison University, Morehouse College
Top Speaker: Aurélie Segalas, Ecole de Guerre
Over 100 Students participated in the NASA Astrobiology Debates Online Speech Competition. The ballots from the final round are available upon request.
Champion: Austin Woodruff, James Madison University
Finalists: Leigh Moriarty, Wake Forest University; Lexi Anderson, Wake Forest University
Click here for tournament information on the NASA Astrobiology Debates Online Debate Tournament organized by Binghamton University.
On March 11, 2015, over 75 students from twelve U.S. colleges and universities participated in the "NASA Debates Earlybird." At the Earlybird, the topic area was released 15 minutes before the beginning of the debate round and the students were asked to prepare their arguments working in pairs without the benefit of research or coaching. Click below to watch the first debate on 2015-16 topic between tournament champions Morehouse College and Duke University
The NASA Astrobiology Debates included two public exhibition debates in New York and Washington DC. The NASA Astrobiology Debates at the Macauley Honors College between Columbia University, New York University, Macauley Honors College and The George Washington University was held on November 15, 2015. The NASA Astrobiology Debates at the Dupont Summit on Science, Technology and Environmental Science was hosted by the Policy Studies Organization on December 4, 2016, at the historic Whittemore House in Washington DC.