At the National Eye Institute (NEI) we do research to better understand all the steps that make vision possible. We look at problems in the system at the smallest scale — in cells, neurons, and genes and the way they communicate with each other — to examine the causes of diseases that lead to vision loss. We discover new treatments for diseases. And we develop helpful technologies for people who have lost vision.
It all starts with science, and young people are the ones who will take science into the future. That’s why we launched the Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest.
The goal of this year’s video contest is to highlight teen interest in science by encouraging them to showcase science in their world, in action, and in their future. This contest will be open to teens nationally.
Participants can choose one of the following video submission categories:
Category 1: Science in your world
Being a scientist is simple—it’s really just following your curiosity about the world around you. The impact of science is everywhere: from brushing your teeth in the morning to the smartphone you plug in before you go to bed or the antibiotics you take when you’re sick. Teach us about a discovery that impacts your life or the ways you see science currently making a difference in it.
Category 2: Science in action
Science is discovery in action! A scientist is not a person who memorizes facts in a science textbook. Rather, a scientist is someone who asks questions about the world and tests those questions through controlled experiments. And the best part is that research doesn’t need to be done in a lab! Show us some science in action by demonstrating an experiment.
Category 3: Science in your future – Imagination
The future is in your hands! Science will play an important role in finding solutions to the big challenges we all face. Science has already helped us in so many ways, from preventing disease to improving our daily life. Describe how science will affect the future or teach us about the way a current discovery will impact our future.
Location(s)
- Remote
Schedule
- Judging will begin after the contest deadline, and will run through May
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- Submissions must come from students in grades 9–12, who are enrolled in a high school in the United States or its territories.
- You can work on your own or team up with a couple of friends. If you’re working in a group, include up to three people and pick one person to be your group leader.
Deadline
- April 20th, 2025
Application or Entry Requirements
- Videos must be between thirty seconds and three minutes long (excluding credits).
- Students must submit a signed video release and registration form with their video
- Video must be uploaded to YouTube and set the visibility to “unlisted”
- Send the link to your video to 2020@nei.nih.gov along with the required video release and registration forms
Notifications of Decisions
- May 30th, 2025
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
Have other questions?
Established in 1968 as the nation's leading supporter of eye health and vision research projects, the National Eye Institute (NEI) is a U.S. government agency part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) whose mission is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. The NEI also aims to educate health care providers, scientists, policymakers, and the public about advances in vision research and their impact on health and quality of life.
