2026 National Bioethics Bowl

2026 National Bioethics Bowl

Live Standings

The 2026 National Bioethics Bowl will be hosted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, located at 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA  15261, and will be held on 

Saturday, April 11, 2026

>>plan your trip

The National Bioethics Bowl is an annual tournament which brings together undergraduate teams from colleges and universities around the country to debate tough ethical issues in medicine, biotechnology, and health care. Students prepare for the event by studying a set of cases and crafting their own arguments for their positions on each case, which they present in debate rounds at the bowl.  

The final round of the 18th Annual National Bioethics Bowl will be available for viewing. 

Final Round Webinar

Join the webinar at pitt.zoom.us/j/92801389669.  
The final round is anticipated to begin at approximately 4:20 p.m.

2026 Competitors

Listed in the order drawn in the lottery.

  1. Ohio Northern University (#3)
  2. Loyola University of Chicago (#6)
  3. Oral Roberts University (#14)
  4. University of Georgia (#27)
  5. Macalester College (#18)
  6. University of Maryland Baltimore County (#5)
  7. Utah Valley University (#13)
  8. Tulane University (#31)
  9. University of California Santa Barbara (#16)
  10. Rice University (#24)
  11. University of Alabama at Birmingham (#8)
  12. University of Mary (#30)
  13. William and Mary College (#26)
  14. Stanford (#20)
  15. Seattle Pacific University (#32)
  16. University of Pittsburgh (host)
  17. Georgetown University (#1)
  18. Florida State University (#23)
  19. University of Pennsylvania (#2)
  20. Loyola University of New Orleans (#21)
Enrollment Process

Due to the overwhelming response to the Bioethics Bowl National Competition, the Executive Committee reconsidered the enrollment process to compete. All interested parties had an opportunity to put their name in a lottery during a designated time frame in January. At a second date and time a few days later, there was a live drawing to select 19 schools to participate, along with a list of alternates who were drawn in order. The host school holds the 20th spot. Schools had four business days to pay the registration fee of $320. 

Note: an individual payment link will be sent to the 20 selected schools on the evening of the drawing. Participants should check their spam/junk folders in case the payment link email is inadvertently diverted. 

Selected schools that have not paid will receive one reminder email (to the primary contact indicated on the original interest form) the day that payment is due (see dates below). If payment is not received by 5 p.m. EST on the payment due date, the school will be automatically removed and the next school on the waitlist will be notified of their selection into the 2026 National Bioethics Bowl and a link to pay the registration fee. Schools admitted from the waitlist will have four business days to remit the $320 payment.  

Additional enrollment info and dates

Questions?

For additional details or questions, please feel free to reach out to Cindy McCarthy at cindy.mccarthy@pitt.edu. 

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Cosponsored by the School of Public Health and the Institute for Bioethics. 

Pitt campus with downtown skyline in the background
Plan Your Trip to the 2026 National Bioethics Bowl

Tentative Event Schedule

7:45 a.m.Team check-in (one representative such as coach, advisor, or team captain)Public Health Commons - 1st floor (at the top of the steps)
7:45 a.m.Moderator check-inSurma Board Room
7:45 a.m. Light breakfastPublic Health Commons area - 1st floor
7:45 a.m.Judge check-inSurma Board Room
8-8:25 a.m.Prepping session for judges A115
8:30-8:45 a.m.Opening remarks (All)G23
9-10:15 a.m.Round 1Refer to Team Schedule in blue folder
10:25-11:40 a.m.Round 2Refer to Team Schedule in blue folder
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.Lunch breakPublic Health Commons area - 1st floor
   
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.Optional - Introduction to Pitt Public Health graduate programs (prize opportunity for participation)Public Health Commons - 1st floor
1-2:15 p.m.Round 3Refer to Team Schedule in blue folder
2:25-3:40 p.m.Round 4Refer to Team Schedule in blue folder
4-4:20 p.m. Introduction of the National Bioethics Bowl Executive Committee; Announcement from the National Committee; Welcome to Pitt giveaway and entertainment; Announcement of the Teams in the Final Round.G23
4:20-5:35 p.m.Final round (participants should be prepared to begin at 4:15 p.m.)

G23

Watch via Zoom

Note: Last minute schedule changes will be emailed to the "day of" contact person identified. Please check your email the morning of the event for any updates. If there are no changes, no updates will be sent.