Thank you for our most extraordinary contest yet

Genes in Space 2020 has closed and in many ways, this has been our most extraordinary cycle yet. When our contest opened in January, we were starting down a path we had successfully navigated 6 times before. Four months later, we found ourselves living in a totally new world, wondering if our contest would still feel relevant to students grappling with so many pressing challenges of their own. 

Yet, despite the seismic disruptions we've experienced this year, you showed up. The response to this year's contest has exceeded our wildest hopes. The heap of applications we received on topics ranging from astronaut health to space agriculture to evolution in microgravity is a testament to your collective resilience and creativity.

We applaud you for keeping your sights on the future during this time when there is so much to worry about in the here and now. The optimism you've shown in submitting your proposals is heartening, and this year it will be a special privilege to review your submissions. Thank you for the inspiration, hope, and joy we'll draw from reading your ideas. Ad astra!