National Bioethics Team 2024

2024 National Bioethics Bowl: April 12-13

The 2024 National Bioethics Bowl, hosted at Baylor University, brought together 19 universities in a spirited competition. Teams compete in several rounds of debate. In each round, two teams debate; each team is presented with a case and offered the opportunity to present their position, hear the reply from the opposing team, and respond to the opposing team and to judges. (Here is the 2024 packet)  

Stanford University placed first, followed by Georgetown University in second place and the University of Georgia in third. Other strong teams included Oral Roberts University in fourth and Loyola University Chicago in fifth. Host institution Baylor University placed sixth with its "A" team, while the "B" team ranked eighteenth. The competition featured a diverse range of universities, including University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley, and Oklahoma State University, highlighting the event’s broad representation of academic excellence in bioethics. 

Quotes from 2024 National Bioethics Bowl team participants:

“The Bioethics Bowl offers not merely a stage for competition but a rare theater for the questions of life. It is certainly a privilege to have coached this team, along with Harrison, working with each of the students as they wrestled with issues that are at once deeply practical and profoundly eternal: What does justice require of us? What is owed to the vulnerable and forgotten? Because the students recognize that each case in the Bioethics Bowl is not an abstraction but a signpost toward how we ought to live in the world, they approached their ethical analyses as if searching for truth—always with charity, often with joy. The team was impressive in both their thoughtfulness and their presentation, and they reminded me that ethics is not only a field of study but a way of life.”
-Daniel Crouch, 2024 Bioethics Coach

“Participating in the Bioethics Bowl at Baylor was a truly amazing experience, and I really enjoyed working alongside my peers to tackle complex ethical dilemmas. Even the preparation process where we collaborate on ideas allowed me to see different perspectives and refine my critical thinking skills. One of the highlights of the competition itself was engaging with other teams—each round offered a new opportunity to learn from our competitors, and their unique insights challenged and expanded my understanding of bioethics. The experience deepened my appreciation for thoughtful dialogue and the importance of ethical reasoning in real-world issues. I’m already looking forward to next year!”
-Hannah Yi

“The National Bioethics Bowl shines as the rewarding summit of a formative semester of preparation. While writing case briefs on a variety of culturally relevant and controversial topics, I strengthened my skills in research and philosophical analysis. Team meetings featured lively discussions and challenging questions, which taught me how to debate and appreciate alternative perspectives. I shared many intellectually rewarding conversations with deeply interesting and talented students and coaches. The actual Bowl in the Spring intensified this environment, and I was thrilled to learn from many other thoughtful students excited to engage in ethics. Through this experience, my eyes opened to the many nuanced ways that people view the dignity, responsibilities, and liberties of their own persons, other humans, and the world in which we all live.”
-Abigail L. Blair

If you are interested in learning more about our Bioethics Bowl Team, you can email Daniel Crouch or Austin McCoy.

Team standings can be found below. Thanks to all of the participating teams, coaches, moderators, and judges!