May 6, 2026
SCI is proud of the work we do to support students on their academic and career journey, uplifting student leaders to do their best work at Pitt and beyond. One student leader is taking his studies to the next level and creating opportunities for the next generation of SCI students nationwide.
Tyler Schutt (SCI '27) is a physics and quantum computing student at SCI. He’s also on the board of the club Science Olympiad at Pitt, which hosts an annual invitational science competition for school students in Pittsburgh and beyond, in accordance with guidance from the national Science Olympiad organization. Schutt and a group of student volunteers spend their free time writing unique middle school-level exam questions, culminating in a momentous one-day competition on Pitt’s campus.
Schutt found Science Olympiad through a friend in college. He’d taken “all available courses in [his] high school related to [computer science/information science]” and competed in similar events pre-Pitt. Science Olympiad has become a great outlet to give back and create opportunities for young STEM students.
This year, the Division B competition took place on Saturday, Jan. 24. Eight schools participated, with the winning team hailing from Springhouse Middle School in Allentown, PA. The group prepares multiple exams for each year’s competition. This isn’t easy to do given Schutt’s rigorous academic schedule. He, nevertheless, remains cool under pressure.
“PQC is a very technically challenging major, and so the related abilities to manage time and juggle multiple difficult projects allowed me to work on building my exam for the Science Olympiad, whilst maintaining good academic standing—so far!” stated Schutt. He acknowledges that SCI course material is higher-level than what the participating middle-school students can use. Yet, he has been inspired to write questions based on what he learns in his coursework, and is grateful to SCI for helping him keep his time management skills sharp.
“SCI emphasizes interdisciplinary study,” Schutt said. “Exposure to other disciplines provides objects of comparison in inspiration to the primary focus of our work and can give us insight [into] where to go next.” He is an enthusiastic advocate for young STEM students to seek out new fields or niche subjects, as it might lead them to further pathways that they could take a significant interest in.
How can SCI students get involved in Science Olympiad at Pitt? Schutt invites anyone who is interested to be an exam writer.
“There is always a need [for] more volunteers…students willing to join the club are welcome to do so and claim an exam to write,” he said. Exams range from fully written to puzzle-based to even physical model constructions. Students who are pursuing scientific majors, are interested in getting kids excited about science, and enjoy being creative alongside their studies, might find Science Olympiad to be a great fit—no experience necessary.
That spirit of exploration and support is something Schutt attributes to his time as an undergraduate at SCI.
“SCI has been wonderful to me,” he said. “My advisor has helped clarify things for me in the past, and otherwise, the school has given me room to grow and explore my options. That sense of freedom has been most empowering.”
Those looking to get involved with Science Olympiad or connect with Schutt may contact him at trs179@pitt.edu.