The European Union Science Olympiad (EUSO) is a team-based science competition for the European Union's (EU) students to display their capabilities in natural sciences. The annual EUSO was founded in 2003 by Dr. Michael A. Cotter, Dublin Ireland includes only EU member countries. The competition is open to second-level-school, or secondary school, science students who are 16 years of age or younger prior to the competition. Each participating country sends two three-student teams who compete in two intellectually challenging and collaborative tasks. The tasks are designed to connect the branches of science, provide relevant and inquiry-based challenges, engage all team members, support self-pacing, prompt higher-order and creative thinking, and encourage substantive communication.