DeSCIpher: McMaster University Life Sciences Competition (MULSC) brings together undergraduate students of various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to collaboratively compete in a one-day competition. An integral aspect of this competition is the Inquiry Challenge, where a pressing issue is presented to all participants. In teams of three to four individuals, participants are asked to think of creative, evidence-based, and feasible solutions to the proposed prompt. In 2021, the Inquiry Challenge centered on ‘space debris’ and its detrimental effects on Earth. Participants were asked to find in-depth peer-reviewed articles from reputable sources to determine appropriate courses of action that address its issues. An infographic and short abstract were then prepared by the participants, to showcase their findings; the latter are presented in this abstract book. The top four abstracts were chosen based on a predetermined rubric. Overall, DeSCIpher hopes to highlight its commitment to knowledge and passion for the interdisciplinary sciences through its Inquiry Challenge, and the competition as a whole. The McMaster Students Union website featuring information about DeSCIpher can be reached at https://msumcmaster.ca/initiative/descipher/.

DeSCIpher: McMaster University Life Sciences Competition (MULSC) brings together undergraduate students of various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to collaboratively compete in a one-day competition. As one of McMaster University's largest science competitions, DeSCIpher aims to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration within the undergraduate community. This editorial will explore the changes that have been made to the competition since shifting to an online setting during COVID-19, specifically for the 2020-2021 academic year.

DeSCIpher is one of McMaster University’s largest science competitions and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration within the undergraduate community. This editorial will explore the evolution of the competition since its inception in 2016, with a focus on the various challenges and successes encountered by the executive team.