HAI Conference · Annual Tradition
PET-tle Royale
Where PET meets play — and sharp minds compete.
Born at HAI as a live, fast-paced battle of brains, PET-tle Royale is our playful take on serious science: rapid-fire questions, quick thinking, and a healthy dose of competitive joy. The name is no accident — this is a Battle Royale, neuroscience edition. In the room. In the moment. Last brain standing wins.
⚡
Rapid Fire
0
Mercy Shown
∞
Bragging Rights
1
Quiz Master
Two Ways to Compete
Speed
Rapid-fire questions under real pressure
Instinct
No looking things up. You either know it or you don’t.
Glory
Bragging rights that last a full year
Pressure
In the room. On the spot. No escape.
🔴 Live at HAI
01
The Live Experience
Relive the original PET-tle Royale exactly as it unfolded — questions, format, tension and all. This PDF reflects the live competition as it was played: no edits, no mercy, no second chances. Download it and see how you would have fared in the room.
HAI_Quiz_2026_2p_optDownload with Answers ↓
◯ Solo Challenge
02
The Solo Challenge
Great questions deserve a life beyond the podium. Work through the PET-tle Royale questions at your own pace — with answers and explanations. A study tool, a benchmark, or just a way to prove something to yourself.
HAI2026 Final Standings
🥈
2nd Place
Tobey Betthauser
🏆
Champion
Renaud La Joie
🥉
3rd Place
Kostas Chiotis
Inaugural Quiz Master
Dr. Christopher Schwarz
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
PET-tle Royale was conceived and launched at HAI by Dr. Chris Schwarz, whose creativity, wit, and fearless embrace of intellectual play gave this new tradition its spark and its bite. His rapid-fire questioning style, ability to calibrate difficulty under pressure, and genuine delight in the competition set the standard for what PET-tle Royale is — and what it will always be.
What’s Next
PET-tle Royale returns at HAI2027
San Juan, Puerto Rico · January 13–15, 2027 · The title is up for grabs.