Grand Challenges Scholars Program
Description: Choose one of the Grand Challenge themes—sustainability, health, security, or the joy of living—and transform societal issues within a given location into an impactful product-based solution!
On Friday, October 4th, students will be given a specific location with description of the social, economic, political, and environmental landscape of said location. In groups, students will identify a particular problem related to one of the four themes of Grand Challenges (Sustainability, Health, Security, and Joy of Living) and develop a product around a potential solution. Participants have a day and a half to research, establish a prototype, and develop a pitch to be given before judges.
Schedule
Friday
6:30pm- Check-in and dinner at MCB 101
6:50pm- Location reveal
7:00pm- Assemble teams
8:00pm- Team brainstorm session
10:00pm- Day 1 end (RTH rooms closed, but teams are welcome to continue working)
Saturday
9:00am- RTH rooms open
10:00am- Baum Makerspace available
5:00pm- Baum Makerspace closes
10:00pm- RTH rooms close (teams are welcome to continue working at other locations)
Sunday
9:00am- RTH rooms open
12:00pm- Final day check-in
3:30pm- presentations
5:30pm- Dinner
6:30pm- Winner reveal
Team Formation
Teams will consist of five to six members, with exceptions based on participant availability. Students may form teams prior to the event or form teams at the start of the event Friday night.
No need to worry if you do not have a team or come to the event alone- all students will be placed on a team!
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation for make-a-thon presentations will follow the framework of the five Mindsets of GCSP. Groups will be scored based on the following criteria:
- Novelty, creativity, and feasibility of idea/product. (Talent/Research)
- Understanding of the prior ideas and solutions considered when developing your own idea. (Talent/Research)
- Cultural considerations of the location in which the solution is to be utilized. (Social Consciousness)
- Understanding of the financial/business considerations necessary to make your solution cost-viable from idea to market. (Viable Business/Entrepreneurship)
- Understanding of the policies of the home region that will allow for implementation of your solution. (Multiculturalism; Social Consciousness; Viable Business/Entrepreneurship)
- Consideration of the collaborations within, and beyond, the realm of engineering needed to bring the idea to life. (Multidisciplinary)
- Consideration of the environmental impact of your solution. (Social Consciousness)
- Understanding of the cultural landscape of the region in question (multiculturalism)
- Clear description of a realistic implementation plan.
In a make-a-thon with such limiting time constraints, it is understood that your team may not develop a fully functional prototype. What will be important to the judges is how you developed your idea by thinking through feasibility, viability, social impact, and cultural context, as evident in your final presentation.
Resources
The Baum Makerspace
The Baum Family Makerspace will be available for use Saturday, October 5th from 10am to 5pm. Students must have completed safety training and orientation in order to utilize the Makerspace. Training and orientation sessions are held at the Makerspace Monday through Friday from 5pm to 6pm and last about 30 minutes.