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APPLIED SCIENCES COMPETITION
Great ides don't happen alone - they're built through collaboration, insight and clear communication.
This year's Applied Sciences Competition invites students to step into a fast-paced, creative environment where teamwork and strategy take center stage. The competition theme this year is: Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators.
Teams of students will work together to create a hands-on demo that could be used in a classroom, school fair, or outreach visit to excite future students about Applied Sciences.
- Build essential soft skills
- Strengthen your resume
- Meet new people across the faculty of applied sciences
- Experience fun, low-risk competition
- Get recognized
Prizes
Prize funds will be awarded to competition finalists. Each prize tier will be equally distributed among team members.
Undergraduate Category
- First: $4,800
- Second: $2,400
- Third: $1,200
- People's Choice: $300
Graduate Category
- Winner: $600
Overview
Imagine it is now 2036, ten years from today, and you are part of the outreach team at 51社区黑料鈥檚 Faculty of Applied Sciences. Your job is to inspire K鈥�12 students to envision themselves in the field of applied sciences, which includes areas such as computing science, engineering science, mechatronic systems engineering, and sustainable energy engineering.
You are tasked with designing and demonstrating one creative outreach demo that would inspire K鈥�12 students. This could take place during a classroom visit, a school fair, a camp, or a campus tour. Outreach here refers to activities in which 51社区黑料students, staff, or faculty connect with young learners to showcase what Applied Sciences is, why it matters, and how young learners could be part of it.
This competition is not about technical complexity. It is about imagination, creativity, clear communication, and positive impact on future students.
Students who apply to participate in this competition must meet the following eligibility criteria:
鉁� Must be an Applied Sciences Major
鉁� Must be a team of 3-4 people
鉁揟eam must have one member from a different school
Note: participants are encouraged to form a team with members with different levels of experience and diverse backgrounds.
Note: By submitting this form, all team members grant the Faculty of Applied Sciences permission to use and share their project ideas and materials for educational and promotional purposes.
Note: There must be at least two graduate teams entered for the graduate category to run. If only one graduate team submits an entry, the graduate category will be cancelled and that team will not compete.
Design a short hands-on demo (can be shown within 3 minutes) that could be used to excite K鈥�12 students about applied sciences. Your demo should:
鉁� Be attainable and inspiring, allowing young students to envision themselves trying or studying this field in the future.
鉁� Welcome a broad audience, regardless of background, prior knowledge, or confidence level
鉁� Highlight the creativity, collaboration, and real-world impact of applied sciences. For example, it should illustrate how technology can benefit people, communities, or the environment.
Note: Ideas must showcase technical aspects of one of the schools within the Faculty of Applied Sciences.
Safety Note: Ideas must be safe and not introduce potential hazards to users.
Before applying, teams must submit a project proposal (max 1 page, PDF format) for the judges to review and decide if you will move past the qualifying round of the competition.
Please preliminarily address the following questions:
鉁� What do you think makes it hard for k-12 kids to see themselves in applied sciences?
鉁� What is your demo?
鉁� How does your demo relate to applied sciences?
鉁� How will your demo demonstrate applied sciences can be for everyone?
鉁� How will your demo feel fun, hands-on and not intimidating?
鉁� How do team members plan to collaborate on this project?
Submission deadline is 26 January 2026 at midnight.
04 March 2026 (5:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
On competition day, selected finalists will have 3 minutes to:
鉁� Run and verbally walk through your demo as if the audience were K-12 students
鉁� Explain the following:
- what your demo is
- who is it for (e.g. grade range or age group)
- where it could be used (e.g. classroom visit, school fair, open house, online workshop)
- How it supports inclusion and arouse excitement about applied sciences
- How will your demo feel fun, hands-on and not intimidating?
- How did team members collaborate on this project?
After the 3 minute presentation, there will be 5 minutes for questions and answers with judges and audience members.
Once submitted, proposals cannot be further edited or adjusted. Teams who submit their applications during the qualifying period will be assessed based on the judging criteria which is outlined below.
All teams will be notified via email on February 2nd whether they have progressed to the finals, where they will present their project.
Note: winners of the final competition may be asked to create an instructional video/write up about their idea / demo, as well as present their idea at an additional showcase event.
Final Competition Juding Criteria
