Last year, we kicked off the Change the World Challenge, a transformative, multidisciplinary student design competition that addressed the world’s most pressing contemporary problems. In May, we awarded $35,000 to students who spent three quarters balancing technical concerns with social, cultural, economic, historical, political and environmental implications related to the challenge theme, Solutions for Living in a Post-COVID World.
We are excited to announce we are continuing the Change the World Challenge this year. Students will collaboratively design technology-based approaches to society’s greatest challenges. This systems approach competition balances technical concerns with social, cultural, economic, historical, political, ethical and environmental implications. There are three award opportunities, including a top award of $20,000.
• The Change the World Challenge is open to upper class students of any major.
• Students will be formed into multidisciplinary teams of five which will be mentored by faculty.
• Student teams develop solutions using a systems approach that balances technical concerns with social, cultural, economic, historical, political, ethical and environmental implications.
• The competition will span all three quarters with a time commitment of approximately four hours per week.
All projects must be conceptualized and developed through the team effort as part of the Change the World Challenge; no previous or ongoing projects will be accepted.
The faculty co-chairs of the challenge are Rebekah Oulton (CENG, Environmental Engineering, roulton@calpoly.edu) and Dawn Neill (R-EDGE, dbneill@calpoly.edu) and they are happy to answer any questions. Faculty mentors for the student teams include Priya Verma (Natural Resources Management – CAFES), Jill Speece (Industrial Engineering – CENG), Christina Firpo (History – CLA), Erik Sapper (Chemistry and Biochemistry – CSM) and Miranda Yin (Marketing – OCOB).
To apply by October 28, fill out this form.
