ARE YOU A USC INNOVATOR WITH A GREAT IDEA? COMPETE FOR $3000 IN CASH PRIZES AND CUSTOM SKATEBOARDS!
Applications for the 2010 USC Student Innovator Showcase are due Friday, September 3, 2010.
ABOUT THE USC STUDENT INNOVATOR SHOWCASE
Hosted by the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, the 2010 USC Student Innovator Showcase will be held during Trojan Parents Weekend on Friday, October 1, 2010 from 11-2pm in the Von Kleinsmid Center Courtyard (VKC). The USC Student Innovator Showcase gives students from all corners of the university – from interactive media to public policy, education to engineering, to life sciences and the environment – the opportunity to present their breakthrough ideas. Every year, hundreds of students from all over campus participate in this highly interactive, visually engaging showcase. Check out what the creative minds of USC students displayed in 2009 and the LA Times story about first showcase.
IMPORTANT DATES
- September 3: Applications due
- September13: Showcase presenters selected and notified via email
- October 1: Student Innovator Showcase and Competition (11:00 am – 2:00 pm)
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Student innovators from all disciplines should apply! Students may present work in a variety of ways, such as through poster/panel sessions, art exhibits, and electronic media.
Innovation [n] -- the process of translating new ideas into tangible societal impact.
Innovation is taking an imaginative idea and turning it into something that changes out world. It changes the way we live and work and think, and impacts our lives in the most fundamental way. Student innovation at USC includes advancement in every discipline, from cinematic arts, music and social sciences, to information technology, engineering and life sciences.
We are eager to include presentations that exemplify:
- Innovation in ALL disciplines, including the arts, science and technology, medicine, etc.
- Potential for tangible benefit/impact to society (How could your work change the world?)
High novelty (Has anyone done this before?) - Presentations with visual interest and impact (engaging, high-touch demos, diagrams, etc.)
- Progress turning idea into a tangible product, service or organizational model
- Enthusiasm of innovator (and/or team) to introduce their work to student and parents at USC!
HOW IT WORKS
Showcase and Competition
During the showcase judges will walk the exhibits speaking with the participants about their ideas. After the judges have met with the innovators they will select a group of ten finalists to compete in the two-minute presentation portion of the program.
Two Minute Presentations
Student Innovators from the showcase will be selected as finalists and have three minutes to ‘pitch’ their innovations to a panel of innovation experts immediately before the awards ceremony. Finalists will have approximately two hours to prepare their pitch for the event and will be provided with criteria they should include.
Awards
In 2010, USC student innovators will be competing for more that $2500 in cash prizes. Top awards include:
- 1st Prize: Most Innovative Award$1,500.00 funded by the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation and the Diem Shotwell Metcalfe Family Fund at the USC Marshall School of Business
- 2nd Prize: Most Promising Business Concept Award$1,000.00 funded by the Diem Shotwell Metcalfe Family Fund at the USC Marshall School of Business
- Plus, two runners-up will receive $250 each!
To apply and find out more about the USC Student Innovator Showcase, check out the USC Stevens Institute website. Questions? Please contact Dana Rygwelski, 213.740.5864, rygwelsk@usc.edu.
