Summit Series on the NAE Grand Challenges

The Contest

We're looking for college students in the United States to create videos between two and three minutes in length AND a 1,000 word essay with bibliography in response to the question: Which of the 14 grand challenges identified by the National Academy of Engineering would YOU choose to address, and how would you do it?

The video should present your reasons for why you choose a specific challenge, present the social impact, the national technological readiness to address the challenge, and possible avenues to solve the challenge.

Purpose of the Video & Essay Contest

Our world faces daunting challenges. To be responsible stewards of the planet and to ensure human progress, we must find sustainable solutions for alternative energy, safeguarding our environment, improving healthcare, advancing knowledge, and creating the technologies that enhance the way we live. However, it is increasingly clear that no one discipline, technology, or individual can solve these problems alone.

In 2008, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) issued a report by an international group of leading technological thinkers who were asked to identify the Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century. Read about the grand challenges and the opinions of the committee members and the public at http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/.

Although the NAE led this effort, addressing such complex, and sometimes conflicting, issues will necessarily require innovation and cooperation from engineers of all kinds, as well as policy makers, economists, a broad range of scientists and — importantly — the public.

We want to hear what you—today’s college students—think about these issues and how you would solve these problems!

Award/Scholarship Prizes

First place: $15,000
Second place: $10,000
Third place: $5,000

Judging Criteria

(1) Originality 25%: An outstanding entry will have concepts, ideas and a format that is fresh and new, and addresses the technology, public policy and economic relevant to the specific grand challenge topic.
(2) Message 50%: The Panel will review the message of the Video/Essay submission to determine if the message is positive and in line with the aspirational tone of the Engineering Grand Challenges, is coherent and responds to the question.
(3) Impact 25%: The Panel will judge whether the video/essay is persuasive, memorable, and moving.

How To Enter

By February 1, 2009, 5:00 p.m. ET:

1. Upload your video to YouTube
2. Tag it “engineeringchallenge”
3. Fill out our submission form by February 1, 2009 AND submit your 1,000-word essay with bibliography.

Submission Guidelines

1. Each video/essay submission must address one or more of the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges (http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/).
2. Successful submissions will address the technology, public policy and economic conditions that need to improve or change to solve a particular grand challenge.
3. The sources of Information, facts and figures used in the video and essay must be documented in a bibliography and submitted with the essay. The bibliography is not considered part of the 1,000-word count of the essay. The essay and bibliography must be submitted on the online registration form.
4. The video may be staged as a short play, commercial, news broadcast, talk show, music video, a documentary or other form of presentation. Be creative!
5. You have the option of producing a video/essay submission as an individual or as part of a group. If a group submission is selected as a prize winner, the prize money will be evenly split between the members of the group and will not exceed the total prize amount for first, second and third place awards.

Eligibility Criteria

1. You must be currently enrolled at a U.S. college or university or community college in an undergraduate associate, undergraduate bachelor or graduate program.
2. You must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old.
3. All members of a team submitting a video/essay must meet the age and college attendance criteria.
4. Foreign national students attending U.S. colleges as defined in Criteria 1 who are on temporary visas (F or J class) are eligible to compete. If such a student is selected for one of the top three prizes, the financial award will be dispersed as a scholarship to the winning student's or team’s university or college institution.
5. All work encompassed by a video and essay submission must be the product of college students. No professional assistance should be used in the filming, editing, or research of the submission.

Contest Rules

Official Rules and Submission Agreement for the Engineering Grand Challenges Video & Essay Contest

The Engineering Grand Challenges Video & Essay Contest (the "Contest") is a non-profit awareness effort sponsored by Duke University (the SPONSOR). The Contest begins on October 1, 2008, and ends on February 1, 2009 at 5:00:00 p.m. ET (such period, the "Contest Period").

1. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS: This Official Rules and Submission Agreement (the "Official Rules and Submission Agreement") is made between you and the sponsors. You should read and understand this official rules and submission agreement before submitting a video (as defined below) and essay to the contest. By submitting a video and essay to the contest, you represent and warrant that you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this official rules and submission agreement.

2. ENTERING THE CONTEST:

(a) HOW TO SUBMIT A VIDEO TO THE CONTEST: Each Participant must record a video (the "Video") answering the question: “How would you solve one of the 14 engineering grand challenges identified by the National Academy of Engineering?“

The Participant may then enter the Contest by:

(1) Uploading his or her video during the Contest Period to http://www.youtube.com ("YouTube") and tagging the Video with the tag: "engineeringchallenge";
AND
(2) Completing the registration form (collectively with http://www.youtube.com, the "Contest Site");
AND
(3) Submitting an essay of no more than 1,000 words and a supporting bibliography documenting the source of all facts and figures.

No other means of entry will be accepted. If you do not tag your Video correctly, it will be deemed an incomplete entry. To enter the Contest, you have to be a registered YouTube user. Two or more eligible Participants who have co-created a Video may enter the Contest as a team, provided that the registration form is completed only once by the leader of the team, and each individual Participant who is a member of the team must agree to be bound by this Official Rules and Submission Agreement. The Sponsors take no responsibility for settling disputes within the team.

(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR VIDEOS: Videos must be submitted in a format and size accepted by YouTube and must be between TWO (2) and THREE (3) minutes in duration.

(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR ESSAY & BIBLIOGRAPHY: The persuasive essay should be within the 1,000-word limit. A bibliography documenting the source of all facts and figures cited in the essay AND the video must accompany the essay. The essay and bibliography must be submitted together through the registration form.

(d) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES: You or your team represent and warrant that the Video and Essay do not and shall not contain any material that, in Sponsor's sole discretion: (i) falsely states or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity, without such person or entity's prior written consent; (ii) is false, deceptive, misleading, scandalous, indecent, obscene, pornographic, unlawful, defamatory, libelous, fraudulent, tortious, threatening, harassing, hateful, degrading, intimidating, or racially or ethnically offensive, or contains nudity, pornographic images, explicit sexual themes, or graphic violence; (iii) encourages conduct that could be considered a criminal offense, could give rise to criminal civil liability, or could violate any law, or that could otherwise be considered inappropriate; (iv) constitutes a virus, worm, Trojan horse, Easter egg, time bomb, spyware, or other computer code, file, or program that is harmful or invasive or may or is intended to damage or hijack the operation of, or to monitor the use of, the Contest Site or any hardware, software, or equipment; (v) constitutes any advertising, promotional material, or other form of solicitation; or (vi) constitutes any material, non-public information about a Sponsor. Any Video/Essay that would violate any law or regulation or this Official Rules and Submission Agreement will not be considered. Sponsor retains sole discretion as to what constitutes unsuitable content, and to disqualify the submitting Participant from participation in the Contest. A Video/Essay that is submitted in violation of this Official Rules and Submission Agreement; that is received in whole or in part after the end of the Contest Period; or that is incomplete, illegible, corrupted, or damaged, will be discarded and deemed to be VOID.

3. PARTICIPANT'S RIGHTS TO VIDEOS/ESSAYS: By submitting your video, you represent and warrant that (i) all information that you provide through the Contest Site in connection with the submission of a Video and Essay, including without limitation any registration information, is and will remain true, accurate, and complete; (ii) you have the legal right and authority to enter into this Official Rules and Submission Agreement with Sponsor; (iii) the Video/Essay is your original, sole work; (iv) you solely own, or otherwise have the full right and permission to exploit, all of the rights in, to, and under the Video and to grant Sponsor the rights and licenses set forth herein, and with respect to any third party materials that appear in or are otherwise incorporated or embodied in the Video, you have obtained express, written clearances from all owners of and rights holders in such third party materials as necessary to grant Sponsor the rights and licenses set forth herein, and you will provide such clearances to Sponsor upon request; (v) you have obtained the written consent, release, and/or permission of every identifiable individual who appears in the Video, to use such individual's name and likeness for purposes of using and otherwise exploiting the Video in the manner contemplated by this Official Rules and Submission Agreement, or, if any such identifiable individual is under the age of eighteen (18), you have obtained such written consent, release and/or permission from such individual's parent or guardian, and you will provide such consents, releases and/or permissions to Sponsor upon request; (vi) the Video, and the use thereof by Sponsor and Sponsor's respective designees, do not and shall not infringe upon or violate any patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property rights or other rights of any third party; (vii) the Video is not confidential and does not contain any confidential information; and (viii) in creating the Video, preparing the Video for submission, and submitting the Video, you (A) have complied and will comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations and (B) have not violated and will not violate any understanding by which you are explicitly or implicitly bound (including without limitation any agreement with any third party). Sponsor reserves the right at any time in its sole discretion (but has no obligation) to verify that all necessary rights, clearances, consents, releases, and/or permissions in or relating to your Video have been obtained. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify you from the Contest, and to refuse or reject your Video, if Sponsor determines at any time, in its sole discretion, that all necessary rights, clearances, consents, releases, and/or permissions have not been obtained by you. You agree to cooperate with Sponsor in any verification or inquiries related to the foregoing. This Section 3 shall survive any expiration or termination of this Official Rules and Submission Agreement.

4. SPONSOR'S RIGHTS TO USE SUBMITTED VIDEOS/ESSAYS AND PARTICIPANT'S NAME: All submitted Videos/Essays remain the intellectual property of the Participant, subject to the following: by submitting a Video/Essay for consideration in the Contest, you irrevocably agree to grant, and actually grant Sponsor a perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, unlimited, transferable, assignable, sublicensable, royalty-free right and license to reproduce, publish, perform (on Sponsor's website(s), on any other website(s), in print, radio, television or elsewhere), display, distribute, modify, edit, create derivative works of, translate, adapt, rebroadcast, and otherwise use and commercialize the Video in any manner and context (including but not limited to usage in advertising, publications or promotional materials), now known or in the future discovered, in Sponsor's sole discretion, in any way, in any and all media, without limitation and without any compensation or acknowledgment to you or any third party, whether or not the Video/Essay is selected as a Winning Submission. In addition, as a condition of receiving a Prize, all Potential Winners agree to the license granted above. All Participants further acknowledge that Sponsor is under no obligation to return, post, display or otherwise use your submitted Video/Essay. All Participants hereby agree not to instigate, support, maintain, or authorize any action, claim, or lawsuit against Sponsor or its partners, affiliates, agents, licensees, prize providers or any other person, on the grounds that any use of the Video/Essay, or any derivative work from such Video/Essay infringe any of your rights as creator of the Video/Essay, including, without limitation, trademark rights, copyrights, publicity rights, privacy rights, and moral rights or "droit moral." Nothing herein shall create or constitute an employment, joint venture, or partnership relationship between you and Sponsor. In no way are you to be construed as the agent or to be acting as the agent of Sponsor in any respect, or will you have the power or authority to bind Sponsor in any way. Except as otherwise prohibited by law, Participant grants permission to Sponsor to use Participant's name and/or company name and city/ state of residence in connection with any use of the Video/Essay in any and all media, worldwide in perpetuity without further compensation or consent, including but not limited to possible television, radio or internet interviews. By entering, Participants acknowledge that Videos/Essay may be available to the public and that no privacy to ideas submitted is guaranteed. This Section 4 shall survive any expiration or termination of this Official Rules and Submission Agreement.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to save your Video in the original format after uploading it to the Contest Site. By entering the Contest, you agree that you will provide Sponsor with your Video in its original format in order for the Video to be used in future advertising, promotion, or otherwise.

5. ADDITIONAL FORMS: In order to participate in the Contest, you may be required to sign consent forms and/or releases in connection with your entry and Video/Essay/. You agree that upon Sponsor's request, you will comply with the foregoing.

6. RUNNERS-UP, WINNER, AND PRIZES:

(a) SELECTING RUNNERS-UP AND THE WINNER: A panel of judges (the "Panel") will review eligible entries and, based on the criteria set forth in Section 7(b) below (the "Criteria"), will select from the pool of all eligible entrants the top four (4) entries, three (3) of which the Panel will deem to be potential runners-up and one (1) of which the Panel will deem to be the potential winner (such three (3) potential runners-up, the "Potential Runners Up" and such one (1) potential winner, the "Potential Winner"). The Potential Runners-Up and the Potential Winner will be notified on or about February 28, 2009. Without limiting Section 4 above, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, contact the Potential Winner and/or each Potential Runner-Up and require such individual, in order to continue to participate in the Contest, to sign consent forms and/or releases in connection with such individual's entry. In the event that after a reasonable number of attempts contact with the Potential Winner or any Potential Runner-Up has not been made, or if any notification is returned as undeliverable, or if the Potential Winner or any Potential Runner-Up is unable to comply with this Section 6 elects to end his or her participation in the Contest, is unable to participate further in the Contest for any reason, or is, in Sponsor's discretion, deemed to be ineligible to participate further in the Contest for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to replace the Potential Winner or such Potential Runner-Up with an alternate entrant; provided that such alternate entrant will be subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 6. After the Potential Winner and all three (3) Potential Runners-Up have been finally determined by Sponsor to be eligible to continue to participate in the Contest (such Potential Winner, the "Winner" and such three (3) Potential Runners-Up, the "Runners-Up"), the Winner and the Runners-Up will be awarded prizes as set forth in Section 7(c) below.

(b) JUDGING CRITERIA. The Panel will judge all entries according to the criteria listed below, each in light of the age and grade level of each participant:

(1) Originality: An outstanding entry will have concepts, ideas and a format that is fresh and new, and addresses the technology, public policy and economic relevant to the specific grand challenge topic.
(2) Message: The Panel will review the message of the Video/Essay submission to determine if the message is positive and in line with the aspirational tone of the Engineering Grand Challenges, is coherent and responds to the question.
(3) Impact: The Panel will judge whether the video/essay is persuasive, memorable, and moving.

(c) PRIZES. The first place winner or team will receive a scholarship for a total of $10,000. The second place winner or team will receive a scholarship for a total of $5,000. The third place winner or team will receive a scholarship for a total of $3,000.

7. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY:
By entering this Contest, each Participant represents and warrants that he or she is not prohibited from participating in this Contest by any applicable law, statute, regulation, or authority. No responsibility or liability is assumed by Sponsor for technical problems or technical malfunction arising in connection with any of the following occurrences which may affect the operation of the Contest Site or e-mail address to which Videos/Essays can be sent: hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless or Internet connectivity or other online communication problems; errors or limitations of any Internet service providers, servers, hosts or providers; garbled, jumbled, faulty, incomplete or illegible data transmissions; failure of any e-mail transmissions to be sent to or received; difficulties in opening email attachments; lost, late, delayed or intercepted e-mail transmissions; incorrect or inaccurate capture of Video or other information; inaccessibility of the Contest Site in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestion on the Internet or Contest Site; or unauthorized human or non-human intervention of the operation of the Contest, including without limitation, unauthorized tampering, hacking, theft, virus, bugs, worms; or destruction of any aspect of the Contest. Sponsor also is not responsible for any lost, late, incomplete, illegible, damaged or misdirected Contest Videos/Essays submitted or any delay, loss or damage by communication systems. Proof of submitting Videos/Essays will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. Any use of robotic, automatic, programmed or similar methods of participation will void all such submissions by such methods. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other errors in the offering or announcement of prizes, in this Official Rules and Submission Agreement, or in the administration of the Contest, or any inaccurate or incorrect data contained on the Contest Site, or any personal injury or property damage or losses of any kind which may be sustained to Participant's or any other person's computer equipment resulting from participation in the Contest, or use of or download of any information from the Contest Site. Use of Contest Site is at Participant's own risk.

WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE CONTEST SITE AND ALL MATERIALS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST SITE, AND ANY PRIZES OFFERED OR PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND BY SPONSOR, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF USABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES; CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS. IN NO EVENT WILL THE CONTEST ENTITIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE CONTEST OR THE VIDEOS/ESSAYS, EVEN IF A CONTEST ENTITY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CONTEST ENTITIES' AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE CONTEST OR THIS OFFICIAL RULES AND SUBMISSION AGREEMENT (REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED YOUR COSTS (IF ANY) OF ENTERING THE CONTEST.

Sponsor does not make any, and hereby disclaims any and all, representations or warranties of any kind regarding any Prize, including without limitation any representations or warranties concerning fitness for a particular purpose or potential results. All Participants, on behalf of themselves, their executors, employers or companies, heirs and assigns, by submitting a Video and/ or by acceptance of a prize if selected as a Potential Winner, agree to release Sponsor, prize providers, and all officers, employees, agents, affiliates and partners of such entities, from any and all liability, claims or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses of any kind to persons or property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, use or misuse of any prize or any actions undertaken using prize, or while preparing for, participating in, or any activity in connection with the Contest or otherwise.

8. RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION: BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, YOU RELEASE AND HOLD DUKE UNIVERSITY, OLIN COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AND AGENTS, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PANEL (COLLECTIVELY, THE "CONTEST ENTITIES") HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS, ACTIONS, LOSSES, COSTS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, JUDGMENTS, SETTLEMENTS AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION REASONABLE ATTORNEYS' FEES) ("LOSSES") ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM: (A) YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST OR ANY CONTEST-RELATED ACTIVITY; (B) ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE; (C) ANY BREACH BY YOU OF ANY COVENANT, REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY SET FORTH IN THIS OFFICIAL RULES AND SUBMISSION AGREEMENT; (D) ANY CLAIM BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY; OR (E) ANY CLAIM THAT YOUR VIDEO OR THE USE THEREOF BY ANY CONTEST ENTITY INFRINGES UPON OR VIOLATES THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OR OTHER RIGHTS OF ANY THIRD PARTY OR CAUSED ANY DAMAGE TO A THIRD PARTY (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE INFRINGEMENT, MISAPPROPRIATION, LIBEL, DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY OR RIGHT OF PUBLICITY OR VIOLATION OF ANY RIGHTS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING).

9. MODIFICATION: Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, postpone, clarify, delay, suspend and/or terminate this Contest in whole or in part in the event that the Contest is not capable of running as planned or as intended by this Official Rules and Submission Agreement by reason of any technical, disabling, human or other causes or events that, in the sole discretion of Sponsor, impair, corrupt or interrupt the administration, fairness, security or integrity or proper conduct of the Contest, including without limitation, fire, flood, natural disaster, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, terrorist threat or activity or insurrection. In such event, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion: (a) postpone and/or reschedule and/or modify the Contest, or (b) terminate the Contest in its entirety. In the event of postponement, rescheduling or modification of the Contest, a notice to such effect will be posted online. In the event of termination, a notice to such effect will be posted online and all eligible and salvageable Videos collected prior to the termination shall be included in the Contest for purposes of awarding the prizes (or prizes of substantially similar value), provided that a sufficient number of Videos are received, and Sponsor shall have no further liability to any Participant in connection with the Contest. In no event will Sponsor be obligated to award more prizes than the number of prizes stated in this Official Rules and Submission Agreement. Sponsor reserves the right to terminate this Contest or to modify any rules as necessary for any reason or as required by applicable law.

10. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: All Participants agree to be bound by this Official Rules and Submission Agreement and the decisions of Sponsor whose decisions in all aspects of this Contest shall be final and binding. Sponsor may, at its sole discretion, disqualify a Participant from participating in any aspect of the Contest, if Sponsor deems or suspects that such person has engaged in or has attempted to engage in any of the following: (a) acting in violation of this Official Rules and Submission Agreement, or any terms and conditions relating to use of or access to the Contest Site; or (b) submitting a Video/Essay that the Participant has not personally authored (submitting someone else's work); (c) damaging, tampering with or corrupting the operation of the Contest; or (d) acting with intent to annoy, harass or abuse any other person; or (e) any unsportsmanlike, inappropriate, uncooperative, disruptive, fraudulent, potentially fraudulent, or unusual behavior or activity; or (g) activity deemed in the sole discretion of Sponsor and its agents to be generally inconsistent with the intended operation of the Contest. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PERSON TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR CORRUPT THE CONTEST SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR AND ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE AND SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

11. WINNERS LIST: Winners of the Video/Essay contest will be posted on www.summit-grand-challenges.pratt.duke.edu by March 10, 2009.

12. INTERPRETATION: In the event of any conflict between any information provided on Sponsor's or a third party's web site or provided by any entity other than Sponsor (including any "frequently asked questions"), on the one hand, and this Official Rules and Submission Agreement, on the other hand, this Official Rules and Submission Agreement shall govern.