Ricoh Sustainable Development Award

[MolecularMan14]

Today, I noticed an advertisement for the RICOH Sustainable Development Award. I know that innovated engineering is not exactly my field of expertise, but I was compelled by the cause.

 

It is essentially a project for developing innovations that will ultimately lead to a society with sustainable homeostasis (zero environmental impact).

It's not so much the money that I'm after, though I admit that it doesn't hurt , but I'm after the recognition that would come from an award like this one.

 

Here is their link- http://www.ricoh-sustainability.com/

 

Does anyone have any ideas for a project like this one? Also, I can't seem to find the official rules for the competition, can anyone post a link to the official rules, so I meet all the requirements?

 

Everyone's help is appreciated!

Thanks Much!

 

I had the idea for a natural form of water distillation (to eliminate the use for buying bottled water, and recycle dirty or processed water). Does anyone know of a method of natural distillation that may not be very efficient in nature?

 

Once more, Thanks!

[MolecularMan14]

I was thinking about organizing a team for the project. The problem is that I cant find anyone interested. I need some good ideas!

[Martin]

Here is some stuff I found at that site:

"The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the world's largest pre-college science competition. Now in its 55th year, the Intel ISEF is the world's only science project competition for students in the ninth through twelfth grades. The Intel ISEF brings together students, teachers, local business, corporate executives, and government officials from around the world. Students compete for over $3 million in scholarships, tuition grants, scientific equipment, and scientific trips."

 

> Who participates?

 

"Each year 3-5 million students complete science research projects, and roughly 1,200 of those students earn the right to compete at the Intel ISEF. Throughout the United States and around the world, 500 Intel ISEF-affiliated Science Fairs send two individual finalists and one team project finalist to compete on the international level. Students compete for scholarships in 14 categories:

 

Behavioral and Social Sciences, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth & Space Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Medicine & Health, Microbiology, Physics, Team Projects, and Zoology."

 

I think that what Ricoh is doing is promoting a 15th award category.

They want to add Sustainable Development projects to the above list.

 

I suspect that it will work the way all the others do----which seems to me this way----just guessing----they scout around at Highschool Science Fairs and they pick out ones they especially like and they INVITE them to compete in the INTEL fair.

then at the Intel Fair they have 14 or 15 scholarship prizes to hand out, in these 14 or 15 categories. So the company that puts up the scholarship money can appoint judges to go around at the fair and decide who gets it.

 

It looks to me like what you compete for is the invitation to the Intel Fair and then you set up at the fair and you actually have a chance to win in any category---your project could be noticed by judges in some other category besides what you are aiming at.

 

this is just speculation from reading the stuff at the site

[Martin]

"More than 600 individual and team awards will be presented at the 55th Intel ISEF. Each entry is judged at least four times with category awards given in first, second, third and fourth place. Awards are $3,000, $1,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively in each of the 15 categories. Additional awards worth over $1.5 million include tuition scholarships, summer internships, scientific field trips, and laboratory equipment provided by Intel, Science Service, and nearly 70 other corporate, professional, and government sponsors. The top winners will receive all-expense-paid trips to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden and a $50,000 scholarship."

 

It looks like to find out more you contact "Science Service" in Washington DC which is the organizer and main sponsor of the Intel Science Fair.

[MolecularMan14]

hmm...so the only entries that count are those that are participated in science fairs? That's kinda strange. Im not sure if we actually have a science fair here. I hope so, I've never actually HAD a science fair ever. lol.

[MolecularMan14]

so, anyone have any other ideas for projects that innovate but help reverse or prevent environmental effects? Another thought was not only water distillation, but oxygen scrubbing (take "air" and make it pure O2)? Anyone know of any organic methods of doing either of these?

[MolecularMan14]

anyone have ANY ideas? someone here must have had a good science fair project, or at least an idea for an innovation/invention that could help to maintain homeostasis?

[MolecularMan14]

no one? I could use some ideas.