Hundreds of Washington high school students are about to discover the power of research, with the help of Washington State University's faculty experts.
A new competition called Imagine Tomorrow challenges student teams to develop solutions to real-world problems as they compete for cash prizes. To be successful, competitors must support their creative ideas with—you guessed it—solid research.
This year's theme, "Power Your Future," asks student teams to forge solutions to the nation's future energy needs. The best ideas win prizes of up to $5,000 for the students and their schools, thanks to the generosity and vision of the competition's sponsors.
An advantage goes to teams that bridge disciplines from the sciences to the arts. "This competition is designed to show our youth that teamwork across academic disciplines is both vital and fun," said Craig Parks, professor of experimental psychology, an expert in cooperative interpersonal processes, and a member of the competition's steering committee.
Faculty members from throughout the University are contributing their expertise to planning the Imagine Tomorrow competition. Many will also serve as judges, along with business and opinion leaders from throughout the state.
Highlighting the event is the awards banquet keynote address, to be delivered by one of Time magazine's "Heroes of the Planet," Denis Hayes, board chair of the International Earth Day Network and president of the Bullitt Foundation.
The University will host the first annual competition on the WSU Pullman campus May 9–11. Faculty volunteers are welcome.
For additional information, visit imagine.wsu.edu.
The Chronicle, College of Liberal Arts, Washington State University