Samsung Solve For Tomorrow
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a massive ($2M) national competition in which public school teachers in grades 6-12 work with their students to use concepts from STEM to improve their communities. Previous winners include a weather, humidity and temperature sensor detecting wildfire risk, a device to detect sediment build-up to avoid unnecessary flooding and an app that uses machine learning and AI to help people sort recycling. Winners earn big money for their local schools, along with the prestige that comes from succeeding in a competitive national competition. Most important, these students have the potential to create major STEM-driven positive change in their communities and beyond.
How do I get started? Check out the Samsung website for rules and guidelines.
How long will this take? Depending on your project and team this could be hugely time-consuming or a small diversion. Remember that you’re likely to get the most (from personal development AND college admissions perspectives) when you commit more time and energy to the effort.
How do I expand this narrative arc? Want to explore other ways to use concepts from STEM to improve your community? Take your great ideas further with one of these camps and or projects:
Take inspiration from nature to solve a sustainability problem in the Biomimicry Institute Design Challenge.
Learn about the unique challenges of adapting sustainability principles to an urban environment at Sustainable Summer Brooklyn.
Reduce the environmental impact of your community’s Christmas celebrations by launching a Mulchfest.
Track climate change in your part of the world by planting a Tulip Test Garden.
Participate in a quick citizen science project that revolves around the environment or sustainability like The Big Microplastic Survey
On the other hand if futurism is in your story arc you can:
Use mathematical modeling to show how a new technology or industry might change the future in the Modeling The Future Challenge
Use critical thinking and problem solving to design for positive global future outcomes in the Future Problem Solving Competition.