Michael Brown '86 also passed along word about this competition through the EPA. Students, are you interested in putting together a team of PG and science majors to develop a project? Let me know and we'll help. Check out some of the past projects here.
People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability
EPA and its partners launched the P3 Award in 2003 to promote innovative thinking for moving the world toward sustainability. Through this national student design competition, college students gain new skills and knowledge as they research, develop, design, and implement scientific and technical solutions to environmental challenges.
WHAT IS P3? P3 is the next step beyond P2 -- pollution prevention -- and focuses on the three components of sustainability: People, Prosperity and the Planet.
WHAT IS THE P3 AWARD COMPETITION? The competition has two phases. Initially, student teams compete for $10,000 grants. Recipients use the money to research and develop their design projects during the academic year. Then, in the following spring, all P3 grant recipients are invited to Washington, D.C. to compete for the P3 Award. The National Academies, advisors to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine, convene a panel to evaluate and recommend the award winners. The final award decisions are made by EPA.
WHAT IS THE P3 AWARD? The P3 Award is given to the highest-rated student designs. The award includes additional funding up to $75,000 that gives the students an opportunity to further develop their designs for sustainability, implement their projects in the field, and move them to the marketplace.
WHAT CATEGORIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE P3 AWARD? EPA considers challenges from a wide range of categories, including agriculture, built environment, ecosystems, materials and chemicals, energy, information resources, and water. Challenges related to population growth and medical care, while important, are not included in this competition, other than the delivery or distribution systems of knowledge, goods, and supplies.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Institutions of higher education located in the U.S. are eligible to apply as the recipients of grants to support teams of undergraduate and/or graduate students. Collaboration and partnerships with colleges and universities outside the United States are permitted, but only U.S. institutions are eligible to apply.
HOW TO APPLY: Application procedures and materials can be found at: www.epa.gov/P3. Information about awards can also be found at this Web site.
APPLICATION REVIEW: A peer review panel evaluates all P3 applications based on problem definition; innovation and technical merit; connections to sustainability in terms of P3; measurable results, evaluation method, implementation strategy; and integration of the P3 Award competition as an educational tool. Final funding decisions are made by EPA.
