Overview

The STEAM Innovation Challenge Annual Conference is a competitive event designed for the innovative youth of today. The conference encompasses career counseling and social awareness workshops and allows youth to connect with industry professionals. Students research and develop an invention to solve a real-world problem in one of three events. In teams of 1-4, participants create a prototype/model of their solution as well as a report. Finally, participants present their innovations to a panel of judges at STEAM ICAC.

The 3 events for STEAM ICAC are Astronomy, Engineering and Life Sciences. Each team presents their innovation in a creative way to a qualified judge in their field for 10 minutes at maximum. The teams must also submit a hard-copy of their report to the judges upon entering the presentation room. The teams are premitted a digital visual aid if needed and will be assessed on their presentation/report as well as other criteria found here. The report must be 10 pages maximum – 1-inch margins, size 12 Times New Roman font, single-spaced.

Rules & Regulations

STEAM ICAC Regulations

1. Judges may penalize contestants, after consultation with STEAM Innovation Challenge management, if they feel there has been a rule infraction not explicitly stated in the Rules and Regulations.
2. All materials submitted at the STEAM ICAC become the property of the STEAM Innovation Challenge. The STEAM Innovation Challenge may use or allow affiliated partners to publish submitted material.
3. Contestants may not provide judges with any items, gifts or notes. Participants may only present their model, report, and planning to the judges.
4. Contestants must submit a hard copy of their report and planning.
5. The report submission must be under 6000 words and have a maximum of 10 pages (discluding citations).
6. All attendees of STEAM ICAC must be dressed in business formal attire.

Eligibility

1. Teams must be registered with the STEAM Innovation Challenge by latest March 1st, 2025 to attend ICAC.
2. All members of a team are required to compete in the same event.
3. A team can only participate in one event at a maximum.
4. If accommodation for STEAM ICAC is needed, it must be requested by March 15th, 2025.
5. All members of a team must be in high-school or between the age of 13-19.

Point Deductions

1. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. Judges will determine point deductions will be made depending upon the extent of the plagiarism.
2. Teams should arrive 5 minutes before their slotted time. Should contestants arrive more than 5 minutes later than their slotted time, a penalty may be administered with which 15 or more points can be deducted
3. The presence of all team members at the STEAM Innovation Challenge Annual Conference (STEAM ICAC) is mandatory unless exempted through the STEAM IC team
4. Team members who are absent during the presentation are ineligible to attend the awards ceremony.
5. Teams should aim to complete their presentations within the allocated time of 10 minutes. If a team exceeds the time limit, the presentation will be interrupted and any additional material presented will not be scored. No points are deducted if a team has to be cut off.