Competition to communicate technological innovations

The International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) has established two annual Communications Prizes to find the most compelling technological and engineering innovations, communicated in a way to inspire the public and aspiring young technologists — and Australians are encouraged to enter.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), a founding member of CAETS, is asking Australian technological scientists and engineers to submit short videos on work they have done or are conducting that makes an impact on society and the economy. The Academy is looking for videos that describe technological advances of significant importance and communicated in a way that can educate the general public on the important role of technology and engineering in society, and that can inspire students to consider career paths in those fields.

There are two submission categories:

• Engineering Success Stories: Submissions from Fellows of ATSE describing technological or engineering advances that already have demonstrated significant real-world impact.
• High Potential Innovations: Open to university/tertiary students or junior scientists/engineers with fewer than 10 years’ work experience, describing important innovations that have the potential to change our world but where it is too soon to have had demonstrated impact.
   

ATSE will adjudicate the Australian entries and submit the best videos for each of the two categories for competition against those from international CAETS member academies. The video entries are to be no longer than 5 min and should clearly and simply explain a problem, solution and its actual or potential impact.

ATSE President Hugh Bradlow said it’s important for people working in the fields of technology and engineering to address, in a simple and engaging manner, general audiences.

“Technology and engineering make a positive impact on society and have the ability to solve real-world problems,” Prof Bradlow said.

“Australia’s technologists and engineers are doing incredible, innovative work, but this is sometimes poorly understood because it has not been explained in terms everyone can understand.

“ATSE hopes this competition will encourage technological scientists and engineers in Australia to not only think about their innovations but also how they are communicated.”

Entries are open until Friday, 28 May at 5 pm AEST. For more information, visit https://www.atse.org.au/programs-and-awards/caets-communication-prizes/.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/VIGE.co

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