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Pre-University STEM Hands-On Activities Contest Details and Official Rules

Contest Description:

IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc) Educational Services Board, Women in Communications Engineering Committee (WICE), and IEEE Educational Activities Board (EAB) are looking for projects created by ComSoc Members designed to explain a communication technologies topic to Pre-University students in various age groups.  Projects should be exciting, engaging, and delivered in a format that is appropriate for younger students to understand.  These projects will include hands-on activities in which the students can be engaged in the learning process. Hands-on activities examples can include participating in an experiment, creating or building something, working through problems to find a solution, etc.  Projects should also include instructions for the adults who are working with the children on these activities.

IEEE ComSoc Members can participate individually or in teams. If you are participating as a team, then at least one female needs to be a member of the team.  Partnership with a university or company willing to sponsor is also acceptable. A letter to indicate support of the partner is required.

Hands-on Activity Categories:

Contest participants can select any topic related to communication concepts and technologies and can be targeted for children of different age ranges.

Topics can be related to any communication engineering technology.  Some sample topic areas include:

  • Wireless
  • Networking
  • Optical
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Satellite

Recommended Student Age Ranges

  • 7 -10 years old
  • 11-13 years old
  • 14-18 years old

Evaluation:

  1. Entrants must submit a document, which includes at a minimum the following:
    • Hands-on activity background – Theory behind the practice.
    • Age range of student audience. 
    • Hands-on activity objectives
    • Anticipated outcomes
    • Hands-on activity instructions
    • Resources / Materials
    • Video of the Hands-on activity in action submitted in .mp4 format
  2. The Hands-on activities should be relevant to communications and will be judged based on innovation, creativity and excitement in the target age group.
  3. The materials/resources to be proposed should be of low cost or moderate cost. Keep in mind that younger ages will like more hands-on and simpler materials. Older ages will understand and be able to handle digital and software formats. Creative use of household or easily available items encouraged. If materials can be supplied in some kit form, indicate the source or how they can be assembled.

Submission Form:

  • Participants can submit the document using the submission form and filling in the necessary details.

Awards:

Two award winners (either individuals or teams) will be selected per age range:

  • Certificate from WICE and Educational Services Board of IEEE ComSoc.
  • A cash prize with the following distribution:
    • 1st Place: USD $1000 per winner (either individual or team).
    • 2nd Place: USD $700 per winner (either individual or team).

The funds will be transferred to the individual, if on a team the one single person indicated by the team, or to the local student branch or Section (if the participants are part of one).

Submission Extended Deadline: 21 October 2022. Winners (either individuals and/or teams) will be selected per age type by 8 November 2022.

Entry Period:  This Contest commences on 24 August 2022 8:00 AM US EDT and ends Friday, 21 October 2022 at 11:59 pm EDT ("Entry Period").  Sponsor's server is the official clock for the Contest.  Entries received before or after the entry period are void.

Official Contest Rules:

Sponsor: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08854 (“Sponsor”)

Eligibility:  Contest is open to all IEEE Communications Society members at any membership level within the United States of America and other countries, where permitted by local law, who are the age of eighteen (18) and older.  Entrants can either participate individually or as a part of a team. If you are participating as a team, then at least one female needs to be a member of the team.  Employees of Sponsor, its agents, affiliates and their immediate families are not eligible to enter the Contest. Entrants may be subject to rules imposed by their institution or employer relative to their participation in contests and should check with their institution or employer for any relevant policies.  Void where prohibited by law.

Agreement to Official Rules:  By participating in this contest, entrants agree to abide by the terms and conditions thereof as established by Sponsor.  Sponsor reserves the right to alter any of these Official Rules at any time and for any reason.  All decisions made by Sponsor concerning the Contest including, but not limited to the cancellation of the Contest, shall be final and at its sole discretion.

Entry Period:  This Contest commences on 24 August 2022 8:00 AM US EDT and ends Friday, 7 October 2022 at 11:59 pm EDT ("Entry Period").  Sponsor's server is the official clock for the Contest.  Entries received before or after the entry period are void.

How To Enter:  Entrants can enter the Contest during the Entry Period by completing the form using the following guidelines:

Hands-on activity Guidelines: Participants must submit a document detailing the Hands-on activity.  Your entry must include:

  • Hands-on activity background – Theory behind the practice.  In 750 words or less, please provide the background for this hands-on activity, such as what is the theory behind the practice.
  • Age range of student audience.   Identify what is the most appropriate age range of the children to participate in this activity: 7 -10 years old, 11-13 years old, or 14-18 years old
  • Hands-on activity objectives. Details on what you hope to have students learn by completion of this activity.
  • Anticipated outcomes. Details on what will be the result of the completed activity.
  • Hands-on activity instructions. Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for and complete the activity.
  • Resources / Materials. Details on what is needed in regards to materials or people to complete the activity.
  • Video of the Hands-on activity. Visual example of how to complete this activity.  Videos must be in .mp4 format.

All entries must:

  • Be in English
  • Be original content
  • Have the proper permission to use any imagery, footage, and other content in the submission and include credit as necessary
  • Not contain inappropriate or offensive content
  • Not to exceed 50MB file size

LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON OR TEAM.

The Hands-on activities should be relevant to communications and will be judged based on innovation, creativity and excitement in the target age group.

The materials/resources to be proposed should be of low cost or moderate cost. Keep in mind that younger ages will like more hands-on and simpler materials. Older ages will understand and be able to handle digital and software formats. Creative use of household or easily available items encouraged. If materials can be supplied in some kit form, indicate the source or how they can be assembled.

Only entries submitted in accordance with these Official Rules will be eligible for consideration. No alternate means of entry permitted. All entries become the exclusive property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

Selection of Winner:

Two (2) winners (either individuals and/or teams) will be selected per age type by 8 November 2022.  Prize winners will be chosen based on a content review process. A panel of judges selected by the Sponsor (“Judges”) will include representatives from WICE, ComSoc Educational Services Board, and IEEE Educational Activities Board who will review all entries. Entries will be ranked based on five (5) criteria:

  • Originality and creativity
  • Communicates clearly the theory behind the topic area for the appropriate age level of the students
  • Meets technical requirements (length, format; does not contain inappropriate or copyrighted material)

Prize:  The prize(s) for the Contest are being sponsored by IEEE.  The Prize Winner(s) shall each receive:

  • Certificate from WICE,ComSoc Educational Services Board,and IEEE Educational Activities Board.
  • A cash prize with the following distribution:
    • 1st Place: USD $1000 per winner.
    • 2nd Place: USD $700 per winner.

The prize funds will be transferred to the winners as applicable as indicated below:

  • To the individual winner
  • To one single person indicated by the team
  • To the local student branch or Section (if the winner chooses to donate the funds to this group).

No substitution of prize permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component of equal or greater value in its sole discretion for any reason at time of award. Sponsor shall not be responsible for service obligations or warranty (if any) in relation to the prize(s). Prize may not be transferred prior to award. All other expenses associated with use of the prize, including, but not limited to local, state, or federal taxes on the Prize, are the sole responsibility of the winner.  Winner(s) understand that delivery of a prize may be void where prohibited by law and agrees that Sponsor shall have no obligation to substitute an alternate prize when so prohibited.

Notification of Potential Prize Winners:  The Prize Winners will be notified by e-mail within 14 days of the selection date.  If a Prize Winner does not acknowledge acceptance of the Prize within 14 business days after being notified that he or she is a Prize Winner, or if a potential Prize Winner does not return the signed claim forms within the required time,  or is otherwise found to be ineligible or not in full compliance with these Official Rules, another Prize Winner will be chosen using the same procedure specified above. Potential Prize Winner may be asked to execute and return to Sponsor a declaration of eligibility and liability/publicity release, where lawful, within fourteen (14) days of attempted notification. Winner may waive the right to receive the prize. The decisions of Sponsor are final and binding in all respects.

Release, Publicity, and Privacy:  By receipt of the Prize and/or, if requested, by signing an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release, the Prize Winner consents to the use of his or her name, likeness, business name and address by Sponsor for advertising and promotional purposes, including but not limited to on Sponsor’s social media pages, without any additional compensation, except where prohibited.  No entries will be returned.  All entries become the property of Sponsor.  The Prize Winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its officers, directors, employees, affiliated companies, agents, successors and assigns from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest.

Sponsor assumes no responsibility for computer system, hardware, software or program malfunctions or other errors, failures, delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human or technical in nature, or for damaged, lost, late, illegible or misdirected entries; technical, hardware, software, electronic or telephone failures of any kind; lost or unavailable network connections; fraudulent, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions whether caused by Sponsor, the users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest; or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions or downloading, that may limit, delay or prevent an entrant’s ability to participate in the Contest.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this contest and award a prize from entries received up to the time of termination or suspension should virus, bugs or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control, unauthorized human intervention, malfunction, computer problems, phone line or network hardware or software malfunction, which, in the sole opinion of Sponsor, corrupt, compromise or materially affect the administration, fairness, security or proper play of the contest or proper submission of entries.  Sponsor is not liable for any loss, injury or damage caused, whether directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from downloading data or otherwise participating in this Contest.

Entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor may collect, store, share, and otherwise use personally identifiable information provided during the registration and application process and the Contest, including, but not limited to, name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.  Sponsor will use this information with accordance with its Privacy Policy, including for administering the Contest and verifying Entrant’s identity, postal address, and telephone number in the event an entry qualifies for a prize. Entrant’s information may also be transferred to countries outside the country of Entrant’s residence, including the United States. Such other countries may not have privacy laws and regulations similar to those of the country of Entrant’s residence. If an Entrant does not provide the mandatory data required at registration, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify the entry.

Right to Use Entries:  By entering the Contest, entrants grant Sponsor a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide right and license to reproduce, publish, display, edit and otherwise use the submitted Entries, and entrant’s full name and city and state/province/country of residence, photograph, likeness, voice and institutional affiliation, in print or any offline or online and other media for purposes of editorials, exhibition, advertising, publicity and promotion without additional compensation or permission, unless prohibited by law.

Representations and Warranties Regarding Entries: By submitting an Entry, you represent and warrant that your Entry does not and shall not comprise, contain, or describe, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion: (A) false statements or any misrepresentations of your affiliation with a person or entity; (B) personally identifying information about you or any other person; (C) statements or other content that is false, deceptive, misleading, scandalous, indecent, obscene, unlawful, defamatory, libelous, fraudulent, tortious, threatening, harassing, hateful, degrading, intimidating, or racially or ethnically offensive; (D) conduct that could be considered a criminal offense, could give rise to criminal or civil liability, or could violate any law; (E) any advertising, promotion or other solicitation, or any third party brand name or trademark; or (F) any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other harmful code or component. By submitting an Entry, you represent and warrant that you own the full rights to the Entry and have obtained any and all necessary consents, permissions, approvals and licenses to submit the Entry and comply with all of these Official Rules, and that the submitted Entry is your sole original work, has not been previously published, released or distributed, and does not infringe any third-party rights or violate any laws or regulations.

Limitations of Liability/Reserved Rights:  Neither Sponsor, its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies, nor its advertising or promotional agencies shall have any obligation, liability or responsibility with regard to (i) entries that contain incorrect or inaccurate information or do not comply with these Official Rules, (ii) entries, prize claims or notifications that are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient, in whole or in part, due to computer, technical or other error of any kind, (iii) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet or computer malfunctions, failures or difficulties of any kind, (iv) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor that may cause the Contest to be disrupted or delayed, (v) any printing or typographical errors in these Official Rules or any other materials associated with the Contest, or (vi) any damages or losses of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from participation in the Contest, accessing, uploading or downloading data in connection with the Contest, or acceptance, possession or use of any prize.  Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any entrant tampering with or abusing the entry process or the operation of the Contest or otherwise violating these Official Rules.  Sponsor, in its sole discretion, further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, suspend or modify the Contest if the Contest cannot be completed as planned because of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort and to select a winner from among eligible entries unaffected by such event, if any.

Disputes: EACH ENTRANT AGREES THAT: (1) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CONTEST, OR ANY PRIZES AWARDED, SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORTING TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION, PURSUANT TO ARBITRATION CONDUCTED UNDER THE COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION THEN IN EFFECT, (2) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THIS CONTEST, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS' FEES; AND (3) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN AWARDS FOR, AND ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, AND ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN FOR ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES, AND ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED.  ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES, OR THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ENTRANT AND SPONSOR IN CONNECTION  WITH THE CONTEST, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICT OF LAW, RULES OR PROVISIONS (WHETHER OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION) THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.  SPONSOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL OR OTHER ERROR IN THE PRINTING OF THE OFFER OR ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONTEST OR IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRIZES.

Contest Results and Official Rules:  To obtain the identity of the Prize Winner and/or a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Tara McNally, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated (“IEEE”), Attn: Communications Society,445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08854.