The Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation

First year Planning students Alen Palander and Jonathan De Vela explain their winning submission, GLOW to award sponsor Honey Rosen during the 2011 Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation.

Do you have an innovative idea that could solve, mitigate or avoid an environmental problem? If so, you could win a grand prize of $1000 or one of three honourable mentions of $500 each by entering the Jack Rosen Memorial Award competition.

All full-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Environment are eligible to submit an idea (device, process, or method) that could solve, mitigate or avoid an environmental problem.

Deadlines:

• Submit an intent to enter online by February 24th, 2012 by email - please fill out all fields in the message body!
• Submit your poster or model to the ENV Dean’s office (EV1 347) by 4:30 pm Friday March 9th, 2012
• Posters will be displayed in the ENV Courtyard from March 12 to March 16, 2012
• Judging will take place on Friday March 16th, 2012, from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, in EV1 courtyard. 

Poster and Presentation Specifications:

• Your poster should be 2' x 3' and mounted on a rigid foam board.
• It should have a title (be creative), your name and email address.
• 3D models, prototypes and photos or drawings are encouraged to help illustrate your idea.
• Include a brief description about your idea and how it works, what environmental problem it mitigates or solves, and how would it help.
• At the judging you will have 2 minutes to pitch your idea to a panel of judges. Come prepared to answer questions based on the evaluation criteria below.

Evaluation Criteria:

The Selection Committee will evaluate entries based on the following 5 criteria:

1. Innovation – How unique or creative is the solution?
2. Effectiveness – How well would it solve the identified environmental problem?
3. Simplicity - Could it be applied globally/implemented and managed easily?
4. Consumer Appeal – Has the market been identified? Would it sell?
5. Cost Effectiveness – Has the cost/benefit ratio or cost recovery been considered?

Congratulations to our past winners:

About Jack Rosen

During his successful career as an entrepreneur, businessman and waste management professional in Waterloo Region, Jack Rosen was instrumental in the successful introduction of the world's first ‘Blue Box’ recycling program.

This innovative environmental project has since been adopted and successfully implemented across Canada and internationally, and is widely viewed as one of the most successful community-based environmental conservation projects of the 20th century.

In recognition of Jack Rosen’s extraordinary vision and commitment to environmental issues, this award, sponsored by the Jack and Honey Rosen Charitable Foundation, is intended to reward and encourage innovative, ‘outside-the-box’ ideas aimed at solving environmental challenges and issues.