Student Resources

Fingers typing on laptop keyboard

Competition rules & guidebooks | Competition timeline | Mapping a system | Research design essentials | Presentation resources | Peer support | Additional resources


This page catalogues important resources for Map the System participants to access throughout the duration of the competition.

Students may take part in Map the System as part of a course or independently. Students who are taking part in Map the System outside of a course are encouraged to take advantage of the non-course syllabus to help guide them through competition milestones.

This page will be updated throughout the competition as resources become available from our Map the System partners. If you are having trouble accessing any of these resources, please email Elham Mohammadi at mapthesystem@uwaterloo.ca for support.


Competition Rules & Guidebooks

Map the System Information Session (January 2022)

Remote video URL

Map the System Student Webinar (November 2020)

Remote video URL

Competition Timeline

Date Details
November 15 Student Registration Opens
January 31 UWaterloo Student Registration Deadline
April 4 UWaterloo Campus Final Student Submission Deadline
April 12 UWaterloo Campus Final
April Campus Finalists Selected and Contacted
April National Submission Deadline
May 10-12 Canadian National Final
May Global Finalists Announced
June Global Submission Deadline
June Global Final

Version of the timeline with icons

Systems Mapping Resources

  • Review this 12 step "Student Guide to Mapping a System" that will help you and your team walk through the process of mapping a system
  • Review the tool, Impact Gaps Canvas created by Daniela Papi-Thornton, designer of Map the System. This exercise will help you understand the landscape of your problem and identify some paths to a solution

Research Design Resources

Remote video URL

Presentation Resources


Peer Support

Elham Mohammadi

Map the System Campus Lead

Elham Mohammadi is a third-year Ph.D. student in the department of environmental studies. She received her first Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Iran and her second Master's degree in Environmental Studies in Canada. In April 2022, her Map the System team was chosen as one of the top teams in the University of Waterloo's campus final. This year, as the Map the System Campus Lead, she is excited to assist her peers.