Nurturing Ocean Young Innovators: The Brilliant Blue Challenge
The world’s ocean has always captivated human imagination with their vastness and mystery. It covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and holds immense potential for exploration, innovation, and sustainable development. However, the key to unlocking this potential lies in the hands of the next generation. To foster a new wave of ocean innovators, Brilliant Labs is proud to announce the launch of the Brilliant Blue Challenge, an annual global ocean innovation competition for students aged 12 to 18.
This competition is not just an academic exercise; it is a platform to inspire and empower young minds to become stewards of the ocean, poised to address the pressing challenges of our time.
Inspired by the UN Ocean Decade
Endorsed by the United Nations Ocean Decade, the Brilliant Blue Challenge recognizes the pivotal role that the ocean plays in our ecosystem. This initiative is a testament to the UN’s call for action to safeguard our ocean, promoting the sustainable and responsible use of this vital resource.
The inaugural competition is scheduled to be held virtually on the 16th of December, 2023, and the public is welcome to join and cheer on young innovators. The vision includes transitioning to an in-person event in the years to come.
Objectives of the Brilliant Blue Challenge
1. Raising Awareness: The ocean remains a largely unexplored frontier, holding untold opportunities in various industries, from marine biology to sustainable energy. The Brilliant Blue Challenge seeks to raise awareness among students about the vast potential of the ocean industries. By shedding light on these opportunities, we hope to inspire a new generation of ocean innovators and enthusiasts.
2. Leveraging STEM Skills: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills are essential for addressing the challenges faced by the ocean, such as climate change, pollution, and overfishing to name a few. The competition encourages students to apply their STEM knowledge to solve real-world problems, empowering them to make a meaningful impact on the world.
3. Fostering Skills: The Brilliant Blue Challenge goes beyond STEM by fostering a wide range of skills. It nurtures not only technical expertise but also soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, and teamwork. Furthermore, it encourages an entrepreneurial spirit, preparing students to become future industry leaders and innovators.
4. Empowering Career Decisions: For many students, choosing a career path is a daunting task. The ocean industry and related sectors offer a wide array of opportunities. By participating in the Brilliant Blue Challenge, students gain insights into these sectors, helping them make informed decisions about their future careers. They’ll understand the significance of their roles in preserving and harnessing the ocean’s potential.
5. Experiential Learning and Industry Connections: The competition provides an experiential learning platform where students can put their knowledge to the test. Through this challenge, they’ll not only learn about the theoretical aspects of ocean-related issues but also engage with professionals from the industry through the mentorship program. This connection to experts allows students to explore real-world challenges and solutions.
How the Competition Works
The Brilliant Blue Challenge is designed to be engaging and challenging. Participants are presented with three of the most pressing ocean-related problems: marine renewable energy, marine autonomous systems, and healthy marine life. These challenges are carefully curated to be both educational and thought-provoking, requiring students to think critically and come up with innovative solutions.
Teams of students, with guidance from educators and industry mentors, are invited to collaborate and brainstorm, ultimately creating solutions that can make a positive impact on the oceans. The competition encourages creativity, research, and effective communication of their ideas.
After selecting a category, students will work on developing a solution, crafting a prototype, and formulating a business plan. Additionally, they are required to document their thought processes and design strategies in a project logbook. Brilliant Labs urges teams to view this as a learning journey, emphasizing that their projects do not have to be fully operational. Instead, showcasing their work and outlining their ideas marks a commendable initial phase for this inaugural event. This event is poised to evolve into a hybrid format, blending in-person and virtual elements in 2024, providing teams with the opportunity to further iterate on their projects.
Entries will be judged by a panel of experts from various fields related to the Blue Economy. The winning teams will receive recognition, awards, and a chance to present their ideas on a global virtual stage.
Join our Wave!
The Brilliant Blue Challenge is not just a competition; it’s a journey that promises to shape the next generation of ocean innovators. By raising awareness, fostering skills, and providing real-world connections, this initiative seeks to inspire young minds to become advocates for the oceans. As we venture into this exciting endeavor, we anticipate a brighter future where the limitless potential of the blue economy is harnessed for the benefit of both humanity and our planet. Together, let’s explore, innovate, and protect our oceans for generations to come. To learn more, check out the competition’s webpage.
Follow the Brilliant Blue Competition Facebook to find more teams, videos and stories.
Thank you to Brilliant Blue Challenge funders CanCode & The National Research Council Of Canada; Sponsors: Cooke Aquaculture, and InnovaSea ; Official Partners & Supporters Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS), Marine Environmental Observation Prediction & Response Network (MEOPAR), Cloud & More; Endorsed by UN Ocean Decade; Media and Public Relations Partner amPR inc.
