The Grand Challenge will bring together multidisciplinary minds from across our community to explore solutions around one of the more perplexing problems of our time.
Are you up for the Challenge? Help us solve the local and global problem of mosquitoes.
Over $50,000 in funding is available to teams who submit the most innovative proposals addressing the challenge of controlling mosquitoes. Participants will be supported with a range of events and workshops to help ensure their proposal has the best chance of securing funding.
The Grand Challenge is a great way to meet new people, be exposed to fresh ideas, learn new skills and build creative, original work while having real-world impact. Great ideas come from everywhere, so no matter your background or experience you’ve got everything to gain by participating.
About the Challenge
There are two problem statements to this Challenge. Proposals should include responses to one or both of the following questions:
- How might we reduce the health risks that certain species of mosquitoes pose to humans?
- How might we lessen the nuisance factor imposed by urban and invading mosquito populations?
All proposals are required to be socially and environmentally responsible and work towards the benefit of either local or global communities. Interdisciplinary teamwork is encouraged. It’s a complex challenge so participants are recommended to identify a potential ‘step along the way’ that works to achieve the ultimate outcome of controlling mosquitoes.
Why mosquitoes
In the warmer months, mosquitoes can be a major annoyance in Australia, and staff and students would love to find ways to reduce their number. In some parts of the world, mosquitoes pose a major health risk as they carry diseases like malaria, dengue and Zika virus. This makes the mosquito the most dangerous animal on the planet. But there are hundreds of species of mosquito and most are neither a nuisance nor a threat to humans and in fact, are an important part of the wetland ecosystem.
Awards:- $50,000 in funding
Deadline:- 25-10-2020
