What Is Your Big iDea?

The SMU Provost Office has announced the launch of this year's Big iDeas contest that seeks — and rewards — solutions to the North Texas region's biggest problems.

"We're giving big bucks for big solutions that improve the quality of life in Big D," Provost Paul Ludden told SMU students. "For the fifth consecutive year, we are giving interdisciplinary teams of undergraduates up to $5,000 each to research and address challenges of the Metroplex (and beyond)."

Every major city faces complex problems that require insight from many disciplines, the contest site advises. Big iDeas project proposals should be aimed at addressing topics relating to such problems, with a team of at least two students from different disciplines.

"The Big iDeas program is great because it encourages students to work together in interdisciplinary teams to tackle current problems or deficiencies in our community," said Michelle Engle, Provost Office intern for the Big iDeas program and a President's Scholar who is majoring in biology and Spanish.

"Big iDeas encourages students to be proactive in identifying issues faced by our community and to be able to see the issues from many different perspectives in order to employ solutions," Engle continued. "It also allows students to step out of the academic bubble and forge long-lasting connections with Dallas community members while working hand-in-hand with them."

How to compete:

• Find at least one other person to join your team.
• Write a proposal. (What type of proposal?)
• Email it to bigiDeas@smu.edu by January 27, 2012.

Key dates:

• November 4, 2011 - Big iDeas Fall Symposium is at
  10 a.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Forum
• January 27, 2012 - The 2012 proposals are due

Read more about the contest at SMU's Big iDeas website.

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