Deadline: 24 October 2011
Open to: Interdisciplinary pool of participants tackling a vast array of pressing problems in hundreds of countries around the world
Scholarship: $100,000
Description
Entries are now open for the Buckminster Fuller Challenge Award 2012 worth $100,000 in prize money aimed at supporting the development and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems.
Buckminster Fuller‘s prolific life of exploration, discovery, invention and teaching was driven by his intention “to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone.”
Fuller coupled this intention with a pioneering approach aimed at solving complex problems. This approach, which he called “comprehensive anticipatory design science”, combined an emphasis on individual initiative and integrity with whole systems thinking, scientific rigor and faithful reliance on nature’s underlying principles. The designs he is best known for (the geodesic dome, the Dymaxion house, car, and map, and the global electric grid) were part of a visionary strategy to redesign the inter-related systems of shelter, transportation and energy.
After decades of tracking world resources, innovations in science and technology, and human needs, Fuller asserted that options exist to successfully surmount the crises of unprecedented scope and complexity facing all humanity – he issued an urgent call for a design science revolution to make the world work for all.
The Program’s guiding objective is to catalyze wide-spread change in the understanding and approach to solving complex global problems. To achieve this, the program seeks to:
- Create a rigorous, transformational process for entry in which applicants grapple deeply with a unique set of criteria.
- Promote and disseminate an integrated, comprehensive, systems-based approach to the design of solutions.
- Highlight and reward exemplary strategies which embody this approach.
- Accelerate the implementation of these solutions.
Winning the Buckminster Fuller Challenge will require more than a great stand-alone innovation. If for example, your solution emphasizes a new design, material, process, service, tool, technology, or any combination, it is essential that it be part of an integrated strategy dealing with key social, economic, environmental, policy and cultural issues.
Entries must be:
- Comprehensive — applies a whole systems approach to all facets of the design and development process; aims to simultaneously address multiple goals, requirements, conditions and issues;
- Anticipatory — factoring in critical future trends and needs as well as projected impacts of implementation in the short and long term;
- Ecologically responsible — reflecting nature’s underlying principles while enhancing the Earth’s life-support systems;
- Feasible — relying on current know-how, technology and existing resources;
- Verifiable — able to withstand rigorous empirical testing;
- Replicable — able to scale and adapt to a broad range of conditions.
The winning strategy will integrate all these criteria into a powerful catalyst having the potential to play a significant role in the transition to an equitable and sustainable future for all.
Eligibility
Individuals and/or teams may submit no more than 1 (one) entry for consideration. Entries will be accepted if the individual and/or team members:
- Are 18 years of age or older
- Maintain a current and valid form of identification appropriate to country of residence
- Submit entry in English
- Follow the submission process completely and on time
- Are available to be contacted by email or telephone at any point in the evaluation process, and are available (if requested) for a site visit by a member of the evaluation committee
How to apply?
First of all, you need to create an user account on the Buckminster Fuller Challenge’ website (to create an account, click here) and follow the instructions. The email address with which you create this account will be the primary method by which they will contact you with important information about your entry, please make sure you select a valid email address that you check regularly.
Make sure to click the box “I would like to enter this year’s Buckminster Fuller Challenge” when creating your account. Once you have successfully created your user account and logged in you will be prompted to complete your user profile (“Participant Information”). Read the instructions carefully and make sure to fill out all required fields.
Next step will be to review the Online Application Template (to see the template, please click here) which will be followed by 2 more steps to complete. To find out all the information concerning the application procedures, please click here. At this link, you can find all the steps and guidelines how to complete the application successfully.
The deadline for the application is 24 October 2011.
The selection process is comprised of 5 stages and details concerning these stages can be found at the following link.
Contacts
The Buckminster Fuller Institute
181 N11th St, Suite 402
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone: 718 290 9283
E-mail: challenge@bfi.org