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Future Problem Solving

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• Connie Phelps 2  

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Future Problem Solving (FPS) engages students in futuristic thinking through annual academic competitions at local, state, regional, and international levels. Hosted through Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), its mission develops the ability of young people globally to design and achieve positive futures through problem solving using critical and creative thinking . Founded by E. Paul Torrance in 1974, the education program uses a six-step Problem Solving Model based on the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Model. E. Paul Torrance promoted positive futures through the construct of creative problem solving. Organized geographically as local FPSPI affiliates, participants select one of four competition components that include Global Issues Problem Solving, Community Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and Scenario Performance. Students prepare annual topics throughout the school year with qualifying competitions leading to the next level. At the end of the school year, a four-day International Conference (IC) hosts champions during a culminating competition organized as Junior (grades 4–6), Middle (grades 7–9), and Senior (grades 10–12) divisions. Participants address a Future Scene as a hypothetical situation set 20–30 years in the future such as Antibiotic Resistance (2022) and Neurotechnology (2021), and participants receive constructive feedback from trained evaluators. The Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) component challenges participants to design positive futures, apply the six-step Problem Solving Model, and create a detailed Action Plan. Possible futures emerge as participants (1) Identify Challenges, (2) Select an Underlying Problem, (3) Produce Solution Ideas, (4) Generate and Select Criteria, (5) Apply Criteria, and (6) Develop an Action Plan.

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Phelps, C. (2022). Future Problem Solving. In: Glăveanu, V.P. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90913-0_262

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Benefits of Problem-Solving in the K-12 Classroom

From solving complex algebra problems to investigating scientific theories, to making inferences about written texts, problem-solving is central to every subject explored in school. Even beyond the classroom, problem-solving is ranked among the most important skills for students to demonstrate on their resumes, with 82.9% of employers considering it a highly valued attribute. On an even broader scale, students who learn how to apply their problem-solving skills to the issues they notice in their communities – or even globally –  have the tools they need to change the future and leave a lasting impact on the world around them.

Problem-solving can be taught in any content area and can even combine cross-curricular concepts to connect learning from all subjects. On top of building transferrable skills for higher education and beyond, read on to learn more about five amazing benefits students will gain from the inclusion of problem-based learning in their education:

• Problem-solving is inherently student-centered.

Student-centered learning refers to methods of teaching that recognize and cater to students’ individual needs. Students learn at varying paces, have their own unique strengths, and even further, have their own interests and motivations – and a student-centered approach recognizes this diversity within classrooms by giving students some degree of control over their learning and making them active participants in the learning process.

Incorporating problem-solving into your curriculum is a great way to make learning more student-centered, as it requires students to engage with topics by asking questions and thinking critically about explanations and solutions, rather than expecting them to absorb information in a lecture format or through wrote memorization.

• Increases confidence and achievement across all school subjects.

As with any skill, the more students practice problem-solving, the more comfortable they become with the type of critical and analytical thinking that will carry over into other areas of their academic careers. By learning how to approach concepts they are unfamiliar with or questions they do not know the answers to, students develop a greater sense of self-confidence in their ability to apply problem-solving techniques to other subject areas, and even outside of school in their day-to-day lives.

The goal in teaching problem-solving is for it to become second nature, and for students to routinely express their curiosity, explore innovative solutions, and analyze the world around them to draw their own conclusions.

• Encourages collaboration and teamwork.

Since problem-solving often involves working cooperatively in teams, students build a number of important interpersonal skills alongside problem-solving skills. Effective teamwork requires clear communication, a sense of personal responsibility, empathy and understanding for teammates, and goal setting and organization – all of which are important throughout higher education and in the workplace as well.

• Increases metacognitive skills.

Metacognition is often described as “thinking about thinking” because it refers to a person’s ability to analyze and understand their own thought processes. When making decisions, metacognition allows problem-solvers to consider the outcomes of multiple plans of action and determine which one will yield the best results.

Higher metacognitive skills have also widely been linked to improved learning outcomes and improved studying strategies. Metacognitive students are able to reflect on their learning experiences to understand themselves and the world around them better.

• Helps with long-term knowledge retention.

Students who learn problem-solving skills may see an improved ability to retain and recall information. Specifically, being asked to explain how they reached their conclusions at the time of learning, by sharing their ideas and facts they have researched, helps reinforce their understanding of the subject matter.

Problem-solving scenarios in which students participate in small-group discussions can be especially beneficial, as this discussion gives students the opportunity to both ask and answer questions about the new concepts they’re exploring.

At all grade levels, students can see tremendous gains in their academic performance and emotional intelligence when problem-solving is thoughtfully planned into their learning.

Interested in helping your students build problem-solving skills, but aren’t sure where to start? Future Problem Solving Problem International (FPSPI) is an amazing academic competition for students of all ages, all around the world, that includes helpful resources for educators to implement in their own classrooms!

Learn more about this year’s competition season from this recorded webinar:    https://youtu.be/AbeKQ8_Sm8U and/or email [email protected] to get started!

It’s official, we have amazing news for the Plant the Moon Challenge – NASA just announced that they will be awarding over $4 million to institutions across the United States, including our partner, the Virginia Space Grant Consortium , specifically to support the expansion of the Institute of Competition Science’s Plant the Moon Challenge to over 13,000 new students in the next three years! The PTMC was selected as one of just four projects to receive support from the NASA Space Grant K-12 Inclusiveness and Diversity in STEM (SG KIDS) solicitation.

The NASA Space Grant KIDS funding aims to provide experiences for students to learn about NASA’s Artemis mission to return human explorers to the Moon and to Mars. Receiving this funding will expand the Plant the Moon Challenge and provide new opportunities for students to explore space science, mission design, agriculture, botany, and more, all through the hands-on, project-based structure of the PTMC. The grant supports six Space Grant Consortium partners to engage new middle and high school teams in their states including: North Carolina , South Carolina , West Virginia , Florida , Puerto Rico , and Virginia (the proposal lead).

About the Challenge

The Institute of Competition Sciences’ Plant the Moon Challenge (PTMC) is a global citizen science experiment for explorers, astronauts, and gardeners of all ages. Part hands-on learning activity and part project-based competition, the goal of the PTMC is to see who can grow the best crops using lunar or Martian regolith simulant.

Participants receive PTMC Activity Kit and form student groups that work together to design their own plant growth experiments over an eight-week grow period. For two weeks before the grow period, throughout the grow period, and for two weeks after the grow period, teams engage in weekly activities and virtual events that supplement their experiments with STEM learning activities.

Piloted in 2021 and 2022, the Challenge has reached an exciting 4,000 students in its first two seasons. Thanks to the incorporation of NASA Space Grant KIDS funding, 13,080 additional students from targeted underrepresented and underserved populations and 510 formal and informal educators who teach these students will be engaged during a three-year project period.

The Institute of Competition Sciences is thrilled to be able to support more students and educators alongside the Virginia Space Grant Consortium and our five other regional Space Grant Consortia partners (Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia) on this proposal. With the addition of materials stipends for participating teachers, expanded professional development for educators, enhanced speakers and activities for participants, and experiential prizes in each state and at the regional level, the NASA SG KIDS opportunity will greatly enhance the way students engage with NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond!

Teachers are saying…

“The students were in complete control (I only served as the guiding hand). They really enjoyed the importance of their work and loved that they were involved with NASA and their missions to help the Moon projects. They were really interested in finding out why their project didn’t work as planned. I had to tell them that failure was a key opportunity to truly learn. They then dug into their research as to why the plants didn’t reach maturity. Love, love, love this for them!”

“Plant the moon was a wonderful whole group experience that created a lot of dialogue amongst my students … My students were already very interested in space, and this just helped make it a little more real for them.”

“… My students took ownership of this project . They were committed to the weekly observations and recording of data and active in asking questions, troubleshooting and problem solving along the way.”

Get Involved

To learn more about our Plant the Moon/Plant Mars Challenge and upcoming opportunities, be sure to subscribe to the ICS Newsletter below, and visit the Plant the Moon Challenge website .

With schools across the United States getting started this month, now is the time many teachers are getting to know their classes, subjects, and maybe even grade levels. During this critical planning period, there are educational standards that need to be met at the national, state, and district levels. It can be stressful thinking about how to make sure students aren’t just building the hard skills they’ll need for testing, but also the soft skills that they’ll carry with them into higher education and/or their future careers – such as problem solving.

At every age, problem solving skills help students think critically and strategically about the world around them. Not only is problem-solving necessary in the classroom and during exams like SATs and ACTs, it can also encourage creativity and inspire students to pursue new knowledge and career pathways.

Problem solving is essential in every classroom, no matter the subject area, but it can be tricky finding organic ways to incorporate it into your curriculum. One of the best ways to help students hone their problem solving skills is to have your students participate in an academic competition! Competitions like Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) cater to students in multiple age ranges, and work with educators to curate the best experience for your students and their individual needs.

In this blog post, we will detail how you can integrate problem-solving into your curriculum for all grade levels – from kindergarten to high school – through FPSPI.

1. Check out their affordable, non-competitive resources for teachers.

FPSPI offers three different resources for educators who want to teach problem solving without guidance or the challenge environment:

• — Action-Based Problem Solving (ABPS) – available for students K-9 to provide guidance in the problem solving process and writing of ideas.
• — The Problem Solving Experience Curriculum – targeted at grades 5-8 to be implemented either as a full course, or spread out over 1-4 years, with complete lesson plans included.
• — Problem Solving Across the Curriculum (PSAC) – provides hundred of Future Scenes that can be modified for any classroom or grade level to give students the opportunity to apply the problem solving process.

2. Tackle global issues in the classroom.

Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) is available to teams or individual students who want to make a positive impact on the world. It can be used as a curriculum, integrated into existing content plans, or completed outside of school hours.

Participating students research global topics and resolve a Future Scene (a hypothetical scenario) by creating a detailed action plan.

3. Enact local change.

Community Problem Solving (CmPS) is also available to teams or individual students who want to explore the world around them, particularly issues that are close to home. CPS participants may also choose to address global concerns with their projects, but work to resolve the problems they choose by developing and carrying out their projects in the real world.

4. Get creative with performance or writing.

Scenario Writing (SW) and Scenario Performance (ScP) competitions call upon individual students to

respond to one of the five annual topics through either a 1500-word comprehensive essay or through an oral presentation, respectively. In both instances, students are asked to create stories that logically detail the outcomes of events taking place in the future.

Feedback from coaches:

[FPSPI] teaches important life skills.

[FPSPI helped our students with] developing advanced thinking skills.

FPS is challenging and involves hard work.

Want to learn more about how you can get your students involved in FPSPI? Check out the benefits of the program and get started this school year or join the 30-minute Intro to FPS Webinar on September 14th !

June 5 th -9 th , over 1,600 students from elementary to high school gathered both in-person and virtually at Future Problem Solving Program International’s (FPSPI) International Conference to compete in variety of challenges addressing antibiotic resistance . Our very own CEO, Josh Neubert, even attended to check out some of the amazing work done by FPSPI students and present during the opening ceremony. We wanted to give a huge shout out and congratulations to the many talented students who participated!

FPSPI is all about emphasizing the importance of creative and critical thinking and decision-making by teaching students how to approach problem-solving – not telling them what to think. Through FPSPI competitions, students learn and practice a clear and logical approach that they can use in any type of creative problem-solving scenario throughout their lives. From environmental and social issues, to travel, technology, and medicine, FPSPI has covered a wide range of interesting and relevant topics that students can really explore and take ownership of.

The IC 2022 Future Scene challenged students to come up with new ways to detect environmental pollution and reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria circulating through water and soil in Tasmania’s cherry orchards. Their projects address concerns the Tasmanian government may have about the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria during farming, all while considering the importance of cherry yield for the Tasmanian economy.

During the International Conference (IC) students were recognized in the following categories:

PAP (Presentations of Action Plan)

Students from all divisions – Junior, Middle, and Senior – developed their PAP submissions in response to the IC 2022 Future Scene. Check out the presentations from one of the first-place teams at time stamp 42:00 during the IC Awards Ceremony video . This team’s plan involved killing bacteria with rays of UV light from Drone UV admitters (DUV) on a predetermined flight plan!

Multi-Affiliate Global Issues Problem Solving Competition (MAGIC)

The MAGIC contest took place on-site during the International Conference, which allowed students from around the world to collaborate with one another. Competitors were randomly assigned to teams based on division and worked together with other students from different states and countries to complete a handwritten booklet (similar to the Global Issues Problem Solving competition). The MAGIC booklet included eight challenges, eight solution ideas, and a shortened grid for students to complete within two hours.

Scenario Performance (ScP)

Students competing in the Scenario Performance category developed and acted out stories based on their future projections about antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Their performances were evaluated based on their storytelling technique, audience awareness, use of voice, development of story, characterization, creative and futuristic thinking, and overall connection to the topic.

Scenario Writing (SW)

Scenario Writing competitors also got creative by writing original futuristic short stories about their projections about the same topic. Their written works were assessed on creative and forward thinking, idea and character development, style/voice, mechanics, research, and how well they were able to entertain and inform the audience about antibiotic resistance in their Future Scene.

Community Problem Solving (CmPS)

The 361 students who took part in the Community Problem Solving competition addressed an area of concern from their own communities. By providing a framework to move beyond traditional service learning, students apply the problem-solving process to identify and address local, state, national or global issues that result in measurable outcomes. On-site students prepared their displays for evaluation at the International Conference.

Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS)

The Global Issues Problem Solving category allows both teams and individuals to respond to the Future Scene using the Six-Step Process. 835 students completed in-depth research about Antibiotic Resistance before the competition started.  Students involved in GIPS practice powerful problem-solving skills that engage their critical and creative thinking. Hundreds of creative solutions were presented on to address the Future Scene! Check out the final results of each competition here .

Want to get involved in future FPSPI competitions? Parents, educators, and students from all around the world are invited to participate in categories like the ones from the 2022 International Conference! Learn more about the different types of competitions here , or find an FPSPI Affiliate to get started .

Sustainability is central to all engineering projects and is becoming even more critical as our concern for environmental health is exacerbated by climate change and the need to produce “green” energy and conserve precious resources. Our global environment and economy are so inextricably intertwined that engineers must consider environmental impact in every financial decision they make, which is why the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University is committed to providing engineering students with the resources they need to address this challenge.

Given the growing importance of sustainability, it’s no wonder that undergraduate students in all fields of engineering who can highlight their experience solving environmental issues will be in the highest demand. If you are or know an undergraduate-level engineering student who wants to gain this valuable experience and, at the same time, make a real environmental difference, the WERC Environmental Design Contest might just be the perfect competition to foster an understanding of environmental issues!

The WERC Environmental Design Contest was founded over three decades ago by New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering, creating an opportunity for college students that has led to careers in academia, major engineering firms, and government agencies such as the EPA. Engineering professionals who have participated in the WERC competition have called it “an engineering education opportunity of a lifetime.” Modeled after an engineering Request for Proposals (RFP), this competition asks students to spend 3-6 months as “professional engineers,” creating a complete engineering design, including bench-scale testing and a business plan for full-scale implementation. It also gives students the chance to pitch their business plans during an exciting event called “Flash Talks”, a Shark-Tank-inspired setting where students give a 3-minute pitch of their designs to judges who pose as “investors.”

The contest culminates with oral presentations and bench-scale demonstrations in Las Cruces, NM, April 16-19, 2023. Winners are eligible for an award pool of $30,000 for their solutions, and top papers are published in IEEE’s Xplore journal. As an amazing bonus, students competing in the WERC Environmental Design Contest have the opportunity to meet with academic, government, and industry experts, providing them with valuable networking contacts to advance their research and potential career opportunities.

In 2022, a student reflected, “The interaction with the judges made this an even greater learning experience that we will carry into our careers. They helped us understand practical limitations and issues based on their real-world experiences.”

For the 2023 competition, students can choose from six project topics – “tasks” – all of which are designed by businesses and organizations with an immediate interest in competitors’ solutions to real-world problems. There are tasks for most fields of engineering. A seventh open task is also available for teams who want to select their own challenge to solve. The tasks this season are:

• Beneficial wastewater reuse for rural communities
• Vehicle-to-grid resiliency
• Reducing water loss in mine tailings facilities
• Detecting microplastics in reservoirs
• Ammonia recovery from produced water
• A NASA task – to be determined

How to Get Involved

Interested in the WERC Environmental Design Contest ? Check out their guidelines to see if you or your team would be eligible. Sign up for their informational webinar on either July 20, 2022, or August 10, 2022 at 12:00PM Mountain Time to learn more about how to get started!

Informational webinars are 45 minutes long and give future competitors an introduction to the contest and the “hows” and “whys” of getting involved. Faculty, government, and industry speakers will be present to explain how the tasks are developed, how teams receive mentoring from professional engineers, and strategies for participating in the competition!

Register for July 20th

Register for August 10th

When people think of NASA the first things that come to mind are usually rockets and robots; however, NASA works on so many incredible areas of technology development that most of us don’t associate with the high tech space exploration administration. From advancing crop science that helps farmers increase their yields to improving how biomedical researchers can grow human tissues, NASA researchers have their hands in nearly every industry here on Planet One. And luckily, there are great ways for students to get involved and get recognized by NASA!

We’re fortunate to be living in the Artemis era, as second golden era of space exploration where NASA has a prime directive to return humans to the Moon and push on to Mars! Right now, excitement about space is growing faster than a speeding neutrino! The recent launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the development of new commercial space stations, the discovery of Earth-like exoplanets, the launch of commercial astronauts and (soon!) sending crewed missions to the moon! There’s never been a better time to get involved in space programs than right now.

But how do you get started? How do you get recognized by NASA. I mean, those people are wicked smart! If you’re a student in high school or college and you want to work at NASA helping to advance any of the amazing projects on the horizon, it might seem a little daunting to even know how to begin. Well, NASA, and a bunch of supporting organizations have tons of amazing competitions and contests that students can participate in.

These student competitions, contests, challenges, and prize programs are amazing ways to get recognized by and connected with NASA. Not only that, their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus, helps students prepare for a wide array of college and career opportunities. So if you want to get recognized by the smarty pants at NASA, you might want to start here. We’ve compiled a list of our top competitions that can help you get connected with NASA!

1.   Plant the Moon and Mars Challenge

Age Range: Elementary, Middle, High, and College

Tags: Citizen Science, Science Fair, Agriculture, Botany, Lunar Exploration, Mars Exploration, Life Support, Mission Design.

This STEM competition challenges teams of up to 10 students to see who can grow the best crops in Lunar or Martian regolith! It combines agriscience, farming, and botany with space exploration, planetary science, geology, and NASA mission technology development. Teams receive 5kg packs of simulated regolith painstakingly engineered by the University of Central Florida’s Exolith Laboratory to be as close to the real thing as possible. Through an 8 week grow period, students conduct their own experiments to test out which types of crops grow best with which types of fertilizers added to the simulated regolith.

Students get connected with NASA researchers, botanists, and university academics to learn how NASA is helping to advance crop science for space exploration and for the agriculture industry here at home. Anyone interested in testing out their hand at being an astrofarmer, check out this citizen science competition!

Learn more: https://plantthemoon.com/

2.   Lunabotics

Age Range: College

Tags: Robotics, Mining, Lunar Exploration

LUNABOTICS is a STEM competition for college students that supports NASA’s lunar technology development by focusing on lunar construction with a challenge to build robots to simulate building a section of a berm on the lunar surface. On the lunar surface, a berm would surround lander launch and landing pads to prevent dust and debris from spreading onto habitats and experiments during.  The challenge provides students exposure to NASA’s systems engineering process: design, develop and evaluate robots, and an opportunity to be involved in a challenge with other community colleges, colleges/universities at KSC. The teams will also perform public outreach, submit systems engineering papers and present and demonstrate their work to a NASA review panel.

3.   Human Exploration Rover Challenge

Ages: High, College

Tags: Rovers, Lunar Expedition

This STEM competition for high school and college students tasks teams to design, develop, build, and test human-powered rovers capable of traversing challenging terrain and task tools for completion of various mission tasks.

4.   International Space Settlement Design Competition

Tags: Space Exploration, Mission Design, Habitats, Engineering

Through these hands on students competitions, teams of high school students adopt positions within a simulated professional workplace setting related to a future space settlement scenario. They are mentored by industry professionals as they work to deliver solutions to simulated futuristic aerospace engineering scenarios. Students gain a deeper understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) – specifically their application in the industries of today and tomorrow –providing them a platform to pursue careers in aeronautical, and other, fields and disciplines.

5.   Spaceport America Cup

Ages: college

Tags: Rocketry

The Spaceport America Cup is the world’s largest Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition for student rocketry teams. With over 120 teams from colleges and universities in twenty countries, the competition continues to grow every year. Students launch solid, liquid, and hybrid rockets to target altitudes of 10,000 and 30,000 feet. A great way for college students to connect their STEM skills with NASA launch goals!

6.   The American Rocketry Challenge

Ages: middle, high

The American Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest rocket contest with nearly 5,000 students nationwide competing each year. The contest gives middle and high school students the opportunity to design, build and launch model rockets and hands-on experience solving engineering problems. This STEM competition for students is a sure way to get NASA to recognize your students’ work!

7.   NASA Student Launch Competition

Ages: middle, high, college

Tags: rocketry

NASA’s Student Launch is a research-based, competitive, experiential exploration activity. It strives to provide relevant, cost-effective research and development of rocket propulsion systems. The student competition provides science, technology, engineering, and math skills for students that are directly relevant to NASA. This project offers multiple challenges reaching a broad audience of middle and high schools, colleges, and universities across the nation.

8.   Micro-G Next

Tags: science, research, microgravity, Neutral Buoyancy

Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams encourages undergraduate students to design, build and test a tool or device that addresses an authentic, current space exploration challenge. The challenge includes hands-on engineering design, test operations and public outreach. Test operations are conducted in a simulated microgravity environment at NASA’s Johnson Space Center Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas.

9.   NASA BIG Idea Challenge

Ages: college, graduate

Tags: robotics, rover, space exploration

The 2022 BIG Idea Challenge provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to design, develop, and demonstrate robotic systems with alternative rover locomotion modalities for use in off-world extreme lunar terrain applications. A panel of NASA and industry judges selected seven innovative ideas from the academic community for a wide range of alternative rover locomotion modalities to either enhance or replace traditional wheeled mobility systems that can expand our access to extreme terrain on the Moon and (later) on Mars.

10. Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone (GLEE)

Age Range: High, College

Tags: Lunar Exploration, Programming, Satellites,

Inspired by NASA’s Apollo Moon landings over 50 years ago, the Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone (GLEE) will be a catalyst for a new generation of space missions and explorers. This scientific and technological mission to the Moon will deploy 500 LunaSats to the lunar surface to conduct local and distributed science missions. LunaSats are tiny spacecraft with an integrated sensor suite that will be programmed by teams of students all over the world for a mission of their own design. These teams will be mentored by GLEE program staff through the programming, test, launch, and data gathering process. GLEE will be free to all teams that are selected for participation. From hands-on activities to a global citizen science network, GLEE is the next step to inspire and engage the world in a truly global mission to the Moon.

11. International Space Apps Challenge

Ages: high, college, graduate, professional

Tags: coding, programming

The NASA International Space Apps Challenge (Space Apps) is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others in cities around the world, where teams engage the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.

Each October, over the course of two days, Space Apps brings participants from around the world together at hundreds of in-person and virtual local events to solve challenges submitted by NASA experts. After the hackathon, project submissions are judged by space agency experts and winners are selected for one of 10 Global Awards. Space Apps provides problem-solvers worldwide with NASA’s free and open data, giving teams the opportunity to learn how to use these resources to solve each year’s challenges.

12. Zero Robotics Competition

Ages: Middle, High

Tags: Robotics, Microgravity, International Space Station, Coding, Programming

Zero Robotics is a robotics programming competition where the robots are SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites) inside the International Space Station. The competition starts online, on this website, where teams program the SPHERES to solve an annual challenge. After several phases of virtual competition in a simulation environment that mimics the real SPHERES, finalists are selected to compete in a live championship aboard the ISS. An astronaut will conduct the championship competition in microgravity with a live broadcast!

13. NASA AstroPhoto Contests

Ages: Elementary, Middle, High, College, Graduate

Tags: Photography, science, astrophotography, data science

NASA’s Astrophoto Challenges include two challenges: the MicroObservatory Challenge and the NASA Data Challenge. Teams entering either challenge could be selected by NASA’s Universe of Learning team as a standout entry for feedback from NASA scientists! In the MicroObservatory Challenge, students capture their own real-time telescope image of the Carina Nebula, and process it with MicroObservatory’s JS9‑4L tool. Then student teams consider how the image of the Carina Nebula that they processed compares to an image of the Carina Nebula processed by NASA. In the NASA Data Challenge, student teams select any of NASA’s images of Eta Carina & the Carina Nebula and process them with MicroObservatory’s JS9‑4L tool. Then students use all the techniques they’ve learned with MicroObservatory to process real NASA data and create their best image.

14. Space Entrepreneurs Academy

Ages: high, college

Tags: technology, research, science, entrepreneurship, mission design,

This high school and university student education program combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with the excitement of commercial space entrepreneurship. The Space Entrepreneurs Academy (SEA) engages students in a wide array of aerospace topics through a unique library of diverse video interviews and custom tutorial videos from industry executives, academic researchers, and government leaders. The SEA provides an innovative digital learning opportunity to engage students in the STEM concepts behind commercial space entrepreneurship and encourages critical thinking about the future of the aerospace industry.

Each year, the academy concludes with a pitch competition presenting innovative new ideas for commercial space businesses from the top students around the world. Students completing the Space Entrepreneurship Academy are trained on a unique combination of entrepreneurship and aerospace content, gaining skills to help them bolster the rapidly growing workforce and launch the next wave of innovative aerospace products, services, and businesses.

The Space Entrepreneurs Academy opens in the fall of 2022. To receive information about this competition make sure you are registered on the ICS platform .

Find out more about these and hundreds of other competitions for students on the Institute of Competition Sciences platform! Join us as a featured member to get access to special discounts, unique competition opportunities, and to get an insider advice on how to succeed in all kinds of academic competitions.

Signup for your insider account at: www.competitionsciences.org

Each year, students in grades 4-12 around the world convene at Future Problem Solving Program International’s (FPSPI) International Conference to take part in events and workshops, brainstorm scenarios, collaborate with groups to complete creative problem-solving exercises, and learn from experts during presentations and Q&A sessions.

Additionally, Community Problem Solving competitors have the chance to showcase their projects from the past year both in-person and online, displaying and celebrating their solutions to issues facing their local communities.

This year, over 1,800 brilliant young minds will be attending the hybrid event beginning on June 9 th , 2022 to tackle an important challenge facing the future of global health care – antibiotic resistance .

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria undergo mutations that render antibiotic medicines ineffective against them. This means that doctors must continuously develop new drugs to treat patients with resistant infections, as well as to preserve the usefulness of existing antibiotic drugs.

There are many factors that contribute to the rising emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including over-prescription of antibiotic drugs, environmental pollution and poor pollution controls, agricultural misuse, and poor patient adherence to treatment instruction. Today, antibiotics are not only in medications, but also in food sources and plastics, creating more and more opportunities for antibiotic resistant microorganisms to develop.

In the United States alone, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur every year, leading to over 35,000 deaths. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has only contributed to creating conditions that may have reversed our progress on antibiotic resistance. Staffing shortages, record high numbers of patients, and longer hospital stays during the pandemic have led to increased difficulties implementing infection control practices.

The World Health Organization warns that, “While there are some new antibiotics in development, none of them are expected to be effective against the most dangerous forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Given the ease and frequency with which people now travel, antibiotic resistance is a global problem, requiring efforts from all nations and many sectors.”

FPSPI Global Issues Problem Solving and Scenario competitors will have the chance to tackle this incredibly relevant and important issue during the International Conference by researching all aspects of antibiotic resistance in preparation for challenges where they will need to analyze and address futuristic scenarios centered around the topic. Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on June 12 th , 2022.

To learn more about FPSPI’s International Conference, check out the readings, schedule, and more here .  To learn more about the antibiotic resistance topic, check out FPSPI’s video and resources here .

Stay tuned for more updates about the amazing work FPSPI students are doing with their research and writing during the 2022 Hybrid International Conference!

ICS Entrepreneurship provides students, parents, and educators with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to be successful in entrepreneurship competitions. The biggest dilemma young entrepreneurs face is the matter of solving a problem for their customers, which is why we are collaborating with Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) to show students how to use their problem-solving skills to address real problems and make an impact with their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Read on to learn how students in both Community Problem Solving and Global Issues Problem Solving Competitions have worked together in each of the FPSPI age divisions Junior (grades 4-6), Middle (grades 7-9), and Senior (grades 10-12) to tackle real-world issues.

Community Problem Solving 2021:

In the Community Problem Solving Competition, students solved prevalent problems in their communities, focusing on topics such as civic and cultural issues, education, environment, and health. After identifying their focus, they conducted research, met with local professionals and authorities, and created a plan to combat the issue and create a positive impact. Take a look at the 2021 winners in each division below for examples of how students of all ages are fostering change in their communities.

Junior Division Grand Champion: Project Food Waste Champs

Taylor Elementary, Texas

After noticing the amount of food waste in their elementary school cafeteria, these students researched the amount of food wasted each year worldwide and its negative environmental effects. After looking at ways they could confront this problem, Project Food Waste Champs decided on a school-wide composting program.

Middle School Division Grand Champion: HOPE

William H. Galvin Middle School, Massachusetts

Inspired by seeing their peers affected by the spread of COVID-19, HOPE confronts the lack of meaningful social interaction that children have experienced during the pandemic. HOPE, or Helping Out People on Edge, brings this mission to life by organizing both virtual and in-person events where kids can reconnect and have fun.

Senior Division Grand Champion: BY2 Be Yourself Brand Yourself

Matanzas High School, Florida

Knowing that most colleges and universities want a holistic look at their applicants and can often choose to accept or decline admission based on a student’s social media posts, BY2 set out with the goal to help high school students understand how to create a positive and useful social media presence. Through classes, flyers, PSAs, and more, BY2 is dedicated to helping their peers be accepted into their dream schools and get a safe and healthy handle on social media use.

Global Issues Problem Solving 2021:

In the Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS), students think creatively about the future and must apply a six-step creative problem-solving process to a given research topic. All of these winners in the Junior Division looked at the topic of neurotechnology treatments, procedures, and potential side effects. After being given 4 example scenarios of how brain implants have affected patients, students have to identify an underlying problem and develop an action plan for future use of the neurotechnology. Winners in this category looked at the issues from the perspective of education, ethics, law and order, physical health, social relationships, ethics and religion, business and commerce, and more.

Problem Solving and Entrepreneurship

After looking at these impressive solutions to real-world problems, you still may ask: what does problem solving have to do with entrepreneurship? Well, the two are inherently intertwined: entrepreneurs exist to solve problems for their customers. Similar to how these FPSPI winners analyzed a problem and gave detailed solutions, entrepreneurs assess issues affecting a group of people and devise a profitable solution to help them.

Learn more about how you can use Future Problem Solving International’s tools for problem solvers in future entrepreneurship endeavors and competitions in our upcoming webinar, Entrepreneurial Problem Solving, on April 12 at 6pm EST. High school students, parents, and educators can register at the following link: https://www.competitionsciences.org/product/entrepreneurial-problem-solving-workshop/

We’ve long known that participating in academic competitions helps students build knowledge and skills that they can carry with them long after they’ve graduated. Competing in a challenge can inspire a sense of internal motivation, teach young people how to better cope with stress and fear of failure, and introduce them to new passions and interests they never knew they had.

Additionally, there are many academic competitions that offer awards like scholarships, internships, and networking resources to help students land their dream career, start their own business, or pursue higher education opportunities.

With so many varied personal and professional benefits, we have compiled this list of five different academic competitions that can help set your student up for a life of professional fulfillment and success.

Free to Apply

Rise is an academic competition built to support community and globally minded students as they pursue a future in social entrepreneurship or activism. The program is open to high school students around the world.

Rise’s Global Winners receive comprehensive, personalized, lifetime support, although anyone who simply applies is automatically able join the Rise global network, which connects students to global leaders, career opportunities, and free online courses.

Awards for Global Winners include a fully funded, three-week residential summit, mentoring and career support, virtual and in-person leadership and educational courses, a four-year scholarship to any accredited university, and a technology package. The lifelong nature of Rise support also enables Global Winners to access graduate-level scholarships, program and internship matching services, and ongoing funding opportunities!

YouthBiz Stars Business Competition

Ages 6-21 in the state of Colorado

The YouthBiz Stars Business Competition is a Colorado-specific competition for young entrepreneurs. Students compete in age brackets: ages 6-11, ages 12-15, and ages 16-21, for the chance to win up to $5,000 and a partnership with a leading business owner from the Colorado community!

This local entrepreneurship competition is an amazing way for students to get an early start at running their own businesses, as well as learn from experienced entrepreneurs in their home state.

The Conrad Challenge is a competition centered around purpose-driven innovation. This challenge calls upon students to use their creative and entrepreneurial abilities and apply science and technology concepts to help solve global issues.

Perfect for students with STEM-related interests, the Conrad Challenge provides step-by-step guidance and support from industry experts to help students build the essential collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills they will need in their careers.

The Conrad Challenge is comprised of three rounds: the investor pitch, the business plan, and the Innovation Summit and virtual finals. Teams must consist of two to five students; however, teammates can collaborate virtually and do not have to live in the same area – allowing students to make new friends with peers that share their academic interests!

All finalists are invited to the Innovation Summit event, where they can take part in workshops, tours, community sessions, live pitching, and other unique events. Winning teams receive scholarships, patent assistance, and other services to fine-tune their innovations and create companies or license their IP.

High School Math Students

Free to Register

The Modeling the Future Challenge combines math modeling, risk analysis, and data analysis into an academic competition – challenging students to predict the future!

Devised by The Actuarial Foundation, The Modeling the Future Challenge offers semi-finalist teams the opportunity to take part in mentoring with a professional actuary and gain firsthand experience with the Actuarial Process. Students with an interest in mathematics, finance, economics, or statistics may find the challenge particularly helpful in introducing them to new career options.

Winners take home their share of the $60,000 scholarship pool, and all finalist teams leave with lasting connections in the actuarial career field – which boasts a six-figure median pay and a projected job growth of 24% over the next decade!

High School Students – with Some Challenges and Events Open to College Students.

Nationally recognized for their alignment with US Curriculum Standards, DECA runs competitive events in the career clusters of marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism.

DECA’s evaluates students with both a written component, such as an exam or report, and an interactive component with an industry professional serving as a judge. With a central goal of motivating students to achieve career and college readiness, DECA is a great fit for achievers in all business sectors.

DECA runs various challenges with different objectives and awards, so you can find the best fit for your student. Scholarships are also available through DECA.

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FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING

Competition for 21st Century Learning Skills

Future Problem Solving Program International is celebrating 50 Years!

The year long celebration will culminate with the Future Problem Solving International Conference June 5-9, 2024 at the University of Indiana Bloomington.

Kentucky teams who place at our State Finals in March may earn an invitation to the International Competition to represent Kentucky on the world stage.

Kentucky has been a part of Future Problem Solving since 1988 with multiple top 10 finishes at the International Competition.

Kentucky: One of the International Leaders in FPS

Future Problem Solving (FPS) helps students obtain lifelong goals by teaching problem solving skills today. The diverse components of this internationally recognized, award-winning program prepare students for emerging new realities.

The Institute for Competition Sciences has recognized KAAC as the number one FPS affiliate in the world.

KAAC offers FPS through Governor's Cup Team FPS and FPS Component Events .

What is FPS?

Through academic competition, students apply critical thinking, advanced problem solving, and decision making skills to hypothetical future scenarios using the following FPS Six-Step Process:

• Step 1: Identify potential challenges or concerns from the Future Scene.
• Step 2: Identify a singular underlying problem.
• Step 3: Identify potential solutions to the underlying problem.
• Step 4: Develop criteria to judge potential solutions and their positive impact.
• Step 5: Evaluate and rank the potential solutions using criteria to rank solutions in order of importance.
• Step 6: Develop a complete action plan based on the highest-ranking solution.

Component Events

• Community Problem Solving (CmPS) - An individual or team of students work to identify a problem that exists in their school, community, state, or nation. Participants utilize the Six-Step Process to examine this area of concern, then develop and implement real-world projects to address these problems.
• Scenario Writing - Individual students write 1500-word stories related to one of the five yearly FPS topics. Each fictional story must be set at least 20 years in the future and outline logical events taking place in the world.
• Scenario Performance - Individual students develop and deliver oral stories related to one of the five yearly FPS topics. Each oral story is set 20 years in the future and should be told in a natural and spontaneous nature that is creative and entertaining to an audience.
• Junior Division FPS - A team of four students in grades 4-6 may participate in the Junior Division of FPS.
• Individual FPS - Individual students work through the FPS Six-Step Process and have two hours to complete a booklet. Individuals generate eight challenges in Step 1 and eight potential solutions in Step 3. The other steps are the same as the team competition.
• FPS Alternates -The FPS Alternates competition is for students who are part of a team that qualified for the State Finals, but are not actually competing in Governor’s Cup team FPS. The FPS Team Alternates Competition is held at the Governor’s Cup State Finals. It is NOT part of Governor’s Cup. Each FPS Alternates Team will consist of not more than four students from different schools who work through the FPS process. Each team generates 8 challenges in Step 1, and 8 solution ideas in Step 3. Step 2, Step 4, Step 5 and Step 6 are exactly the same as the team competition. Participants have 90 minutes to complete a booklet.

Don’t let your FPS questions go unanswered. We’re here to help. Give us a call at (502) 223-0088 or email us at Chris Hill .

Future Problem Solving Program of Connecticut

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Teaching Kids How To Think, Not What To Think

39th Annual FPSPofCT State Bowl Winners

Click Here To Download PDF

Interested in FPS?

Our program brings essential problem solving skills to students in 4th to 12th grade. We offer a variety of options to prepare students for the future, Global Issues Team Problem Solving, Community Problem Solving, Art, Scenario Performance and Scenario Writing. Schools and individuals across Connecticut participate in FPS. FPSPofCT is one of 47 affiliates of the Future Problem Solving Program International .

To receive information about registration for the 2021-2022 school year, please contact: Karen Castiglione at [email protected] or (203) 843-1036.

Click here to sign-up for our eNewsletter

The International Office provides many resources for coaches.    FPSPI Affiliate Resources – How to Order

Visit  http://fpspimart.org  to see what else is available.

Here’s a sample of some of the materials available from the international office:

Curricular Resources

https://www.fpspimart.org/product-category/curricular-resources/

You Can Shop by Component

https://www.fpspimart.org/shop-by-component/

Here’s a Sample Set of What’s Available for This Years Topics

Former FPSer?

Fpspofct is always looking for volunteers.  some options include:.

• Evaluating all components (training provided)
• Helping out at State Conference
• Donating to our silent auction and concession stand
• Helping procure seminar speakers

If you are interested in helping, please contact [email protected] for more information.

International & State Conference Info

State Conference Dates: March 25-March 26, 2022

• (321) 768-0074
• mail@fpspi.org
• 2015 Grant Pl, Melbourne, FL 32901

Showing all 15 results

Google Classroom Compatible for 2022-23 AB: Throw Away Society

Google Classroom Compatible for 2022-23 QP: Robotic Workforce

2022-23 Affiliate Bowl Unit

2022-23 Qualifying Problem Unit

2023 International Conference RR&R Chapter – Currency

Google Classroom Compatible for 2022-23 PP2: Digital Realities

Google Classroom for 2022-23 PP1: E-Waste

2022-23 all readings, research, and resources full set (includes q&a).

2022-23 All Topic Activity Unit Full Set

2022-23 Readings, Research, & Resources and Topic Activity Units (FORMERLY COMBO #4)

2022 International Conference Community Problem Solving (CmPS) Champs

2022 International Conference Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) Champs

2022 International Scenario Writing Champions

Coaching trilogy for global issues problem solving.

Problem Solving Process Pointers PLUS for Students

Problem 

“opening doors to the future”.

2024 I C International Conference & State Bo wl Spotlight coming soon. Here's what happened in 2023

Ranks of royalty   click on 2024 state bowl to see nc fps state champions 2024 state bowl qualifying problem    .

Click her to read winning 2023 SCENARIOS

Click her to see nc fps's  2023 cmps projects.

2023 International Conference: Currency

NC FPS students take the stage at 2023 International Conference...

1st place GIPS Individual Junior Division Arora

Coach Harrison

6th place GIPS Team Junior Division  Baer, E Huffstetler, L Huffstetler, Lam

5th place GIPS Individual Middle Division  Venkatesh

Coach Venkatesh

Finalist GIPS Team Middle Division

Nanduri, Patil, Sattenapalli, Unnikrishnan

Coaches Nanduri & Shyamala

Finalist FIPS Individual Senior Division Mehta

Coach Mehta

Finalist GIPS Team Senior Division  Coleman, Cone, Hart, Lam

Finalist  GIPS Team Senior Division E  Nethala, E Nethala, Sureshkannan, Varikuti

Coaches Vanipalli & Venkatesh

4th Place Presentation of Action Plan Senior Division  Coleman, Cone, Hart, Lam

MAGIC = Multi-Affiliate Global Issues Competition

1st place MAGIC Ju nior  Division Jangala

Coach Jangala

2nd place MAGIC* Junior  Division Sharma

1st place MAGIC* Middle  Division Sakhalkar

Coach Sureshkannan & Vanapalli

4th place MAGIC Middle Division Samatam

1st place MAGIC* Senior Division Vanapalli

Coach Nanduri & Shyamala

​ Finalist CmPS Team Junior  Division Positive Pollinators

5th place Junior Division Scenario Zhang

Coaches Sureshkannan & Vana palli

 23-24 TOPICS RESEARCH PP1  Tourism PP2  Urbanization QP   Antarctica SB   Autonomous  Transportation IC Air Quality

TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTIONS, YOU MUST ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

Plan ahead  2024 NC FPS State Bowl YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 1 7   Black  Mountain , North Carolina TOPIC: Autonomous Transportation

Registration for new 24-25 teams & individuals in all components available in september. click here to learn more..

Strategic Plan

Annual Report

FPS Adult Awards

CTF Scholarship

Additional program information, global issues problem solving.

2023-24 GIPS Information GIPS Sample Future Scene and Booklet GIPS Category List

General Promo Materials

Overview of FPS Brochure Parent Brochure Curriculum Connection Brochure International Baccalaureate (IB) Flyer

Community Problem Solving

2023-24 CmPS Information Evaluation Guidelines CmPS Project Proposal Example CmPS Project Report Example CmPS Project Portfolio Example CmPS Project Promotional Video Example CmPS Project Display Examples 2023 CmPS Summaries Booklet Free Guide to Project Management Implementation in CmPS

Scenario Writing

2023-24 Scenario Writing Information SW Sample Future Scene and Scenario

Scenario Performance

2023-24 Scenario Performance Information Junior Division IC 2022 Champion Middle Division IC 2022 Champion Senior Division IC 2022 Champion

FPSOnline Instructions

Coach instructions.

Registering Teams, Adding Students, and Viewing Team Information Import Student Data in Bulk GIPS Upload Traditional Booklet CmPS instructions for uploading project SW Upload Traditional Scenario ScP Submission Instructions Instructions to Review Evaluated Work Viewing Student Work

Student Instructions

GIPS Instructions SW Submission Instructions ScP Submission Instructions Viewing Evaluations View Future Scene on Two tabs How to Highlight in the Future Scene

Evaluator Instructions

Global Issues Problem Solving Global Issues Problem Solving by Step Community Problem Solving Scenario Writing Scenario Performance

Video Instructions

Check our YouTube channel for current tutorial videos under the Working in FPSOnline playlist

FPSOnline FAQ

Check out our FPSOnline knowledge Base and faqs here FPSOnline FAQs

Future Problem Solving is typically offered as an extracurricular activity or elective course, and it is open to students of all ages and grade levels.

The program is structured around a series of competitions that challenge students to apply their creativity and problem-solving skills to real-world issues and scenarios.

Global Issues Problem Solving students are presented with a complex scenario or problem. They are asked to identify the underlying issues, generate solutions, evaluate the pros and cons of each solution, and select the best course of action.

Students work in teams (or individually) to develop their solutions and are judged on the creativity, originality, and feasibility of their ideas.

In addition to honing their problem-solving skills, Future Problem Solving  emphasizes leadership development. FPS equips students with the skills necessary to lead teams and organizations towards solutions for the problems they will face in the future.

Become an FPS Coach and help guide and support your students as they develop their problem-solving skills, teaching strategies for analysing complex issues, and helping develop leadership skills, critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills .

FPS hosts Coach Catch-ups in terms 1 and 2, providing an opportunity for coaches to share information, ideas, and best practices and provide a forum for coaches to discuss common challenges and in coaching students.

Students involved in GIPS learn & practice powerful problem-solving skills that engage their critical and creative thinking.

A stand out project-based program for schools.  Students select a real world problem, identify a solution, and then actively implement their action plan to address the problem.

A Scenario Writing competition in which students develop and submit short stories. Students compete individually, developing short stories related to one of five FPSP topics for the year.

An oral storytelling activity for individual students offering the opportunity to develop creative and entertaining, short, futuristic stories related to one of five FPSP topics.

A non-competitive problem-solving program designed for implementation in the regular classroom Foundational Skills (Prep-2); Developing Skills (Grades 3-4)

Dylan Sherman, FPS Australia Alumni, now Coach, Evaluator, Future Scene Writer, Committee Member, Lecturer and PhD Candidate at University of Oxford

Meganne Wyatt, FPS Australia Alumni, Evaluator

Future Problem Solving Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of this land. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.