Submissions are Open for the 2026 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge

Submit Your Project to the 2026 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge by February 26!

Submissions for the 2025-26 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge are due by February 26, 2026.

This competition, led by the College Outreach COI, evaluates design projects that are being developed by student members as part of their degree curriculums and highlights the innovative thinking of the next generation of STEM professionals.

The intent is to showcase existing work already underway to advance engineering and related subjects, and present it to SAME industry and government members. It is expected that projects submitted for consideration will be of the caliber used for senior design or capstone projects.

Submissions in this competition will be evaluated on how well they convey the purpose of the project and its technical merit. Teams of three to five members will concisely communicate their design process and demonstrate that they have used sound analysis throughout, and do so in a way that is easily understandable to technical and non-technical audiences.

Last year’s winning team from George Mason University presented on solar-powered water solutions—and is back this year to defend its title!

Winning teams receive cash prizes in a forum of SAME government and industry professionals.