The Ag sector has several opportunities and challenges that need to be explored and addressed. How do we re-purpose former ag production facilities? How do we create value-added enterprises without a large startup capital? AGNR has partnered with MidAtlantic farm credit to explore some of the biggest challenges the agricultural sector currently faces. We believe that students have the potential to address these challenges. That is why we are inviting all students, regardless of major, background, or expertise, to learn, brainstorm, develop solutions, and make some cash while solving one of the biggest environmental challenges in the United States. There is no prerequisite to be a part of this challenge, just a willingness to do good for the environment and the world.
Who is this challenge for?
Everyone! All UMD students are invited. We also encourage students from other disciplines to join the challenge. To solve most of the issues we face, we will need a diverse group of students to share their knowledge, creativity, and expertise.
What do I need to do?
First, click here to Register. We encourage students to form teams; however, students can register as individuals and find other individuals to join them.
We will be using Facebook groups as an interaction platform between students, experts, and mentors. If you are not on Facebook, please sign up just for this challenge.
While some of the information will be provided, we encourage you to do additional research to understand the challenge topic once it is introduced.
How does this work?
This challenge will run for three weeks. In the first week, all participants will receive information about the challenge. They will attend a virtual introductory session to learn from and ask the experts questions concerning the challenge. The students will also be invited to engage and participate in the Facebook group. In the second week, the students will attend a Q&A session and engage with experts to develop solutions to the challenge. In the final week, students will develop video presentations to submit to a panel of judges who will select the winners.
The winners will be awarded as follows;
1st Place - $2000
2nd Place - $1000
3rd Place - $500
What time is required?
We estimate three to five hours per week. The program schedule is going to be flexible. The only mandatory sessions will be the Introductory and Q&A sessions. These sessions will be held after regular class hours.
This is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn something new and go through the process of creative problem-solving. After this challenge, you will have several opportunities to connect with potential employers and sponsors for your projects. We will also provide additional resources for the winning teams to continue working on their projects. All you need to do is join with an open mind.