The Rules

2013 Innovation in Graduate Education Challenge

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Contest Rules

  • Contest entry constitutes agreement to adhere to the rules and stipulations set forth by the contest sponsors.
  • Any entrant or entry found to be in violation of any rule or stipulation will be disqualified.
  • Submissions are due by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on April 15, 2013.
  • One submission per individual/team. If you submit as an individual you cannot also submit as part of another team and vice versa.
  • The title should be brief and informative (150 characters or less).
  • The submission has a minimum of 1000 words and a maximum of 1500 words including all references, and citations, if applicable.The submission must be uploaded as a Word document (2007 or 2003 format).
  • Applicants should not send extraneous information or materials such as CDs, manuscripts, resumes, or news clippings. These items will not be reviewed with the submission. No additional information may be provided by links to web pages within the submission. Review of the submission is based solely on materials received by the submission deadline.
  • By entering the contest the entrant agrees to hold harmless NSF for all legal and administrative claims, to include associated expenses that may arise from any claims related to his or her submission or its use.
  • Entrants retain all copyright and equivalent rights but give NSF nonexclusive rights to use their names, likenesses, quotes and submissions for educational publicity and/or promotional purposes. This includes but is not limited to website display, print materials and exhibits. NSF reserves the right to use (or not use) the submissions however they determine.
  • Winners whose submissions are published by NSF will be required to sign an agreement confirming ownership/use rights and granting nonexclusive publication and web rights.
  • Winners are responsible for all taxes or other fees connected with the prize received and/or travel paid for by the sponsoring organizations.
  • NSF will not respond to any claims or inquiries regarding contest results.
  • NSF has the final say on any point not outlined in the entry rules.
  • Information requested on the entry form will be used to determine how and if the contest is meeting its goals, purposes and audience. Submission of this information is also necessary to contact entrants.
  • NSF employees, NSF contractors, and individuals on temporary duty to NSF are not eligible to enter the contest.
  • Judges are not eligible to enter the contest.
  • If an insufficient number of qualified entries are received, NSF reserves the right to modify or cancel the contest prior to announcing winners.
  • Should NSF decide to bring winning contestants to Washington, D.C., or to any other location for promotional and other purposes, expenses paid by NSF will be within the limits set forth in law according to federal travel regulations.
  • All contestants agree that they, their heirs and estates shall hold harmless the United States, the employees of the federal government, and all employees of the NSF for any and all injuries and/or claims arising from participation in this contest, to include that which may occur while traveling to or participating in contest activities.
  • A team leader must be designated for team submissions. The order in which names are listed on the entry form is how the names will appear on the NSF challenge website.
  • Submissions must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene, hateful, defamatory, slanderous or libelous.

Grad student Elizabeth Thomas shows gear she'll take on NSF-funded Arctic expedition
Improved Method to Produce Nanometer-scale Patterns
LSU graduate student Shawn Doyle carries a demolition hammer used to excavate the sampling tunnel.