Role Models Contest

Are you a design activist creating innovative design while promoting equity? Are you using healthy materials and addressing climate change? Parsons Healthy Materials Lab is hosting the 6th annual Role Models Contest to award design innovations for material use that have no negative impact on the planet. This global contest, open to current students in all disciplines, is looking for the next healthy design role model. Submissions are due on May 17th, 2021 and the grand prize winner receives $1,000 USD and extensive media coverage. Submit here. 

How are winners chosen? We choose winners who exemplify innovation, use healthy materials or healthy strategies and/or advocate through design. Projects of all types, including theoretical, proposed and real, are eligible. Entries can include models, prototypes, artwork or visual media. Requirements include documentation of the design process through pictures, drawings or short videos, and an annotated life-cycle diagram summarizing the carbon impact of your design in order to understand how your design responds to the current global climate emergency.

Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking design program are eligible to enter. This includes students in all disciplines and continents.

Submission requirements: We accept in-process and digital models (that might have been made in your kitchen) and/or any other evidence to support your final concept.

• First and last name

• Name and location of your University

• Faculty reference

• Name of academic program you are enrolled in

• Project title

• A description of your motivation or inspiration (100-word limit)

• A description of your process (100-word limit)

• A description of market viability (100-word limit)

• A description of all materials used, including any coatings and/or adhesives; plus evidence to support any claims of healthier materials (Why is your material innovation healthier?) (500-word limit)

• Annotation of this diagram to reflect the lifecycle of your design. Consider the impact on human and environmental health at every stage.

• At least 3 final project images (under 1MB). All images must be high resolution.

A maximum of 7 supporting images, videos, drawings, and/or other means of demonstrating your process. All images must be high resolution.

For more information and to submit: visit the contest page.

Follow @healthymaterialslab for more on the Role Models Contest and updates from Healthy Materials Lab.