From January 5, 2015 to March 2, 2015, film aficionados around the world were invited to create their very own short films for the second Engineering for You video contest presented by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Entrants were permitted to sandbox, as it were – any video style was welcome and submissions ranged from green screen effects to stop motion and cartoon animation.
The only real stipulation in the video contest was that the videos had to demonstrate the mission of engineering. To make this easier, the NAE developed a set of Grand Challenges for Engineering, designed to lead to a better world – more sustainable, healthier, more secure and more joyous.
Whether contestants chose to focus their videos on making solar energy more economical, providing access to clean water for the population or even reverse-engineering the brain, they needed to show how their ideas would make the world a better place.
Entries were separated into four categories based on school grade levels and in September 2015 each category crowned its own winner. The big reveal, however, was reserved for the “Best Video Overall” title.
Have a look at the winner below:
This playful creation from the Texas Student Television Digital Media Team, titled “The Personalized Teacher,” took on the grand challenge of advancing personalized learning in just under two minutes. No big deal, right?
The real power behind this short film is in the way it handles its topic. It takes on a serious issue that is prevalent in modern education and comes up with an easy solution that any age group can understand. It’s a lighthearted film, but it isn’t light by any means.
But what is the purpose?
The main point in this video comes from the lady named Katie. She doesn’t just introduce the bored children in the classroom to the ultra-futuristic concept of the “Personalized Teacher” that will help them learn in their own ways.
She also explains the overall importance of learning, emphasizing that it will give them the power to become engineers and change the world for the better.
In so doing, the filmmakers “illustrated how alleviating one challenge created a stronger foundation for solving the other challenges,” according to the NAE.
By showing the children how their improved learning could lead them to be engineers and to improve their world around them, the video demonstrates just how intricate the issues of our planet are and why fixing these issues isn’t a one-person job.
People of all ages will be able to understand the message and they might just get inspired to learn and become engineers.
While the whimsical rhyming might not be for everyone, this little video is an intriguing way to convey the mission of engineers to a wide range of general audiences.
If you’re looking for a little extra fun, check out some of the other category winners.
Making Solar Panels More Affordable by Hans Voegeli (High School Category Winner)
Virtual Reality: The Next Technological Frontier by Bonny Eagle Robotics Team (General Public Category Winner)
For more information or to check out the other winners, visit nae.edu.
Now it’s your turn. What did you think?