Announcement
Information Slides
Grading Criteria
Points to Remember
Past winners succeeded by following these guidelines:
- Demonstrated innovation in design
- Clearly explained the connection to, or impact on, a national security mission (e.g. defense, natural resources, economic security, energy security, or cyber defense)
- Provided technical evidence of design credibility
- Reported design proficiently through polished written and oral communication
Note these restrictions:
- Team size must be fewer than 10 students.
- Design projects sponsored by Sandia are not eligible.
- Reports are limited to 5 pages. Appendices may be included, but will not contribute to report evaluations.
- Email any questions to designaward@sandia.gov.
Important Dates
Mark the following dates in your project calendar for deadlines and interview preparation:
- May 12th, 2026 at 11:59 pm: Deadline for submitting a written, five-page technical report
- May 28th, 2026: Notification sent to finalists
- June 4th, 2026: Oral Presentations at the UC Davis Design Showcase
Report Submission
Submit your reports by emailing them as a PDF attachment to: designaward@sandia.gov.