Status
Challenge Status: Challenge is Active. This challenge is part of the Junior Academy and not open for general application.
Application Status: Open to Junior Academy Members
Key Dates
Challenge Begins: 09/22/2025
Challenge Closes: 11/23/2025
Solutions Due By: 11/23/2025
Winners Announced: 12/17/2025
Eligibility
- This challenge is open to Junior Academy students who are residents of one of the 5 boroughs of New York City.
- Maximum of six (6) students per team, plus one (1) mentor.
Overview
Offshore wind farms can offer a renewable energy source to meet the growing demand for energy of coastal communities and cities around the world, but there are also some environmental drawbacks. The construction and presence of wind turbines can disrupt marine life behavior, damage sensitive marine habitats, and reduce biodiversity in marine communities. This challenge asks you to design and plan offshore wind farms with the least negative impact on marine life that support and even increase biodiversity. How could you make offshore wind energy truly sustainable?
Challenge
Design an innovative solution that supports marine biodiversity by creating or improving marine habitats within or around offshore wind farms, while also minimizing disruption and damage to the ocean floor and water column during installation and operation.
Consider the following when designing your solution:
- How could your solution also incorporate strategies for ongoing environmental monitoring and mitigation to ensure long-term ecosystem health?
- What will motivate industry to implement your solution?
- What policies might need to be implemented at the government level to fully realize your solution?
- How will materials be sourced? Will there be a downstream environmental impact?
- What will your solution cost? Will it be a practical choice?
See the challenge course syllabus.
Success Evaluation Criteria
Solutions will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Innovation and Design Thinking: Is the design and approach unique and/or innovative? Does the design show a high degree of originality and imagination?
- Scientific Quality: Are the appropriate references and analytical methods used and are the insights derived correctly?
- Presentation Quality: Is this concept concisely and clearly explained? Are the findings/recommendations communicated clearly and persuasively?
- Commercial Viability/Potential: Does the solution have the potential to make a difference?
- Sustainability: What is the social impact on local communities? How does the solution incorporate positive environmental or social objectives? Is the solution in line with a sustainable or justice focused future?
- Teamwork and collaboration: Was the experience a collaborative endeavor? Was the knowledge gained from the experience reflected upon and tied back to a civic engagement mindset? (From Personal Reflections)
See the challenge rubric.
Sponsor
