One of the most generous awards for spatial innovation is now accepting entries to win $50,000 in support of innovative solutions. Three categories were recently announced for the Innovation Nation Awards (INA16) and entries will soon be closing with a deadline of 20 September 2016.
Three key areas in need of innovation have been selected, all of which have a key spatial dimension:
- The most innovative idea to understand patterns of nitrogen and sediment runoff affecting the Great Barrier Reef;
- The most innovative idea for the use of open data produced by the Copernicus program to enable government (international, national, state, territory and local) to become more efficient;
- The most innovative idea to attain accurate crowd sourced floor level heights in residential dwellings for flood applications.
The winning proposed solution of each category will receive cash and in-kind support in excess of $50,000 each to help make their ideas a reality. Entries for the awards close 20 September 2016.
INA16 is being hosted by the Queensland Spatial and Surveying Association (QSSA) in Brisbane on 3 November as part of STEMx.
Minister Leeanne Enoch announced the categories, stating that the awards would encourage Queenslanders to collaborate and emphasise the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) plays in helping solve social and environmental issues.
“The INA16 will encourage Australians to increase their level of innovation and collaboration,” Ms Enoch said.
“I encourage Queenslanders to submit their innovative ideas to the three challenges raised by the INA16 award categories.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s focus on innovation through our Advance Queensland initiative makes Queensland the ideal location to host this event and I look forward to seeing innovative Australians recognised for their outstanding work.”
The awards event will also feature special guest speakers including British technology pioneer and ‘Father of the Internet of Things’ Kevin Ashton, Scientist and Nobel laureate Professor Brian Schmidt; Social entrepreneur and futurist Federico Pistono; the first Australian to take part in a space research mission Dr Andrew Thomas and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Social Entrepreneur and Banker Muhammad Yunus.
QSSA CEO Darrenn Medhurst said Australia is and always had been an innovative nation but recognition, conversion and capitalisation of ideas had not always been a strength.
“We must look outside the current small pool of those who identify themselves as innovators – innovation is not just for innovators,” Mr Medhurst said.
“Our aim is to make it as easy as possible to capture the valuable ideas out there. Many people with great ideas don’t know what to do with them and are not as proficient at completing detailed award submissions.”
