INTRODUCTION:
We are excited to announce a call for participants focused on the development of projects related to the mail topic “Digital Fabrication for a Circular Economy”. This initiative has a hackathon format and aims to harness the power of digital fabrication technologies and promote sustainable practices within the circular economy context. We invite all EELISA universities to submit innovative project proposals that explore innovative ideas, methodologies, and applications in this field.
OBJECTIVE:
The primary objective of this call for participants is to advance the understanding and application of digital fabrication techniques in fostering a circular economy. We seek participants that are capable of generating projects in a collaborative way that address the challenges and opportunities related to the topics listed below:
- Sustainable product design: Develop a sustainable product design that incorporates digital fabrication techniques and supports the principles of the circular economy. Consider factors such as material selection, resource efficiency, modularity, and end-of-life strategies.
- Waste Reduction and Upcycling: Create innovative solutions that make use of digital fabrication technologies to reduce waste and upcycle materials. This could involve repurposing discarded materials or finding new ways to transform waste into valuable products.
- Repair and Remanufacturing: Develop a solution that takes advantage of digital fabrication to enhance repair and remanufacturing processes. This could include designing tools, systems, or interfaces that simplify the repair process or enable the remanufacturing of products to extend their lifespan.
- Sustainable Material Innovation: Investigate and prototype new sustainable materials suitable for digital fabrication. This challenge could involve developing biobased materials, exploring alternative material sources, or creating composite materials with enhanced circularity.
HACKATHON OVERVIEW:
The week-long hackathon will immerse students in a dynamic and challenging multicultural environment, where they will collaborate throughout the day to innovate, create, and solve the specific problems announced while fostering a spirit of fun and camaraderie. It will take
place at FabLab CIEC (Innovation Center of Circular Economy) in Madrid. The Center is a Madrid City Council project, and its main goal is to transform the Madrid economy from a linear model to a circular one. Before the hackathon, the organizers will adeptly assign the selected students to diverse workgroups, tailored to the chosen topics. There will be at least one week to prepare for the hackathon during which the projects are going to be manufactured with digital tools.
Therefore, in this week, working groups may propose a project and develop the design and the technical details. On the last day of the hackathon, a jury will assess the projects and later there will be an
awards ceremony, dinner, and party.
ELIGIBILITY:
This call is open to all EELISA Universities.
SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Prospective students who wish to partake in the application process are required to submit a motivation letter in PDF format to imlab@itu.edu.tr. This letter should adhere to a maximum length of 500 words, employ single spacing, and a font size of 12 points. The name of the file must be as indicated below:
Yourname_university_call_hackathon.pdf
For example: anafernandez_upm _call_hackathon.pdf
MOTIVATION LETTER:
The motivation letter will help the jury assess the participant’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and ability to articulate their ideas. It should contain the following sections:
Introduction:
Introduce yourself and provide a brief background about your academic experience. Express your interest in participating in the call and your motivation to tackle topics related to how digital fabrication can help develop a circular economy.
Choice of topic:
Choose one of the topics previously exposed (sustainable product design, waste reduction and upcycling, repair and remanufacturing, sustainable material innovation) and explain why you find this topic compelling and relevant.
Skills and Expertise:
Outline your relevant skills, knowledge, or expertise that make you well-suited to tackle the proposed topic. Highlight any previous experience or academic background that supports your ability to work on the project effectively. Include any specific technical skills or experience with digital fabrication technologies.
Conclusion:
Summarize your background, experience and why you want to tackle the chosen topic in the framework of this call.
Contact information:
Indicate your name, last name, and email.
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
The jury will evaluate the candidate’s enthusiasm, knowledge, interest, and clear understanding of the topic in relation to digital fabrication and circular economy.
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:
30
FUNDING:
Selected candidates from PSL and ITU will have travel and accommodation funding from the Second Joint call of EELISA universities according to the EELISA expending rules. Selected candidates from other EELISA universities should ask for funding in their EELISA communities’ framework.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Call for Participants Announcement: 17.07.2023
Motivation Letters Submission Deadline: 14.08.2023
Evaluation and Selection Process: 18.08.2023
Notification of Results: 21.08.2023
Hackathon Preparation (online with all participants involved): 18-22 September.
Hackathon Duration in Madrid (Spain): 25-29 September
Organizers:
David Sanz Arauz
Deniz Artan
Süheyla Müge Halıcı
Florence Bost
Lucia Lucas Palomares
Nadezhda Vasileva Nicheva
Muhammet Er