Student Showcase

Overview

SCAG Student Showcase

The “Student Showcase” poster and StoryMapping competition challenges students to think innovatively and meaningfully to tell a story, provide insight, showcase plans and projects, engage supporters and stakeholders, illustrate the possibilities of data and highlight the usefulness of open data at the regional level. SCAG is proud to invite student participants to create and submit posters and ArcGIS StoryMaps. Winners receive cash prizes. 

Students whose projects are chosen will be invited to attend SCAG’s Regional Conference & General Assembly as SCAG Conference Fellows and receive complimentary event registration, hotel accommodation and admission to the conference. The conference will include an opportunity for the student fellows to present their posters and StoryMaps to elected officials and industry leaders from across Southern California.

A panel of judges will select one poster and one StoryMap for the “Best in Show” award. Conference attendees will vote on their favorite poster and StoryMap for the “Audience Award.” All four awards, each worth $1,500, will be announced at the closing of the conference.

In all, a total of $6,000 across four prizes will be awarded (two separate $1,500 “Best in Show” prizes and two separate $1,500 “Audience Award” prizes).
Contact

For more information on the Student Showcase, please contact:

Lyle Janicek
Phone: (213) 236-1966
Email: janicek@scag.ca.gov

2024 STUDENT SHOWCASE 

SCAG will request abstracts for student-led projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to sustainability-related planning issues on a local or regional scale. Eligible submittals include any applied projects or research. Students will be able to submit a topic area for both the poster and StoryMap competition, however they may only submit one final project in the competition of their preference.    

Competition Dates 

The following due dates are applicable for both the Poster Competition and the StoryMap Competition.     

  • Application Opens: Jan. 15, 2024 
  • Abstracts Due: Feb. 20, 2024, at 10 a.m.    
  • Final Projects Due: March. 26, 2024, at 10 a.m.    

Abstract submissions were reviewed and applicants have been notified. Qualifying students can submit final projects by clicking the link below.  

SUBMIT FINAL PROJECTS HERE

Evaluation Criteria  
  • Sustainability – Promotes sustainable practices such as emission reductions, land use and transportation integration, natural resource conservation, active transportation, energy efficiency, and housing.     
  • Innovation – Introduces a new concept and/or challenges or improves upon current planning processes.    
  • Transferability – Includes strategies and concepts that can be applied to different locations or programs.    
  • Feasibility – Has realistic potential to be implemented.    
  • Presentation – Demonstrates excellence in writing, visual content, and overall organization.    

Poster Competition

Abstract Submission Requirements    

Abstract submissions are due on Feb. 20, 2024, at 10 a.m. Students are instructed to submit abstracts of their projects and, if selected, SCAG will request a poster to be submitted. If a poster has already been completed, please send a reduced-size PDF.   

Required Materials

  • Project summary (250 words max)    
  • Contact information:    
    • Primary contact person    
    • Name and contact information for faculty advisor  
    • Name of college or university    

Final Poster Submissions

Final poster PDFs are due on March 26, 2024, at 10 a.m. Dimensions of the final poster should be 24”x 36,” with a landscape orientation and exported as a high-resolution PDF file (300dpi or higher). The final posters will be evaluated and ranked by a panel of judges. The panel of judges will select the top five posters to move on to the SCAG Regional Conference and General Assembly on May 2, 2024, in Palm Desert. Hotel accommodations and conference admission will be provided for the five finalists, who will present their posters at the conference. SCAG will print and mount the posters for the five finalists selected.     

Poster Competition Rules    

  1. This competition is open to college students currently enrolled in a university, community college or graduate program within the SCAG region or who have graduated within the previous 12 months. All work must be completed by students, not faculty or university staff.     
  2. Submissions must be completed by an individual. Group projects are not eligible for the competition.    
  3. The poster must focus on a topic relevant to the SCAG region.    
  4. Any documents or images must be used with the respective permission of the author(s) and must be properly attributed.     
  5. Entries will be judged on the previously described criteria: sustainability, innovation, transferability, feasibility and quality of presentation.    

STORYMAP Competition   

SCAG recognizes the effectiveness of simple yet powerful ways to inform, engage and inspire people through data and map-driven storytelling. Use SCAG’s regional data platform content to address local and regional issues. 

SCAG is proud to invite student participants to conceptualize, create and submit ArcGIS StoryMaps using SCAG’s open data. This is a meaningful way to tell a story or provide insight, showcase plans and projects, engage supporters and stakeholders, illustrate the possibilities of data and highlight the usefulness of open data at the regional level.    

What Are Esri ArcGIS StoryMaps?    

Esri ArcGIS StoryMaps are web applications that let authors combine maps with narrative text, striking images and multimedia, including video. The applications are designed to be usable by anyone, which makes them great for education and outreach, either to the public or a specific audience.

Additional information can be found on the Esri website.

Why Should I Apply?    

In addition to allowing students to access a robust set of regional data not normally available to the public, the Student Showcase provides an opportunity to partner with the largest metropolitan planning organization in the nation and share data insights to elected officials and decision-makers in Southern California. The Student Showcase is a chance to help shape policy.    

How Do I Get Started?    

SCAG’s Toolbox Tuesday: StoryMapping – Transforming Data Into Interactive Stories session from Feb. 23, 2021, provides an introduction to using the StoryMaps application. This recording highlights the importance of storytelling, featuring several examples of StoryMaps and concluding with a quick tutorial.  

Obtaining an ArcGIS StoryMaps Account    

Create a free public account by following slides one through six or contact your university ArcGIS license holder to create one and start mapping.   

Accessing SCAG’s Data   
  1. Applicants must utilize data from the SCAG Regional Data Platform (RDP) Hub Content Library and can also integrate other relevant data from outside sources as appropriate.    
  2. Applicants can download datasets from SCAG’s RDP Hub Content Library and work with them through any Esri platform (e.g. ArcPro, ArcMap), for eventual integration into an Esri ArcGIS StoryMap.    
  3. Applicants can also opt to directly load the data into an ArcGIS Online Web Map. SCAG’s layers for use in this competition can be located by searching for layers generated by scaggisadmin.    
Abstract Submission Requirements    

SCAG is requesting abstracts for student-led projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to sustainability-related planning issues on a local or regional scale. Eligible submissions include any applied projects or research.    

Students are required to submit abstracts of their projects and, if selected, SCAG will request a StoryMap to be submitted.    

Required Materials    

  • Project summary (maximum 250 words)   
  • Contact information:    
    • Primary contact person    
    • Name and contact information for faculty advisor        
    • Name of college or university    

Final StoryMap Submissions 

When your StoryMap has been completed, applicants will be requested to submit StoryMaps using the SCAG submission link. The final StoryMaps will be evaluated and ranked by a panel of judges. The panel of judges will select the top five StoryMaps to move on to the SCAG Regional Conference and General Assembly on May 2, 2024, in Palm Desert. Hotel accommodations, conference admission and a display will be provided for the five finalists who will present their StoryMaps at the conference. 

Required StoryMap Elements   

  • StoryMap URL 
  • Participant’s college or university    
  • List of data sources   

StoryMap Competition Rules    

  1. This competition is open to college students currently enrolled in a university, community college or graduate program within the SCAG region taking classes towards a degree objective or who have graduated within the previous 12 months. All work must be completed by students, not faculty or university staff.   
  2. Submissions must be completed on an individual basis. Group submissions will not be accepted. Individuals may submit more than one abstract for consideration.    
  3. The project must use SCAG data for all or part of the StoryMap. Administrative bBoundaries may be used freely, but do not count as using one SCAG dataset.    
  4. Any documents, images or videos must be used within the StoryMap only with the permission of the respective author and must be properly attributed.    
  5. Submissions will be judged on their innovative use of SCAG data and StoryMaps, relevancy to Southern California’s regional economy, transportation system or housing supply and potential value to local stakeholders.    

AWARD RECIPIENTS

2023

POSTER COMPETITION

Best in Show – $1,500 – Baoqi “Eileen” Chen – University of Southern California: A Two-step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) Method to Evaluate Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Accessibility in Los Angeles

Audience Award – $1,500 – Denise Truong – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: Following the Food Trail: A Systems Examination of Food Waste Management at Upland, CA

STORYMAP COMPETITION

Best in Show – $1,500 – Dylan Ando – University of California, Irvine: A More Equitable Imagining of Metro Micro

Audience Award – $1,500 – Auzzsa Eaton – University of California, Irvine: Water Wonderful World: Groundwork for Greener Governments

2022

BEST IN SHOW

AUDIENCE AWARD

HONORABLE MENTION

2021

PLANNING CATEGORY

INNOVATION CATEGORY