A: JUMP into STEM is for undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a U.S. college or university and who are 18 years of age or older. Be sure to read the JUMP into STEM Terms and Conditions for specific rules and requirements. Also review the JUMP into STEM Building Technologies Internship Program (BTIP) application. The internship opportunity must be declined or internship applications must be begun when the ideas are submitted.
A: You must complete your internship application or decline to be considered for an internship before or at the same time as you submit your idea. Be sure to visit the JUMP into STEM Terms and Conditions for specific rules and requirements. Also review the JUMP into STEM Building Technologies Internship Program (BTIP) application.
A: Please review the Submission Requirements and Rules document.
A: Challenge winners are awarded one-on-one mentorship opportunities. Eligible challenge winners and other finalists will be invited to compete for a paid 10-week summer internship (subject to eligibility and available funding) at either Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The winners will be promoted on social media. The best ideas may also be considered for future research and development collaboration.
A: No, participants must submit ideas as a team of 2-4. Diversity of disciplinary field and gender within the team are part of the judging criteria. Participants must all be 18 years of age or older and currently enrolled in a U.S. college or university. See the Terms and Conditions for more information.
A: Team submissions will be evaluated for impact on technical potential, innovation, and diversity. Complete evaluation criteria for the challenges and final competition can be found in the Rules document.
A: Yes! Non-U.S. residents may apply as long as they attend college in the United States!
A: All submissions to the JUMP into STEM challenges remain the intellectual property of the individuals or organizations that developed them. By providing a submission to a challenge, you grant to UT-Battelle, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the other supporters a royalty-free license to (i) use your submission; (ii) post your submission(s) on ornl.gov and other DOE and associated sites; and (iii) publicize the names, likenesses, photographs, voices, opinions, and/or hometowns and states in any media, worldwide, of call-for-innovation participants (including the individual members of a team) through social media and events of UT-Battelle’s or DOE’s choosing without any payment or other consideration. Such license shall remain in force in perpetuity. In addition, no submissions to calls for innovation amount to any express or implied contracts with any of the supporters of such challenges, including, but not limited to, UT-Battelle or DOE.
A: If a picture or drawing would add value to your submittal we encourage you to include it; however, your submission must still be within the page limits. Unless specifically requested in the challenge description, videos (or links to videos) should not be included.
A: Yes, you may submit an appendix. However, the appendix is optional and might not be reviewed by the judges.
A: No, you may not edit your idea after submitting. If an error was made during the upload process, please contact us.
A: Employees of the U.S. Department of Energy, UT-Battelle LLC, and its parent and affiliate companies, its subcontractors, as well as immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee, may participate in the JUMP into STEM challenges; however, their ideas are not eligible for awards. See official Terms and Conditions.
A: The judges follow a general review process:
The judging panel includes at least 3 judges:
A: Each challenge adheres to the following general schedule:
Visit the Schedule page for current dates.
A: We encourage you to submit your question through the “Contact Us” link below. A moderator will respond to your inquiry within two business days.