SGAC-SSPI Essay Competition

The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the Future Space Leaders Foundation (FSLF), and SATELLITE, organizers of SGx2021, have joined forces with Space & Satellite Professionals Internationals (SSPI) to bring one person to attend SGx2021 on September 7th, providing complimentary entrance to SATELLITE 2021. SGx activities during SATELLITE are hosted in National Harbor, MD, USA, on 7th September 2021. The competition winner will also receive access to the invitation-only SSPI Chairman’s Reception on 8th September 2021.

Application Deadline: 11th July 2021 23:59 UTC. Due to technical problems with the submission form, the deadline is extended to 18th July 2021 23:59 UTC. The competition is now closed.

Description

SGx2021 is a technology-focused event that will bring together young professionals, industry experts, and government leaders to discuss pressing issues and innovative ideas in an exciting way. Join in for a fast-paced and engaging discussion! More info here.

SATELLITE is the world-class conference consisting of the most relevant and important topics facing both the satellite industry and end-users and gathers a diverse group of thought leaders to share their viewpoints. The format and content are built specifically with you in mind, designed so you can easily chart a path during SATELLITE week that will benefit your business. Read about SATELLITE here.

The essay competition

Please write a short essay (max 1000 words) addressing the following question:

How do the changing economics of the satellite industry make Space for ALL possible? Provide three specific examples of how it opens opportunities for developing nations, and/or for economically disadvantaged populations within developed nations.

Award

The selected winner will:

  • Be granted free entrance to SGx2021 on Tuesday, 7th September 2021,
  • Receive complimentary entrance for SATELLITE 2021, taking place 7th-10th September 2021.
  • Be invited to attend the exclusive SSPI Chairman’s Reception on Wednesday, 8th September 2021.

Please note:

  • The winner will not be reimbursed for SATELLITE or SGx passes obtained before the conclusion of this competition.
  • The competition winner will not be reimbursed for travel/accommodation/visa costs
  • By entering, you confirm that (to the best of your knowledge) you will be able to travel to the US to attend the above events in September 2021.

How to Apply

The competition is now closed.

To apply, you will need to

  • Write an essay (max 1000 words) on the topic highlighted above
  • Submit it using the Scholarships Submission Form. (Please note – due to COVID-19, we ask that you apply only if you believe you will be able to attend the events in the United States in September 2021). Additional note – a problem has been found that may prevent you uploading your essay properly. If you find you cannot submit via the form, please email your application to [email protected], including the information requested on the Submission form. Thank you for your cooperation while we resolve this issue.

Please submit your documents as unlocked PDF files. Your name should be included at the top of all pages.
Your submission should follow the competition guidelines below.

Scholarship Guidelines

Eligibility

  1. Participants must be eligible SGAC members (registered on the SGAC website) between the ages of 18 and 35 years as of the 7th of September 2021
  2. Scholarship judges and organizers are ineligible for the award.
  3. The applicant must not have been awarded any other scholarships to attend SATELLITE and related activities.

Submission

  1. The language of all submissions must be in English.
  2. The submission is due as an unlocked PDF document under 3 MB. Your name must be included at the top of all pages.
  3. All submissions must be made by July 11th, 2021, 23:59 UTC. Due to technical problems with the submission form, the deadline is extended to 18th July 2021 23:59 UTC
    Any submissions after the deadline will not be considered.

Responsibilities of the Winners

The winners shall:

  1. Attend SGx2021 on September 7th, 2021
  2. Attend the SSPI Chairman’s Reception during SATELLITE on September 8th, 2021.
  3. Submit a short report (1 page excluding pictures) detailing their experience at SGx2021 and the SSPI activities at SATELLITE2021 for inclusion on the SGAC website, newsletter or social media and that of our partners
  4. All responsibilities shall be fulfilled and reports etc. submitted not later than October 30th, 2021.

Reimbursement

  1. The competition winner will be asked to readily coordinate with SGx, SATELLITE and SSPI teams. The winner will receive an entry pass for SGx, and SATELLITE.
  2. The winner will not receive any reimbursement as a consequence of this competition.
  3. Please note: the winner will not be reimbursed for SATELLITE or SGx passes obtained before the conclusion of this competition.

Copyright and Intellectual Property

  1. By submitting an entry, applicants agree to permit the SGAC to use their names, affiliations, and headshot photo in connection with the scholarship. This also applies to the essay that is submitted: portions of this essay could be used for promotional purposes (the authors, of course, will be credited for the content).
  2. Copyright of the submitted entry shall remain with the contestants. However, by submitting an entry all contestants agree that SGAC and all affiliated organizers are granted non-exclusive reproduction rights regarding all submitted papers. SGAC and all affiliated organizers may also present ideas and findings generated by this competition at relevant conferences.

Liability

  1. Organizers shall not be responsible in the event that SGx and/or SATELLITE are cancelled. SGAC will not reimburse the winning author, even if he/she has already incurred expenses.
  2. Organizers shall not be responsible in the event that the award winner fails to attend SGx or is unable to under extenuating circumstances; in that case the award offer shall become void.
  3. Organizers shall not be responsible in the event that the award winner cannot obtain any necessary travel documents; if they are required but not obtained, the award offer shall become void.
  4. The award is not transferable to another event or individual.

Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated by a panel comprised of SSPI representatives, SGx Organizing Team and potentially other SGAC representatives.

The following points will be assessed:

  • Relevance to the topic
  • Originality
  • General quality of writing
  • Alignment to SSPI’s mission

We look forward to your contribution and thank you for taking part in this space endeavor!

Schedule

Application Open

Now!

Submission Deadline:

18th July 2021, 23:59 UTC Closed

Announcement of Results:

25th July 2021

SGx and SSPI Activities at SATELLITE:

7th September 2021

Contact

For any questions, please contact the SGAC Scholarships Team ([email protected]).