NAFEMS Americas Excellence in Engineering Simulation Student Competition
| 📅 Key Dates |
|---|
| Abstract Submission Deadline | 26 February 2027 |
| Finalist Notification | March 2027 |
| Finalist Video Submission Deadline | 7 May 2027 |
The NAFEMS Americas Excellence in Engineering Simulation Student Competition recognizes outstanding undergraduate engineering projects that demonstrate the effective application of engineering simulation. Students submit a short abstract describing their work, with selected finalists invited to submit a short presentation video.
S​ubmission Form
Prize
The competition winner will receive a $1,000 prize, sponsored by the Colorado School of Mines FEA program. The winner will be invited to a virtual meeting of the Americas Steering Committee. The winner will also receive an invitation to present their submission at the Americas 2028 Regional Conference in Iowa City, Iowa May 9-12, 2028. A complimentary registration and hotel accommodations will be provided.
Eligibility for Participation
Open to all undergraduate students in their second-to-last or final year of study, enrolled at any accredited higher education institution during the 2026–2027 academic year.
- Degree Requirements: Eligible degrees must be accredited by a recognized engineering body (e.g., ABET) and can be either B.S. or B.Eng. degrees. M.S. or Ph.D. programs are not eligible.
- Exclusions: The competition is not open to employees of NAFEMS or any individual directly involved in the organization or administration of this competition, including their immediate family members.
- Verification: The project supervisor must confirm that the contestant is a registered undergraduate student for the academic year and that the submitted work is the nominee's own.
- Repeat Submissions: No previous submissions or closely related content to previous submissions will be accepted.
Award Guidelines
- Simulation Technology: The project must demonstrate significant use of engineering simulation technologies, such as Electromagnetic Simulation, Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), or Multi-Body Dynamics (MBD).
- Ongoing Projects: If the project is part of a larger ongoing project, it may be eligible if it introduces a significant new feature or a major modification. The student(s) must clearly articulate their contribution and achievements.
- Publicity Participation: Winners give consent to their name and photo being used for promotional purposes. Winners may be invited to attend a NAFEMS event and would be reimbursed for reasonable expenses.
- Submission Guidelines and Deadlines:
- Abstract Submission: A 300-word description of the project must be submitted through the NAFEMS website by 26 February 2027. If it is a group project, all communication will go through the lead submitter.
- Finalists: Finalists will be notified during March 2027. Finalists must submit a 3–5 minute video explaining their project by 7 May 2027 and grant permission for the video to be used by NAFEMS.
- Winner Notification: Winners will be notified no later than 30 June 2027.
Judging Criteria
- Evaluation Metrics: Award winners will be selected based on their demonstration of:
- Finality of Decisions: The judges' decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcomes.
- Acceptance of Awards: Awards must be accepted as offered. Winners must notify the organizers by the specified deadline if they do not intend to accept the award.
- Communication Restrictions: Only finalists will be contacted directly. Project supervisors and nominees should refrain from contacting NAFEMS personnel regarding the awards.
Cancellation
- Organizer Rights: The competition organizers reserve the right to cancel the competition at any stage if deemed necessary.
General Provisions
- Compliance: No responsibility is accepted for entries that do not comply with the competition rules.
- Acceptance of Rules: Entrants are assumed to have accepted these rules and agree to be bound by them upon entering the competition.
- Final Authority: The decision of the organizers is final in all matters, including those not explicitly covered in these rules, and no correspondence will be entered into.
S​ubmission Form
Need more information? Please contact kathy.elliott@nafems.org.
