Over the weekend of August 10th through 12th of 2018, three of my fellow students and I had the absolute pleasure of representing Tulane the first ever Make48 College Challenge. Make48 is a documentary-based invention competition series that airs on PBS and is currently in the filming stage of its third season. In the show, 12 teams of a particular type are given a category of product to create. They then have exactly 48 hours to brainstorm, prototype, document, and pitch their idea. Because of agreements we signed with the show, we are unable to discuss any details about the competition at this time. The episode will air in September of 2019 and the season will conclude that December. We will then be able to talk about our experience in further detail.
Regardless of the competition’s subject, the overall experience was something that I am very grateful to have been a part of. It was not only an opportunity to demonstrate the skills we have developed at Tulane over the years, but just as much an opportunity to further sharpen them. I am confident that I speak for my entire team when I say that we learned a startling amount about the product development process. Being able to consult experts in fields such as materials science, manufacturing, patent law, and product marketing during the brainstorming process is extremely valuable. We learned how to design for simpler and cheaper manufacturing, while retaining the form and function of the product. All in all, our product development abilities were greatly improved.
The award funds that we received will be used towards airfare, mileage, and lodging. Because our team gathered from all over the country, the grant was truly instrumental in making the entire experience possible. Although the airing date is over a year away, we were very proud of how we represented the school and we are excited for you all to see it!
Written by Luke Artzt, Dean’s Grant recipient, 2018
