2. MESA Think Tank Middle Schools and High Schools
Lyka Gutierrez
Lead judge for Mesa think tank at CSUlb mesa center

3. What is the Think Tank Replaces Speak Up
Pitching a competition project to MESA for MESA Day 2019
Why should MESA make your competition nationwide?
Persuasive presentation

4. Application to the Real World
Engineers and scientists must always request
funding for their projects and research
Target other companies, boosters, government
officials, and their own bosses
Sales engineer as a career
Think of this as “Shark Tank”

5. What to expect Only goes to regionals Team of 2-3 students
We will provide a projector and table
A computer will be available, but it is the student’s responsibility to bring a backup computer
Students need to bring a demo of their project and written rules of their competition
3 typed, hard copies of their competition

6. Rules Project needs to be 100% safe!
STEM related or NAE Grand Challenge project
NO models or kits; MUST BE 100% original work of THE STUDENTS
Demo of the project should be already built NOT during the presentation
Demo must be 50cm X 50cm X 50cm and not exceed $10.00
Show documentation of total price of the competition ready for presentation (Price List)
Present the rules, overview of competition project, list of material, general rules, two math related questions, and judging rubric.

7. Presentation Guidelines
Introduction
State NAE Grand Challenge is used in presentation
Design demo of competition
Cost list of competition
Demonstrate how competition will be judged

8. Judging Three (3) Judges
Explain Rules, Read Procedures and Judging Criteria
Answer questions before presentations start
Signal before time is up
(1 minute, 30 seconds, 5 seconds)
Team Order will be randomly selected and posted prior
to presentations
MESA volunteers, judges, and teams are allowed
in the room
Teams (2-3 students)
Hand out 3 hard copies of rules to judges
Set Up: 2 minutes
Present: 3 minutes
Questions From Judges: 2 minutes

10. Questions?

11. Demo
Get into teams of 2-3.
Make a quick presentation on pitching a competition to MESA.
You have minutes to make your presentation.
Present it within 2 minutes.