NASA challenge wraps up at LU Orillia
Lakehead University's Orillia Campus hosted the 2024 NASA Space Apps challenge this weekend, which allowed teams of students, mentors and scientists to brainstorm solutions for global issues using real-world NASA data.
"Every time people think about space, they think it's so futuristic and distant, but there are a lot of similar challenges on Earth," said Anastasiia Prysyazhnyuk from the Canadian Space Agency, one of the mentors. "[Challenges] such as isolated and remote communities across Canada that don't have access to health care resources, they don't have access to health care professionals. And that is something we can truly bridge the gap by utilizing space technology and the knowledge that we've acquired."
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
16 teams of all ages came up with ideas that solved a real-world challenge and pitched them to the group. The top three were awarded prizes.
Noah Richardson, a high school student at Stayner Collegiate Institute Student, worked with his group to figure out how the UN's Sustainable Development Goals for the environment could be taught more practically in school.
"We're just trying to increase the amount of info actually taken in by students so that they can properly use it in our day-to-day lives and improve our environment," said Richardson.
All submitted projects from around the world will be reviewed by NASA partners, who will eventually award the top ten winners.
"Universities exist to bring people together to have conversations about important things," said Jessica Lovett, Lakehead University's director of career services at Orillia. "No matter what happens with [the] individual project ideas, everyone who's taking part is building skills, gaining experience working on a problem and expanding their professional network, and it's going to contribute to their future career success."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A year into the Israel-Hamas war, students say a chill on free speech has reached college classrooms
As a junior at George Washington University, Ty Lindia meets new students every day. But with the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war hanging over the Washington, D.C., campus, where everyone has a political opinion, each new encounter is fraught.
Hurricane Milton is growing stronger as it blows toward Florida's Tampa Bay region
People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Hurricane Milton is intensifying rapidly and will likely be a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
The cooking method you need to learn to get excited about vegetables this fall, expert says
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
New Far North hospital moves closer to being built after $1.8B design, build contract awarded
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, dead at 63
Christopher Ciccone, a multihyphenate artist, dancer, designer and younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Trudeau heads to ASEAN summit and Ukraine defence meetings this week
Justin Trudeau will travel to Laos later this week for the ASEAN summit, marking what his office says will be the first official visit of a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country.
Oh my gourd: B.C.'s giant pumpkin weigh-off declares winner
A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.
Donald Glover cancels Childish Gambino tour dates after recent surgery
Donald Glover has cancelled the remaining dates of Childish Gambino’s North American and European tour.
Oct. 7 commemoration events being held across Canada
Hundreds of people are gathering today in cities across Canada to remember the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the hostages that have still not yet made it home.