Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have prior knowledge of global health or malaria to take part in the competition?
No. The Harvard Malaria Competition is an excellent opportunity for all students – at all levels and from all schools – with a passion for problem-solving, innovation, and social responsibility to generate ideas that will help bring malaria to the attention of everyone on the Harvard campus and our extended community.
Who can take part in the competition?
All Harvard University degree candidates in good academic standing are eligible to participate. Both individual and group proposals are welcome.
How do I submit a proposal?
Proposals must be submitted electronically via an online form.
What should my proposal include?
Proposals should be in written or multimedia (i.e., video) format. Written proposals should not exceed 5 single-spaced pages. Multimedia submission should not exceed 5 minutes in length. Video’s should be uploaded to a video-sharing website (e.g., YouTube) and a link to the video should be submitted via the online submission form.
Proposals must include:
1.) The vision and rationale for the project;
2.) A plan and timeline for implementation;
3.) A proposed budget and justification;
4.) Proposed metrics for tracking progress; and
5.) Evidence of applicant’s ability to take the project to a successful completion.
What is the deadline for proposal submission?
Thursday, October 31, 2013 by 11:59pm.
What is the review process like and what criteria will proposals be judged on?
A panel of experts, including Mr. Ray Chambers, United Nations Special Envoy for Financing of the Health Related MDGs and Malaria, will review all proposals and select five finalists based on the quality, clarity and feasibility of the proposal.
All competition participants will be notified via email regarding the outcome of their proposal.
Finalists will be invited to present their proposals at an event sponsored by Harvard’s Defeating Malaria: From the Genes to the Globe initiative in November 2013.
Should my idea focus on building awareness of malaria on the Harvard campus, or can it exceed the boundaries of the University?
Proposals are not limited to building awareness solely on the Harvard campus, but it should be one of the components of the overall project.
Where can I learn more about Harvard’s malaria efforts?
You can learn more about the University’s efforts to make a meaningful contribution to the global fight against malaria by visiting the Defeating Malaria: From the Genes to the Globe website.
Resources
The Harvard innovation Lab (i-lab) is a new and innovative initiative that fosters team-based and entrepreneurial activities and deepens interactions among Harvard students, faculty, and entrepreneurs. The lab offers workshops, opportunities to discuss careers, venture and business plans with “experts-in-residence,” and provides useful resources for entrepreneurs.
Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard (TECH)
TECH’s mission is to advance the understanding and practice of innovation and entrepreneurship through experiential education: by initiating, advancing and informing student projects. TECH provides assistance to students and student groups working to build a community of innovation at Harvard.
Actively promoting a unique, interdisciplinary culture, the MIT Media Lab goes beyond known boundaries and disciplines, encouraging the most unconventional mixing and matching of seemingly disparate research areas.
The MIT Center for Civic Media are inventors of new technologies that support and foster civic media and political action. The Center’s website features an active blog, featured tools and events.
Harvard College Writing Center
The Writing Center offers Harvard undergraduates help with any aspect of their writing, from scientific assignments to general writing skills.
The Multimedia Lab located in Lamont room A-10 features Mac and Windows equipment for creating, editing, and publishing a wide variety of multimedia projects.