The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), a program of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is sponsoring a national competition for universities that engages students in addressing issues relating to airports and the National Airspace System. The Competition builds upon the former FAA Design Competition for Universities which has now become an ACRP program funded by the FAA. The Competition is managed for the ACRP by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium of Hampton, Va.

This Competition challenges individuals and teams of undergraduate and/or graduate students working with faculty advisors at U.S. colleges and universities to consider innovative approaches related to airport issues. Students can win cash prizes for their winning innovative design solutions. First place winners present their work at a national award ceremony. Full details are provided in the competition guidelines.

This Competition focuses on design solutions in the following broad areas: Airport Operation and Maintenance, Runway Safety/Runway Incursions/ Runway Excursions, Airport Environmental Interactions, and Airport Management and Planning. Some specific challenge areas are defined in the Technical Design Challenges section of the guidelines. Students are not limited to the suggested topical areas listed. They are free to propose design solutions based on other topics that fit the four broad challenge areas.

For more information click here.