Would water come out of the tap if it was left up to you?

Would water come out of the tap if it was left up to you?

Would the lights go on at the flip of a switch and would water come out of the tap if it was left up to you? If you were one of the last people on earth, would civilisation thrive? For most of us, the answer to these questions is probably no… for some us, the answer is “bring it on.”

We live in a society that demands the development of innovative ideas. Without innovation, no growth would be possible. That’s why through its third annual AMP IGNITE competition, AMP is calling for PhD students who want to share their innovative quest to change the world.

Finalists will work alongside visionary and pioneering mentors, like Dr. Michelle Dickinson (aka NanoGirl) to perfect their pitch before they present their ground-breaking research on stage in front of an audience in just two and a half minutes, through storytelling, performance art, dance, comedy, music or even magic, for their chance to win $5,000 to further their studies.

Shaun Philp, AMP’s General Manager of Human Resources, says, “We ask finalists to ‘translate’ their complex research into everyday language and pitch their project in an entertaining way to our judges. Often having the skills to think creatively and deliver an engaging proposal is key to achieving funding further down the track, so we see this experience as an opportunity that will help to set the students up in years to come.”

One of the defining features of PhD students is that they bring innovation and new perspectives, right? Take last years’ AMP IGNITE winner for example, Peter Qiu from the University of Auckland. He’s working on saving taxpayers millions of dollars and improving the lives of thousands of Kiwis by delaying the onset of age-related cataracts, a condition that he says it’s time to kick into touch.

Or like, Alex Payne, last year’s AMP IGNITE People’s Choice winner. Alex is researching the effects of cerebral palsy on coordination and aims to reduce barriers to education, communication and social interaction by improving computer accessibility.

Alex says, “The idea of competing was daunting at first, but with the support of the awesome mentors I learnt a lot about how to simplify my thesis and how to create a compelling pitch, and that’s critical if you’ve got an idea you want to take to the world. AMP IGNITE is unique, it’s a lot of fun and a really beneficial experience, and I encourage PhD’s and previous applicants to apply today.”

Entries for the AMP IGNITE competition are open now and close on 28 April. Previous applicants can re-apply. Everything you need to know is on ampignite.co.nz, thanks to whoever it was that invented the internet.

“Without innovation, life as we know it wouldn’t be possible. Once businesses and innovators think they have it all figured out, it’s all over – that’s why AMP supports innovation in our business and in our communities and why we’re so excited about getting behind the talented entrants in this year’s AMP IGNITE competition,” says Mr. Philp.

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