Winners of the UcanTu Competition

The UcanTu exhibition will highlight a handful of technologies that benefit humanity on a global scale.  The gallery is scheduled to open officially in Feb. 2009, with a "soft opening" this December.  The UcanTu exhibition was launched in Adult Second Life on May 6, and on July 9 in Teen Second Life.  The prize competition was announced on July 9 also, in both the Main and Teen grids.

The judges, all staff or volunteers at the Tech Museum, were:

• Tina Blaine, Curator, UcanTu Exhibition, The Tech Museum
• Matteo Bittanti, Curator, Art Film & Music Exhibition, The Tech Museum
• Bob Ketner, Virtual Community Manager, The Tech Museum
• Rob Stephenson, Curator, The Tech Virtual, The Tech Museum
• Amanda Riley, Manager, Tech Awards Program, The Tech Museum
• Kyle Walker, Intern and Teen Grid Volunteer Coordinator, The Tech Museum
• Amparo Leyman Pino, Education Consultant, Papalote Museo del Niño, México and volunteer, The Tech Museum
  

The challenge for UcanTu competition participants was to showcase one of these technologies in a way that makes it meaningful to museum visitors, and makes them realize that the tools to build a better world are not out of reach, but all around us.  It should make them want to get involved in their own communities and in the world ("You can, too!").  In spite of this difficult challenge and the short timeline (especially for the Teen Grid contestants), 18 exhibit designs were completed by the deadline (nine in the Adult Grid and nine in the Teen Grid).  The quality of the exhibits was outstanding, and the judges had a hard time deciding among them.

And the winners are (opening the envelope):

for Exhibit Concepts incorporated into the real museum exhibition (prize of 250,000 linden per team member)

Terran Solar Boat	An interactive display, based on the Solar Sailor project, showing how Solar Power and Renewable Energy sources can be used.
click for larger view	Tristan Watts-Willis  (avatar: Tdub Dowler) Ben Newton             (avatar: Wally Oyen) Andrew Brown         (avatar: Bubby Boucher) Maxwell Strog          (avatar: Aran Trefoil)
KickStart our Economy	Step into the shoes of a KickStart farmer and see how much 'water' you can pump, enough for one stalk of corn? Enough for a family? Enough to feed the whole village?
click for larger view	Marie Crandell (avatar: Lydia Milner) Stina Cooke     (avatar: Alisa Cleanslate)                         (avatar: Mars Voyager)

Best in Teen Grid (50,000 linden prize)

Take a Bath in the Fog	This exhibit demonstrates the FogQuest fog collection technology and shows how it could be put to sensible use in arid countries.
click for larger view	Isaac Wagner (avatar: Totem Guffler)

Runner Up (5,000 linden prize)

Solar Sailing: the Future of Eco-Green	This project, also based on Solar Sailor, demonstrates the practicality of solar travel and how it can be used to make a better future.
click for larger view	Dan H.              (avatar: Ubuntu Houston) Jeffrey Francus (avatar: Steven Fermi)                          (avatar: Merridew Andel)                          (avatar: Jay Closterman)

Best in Main Grid (50,000 linden prize)

Barefoot Brilliance!	Experience some of the skills and products of Barefoot College graduates and test yourself against their skills.
click for larger view	Marie Crandell (avatar: Lydia Milner)                         (avatar: Mars Voyager)

Runner Up (5,000 linden prize)

Cool Vaccines	Heat-sensitive labels can monitor the viability of life-saving vaccines during a power outage or for vaccination programs in the field
click for larger view	Eileen Moy           (avatar: Chara Clawtooth) Thomas Warsaw (avatar: Jayson Zimermann) Kai Chu               (avatar: Purplewolf Destiny) Jennifer Rand      (avatar: Sarna Sideways) Larry McGrail Victor Wang

Most Inspiring Exhibit (50,000 linden prize)

Create a Universal Language	Cameras, satellites, and the Internet enable people to document and share stories from around the world, bringing attention to ways of respecting or violating human rights
click for larger view	Kara Bennett   (avatar: Dancers Yao) Stina Cooke    (avatar: Alisa Cleanslate) Susan Patrice (avatar: Kasuko Magic)

UcanTu Prize Ceremonies Aug. 8, 2008

Main Grid: onstage are Stephe Roux, Agent Heliosense and Shakini Parnass (all Tech staff), and winners Lydia Milner, Mars Voyager, Chara Clawtooth and Dancers Yao	Teen Grid: onstage are winners Tdub Dowler, Wally Oyen, Bobby Boucher, En Bergbaum (Volunteeer Coordinator), Copernic Heliosense (Tech staff) and winner Ubuntu Houston.