Dubai’s Global Grad Show Announces An Open Call To Address COVID-19’s Collateral Issues

  • 24 Mar '20
  • 12:39 pm by Crew
Pureknit, a reusable anti-pollution mask made with minimal material waste from Global Grand Show 2019. Photograph Credit – Global Grad Show

The leading social impact innovation platform for graduate students across the world, Dubai’s Global Grad Show announces an open call to its global academic network looking for solutions to COVID-19 collateral issues. An integral part of Dubai Design Week, the not-for-profit initiative holds an exhibition of 150 graduate social impact projects in November each year. For this particular initiative in light of the current global pandemic, proposals must identify and address a critical issue surrounding COVID-19. These can range from home quarantine to decontamination of public areas, to enhanced patient-screening methods and statistical disease-prediction models. Projects in the past years included a UV light-powered steriliser, an IV system to increase patient autonomy, and a reusable anti-pollution mask. 

The challenges we face in the 21st century are inherently global. Like climate change, pandemics such as COVID-19 know no borders and threaten us all. In announcing this initiative, we hope to channel the immense creativity of the world’s universities toward the challenge of COVID-19 and its various medical, economic and social dimensions. In doing so, we hope to show the world that even our gravest threats present opportunities for innovation and community” said Brendan McGetrick, Head of Curation of the Global Grad Show and Creative Director of The Museum of the Future.

Global Grad Show encourages all graduates, undergraduates and professors of all academic backgrounds and universities around the world to submit their proposals by the 2nd of April 2020. Any selected project will be announced by 16th April. A team of health professionals and innovation specialists will support the selection and development of chosen projects. Any selected proposal will be funded through prototyping and testing. Additionally, creator(s) of a selected proposal will be awarded the tuition fee of their current studies, or equivalent scholarship for the department of selected professor(s).