SCATS 2023 Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge
PLEASE NOTE, ENTRY FOR THE SCATS STUDENT TRAFFIC DATA INNOVATION CHALLENGE HAS CLOSED.
Attention students! Want an experience in which you can improve an aspect of a state’s transport system, using real data for real solutions, pick up new skills in an environment that will put you in front of people that can set you off on your career? All of that and be up for prizes, such as most innovative, most workable, and pick up some new microcredentials? Then we have a must-attend event for you, the SCATS Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge.
iMOVE and Transport for NSW, along with technology partners AWS and Aimsun are pleased to announce this opportunity, applying fresh new thinking to challenges associated with SCATS (Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System), Transport for NSW’s traffic management system.
WHEN: Event dates are Friday 15—Saturday 16 September 2023 (see below for the process and more key dates).
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MIDNIGHT (AEST) 28 AUGUST 2023.
WHERE:
- Onsite at offices of Amazon, Sydney CBD.
- Online (all details will be supplied to participating teams)
Q&A 18 August 2023
We’re holding an online Q&A on Friday 18 August 2023 to answer any questions you might have about the event, and your entries.
The Q&A will begin at 1.00pm. Click here to register for the Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge Q&A.
Can you improve Sydney’s road network efficiency?
The Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge is both a process and a final event.
On the way we will give students new skills and opportunities to network with and impress key industry players. In short, an opportunity not to be missed for any ambitious and career-minded student in the data, transport or engineering space.
See below for the key dates for more information on how the Traffic Data Innovation Challenge will roll out.
Background
Our transport needs and technology are both evolving at a rapid pace, and we need smarts to keep up with it. Universities are a vital source of new talent, and this event aims to connect students with industry to showcase their abilities with real-world challenges.
SCATS (Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System) is the system used to manage Sydney’s road transport network (as well as many other cities around the world) and it performs a mammoth task.
It is an intelligent real-time traffic signal control system that synchronises traffic signals according to complex algorithms to optimise traffic flows. It has been developed by the NSW Government since the 1970s and is now the most widely used adaptive traffic control system worldwide, installed in over 55,000 intersections and 28 countries worldwide.
The size and complexity of the tool lends it to being advanced or improved in myriad different ways – and we are looking for new ideas from our student community.
If you believe that you have the creativity, smarts and enthusiasm to bring a new solution to life, we want to hear from you!
This unique event gives you the opportunity to:
- Get to know a real-world transport system, data and simulation environments.
- Gain new technology skills and showcase them to industry.
- Develop your creativity and team skills.
- Be as creative as you want with your solutions – that is what we are looking for!
- Connect with big industry names/employers (Transport for NSW, AWS, Aimsun)
- Be recognised for the most innovative / workable solutions created!
Key dates
- 9 August: Applications open.
- 28 August: Applications close.
- 30 August: Notify teams of outcome.
- 1 September (tbc): Student Q&A: meet the mentors (online).
- 1 September – 14 September: Familiarise with technology and data and test out solutions to practice problems.
- 15 September: Release Current Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge problems and data to teams.
- 16 September (early afternoon): Present solutions to judging panel to select finalists.
- 16 September (late afternoon): Finalists announced and invited to present on stage or by video.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MIDNIGHT (AEST) 28 AUGUST 2023.
Program
Eligibility
- Must be from an iMOVE partner university
- Maximum 5 per team
- Must select category at time of registering for the event
- Students – UG (final year / Honours) / PhD / Masters
Application form
Does this sound like an event and challenge you’d like to take part in? Then assemble your teams and apply by clicking the button below.
When making your application, have these things at hand:
- a team name;
- designated team leader;
- the details of all the team members (name, degree level, contact info); and
- a text or video statement about why yours is the right team for the challenge!
See also the Terms & Conditions of the SCATS Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge.
Help spread the word about the SCATS Student Traffic Data Innovation Challenge – download a leaflet to put up in the office, staff/student noticeboard …
APPLY NOWAbout iMOVE
We’ve partnered with over 60 organisations to date to help solve business and community challenges, develop and improve products and services, and create an evidence base for policy making in transport and mobility.
Visit our About iMOVE page for information about who we are, what we do, and how we work, and our List of projects page for the work we’ve done so far.
