Wichita StateCollege of Innovation and DesignApply by . At the end of Friday.
A wildfire innovation challenge for Wichita State students of all majors, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®. November 6–8 at the John Bardo Center.
Applications close in
At the end of Friday.
Apply with your team’s proposal or a short individual idea pitch. Early ideas are welcome—you don’t need a fully developed solution.
Bring your starting idea for detecting, confirming, and responding to wildfire before it grows. Explore what could work, what it would take, and what you want to build over the weekend.
Read the request for proposals (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Wildfire puts communities, landscapes, and livelihoods at risk. Finding better ways to address it takes people who can connect technology, human needs, and practical realities.
Propose an early-response system that connects detection, confirmation, and response for a real customer. Think about a wildfire agency, utility, forest service, city, or community—and what stopping a fire in its first minutes could mean for them.
Early-stage ideas are welcome. Rough estimates and open questions are expected; you do not need a fully fleshed-out solution to apply.
Read the full RFP (PDF, opens in a new tab)One lead submits for your team of 2–6 students. Tell us who is on the team, your proposed roles, the customer and need, and your starting approach. Aim for roughly 500 words across the three responses. The RFP’s target is 4–6 students; teams of 2–3 may also apply.
Share a short idea pitch of about 150 words. One piece of the wildfire response system is enough. Tell us whether you want to develop your idea, join another idea, or are open to either. You can choose to let us privately share your pitch with prospective teammates.
Both routes are reviewed for competitive selection. Submission does not guarantee acceptance or team placement. Decisions and next steps will arrive by email after applications close.
Explore ideas with a purpose beyond the classroom.
Pursue opportunities for one-on-one collaboration with Lockheed Martin professionals.
Develop and present an idea that shows how you approach a complex problem.
Bring your strengths to a student team and an opportunity to collaborate with Skunk Works®.
Start with what you notice, what you question, and what you care about. You don’t need to have the answer to have something to contribute.
Connect with people who think differently. Combine your strengths and discover what you can do together.
Give an idea shape. Learn from other perspectives and practice making your thinking clear.
The headline prize: a trip to tour Lockheed Martin facilities and see innovation up close.
Compete for the opportunity to tour Lockheed Martin facilities and see where innovation happens.
Opportunities to work one-on-one with Lockheed Martin and Skunk Works® professionals.
Details about additional awards will be shared with participants.
Trip selection, travel arrangements, and collaboration details will be shared with participants.
Engineering, computing, design, communication, business, operations. Different strengths belong at the same table.
Explore possibilities. Connect ideas. Think through how things could work.
Ask better questions. Make ideas understandable. Bring a human perspective.
See the bigger picture. Consider practical realities. Help a team move forward.
These are possibilities, not a checklist. Bring the skills and interests that make you, you.
Firewatch offers opportunities for one-on-one collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Skunk Works® professionals through WSU Innovation Works. The November 6–8 weekend includes mentor check-ins, a design review with Lockheed Martin engineers, and final pitches to Lockheed Martin judges.
Firewatch invites WSU students across majors. Technical, creative, business, and operational perspectives all have a place. You do not need to be an engineer to apply.
No. Individuals can submit a short idea pitch and indicate whether they want to develop their idea, join another idea, or are open to either. Teams of 2–6 students submit one proposal through their lead, including the current roster. The RFP’s target is 4–6 students; teams of 2–3 may also apply. Submission does not guarantee acceptance or team placement.
Early-stage thinking is welcome. Teams should share an initial direction for detecting, confirming, and responding to wildfire, and how those pieces might connect. Individuals can pitch one component. Tell us what you know so far and what you want to explore. Rough estimates, tentative roles, and open questions are expected; a finished design, firm budget, or finalized demonstration plan is not required.
Apply by Friday, October 23, 2026, at midnight Central—the end of Friday. You can submit a replacement before the deadline; reviewers will use your latest complete application. Decisions and next steps will arrive by email after applications close. If you previously registered interest, you still need to apply through the application form.
Use the details and deadline reminders link to register interest. You’ll receive more information and reminders while applications are open. Registering interest does not submit an application; apply with your team’s proposal or a short individual idea pitch before the deadline to be considered.
Team proposals are reviewed for promising whole-system thinking, a plausible customer and practical direction, team fit, and something achievable to explore during the weekend. Individual pitches are reviewed for relevance, potential contribution, and matching possibilities. Both routes support competitive selection; we’re reading for thinking, not polish.
The headline prize is a trip to tour Lockheed Martin facilities. Firewatch also offers opportunities for one-on-one collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Skunk Works® professionals. Trip selection, travel arrangements, collaboration details, and additional awards will be shared with participants.
The challenge weekend is November 6–8, 2026, at the John Bardo Center. Friday kickoff starts at 5 p.m. Saturday’s build day runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday pitches begin at noon, followed by awards by 2:30 p.m. All times are Central Time.
Contact Jared Goering at jared.goering@wichita.edu.
Apply with your team’s proposal or a short individual idea pitch. Early ideas are welcome—you don’t need a fully developed solution.
Apply by . At the end of Friday.
Competitive selection. Decisions and next steps will arrive by email after applications close.