Thank you for your interest in applying. My best wishes and I look forward to hearing from you. Please see the instructions below.
Please share your name, email, what are you studying? and which school?
Think about your walk to school, your local park, or your own home. Tell us about one thing—big or small—that is "broken" or doesn't work the way it should. Why do you think it hasn't been fixed yet?
Describe a time you got so interested in a topic (space, baking, video games, ants, etc.) that you spent hours researching it on your own without anyone telling you to. What was the most surprising thing you learned?
Be honest about your school experience. Which subject or teacher makes you want to solve problems, and which part of the school day feels like a "rote learning" chore that you would change if you were in charge?
If you were given a magic microphone that could reach everyone in your town, what "Problem Worth Solving" (#ProWoSo) would you tell them about, and why should they care?
You want to build a prototype for a new invention (physical or digital), but you have $0 and no specialized tools. How would you pursue it?
How do you currently use AI? Give us a specific example(s).
Tell us about a time you tried to build something or take a test, and you failed. What was the specific moment you realized your path wasn't working, and what did you do next?
Imagine you’ve worked on a project for three months and your mentor tells you that your current path won't work and you need to start over from scratch. How do you react?
What do you spend your time on outside of class? Tell us about a specific time you hit a "wall" in this activity (sport, music, coding, etc.) and how you pushed through it to get to the next level.
Solving a #ProWoSo is hard work and often gets boring before it gets exciting. On a scale of 1–10, how much do you actually like "the grind" of working on a single problem for months? Give us one example of something you've stuck with for at least six months.
If you were stuck on a difficult part of a project, how would you go about finding an expert to help you? (Be specific: Who would you look for, and how would you reach out?)
Is there anything else—literally anything—you want to share? Maybe a secret talent, a collection, a family story, or a goal you’re afraid to tell anyone else? Use this space to show us the side of you that didn't fit into the questions above.
Please share your name, email, studying/working? what? and where?
Identify one standard process or "way things are done" in your current field (or a field you are curious about) that you believe is fundamentally obsolete. If you could "start from scratch," how would you solve this differently?
If you were to leave your current career path tomorrow to solve a problem in a completely different domain, what would it be? What is the specific "spark" that makes you curious about that new world?
Reflect on your education or early career so far. What has been the most disappointing part of "the system," and how has that frustration shaped your desires and pursuits?
If you had six months of "safe time" to tackle any #ProWoSo from our collection (or your own), which one pulls at you the most? Don't worry about having the skills yet—tell us why the problem matters to you.
Describe a time you had to learn a complex skill or topic from scratch to achieve a specific goal (could be a hobby, a side project, or a work task). What was your process for teaching yourself, and how did you push through the "beginner's frustration"?
How do you currently use AI? Give us a specific example(s).
Tell us about a time you failed at something you cared about. Instead of telling us what went wrong, tell us about the problem-solving muscle you developed during that failure that you can now use for your next project.
Imagine you’ve worked on a project for three months and your mentor tells you that your current path won't work and you need to start over from scratch. How do you react?
What do you spend your time on outside of school/work? Tell us about a specific time you hit a "wall" in this activity (sport, music, coding, etc.) and how you pushed through it to get to the next level.
Meaningful innovation often gets unglamorous after the first few weeks. Give us an example of a long-term commitment you’ve honored (work, personal, or community) even when it became difficult or repetitive.
If your project requires help from an expert in a field you are working, how would you convince them to listen to your ideas and get help?
What is something about you that a recruiter would never find on your LinkedIn, but that makes you a formidable "Pieneer"? Share a story, a talent, or a life experience that proves your capability.