News from the USC Engineering School: 

The University of Southern California has launched a global crowdsourcing competition, “The Next MacGyver,” aimed at developing a television show with a female engineer lead who is a role model for girls and young women.

USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering is collaborating on the project with the National Academy of Engineering and Lee Zlotoff, creator of the TV series MacGyver. To enter the competition, launched during National Engineers Week in February 2015, entrants must submit ideas by May 1 (please note, this is the new, extended deadline!).

Entrants must submit a story treatment that features a strong female protagonist who uses engineering-based thought processes to solve problems. The contest will culminate in a Top 12 “Engineering Idol” event in Summer 2015 where finalists will pitch ideas directly before a distinguished panel of Hollywood and engineering judges. Five winners will receive $5,000 each and be paired with Hollywood mentors, including CSI creator Anthony Zuiker and President of Producer’s Guild of America Lori McCreary, as well as distinguished engineering professionals to develop their pilot scripts.

Currently women comprise only 19 percent of engineering graduates nationwide.  At Viterbi School of Engineering, women make up 37 percent of the freshmen class, almost double the national average.  The University of Southern California is proud to lead this initiative to increase the number of female engineers nationwide and has attracted women and led the movement to raise awareness about the number of women in the engineering field through its visibility and mentorship of strong Viterbi female faculty. Since 2009, six women of Viterbi’s faculty have been named on the MIT Technology Review’s prestigious list of “Top 35 Global Innovators under 35.”

For more information, please go to http://thenextmacgyver.com/