Co-terminal physics/health physics student William Limestall (BS PHYS/MHP 4th year) and his team won the Civic Tech Challenge during ThinkChicago: Lollapalooza 2016.

ThinkChicago: Lollapalooza 2016 was a three-day program (July 27-29) for university students to explore the Chicago tech ecosystem and attend Lollapalooza. More than 700 students applied; 200 were chosen, including 15 from Illinois Institute of Technology.

As part of ThinkChicago, the Civic Tech Challenge was a pitch competition to propose ways in which the City of Chicago can use technology to address challenges related to urban sustainability, transportation and civic engagement. Limestall’s team won for an idea to introduce Chicago’s neighborhoods to Lollapalooza festival-goers using the Lollapalooza app and website. They had to pitch the idea on stage, in front of judges. “My experiences in IPRO and as a Navy recruiter come in handy!” Limestall said. IPRO training in particular helped him give the winning pitch, Limestall said, and he thanked Jeremy Alexis, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Design and director of IPRO.

For winning, Limestall received an invitation to the ThinkChicago: Ideas Week event in October, a four-day pass to Lollapalooza 2017, and a “totally rad Limited Edition Lollapalooza 25th Anniversary Perry Farrell skate board deck,” Limestall reported.

Each year, during Lollapalooza and Chicago Ideas Week, Mayor Rahm Emanuel invites university students to ThinkChicago to meet with Chicago technology leaders, explore companies, and attend Lollapalooza and Chicago Ideas Week. Part of the goal is to encourage bright science, technology, and engineering students to live and work in Chicago. Students are accepted into the program based on their interest in technology, innovation, and/or entrepreneurship, and a commitment to excellence as demonstrated by academic, professional, and/or extracurricular activities.

The Mayor’s Office is accepting applications for ThinkChicago: Ideas Week 2016 here.