Contest Submission Process

Prepare for Submission

Participants will be required to invite appcontest@unm.edu to your code repository (e.g. GitHub, Bitbucket, etc) before the final submission of your app.

AppContest@UNM.edu has an account on the following code sharing platforms:

Final Submissions Require

  • A README text document with the application title, contact information, description of the app, test accounts or other access information, short bio on the developer(s)/team, other supporting information.
  • 3 screen shots of the application running on a device.
  • Recorded demonstration of the app that could be used for your presentation day presentation.
  • Unofficial transcript for each team member due no later than the mandatory practice session (do not include in code repository, finalists will be asked to submit separately)
  • The submission deadline will be 11:59PM of Sunday, January 3, 2021.

NOTE: If you are a finalist, you will have the option to submit an updated video based on feedback.

Please make sure the pace of the recording is appropriate for an audience unfamiliar with your app. In other words, go slowly enough so that judges can evaluate all of the functionality you are demonstrating. We can help you with this if you ask! There are some useful links to for recording on various platforms on the Resources link: Helpful Information: Methods of Screen Recording Your Mobile App.

If your application does not have source code available to you, talk to us about your project and we will work with you on the submission process.

Finalist Selection

We will pick up to 10 finalists out of the submissions entered. There are currently many teams interested in competing. The first cut will be made on technical and utility grounds (e.g., we can build/use your mobile app on our devices, the app has useful and apparent functionality, the battery doesn't immediately drop from 100% to 3% charge, etc.).

Finalist Notification

The finalists will be notified by January 8, 2021 with an invitation to select a general Presentation Day session time slot for January 29, 2021 from 1PM — 4PM (in 15 minute blocks. Please see Presentation Day). Teams not selected as finalists will be notified on January 8th as well.

Mandatory Practice Sessions

The ten finalists will be required to attend a 45-minute virtual practice session with the IT team prior to Virtual Presentation Day. Your practice session will be scheduled, with instructions, when we contact you for your Virtual Presentation Day session. NOTE: You will need to bring a pre-recorded demonstration of your app to your mandatory mentoring session!! Please see appcontest.unm.edu for more information on making these recordings. Any questions, email appcontest@unm.edu.

Virtual Presentation Day

On Virtual Presentation Day, you will present your app and pre-recorded demo to the judges in a MAXIMUM 8-minute session, with a possible 4-minute Q&A session. We will be setting up a meeting link and passcode to the event for all participants. The invitations will include all judges, team members, and each presenter). Your entire team is required to attend Virtual Presentation Day unless you have prior approval from event staff. Please contact us if there are extenuating circumstances.

You are required to create a pre-recorded demo of your app in use. You must narrate this pre-recorded video. You will need to have a draft recording ready to show the mentoring team during your mandatory mentoring session. After your session, you will have the opportunity to edit/correct your demo for any deficiencies. IMPORTANT!!! You must email us the FINAL recording file to appcontest@unm.edu NO LATER THAN January 27, 2021 at 11:59 PM. The host of Demo Day will be putting your link in the chat for the judges to watch during your presentation. (Please see the website for more information and a sample recording).

NOTE: your pre-recorded video will be hosted on the IT YouTube Channel. If you have any issues about your recording being hosted in the public realm, please email appcontest@unm.edu and we will work to accommodate any privacy issues.

Event staff can answer questions and help guide you through technical aspects of virtual presentations at any time during the contest. The mandatory mentoring sessions will help you refine the final aspects of your virtual presentation, hence the reason they are mandatory.

Your Virtual Presentation

Allot 1-2 Minutes:

  • Introduce your team briefly (name, institution, year, area of study)
  • Introduce your app, its functionality, and problem space it addresses
  • Describe your app's technology

Allot Remaining Time:

  • Narrate your pre-recorded demo of the app in use (this should be the main focus of your presentation, and where you spend most of your allotted presentation minutes!)

We recommend you practice your demo with a faculty, mentor, colleagues, or family member(s) who can provide feedback. In addition, PLEASE NOTE: your team WILL BE REQUIRED to attend one mandatory practice session with the Mobile App team prior to Presentation Day. This practice session will be scheduled when we contact you to schedule your Presentation Day time slot. Practice sessions take place between January 11, 2021 and January 22, 2021.

Winners

Winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony immediately following the last presentation (with a few minutes to finalize the judging) on January 29, 2021, at approximately 4:30 pm. All participants will be sent a meeting link entitled “Awards Ceremony.”

Need Help

If you have questions or technical challenges. Please contact appcontest@unm.edu by email and your question can be answered, clarified or forwarded to a subject matter expert for follow up.