College teams design solutions to the world's toughest environmental challenges and compete for cash prizes.

Registration steps:

1. The Coach (Advisor) pays for the number of teams and team members who will be participating.
2. A confirmation email, including a temporary password is sent to the Coach.
3. The Coach sets up an account, logs in, and sets up the teams. 
4. Team Names: Please name your teams in this format: SCHL-#,
   1. University abbreviation: Use the shortest abbreviation for your school, in place of "SCHL"
   2. Task #: add a dash followed by the task number the team is entering (1, 2, 3, etc.). If more than one team is entering a given task number, name them SCHL-1-# and SCHL-2-#
5. Invite team members and co-advisors by copying a provided code and emailing it to team members. 
6. Team members and co-advisors log in and complete their own information. 
7. Task information is housed under "Rounds." 
8. Submissions are found under "Status" (Click Edit).
9. Other files and resources are available. We invite you to explore the site.

• Additional Information: 
• There are no additional fees for credit card transactions.
• There is no limit to the number of teams that may be registered under one Advisor.
• On this ICS Platform, the Advisor is termed the "Coach." 

Design environmental solutions to the world's toughest problems and compete for cash prizes.

Regardless of your discipline, you hold the keys to global health and environmental sustainability. The environment is not just for environmental engineers and scientists -- We welcome all fields of engineering, STEM, business, and supporting majors to join us!

2026 DESIGN CHALLENGES:

1. After RO: Brine Management in the Desert
2. Power Plants: Recovering Water from Cooling Towers
3. Bio-inspired Critical Mineral Recovery in Mining Waters
4. NASA Survive the Night: Logistics Container Challenge
5. Enhanced Evaporation for Produced Water
6. Open-sourced Environmental Monitors
7. Open Task: Teams select their own challenge

Teams engage in:

• 25-page technical report
• Oral Presentation
• Poster Presentation
• Bench-scale Demonstration of their working prototype.
• Flash Pitch Competition

Rubrics are posted in the WERC Team Manual.

Website: https://werc.nmsu.edu/

Managing Organization: New Mexico State University

Contact:
Ginger Scarbrough
werc@nmsu.edu
575-646-8171

Eligibility:

This contest is primarily for undergraduate students. Multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged. A team may be comprised of up to 50% graduate students.

Registration Opens: November 3, 2025

Registration Closes: February 20, 2026

College teams design solutions to the world's toughest environmental challenges and compete for cash prizes.

Registration steps:

1. The Coach (Advisor) pays for the number of teams and team members who will be participating.
2. A confirmation email, including a temporary password is sent to the Coach.
3. The Coach sets up an account, logs in, and sets up the teams. 
4. Team Names: Please name your teams in this format: SCHL-#,
   1. University abbreviation: Use the shortest abbreviation for your school, in place of "SCHL"
   2. Task #: add a dash followed by the task number the team is entering (1, 2, 3, etc.). If more than one team is entering a given task number, name them SCHL-1-# and SCHL-2-#
5. Invite team members and co-advisors by copying a provided code and emailing it to team members. 
6. Team members and co-advisors log in and complete their own information. 
7. Task information is housed under "Rounds." 
8. Submissions are found under "Status" (Click Edit).
9. Other files and resources are available. We invite you to explore the site.

• Additional Information: 
• There are no additional fees for credit card transactions.
• There is no limit to the number of teams that may be registered under one Advisor.
• On this ICS Platform, the Advisor is termed the "Coach." 

Design environmental solutions to the world's toughest problems and compete for cash prizes.

Regardless of your discipline, you hold the keys to global health and environmental sustainability. The environment is not just for environmental engineers and scientists -- We welcome all fields of engineering, STEM, business, and supporting majors to join us!

2026 DESIGN CHALLENGES:

1. After RO: Brine Management in the Desert
2. Power Plants: Recovering Water from Cooling Towers
3. Bio-inspired Critical Mineral Recovery in Mining Waters
4. NASA Survive the Night: Logistics Container Challenge
5. Enhanced Evaporation for Produced Water
6. Open-sourced Environmental Monitors
7. Open Task: Teams select their own challenge

Teams engage in:

• 25-page technical report
• Oral Presentation
• Poster Presentation
• Bench-scale Demonstration of their working prototype.
• Flash Pitch Competition

Rubrics are posted in the WERC Team Manual.

Website: https://werc.nmsu.edu/

Managing Organization: New Mexico State University

Contact:
Ginger Scarbrough
werc@nmsu.edu
575-646-8171

Eligibility:

This contest is primarily for undergraduate students. Multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged. A team may be comprised of up to 50% graduate students.

Registration Opens: November 3, 2025

Registration Closes: February 21, 2026