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

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

As part of Think�鶹APP, the Civic Tech Challenge was a pitch competition to propose ways in which the City of �鶹APP can use technology to address challenges related to urban sustainability, transportation and civic engagement. Limestall’s team won for an idea to introduce �鶹APP’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 Think�鶹APP: 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 �鶹APP Ideas Week, Mayor Rahm Emanuel invites university students to Think�鶹APP to meet with �鶹APP technology leaders, explore companies, and attend Lollapalooza and �鶹APP Ideas Week. Part of the goal is to encourage bright science, technology, and engineering students to live and work in �鶹APP. 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 Think�鶹APP: Ideas Week 2016 .