An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

P3 Student Design Competition

Learn About the National Student Design Expo

What is EPA's P3 Competition?

P3 stands for people, prosperity and the planet. For this annual event, teams of college students consider all three as they design tangible, cutting-edge solutions to real-world problems. They create; they innovate; they strive to make a difference. P3 aims to engage and educate the next generation of scientists about sustainability, spark innovative and sustainability technologies and support their use around the world. With an original grant of $25,000, the student teams develop their designs through the school year and then bring their projects to the National Student Design Expo (NSDE) to showcase their work at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo. Prior to the Expo, P3 teams submit their project reports to compete for a second grant of $100,000 to implement their designs and potentially bring them to the marketplace. 

What is the National Student Design Expo?

The National Student Design Expo (NSDE) is an inspiring exhibition of innovative technologies for a sustainable future. EPA P3 student projects exhibit alongside EPA programs, government agencies, and advanced tech companies to showcase their designs and achievements.