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BYU Students Showcase Real-World Solutions in SIOY 2026 competition

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_{By McKinsleigh Smith}
_{Photos by Ellie Alder, BYU Photo}

Students from across campus at Brigham Young University participated throughout the semester in the 2026 Student Innovator of the Year (SIOY) competition, an annual program highlighting student-led solutions to practical problems.

The competition included multiple events, from mentoring sessions to a public showcase and a final round held February 26, 2026. Attendance remained high throughout the semester, with students filling venues to watch presentations and demonstrations. The final event also featured remarks from James Perry, a BYU Engineering alumnus and former cast member of BYUtv’s Studio C.

Participants in the competition shared a common focus: developing innovations designed to address specific needs or challenges in the real world.

This year’s top prize was awarded to Spencer Stowell for FidgiTech, a customizable sensory device designed for individuals with atypical sensory needs. The idea originated from observing his daughter’s interest in interacting with light switches. Stowell said the product evolved through multiple iterations to accommodate a wider range of sensory preferences by allowing users to interchange components.

The project earned Stowell $12,000 and interest from potential business partners. However, he noted that future development will depend on balancing the venture with his responsibilities as a doctoral student and parent.

Other participants also focused on accessibility and independence. Joseph Garcia, a senior studying entrepreneurial management, developed MOBI, a height-adjustable kitchen workstation intended for individuals with limited mobility. Inspired by family experiences, Garcia continued the project after initially starting it as a group assignment. He received an honorable mention and $500 at the SIOY Showcase and plans to pursue manufacturing partnerships to bring the product to market.

Another team, Clarion Sense, presented a sensor designed to assist caregivers by detecting indicators of bowel movements and providing alerts for timely care in assisted living environments. The team is currently pursuing a patent.

The competition helped teams see the importance of testing their products in real-world settings. Members of Sori Technologies demonstrated a smart stuffed animal designed to help children with autism transition between tasks. According to team members, interactions with families and children helped validate the product’s effectiveness.

The event was filled to capacity, even spilling into the overflow seating in the lobby.

Participants said the competition encouraged collaboration across disciplines and skill sets. EJ Smith, a senior in global supply chain management whose team placed third, noted that the experience helped students develop teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Students presented their ideas to judges, professionals and peers, using critiques to improve their designs. When asked, audience members said they appreciated the practical impact of the projects as a highlight of the competition, noting the focus on addressing real-world problems and the potential for broader community benefit.

The final competition was recorded in its entirety and is available on the BYU Engineering YouTube channel, with results also published on the SIOY website.

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Google.org Awards $3.5M Grant to BYU for Global Water Forecasting Project

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_{By McKinsleigh Smith}
_{Photos by Jaren Wilkey/BYU}

Google.org has awarded a $3.5 million grant to Brigham Young University to support a global water-data project led by civil and construction engineering professor Jim Nelson, the university announced via the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering.

The grant will fund research connected to the Group on Earth Observations Global Water Sustainability initiative, known as GEOGLOWS, which provides hydrologic data and forecasting tools to communities worldwide.

Nelson, a hydrologic modeling researcher at BYU, works with international partners and students to maintain the GEOGLOWS River Forecast System, a platform that compiles global water data into forecasting tools. The system includes an 85-year historical record and 15-day streamflow forecasts across more than 7 million river segments worldwide.

The publicly available forecasts are used by National Hydrological Services, particularly in developing regions where access to advanced hydrologic technology and research is limited. The system helps agencies make decisions related to water infrastructure, flood and drought preparedness, and water-resource management.

Communities in several countries have used the data to improve planning and disaster response. In Ecuador, water-scarce communities used historical forecast data to guide irrigation investments that improved agricultural productivity. In Malawi, officials reported improved flood-warning accuracy and response times after adopting GEOGLOWS data; in one recent year, the government reported no flood-related deaths and significant reductions in property losses compared with previous flooding events.

BYU researchers and students regularly travel abroad to train government agencies and local organizations to use the forecasting system. The GEOGLOWS team is currently working with Kenya’s national hydrological services and continues partnerships in Jamaica and Cuba, where forecast data provided guidance during Hurricane Melissa-related flooding.

The Google.org funding will support continued development of GEOGLOWS, student training efforts, and collaboration with international hydrologic-modeling partners. It will also help transition the initiative into a nonprofit organization aimed at sustaining long-term global access to water-forecast data.

The River Forecast System was developed over the past decade through collaboration with organizations including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Esri and Amazon Web Services. The platform now receives more than 40 million data-download requests annually.

BYU President C. Shane Reese said projects such as GEOGLOWS align with the university’s broader efforts to address global poverty and humanitarian challenges.

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