COGITHON

The Cogithon is a seminar-style course that brings together students with diverse skill sets for six consecutive days at a single location. They work in competing teams on a local environmental issue, as part of a call for projects developed in collaboration with real-world stakeholders in the region. The program alternates between lectures, meetings, site visits, and workshops, enabling students to present a report and a slideshow at the end of the week.

The best projects are presented orally at the end of the week to a panel of professionals.

The objectives are diverse and cross-cutting:

• Learn to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to tackle a joint project;
• Consider innovative solutions that are realistic from a technical, regulatory, and financial standpoint;
• Address a project using a systems-based approach that integrates its environmental, social, economic, cultural, and regulatory dimensions;
• Learn how to interact with the various stakeholders involved in a project;
• Learn from others based on their skills and knowledge, and in turn, share your own skills and knowledge. 

• Have at least some experience working in a team;
• Proficiency in computer and Internet tools (C2i certification recommended);
• Be able to search for and analyze documents in order to write a literature review;
• Be able to present results in writing according to guidelines (a structured, clear, and critical report with bibliographic references) and orally (a structured, clear, and understandable presentation using a slide show or poster);
• Understand how a local government operates (general principles). Have a general understanding of the environment and ecology (habitats/species and/or regulations and/or major contemporary issues, etc.)

This course involves a heavy workload. It requires the ability to collaborate, stamina, initiative, and creativity.

Students must review the materials before the course begins (tools and methods for innovation, research structure). 

The seminar takes place every year in February and lasts one week, beginning on Sunday (check-in at accommodations, welcome by the teaching staff, introduction to the seminar, and icebreaker games) and ending on Friday or Saturday. The seminar then proceeds through a series of sessions leading up to the presentation of the projects proposed by the competing teams on Friday afternoon, in response to the call for projects. Participants depart on Friday evening or Saturday morning. 

• Respond to a call for proposals in accordance with the specifications;
• Give an oral presentation on a project and defend it;
• Work in a multidisciplinary team;
• Identify the various public agencies involved in land-use planning, the environment, and research, and understand their general operating procedures;  
• Interact with project stakeholders and conduct consultation processes;  
• Identify which of one's skills and ideas could prove innovative and/or be used to create new business opportunities, and document them;
• Present, in a short amount of time, a realistic and innovative project for a specific organization, including proposals for partnerships and funding