Brief Description and Benefits
This is an app (web-based and on mobile) that will use several sources of data to help an undergraduate plan out their potential research efforts, both in graduate school or professionally. This app will incorporate the following information using modern AI agents to provide student with the best possible research opportunities, including suggested research literature, courses to take at UH, and potential research fields and industries.
- The UH Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards (OURMA)
- The UH Undergraduate Catalog
- The UH Graduate Catalog
- The student’s current transcript
- The student’s self-described research interests.
- An indication of which subjects the student is most and least interested.
This app will be developed by a student team who will generate the requirements and design, as well as the final implementation.
App Design Requirements
Value Proposition
A dedicated research planning app helps undergraduates plan potential research paths, customized to each student's goals and research interests.
- Agentic-AI assistance in determining research paths tailored to each student
- Plans customized to individual goals and research interests
- Helps visualize short- and long-term career aspirations
Cost and Milestones
- Q1 Research and identify the actual data sources that will be used for the app
- Q2 Develop initial design of the app UX (User Experience)
- Q3 Create the initial prototype app using the UX, including a subset of the input data sources
- Q4 Finalize and test the final app
Return on Investment
Since this is a student-led effort, this will give the student team additional real-world experience in developing an app, including the requirements development and design, usage of AI tools, and the actual development and implementation of a useful research tool for fellow undergraduates. The app will utilize all the available resources to help the student plan out their future research activities. This includes the following:
- Current literature that is relevant to their research
- A suggested UH Graduate School degree plan, including electives
- Suggestions on potential research articles that the student can author
- Suggestions on specific industries, jobs, and even companies that could eventually employ the student because of the research
- This app will generate multiple research and career plans based on their inputs to help them plan their future
Contest Organizer
Dr. Michael Rubin
Associate Professor
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Director, Engineering Management Program
About
Rubin comes to Cullen from Amentum, a prime NASA contractor where he worked as the chief software engineer for numerous programs at Johnson Space Center. He also received the NASA Silver Snoopy Award in this role. His career has involved developing innovative and robust engineering solutions in the aerospace, defense and commercial industries. Prior to Amentum, he served as a principal engineer and technical project manager for Oceaneering, Boeing, United Space Alliance, Texas Tech and several other companies. He earned his Ph.D. in Systems and Engineering Management from Texas Tech, and his research interests include engineering management, reliability engineering, dynamic fault tree analysis, advanced optimization techniques and quantum computing.
Research Interests
Competition Schedule
Follow each round from registration to final winners:
Round 1 – Team Registration
Duration: October 08, 2026 - November 6, 2026
Each team designates a team leader who registers the team on the Centennial Games website by submitting:
- Team leader's name
- UH Cougarnet email address
- Official team name
After registration, the leader receives a team code used by members to join the team. Teams that submit all required info by Friday, November 13, 2026 advance to Round 2.
Round 2 – Storyboard Submission
Duration: November 14, 2026 – December 11, 2026
A team leader must submit ONE storyboard by the closing date of Round 2. Teams that submit the storyboard by Friday, December 11, 2026 advance to Round 3.
Round 3 – Preliminary
Duration: December 12, 2026 – February 26, 2027
A team leader must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by the closing date of Round 3:
- One (1) Game Summary Document
- One (1) Game Play Instructions
- One (1) Playable Game
Among teams that submit the entry materials by Friday, February 26, 2027, top 25 teams will advance to Round 4.
* The maximum file size for the Round 3 submission is 1 GB
Round 4 – Semi-Final
Duration: February 27, 2027 – March 26, 2027
A team leader from each must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by the closing date of Round 4:
- One (1) Updated Game Summary Document
- One (1) Updated Game Play Instructions
- One (1) Updated Playable Game
- Three (3) Game Screenshots
- One (1) Game Demo Video
Among teams that submit the entry materials by Friday, March 26, 2027, top 10 teams will advance to Final Round.
* The maximum file size for the Round 4 submission is 1.5 GB.
Final Round
Duration: March 27, 2027 – April 16, 2027
Final Demo & Playtesting Date: April 16, 2027
A team leader from each must submit the following entry materials in ONE zipped file by Thursday, April 15, 2027:
- One (1) FINAL Game Summary Document
- One (1) FINAL Game Play Instructions
- One (1) FINAL Playable Game
- Three (3) FINAL Game Screenshots
- One (1) FINAL Game Demo Video
On April 16, 2027, the finalists (top 10 teams) will be invited to a live demo and playtesting round at the final in LOCATION TBD. Here is a sample of what the finalists can anticipate competing in the Final:
- Ten finalists’ game demo videos will be viewed by the judges in series
- Each finalist has up to 5-minute live presentation to judges presenting its game design submission
- Ten 15-minute hands-on game play sessions for judges to play finalists’ games
- At the end of the game play sessions, the judges will select 3 best teams as winners of UH Centennial Game in Game Design Category. The ranking for these 3 winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd places) will be revealed at the Award Ceremony.
* The maximum file size for the Final Round submission is 1.5 GB.
Award Ceremony
Duration: Tuesday, April 20, 2027
Final Demo & Playtesting Date: April 16, 2027
The winners from the Final Round will be invited to the Award Ceremony at LOCATION TBD.
- 1st Place: $6,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- 2nd Place: $3,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
- 3rd Place: $1,000, to be divided equally among each officially registered member of the team
* The mentor will NOT be awarded any portion of the monetized prize winnings listed above.
Ready to Register Your Team?
Ensure your team meets all qualifications.
- All team members are eligible UH main campus students for Fall 2026.
- Designated team leader with UH Cougarnet ID and email address.
- Unique team name confirmed.
- Understanding of E10+ rating, AI, copyright, and content rules.
Team Registration
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the contest, please reach out to
Dr. Michael D. Rubin, Associate Professor
Director, Master’s of Engineering Management
at
mdrubin@uh.edu.