Rowan ECE student one of 11 finalists nationwide in the 18th Walt Disney Imagineering ImagiNations Design Competition
Rowan ECE student one of 11 finalists nationwide in the 18th Walt Disney Imagineering ImagiNations Design Competition
June 10, 2009
Glendale, CA – David Lester, a rising senior in Rowan University’s
Electrical and Computer Engineering program, is one of just 11
college students representing three universities enjoying the
experience of a lifetime visiting Walt Disney Imagineering in
Glendale, Ca., for two weeks (June 2 to 11) as finalists in Walt
Disney Imagineering’s 18th ImagiNations Design Competition. In the
real work environment of Imagineering’s offices, the students are
completing their prototypes for future theme park attractions and
making presentations of their projects, as actual Imagineers would,
for review by Imagineering executives.
ImagiNations is a program designed and sponsored by Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative arm of Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, to encourage students and professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills to consider careers in creative and technical fields, including digital arts, engineering and next-generation interactivity. Many participants in previous competitions have become employees after receiving this two-week working experience as part of being a finalist.
This year’s three teams represent California State University at Fullerton, North Carolina State University, and Rowan University, selected from entrants from throughout the world.
The competition also provides participants a showcase for their talents, while gaining practical knowledge in design. There is also an opportunity to earn internships. While a position at Walt Disney Imagineering is often found on surveys of “dream jobs,” the company uses ImagiNations as a way to reach out to the widest possible talent pool for its future staff.
In order to qualify for the competition, teams demonstrate their creative, technical, artistic and business skills by designing a ride, attraction, hotel or a land within an existing Disney theme park or resort. Participants work for several months on their concepts and presentations, which are evaluated by a team of Imagineers in California.
While the projects and concepts presented are not intended to be built by Disney, they are a way for the entrants to demonstrate their skill and creative abilities. In consideration for the opportunities provided by Imagineering, submissions become the sole property of Walt Disney Imagineering, and Imagineering retains all rights to use and/or display the submissions and the materials contained in them.
During their two weeks at Imagineering, the students meet and network with the technical and creative Imagineers responsible for Disney’s global theme parks and attractions located in California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
The concepts presented by the entrants cover a wide range of concepts and topics, from a fully complete and highly interactive theme park set in the mid 28th century (Rowan University’s “Disney’s Spaceport”) to a motion simulator that features a circular seating arrangement for a thrilling, immersive 360-degree, 3-D experience (North Carolina State University’s “Mickey’s Quest To Magma Mountain”) to an action/adventure ride utilizing mounted cameras that follows the story of an absent-minded professor in search of a legendary Chinese dragon (California State University at Fullerton’s “Operation SNAP”).
Disney Imagineers are famous for telling stories through fully dimensional and immersive attractions and experiences. The judges are looking in particular for the ability of technology, architecture, costumes, transportation and attractions to support the story — and participants are advised to “begin with a great story before developing anything else.”
The judges apply the same criteria to the entries that they would to their own work — reviewing whether the concept is appealing, exciting, relevant and well researched; whether it provides an engaging guest experience; the technical and creative innovation; the quality of the presentation; and the ability of the attraction to demonstrate respect and inclusion for the diverse array of families who visit Walt Disney Parks & Resorts around the world.
These projects can take the form of artwork, illustrations, visuals, building designs (floor plans or elevations), storyboards, developed story treatments (models), computer graphics and/or video.
Part of the experience also includes preparation for starting a career — including resume building and interviewing with Disney Imagineering executives.
Participants learn about the competition from academic groups, professional organizations and Disney Imagineering recruiting teams who visit schools.
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the unique innovative organization that creates — from concept through construction — all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, cruise ships, real estate devel¬opments and regional entertainment venues worldwide. The name Imagineering combines imagination with engineering.
Imagineering’s unique strength comes from the teamwork and syntheses of creative and technical professionals representing more than 140 diverse disciplines, including artists, architects, engineers, writers, machinists, landscape designers, model makers, sound technicians, carpenters, producers, accountants, filmmakers, schedulers, estimators and more.
More Information about the ImagiNations competition can be found at http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/imaginations/.
Rowan’s 2009 ImagiNations Finalist Team: Disney’s Spaceport
Disney’s Spaceport is a complete and highly interactive theme park set in the mid-28th century, with an entirely original storyline and characters. Guests are placed right into the story with the characters of the Spaceport universe roaming freely about the theme park.
Guests may find new abilities in themselves as they pilot their own virtual reality adventures, speed across asteroids in hover bike races or compose original music. Aside from providing immersive and interactive entertainment, the attractions of Spaceport were specifically designed to encourage teamwork and establish global connection. Guests will come away from Spaceport with a deeper understanding of innovative progress, and how we can achieve it together.
The team members are:
David Lester, of Monroe Township (Middlesex County), is a junior in Rowan University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering program. He is the recipient of a 200 Club Honors Scholarship and Rowan University Trustee Scholarship. It has always been his dream to get involved in electronics, computers and robotics. Lester is co-owner, concept designer, electrical and computer designer of IdeaQuest Studios. His hobbies include microcontroller and electronic system design, computer and board game design, bass guitar, filmmaking, creative writing and snowboarding. After graduating, he hopes to achieve a master’s degree in robotics design, entertainment engineering or both.
Elissa Hogan is a junior majoring in art education at the College of New Jersey.
Vincent J. Logozio is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering at Rutgers University, with a concentration in energy systems.
Raymond Scanlon is a junior majoring in electrical and computer engineering with a minor in philosophy at Rutgers University.
ImagiNations is a program designed and sponsored by Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative arm of Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, to encourage students and professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills to consider careers in creative and technical fields, including digital arts, engineering and next-generation interactivity. Many participants in previous competitions have become employees after receiving this two-week working experience as part of being a finalist.
This year’s three teams represent California State University at Fullerton, North Carolina State University, and Rowan University, selected from entrants from throughout the world.
The competition also provides participants a showcase for their talents, while gaining practical knowledge in design. There is also an opportunity to earn internships. While a position at Walt Disney Imagineering is often found on surveys of “dream jobs,” the company uses ImagiNations as a way to reach out to the widest possible talent pool for its future staff.
In order to qualify for the competition, teams demonstrate their creative, technical, artistic and business skills by designing a ride, attraction, hotel or a land within an existing Disney theme park or resort. Participants work for several months on their concepts and presentations, which are evaluated by a team of Imagineers in California.
While the projects and concepts presented are not intended to be built by Disney, they are a way for the entrants to demonstrate their skill and creative abilities. In consideration for the opportunities provided by Imagineering, submissions become the sole property of Walt Disney Imagineering, and Imagineering retains all rights to use and/or display the submissions and the materials contained in them.
During their two weeks at Imagineering, the students meet and network with the technical and creative Imagineers responsible for Disney’s global theme parks and attractions located in California, Florida, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
The concepts presented by the entrants cover a wide range of concepts and topics, from a fully complete and highly interactive theme park set in the mid 28th century (Rowan University’s “Disney’s Spaceport”) to a motion simulator that features a circular seating arrangement for a thrilling, immersive 360-degree, 3-D experience (North Carolina State University’s “Mickey’s Quest To Magma Mountain”) to an action/adventure ride utilizing mounted cameras that follows the story of an absent-minded professor in search of a legendary Chinese dragon (California State University at Fullerton’s “Operation SNAP”).
Disney Imagineers are famous for telling stories through fully dimensional and immersive attractions and experiences. The judges are looking in particular for the ability of technology, architecture, costumes, transportation and attractions to support the story — and participants are advised to “begin with a great story before developing anything else.”
The judges apply the same criteria to the entries that they would to their own work — reviewing whether the concept is appealing, exciting, relevant and well researched; whether it provides an engaging guest experience; the technical and creative innovation; the quality of the presentation; and the ability of the attraction to demonstrate respect and inclusion for the diverse array of families who visit Walt Disney Parks & Resorts around the world.
These projects can take the form of artwork, illustrations, visuals, building designs (floor plans or elevations), storyboards, developed story treatments (models), computer graphics and/or video.
Part of the experience also includes preparation for starting a career — including resume building and interviewing with Disney Imagineering executives.
Participants learn about the competition from academic groups, professional organizations and Disney Imagineering recruiting teams who visit schools.
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the unique innovative organization that creates — from concept through construction — all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, cruise ships, real estate devel¬opments and regional entertainment venues worldwide. The name Imagineering combines imagination with engineering.
Imagineering’s unique strength comes from the teamwork and syntheses of creative and technical professionals representing more than 140 diverse disciplines, including artists, architects, engineers, writers, machinists, landscape designers, model makers, sound technicians, carpenters, producers, accountants, filmmakers, schedulers, estimators and more.
More Information about the ImagiNations competition can be found at http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/imaginations/.
Rowan’s 2009 ImagiNations Finalist Team: Disney’s Spaceport
Disney’s Spaceport is a complete and highly interactive theme park set in the mid-28th century, with an entirely original storyline and characters. Guests are placed right into the story with the characters of the Spaceport universe roaming freely about the theme park.
Guests may find new abilities in themselves as they pilot their own virtual reality adventures, speed across asteroids in hover bike races or compose original music. Aside from providing immersive and interactive entertainment, the attractions of Spaceport were specifically designed to encourage teamwork and establish global connection. Guests will come away from Spaceport with a deeper understanding of innovative progress, and how we can achieve it together.
The team members are:
David Lester, of Monroe Township (Middlesex County), is a junior in Rowan University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering program. He is the recipient of a 200 Club Honors Scholarship and Rowan University Trustee Scholarship. It has always been his dream to get involved in electronics, computers and robotics. Lester is co-owner, concept designer, electrical and computer designer of IdeaQuest Studios. His hobbies include microcontroller and electronic system design, computer and board game design, bass guitar, filmmaking, creative writing and snowboarding. After graduating, he hopes to achieve a master’s degree in robotics design, entertainment engineering or both.
Elissa Hogan is a junior majoring in art education at the College of New Jersey.
Vincent J. Logozio is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering at Rutgers University, with a concentration in energy systems.
Raymond Scanlon is a junior majoring in electrical and computer engineering with a minor in philosophy at Rutgers University.