Provost Challenge: Student Innovation Takes Center Stage

Every semester, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) in Tempe, Arizona, turns up the spotlight on bold ideas. The  Provost Challenge is not just another student showcase — it’s a pressure-cooker where creativity, collaboration, and hands-on tech collide.

UAT's Provost, Dr. David Bolman, kicked off the event with energy: “Really glad you’re here. Really glad to see props and shirts. This should be a really great hour.” Students had five minutes on stage to pitch, demo, and defend their creations before the judges stepped out to deliberate.

PlayPals — Smart Toys for Pets

The first team led with a project every pet owner wished they had. Their prototype, PlayPals, is a self-moving toy designed to keep cats and dogs active even when owners aren’t home.

“Our solution plays out’s interactive self-moving toy that you can just leave at home. It’ll move around, your dog can chase it, your cat can play with it, even without you there.”

Future visions? App control, AI-driven behavior, and durability fit for endless chew sessions.

Masked Kits — A Trivia Board Game with UAT Flair

Another team gamified student life with Masked Kits, a UAT-based trivia board game. Designed to help new students connect and learn about campus, it’s part engagement tool, part icebreaker.

One student summed it up best: “We thought this could potentially be a tool used as an engagement activity, something that helps us come together and learn a little bit more about each other.”

Gambot — Gaming Against Gambling

This team took on social impact with a browser game designed to discourage gambling among younger generations. The game frustrates by design — loud sounds, rage-inducing loops, and mechanics that make players want to quit rather than spend.

As the team explained: “We are trying to dissuade gambling, so the more you lose, the less you want to play.”

Find Maxwell — An Interactive Virtual Tour

Campus navigation got a tech upgrade through Find Maxwell, a game built in Unreal Engine. Students recreated parts of UAT’s campus virtually, hiding the university’s beloved “Catscot” Max in different rooms.

The project aimed to transform traditional video tours into something immersive: an interactive orientation experience for new and prospective students.

Rescuing the Cursed Cat Max — Adventure Board Game

Not all projects lived in code. Rescuing the Cursed Cat Max was a tabletop RPG-inspired board game where players battled enemies, uncovered artifacts, and ultimately cured a cursed version of UAT’s "Catscot", Max.

The team highlighted the collaboration: “Just how we became friends over this. Yeah. Struggle, yeah.”

Pikaro — Poker Meets Uno

Mashing classic games into something chaotic, Pikaro introduced golden treasure cards, purge mechanics, and the requirement to call out “Pikaro!” before stealing a win.

The team put it plainly: “We wanted to make a game that was for strategy. It would bring people together, but in the midst of chaos.”

Brain Bark — Smarter Toys for Dogs

Another pet-focused innovation, Brain Bark combined 3D-printed parts, sensors, and sound effects to create a chew toy that stimulates dogs physically and mentally.

One student broke down the build: “We decided to use TPU for the central column so the dog could squish it and it makes sounds, as well as the pressure sensors detecting activity.”

TrashyAI — Smart Recycling Add-On

Closing out the showcase, TrashyAI impressed with an AI-powered recycling attachment for everyday bins. Using computer vision trained on 34,000 images, it can distinguish trash from recyclables and sort automatically.

“The objective is just keep it simple, cost effective, smart and viable. Reduce profit margin, increase effectiveness and efficiency, and create healthy habits.”

🏆 2025 Provost Challenge Winner: PlayPals

PlayPals impressed the judges with its practical, interactive, and pet-friendly design. Its potential for AI-driven behavior, app control, and durable play made it a standout project among the talented UAT students.

During feedback, Dr. David Bolman highlighted the team’s work:

“I really liked seeing your sketches and the development process that went into it. You had a basic prototype to show, and it was great to see how each team member spoke about their role. It made it really clear how you all contributed, and overall, the presentation was very well done.”

Why It Matters

From AI-powered recycling to anti-gambling apps, these student-led projects spotlight UAT’s culture of innovation. Hands-on learning, teamwork across disciplines, and tackling real-world challenges define the Provost Challenge — and life at UAT.

Explore more Student Innovation Projects (SIPs) and see how students turn ideas into reality.

FAQs

Q: What is the Provost Challenge at UAT?
A: It’s a student innovation showcase where teams pitch and demo projects in front of faculty judges.

Q: Where does the Provost Challenge take place?
A: On the campus of University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona.

Q: What kinds of projects do students present?
A: Everything from board games to AI-powered apps, robotics, and virtual campus tours.

Q: Who participates in the Provost Challenge?
A: Students across disciplines — game design, cybersecurity, robotics, advertising art, digital production, and more.

Q: How does the challenge connect to UAT degrees?
A: Many projects tie directly into majors like Robotics Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Game Design, and Cyber Security.

Q: Can prospective students see past Provost Challenge projects?
A: Yes — highlights often appear on UAT’s Student Accolades page.

Take the Next Step

Ready to turn bold ideas into real-world prototypes?

👉 Apply Now
👉 Request Info

At UAT, innovation isn’t an elective. It’s the curriculum.