ANSI Student Paper Competition Challenges Students to Explore Standards: the Unseen Forces that Keep Our World Running
Paper Competition is Open to High School and College Students
NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and its Committee on Education (CoE) today announced the launch of its 2025/2026 Student Paper Competition, challenging high school and college students nationwide to investigate the unseen standards that make modern life possible. Entries are due by June 5, 2026.
The 15th annual competition promotes the 2025/2026 theme, "Imagine a World Without Standards or Rules—What Would Happen?" The competition invites students to become detective-journalists exploring how invisible technical standards support everything from smartphone compatibility to food safety—operating seamlessly behind the scenes of our interconnected society.
About the2025/2026 Theme: Imagine a World Without Standards or Rules—What Would Happen?
Though largely invisible to most people, standards form the essential backbone of our modern society. They set specific guidelines for the design, operation, manufacture, and use of nearly everything produced by mankind, as well as requirements for processes, systems, and services. There are standards to protect human health, safety, and the environment, and others to assure that different products work compatibly together.
This competition challenges students to investigate compelling questions that many people may never think to ask. For example, how do your favorite shows stream smoothly across all your devices? How do you know your favorite food is safe to eat? Why are electric car charging stations becoming universal across automakers? How are you able to use your debit card in any ATM around the world? How can an entire school's worth of electronic devices all connect to the same WiFi network? And how do you know that when you buy a light bulb, you will be able to screw it into your lamp?
Research Areas
Students are invited to explore one area where "invisible" standards impact the world/greater society. This can include:
- Technology and Connectivity (USB-C, WiFi protocols, app compatibility)
- Digital Life (Social media, QR codes, e-commerce, streaming)
- Safety and Health (Food safety, medical devices, building codes)
- Transportation (Electric vehicle charging, traffic systems, aviation)
- Communication (Internet protocols, phone networks, emergency systems)
- Physical Infrastructure (e.g., buildings, bridges, water and stormwater systems, waste management)
- Or propose your own topic (subject to approval; see competition flyer for details)
Submission Information
All entries must follow specified instructions and meet requirements noted in the competition flyer. Each submission will receive a small token of ANSI's appreciation, as well as a certificate of submission for the student and the school. The winning paper submitted by a high school student will receive a prize to be determined; the winning paper submitted by a student from an institute of higher learning will also receive a prize. ANSI reserves the right to award no prizes based on the determination of the judges. The winning papers will be announced in August 2026.
Winning entries will be published on ANSl.org and potentially in other media outlets. Winning submissions will be shared with and widely read by the domestic and international standards community, including experts in government, industry, professional societies, and academic institutions.
For full submission criteria, access the ANSI 2025/2026 Student Paper Competition flyer. Email entries by June 5, 2026, to Lisa Rajchel, lrajchel@ansi.org. The winning papers will be announced in August 2026.
Resources for Research
ANSI has developed a list of suggested resources for research and reference:
- Access materials for K-12 students: https://ansi.org/education/activities/standards-student-programs/k-12-students
- Learn more about voluntary consensus standards and American National Standards.
- Search a list of approved American National Standards.
- Search the organizations accredited by ANSI to develop American National Standards.
- Search for international standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
- Search for international electrotechnical standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
- Check out some user-friendly ANSI resources that show the breadth of standards' impact.
- Read more about AI on ANSI's online news archive or www.ansi.org for more information.
About the ANSI Committee on Education
The ANSI Committee on Education oversees all Institute initiatives related to standards and conformity assessment education and outreach, fulfills the objectives of the United States Standards Strategy (USSS), and responds to other issues that may be delegated by the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, or the National Policy Advisory Group.
About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.
The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org and access the latest news and content on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
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SOURCE American National Standards Institute