The 2024 BIG Idea Forum is scheduled for November 11-12, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV.
More information regarding the 2024 BIG Idea Competition Forum will be released after finalists have been selected.
Registration
Deadline: Oct. 9
The BIG Idea Forum is not open to the public. Registration for the 2024 Forum is only open to the university teams selected to advance to the final round of the competition, and NASA-invited guests.
All meals and breaks, beginning with the networking dinner Monday, Nov. 11, are included in the registration fee. Teams are responsible for making their own travel arrangements, including flights, hotel reservations, and local transportation to and from Forum events.
The deadline for registration is 11:59 PM EST on Oct. 9, 2024.
Forum Menu
Maps
Monday night will kick off the forum, with a Check-in and Networking Dinner at Buca Di Beppo at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino from 6:00-8:00 PM. If using rideshare to access the Excalibur, you will be dropped off in the designated drop off location (at the front doors of the casino). Walk inside and locate the “up” escalator in the center of the floor. Buca Di Beppo will be just to your left as you step off the escalator (see image from top of the escalator). There is a map at the entrance of The Excalibur if you need additional directions.
Tuesday’s presentations will be held on-campus at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (4505 S Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154), at the Richard Tam Alumni Center. Note that this address is the generic address for the entire university campus. To locate the Richard Tam Alumni Center using digital maps and/or rideshare applications, you will need to search for it by name. Ride share drop off should be via E. Maude Frazier Way which is opposite East Harmony Avenue, at the light (click links to see marked-up map information, where "X" represents the drop-off location.
Important to note that we do not have any reserved parking for BIG Idea attendees at UNLV. We’ve been asked to have everyone utilize RideShare. If this is not possible, we’ve been told that participants needing parking should use the Cottage Grove Parking Garage (a self-paid parking garage). Simply type in "Cottage Grove Parking Garage" into your phone's map app for directions, if needed.
The Awards Dinner will be held at Off the Strip, located at the LINQ Hotel + Experience, from 6:30-8:30 PM. We’ve reserved the entire second floor of the restaurant for BIG Idea Challenge participants. To access Off the Strip Restaurant, the official rideshare pickup and drop off is in the back of The LINQ Hotel + Experience. We recommend walking inside through the LINQ to get to the restaurant (see LINQ map). Alternatively, to walk around the outside of the LINQ building, head toward the High Roller Wheel (ferris wheel) entrance. Once at the ferris wheel, turn right into the outdoor LINQ Promenade, and look for Off the Strip Restaurant on the right-hand side. Click links for exterior images of Off the Strip (Exterior Link 1; Exterior Link 2; Off the Strip Exterior 3).
Program Book
Transportation
We strongly discourage renting cars for this event. Instead, we recommend utilizing rideshare such as Uber or Lyft to get around Las Vegas during the Forum. Parking at all of our events is not guaranteed, and UNLV staff have asked that participants use rideshare options for drop off and pick up on campus.
Airport Information
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Closest airport - approximately 1.3 miles to UNLV
- Large airport with a wide variety of flights