About the opportunity
What this programme is offering
2027 Rick Merluzzi Aluminum Extrusion Student Design Competition: Win Scholarships Worth $15,500
Students in design, engineering, architecture and related fields are invited to enter the 2027 Rick Merluzzi International Aluminum Extrusion Student Design Competition. The competition challenges the next generation of innovators to develop practical, creative and sustainable products using aluminum extrusion technology.
Organised by the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and the Extrusion Technology for Aluminum Profiles Foundation (ET Foundation), the competition offers $15,500 in student scholarship awards. Winning designs will also be displayed at ET ’27, the Fourteenth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar and Exposition.
Students can participate individually or in teams, and there is no entry fee.
Application deadline: 22 March 2027.
Competition Details
Competition: 2027 Rick Merluzzi Aluminum Extrusion Student Design Competition
Organisers: Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and ET Foundation
Deadline: 22 March 2027
Expected judging/results period: Spring 2027
Student scholarship awards: $15,500
Total prizes across student and professional classes: $29,000
Entry fee: Free
Eligible participants: High school, undergraduate, graduate, technical and design school students
Participation: Individual students and teams
Main requirement: Designs must use at least one aluminum extrusion
Official website: https://aec.org/
About the Competition
The Rick Merluzzi Aluminum Extrusion Student Design Competition encourages students to explore how aluminum extrusions can contribute to a more sustainable world and improve quality of life.
Aluminum extrusion is a manufacturing process in which aluminum is shaped by forcing it through a specially designed opening, creating a profile with a specific cross-section. These profiles can be used in a wide range of products, from structural components to equipment and consumer goods.
The competition welcomes original product designs and improvements to existing products. Entries must demonstrate the advantages of using extruded aluminum and explain how the proposed design could work in practice.
Winning student designs will be exhibited at ET ’27, giving participants an opportunity to showcase their ideas to professionals in the aluminum extrusion industry.
Competition Categories
Students can submit designs under the following categories.
1. Open Student Design
This category welcomes viable product designs that use extruded aluminum. Applicants may propose an entirely new product or an improved version of an existing product, provided the design incorporates at least one aluminum extrusion.
Projects should demonstrate creativity, practical application and the advantages of using aluminum extrusion compared with alternative materials or manufacturing methods.
2. Sustainable Design Award
The Sustainable Design Award recognises student projects that address environmental or societal challenges while improving quality of life.
Entries must be viable, extrusion-based products that respond to sustainability needs and offer benefits to their intended users.
Examples of concepts from previous sustainable design challenges include:
Soil erosion control systems.
Water purification or irrigation systems.
Temporary, mobile or refugee housing.
Portable medical isolation or treatment units.
Portable carts or beds for refugees.
Space-saving greenhouses.
Hydroponic and vertical gardening systems.
These examples illustrate possible project directions rather than a compulsory list. Students may develop other original concepts that meet the competition requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
The competition is open to students enrolled at accredited educational institutions, including:
High school students enrolled at an accredited school.
Undergraduate students studying at an accredited university or college.
Graduate students enrolled at an accredited institution.
Technical and vocational students attending accredited technical, vocational or design schools.
Students from design, engineering, architecture and related disciplines are encouraged to participate.
Both individual entries and student teams are accepted. For team submissions, each student must complete, sign, date and submit an official entry form alongside the project submission.
Applicants may submit multiple entries, subject to the official rules. Every design must be original and incorporate at least one aluminum extrusion.
Design Requirements
To be considered, entries must meet the competition's key technical and design requirements.
Use of aluminum extrusion: Every submission must feature at least one aluminum extrusion and explain the advantages of using the material in the proposed product.
Originality: Applicants may invent a new product or improve an existing design, but the submitted work must be original.
Practicality: Designs should consider fabrication, assembly, cost-effectiveness and real-world application.
Extrusion profile size: The organisers specify that the extrusion profile should fit within a 10-inch circle. Profiles exceeding this size are considered impractical for the competition's extrusion design requirements.
Students should consult the official rules for detailed submission specifications, documentation requirements and any additional technical conditions.
Judging Criteria
Entries are expected to be evaluated in Spring 2027 by a panel of professionals from the aluminum extrusion industry.
The judging criteria include:
Creativity: Originality, innovation and the ability to address a design challenge in a new way.
Practicality: Ease of fabrication and assembly, cost-effectiveness and the suitability of extruded aluminum for the design.
Product or process advantage: The benefits provided by the proposed product or manufacturing approach.
Market impact and potential: The design's potential usefulness, commercial relevance and broader impact.
For the Sustainable Design Award, judges also consider how effectively a project addresses societal or environmental challenges while contributing to quality of life.
Prizes and Scholarships
The competition offers $15,500 in student scholarship awards, presented as cash awards.
AwardPrize amountFirst Place$5,000Second Place$4,000Third Place$3,000Sustainable Design Award$3,500Total student scholarship awards$15,500
The organisers also report $29,000 in total prizes across the 2027 competition, including the Professional Class.
The announcement lists a $3,500 Grand Prize across all categories and classes, including the Professional Class. Because this amount overlaps with the listed student award figures, applicants should confirm the complete award structure and whether awards can be combined in the official rules.
Additional benefit: Exhibition at ET ’27
Winning student designs will be displayed at ET ’27, the Fourteenth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar and Exposition. This provides an opportunity to showcase projects to industry professionals and demonstrate how student innovation can contribute to the future of product design and manufacturing.
Application Fee
There is no entry fee.
Students can participate without paying a competition submission fee. Applicants should still ensure they meet the eligibility requirements and provide all required forms and design materials.
How to Apply for the 2027 Competition
Follow these steps to prepare your submission:
Visit the official Aluminum Extruders Council website.
Find the 2027 Rick Merluzzi Aluminum Extrusion Student Design Competition announcement.
Read the official guidelines, technical requirements and submission instructions.
Choose the Open Student Design category or develop a qualifying project for the Sustainable Design Award.
Create an original product design incorporating at least one aluminum extrusion.
Explain the design's functionality, practicality and advantages of using extruded aluminum.
Complete the official entry form. If entering as a team, ensure every team member completes and submits the required form.
Submit the design and supporting materials before 22 March 2027.
Applicants should use the official website to confirm the current application process, submission format and any required supporting documents.
Why Students Should Participate
The Rick Merluzzi competition gives students an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world design challenges. It encourages creative problem-solving, sustainable product development and practical thinking about manufacturing.
For students interested in engineering, industrial design, architecture or product innovation, the competition offers a chance to compete for scholarship awards, exhibit their work and gain exposure to professionals in the aluminum extrusion sector.
Students with ideas for more sustainable products, improved equipment or innovative hardware applications are encouraged to review the guidelines and begin preparing their entries.
How to apply