Scholarship 2026: Disaster Response & Climate-Related Automation


At Progressive Automations, we believe in empowering future engineers. Through our annual Scholarship Program, we support students who excel academically, demonstrate strong technical curiosity, and are driven to make a real-world impact. 

In 2026, our focus centers on Disaster Response & Climate-Related Automation — exploring how linear motion and actuator-based solutions can enhance response effectiveness and operational safety amid increasing environmental threats. We encourage engineering students to apply with innovative, technically sound concepts aimed at addressing urgent climate-related and emergency challenges. 

For 2026, we continue our commitment by awarding three scholarships, each valued at $2,500 CAD. | $1,800 USD. 

Applications open March 16 and close June 15.

Exploring linear motion solutions for climate and disaster resilience. 

YOUR PROJECT

Climate-related disasters demand resilient, automation-driven engineering solutions.

Show us how your technically grounded concept can strengthen real-world response and climate resilience. 

Wildfire Mitigation & Response

Explore engineering solutions that help prevent, detect, or respond to wildfires. Projects may focus on controlled burn systems, firebreak technologies, early detection mechanisms, or automation tools that enhance firefighter safety and response coordination.

Flood Management & Infrastructure Resilience

Design systems that improve water control, drainage, flood barriers, or critical infrastructure protection. Concepts may address adaptive floodgates, smart monitoring systems, or automation that strengthens resilience in vulnerable communities.

Search & Rescue / Emergency Automation Systems

Propose technologies that enhance disaster response operations, including rescue robotics, deployable automation systems, mobility support mechanisms, or remote-controlled equipment that improves response speed and operational safety.

Requirements

Technical Essay Submission 

Technical Essay Submission 

Write a 700-word essay explaining why you should be selected for this scholarship. Highlight your academic achievements, technical interests, and professional goals. We encourage you to reflect on how your engineering journey aligns with real-world impact, innovation, and responsible problem-solving.

Innovative Application Proposal

Innovative Application Proposal

Describe or design an inventive application that utilizes electric linear actuators and related products to address a climate-related or disaster-response challenge. Include actuator specs, model numbers, drawings, or technical details that help explain your project —the more detail, the better!

Enrollment Verification

Enrollment Verification

You must be enrolled in the September 2026 semester at a recognized Canadian or U.S. post-secondary institution in a full-time engineering program. You may optionally submit a copy of your high school transcripts to demonstrate academic performance.

Personal Photo

Personal Photo

Submit a recent photo of yourself. Selected recipients may have their photo featured on our website, blog, and social media platforms as part of the scholarship announcement and promotional materials.

Additional Materials

Additional Materials

Feel free to include additional materials that help illustrate your qualifications or project.

Eligibility Note

Eligibility Note

Previous scholarship winners are not eligible to apply. Proposals that appear to be primarily generated using AI tools without meaningful human input will not be considered. Highlight your own creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving — we’re interested in seeing your original ideas and engineering perspective.

Submit your application from March 16  to June 15!

Winners Announcement: Early July 2026 (estimated)

Meet Our Previous Scholarship Winners

Arushi Phadte

Arushi Phadte

Mechatronics Engineering

"I want to create autonomous or remotely operated robots that clean up litter and pollution in places unsafe for people. This technology could assist in hazardous environments like oil spills, areas with poor air quality, or neighborhood parks. One day, I hope to scale these ideas to underwater robots removing trash from oceans to help preserve marine ecosystems."

University of Waterloo

Ilia Moroz

Ilia Moroz

Electrical Engineering

"I have a clear vision for my future path in this field. I aspire to be an experienced engineer, contributing to innovative electric vehicle and robotics projects. My focus lies in embedded systems and firmware development, fields where I can combine my technical expertise with my creative drive to design solutions that
address real-world challenges."


British Columbia Institute of Technology (ВСІТ)

Raghavendra Satwik Kapavarapu

Raghavendra Satwik Kapavarapu

Electrical & Computer Engineering

"I picture myself creating diagnostic tools for clinics in rural areas, places where electricity is unreliable, and doctors need quick, simple answers. I dream of building educational platforms that speak
to students who think in different languages. The gap between what tech can do and what people actually need motivates me deeply."

University of Washington, Seattle