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Essay Contests

Universe of Threats – Essay Contests

CAPTRS is building a simulation gaming catalog – CAPTRS Universe of Threats – to address our collective failure of imagination in preparing for future threats. These scenarios will be used to create varied and diverse simulation games to prepare for potential future threats.

The CAPTRS Universe of Threats catalog is being built using a collaboration of human storytelling and artificial intelligence. By the end of 2023, CAPTRS will have completed three threat scenario writing contests, engaging creative writers worldwide in creating plausible threat scenarios.

The first of three essay contests focused on pathogen threats and closed July 30. CAPTRS will run two other contests in 2023. Prompts for all three can be seen below, along with details for opening and closing dates for these contests. All winning essays will be published on the CAPTRS website at a future date.

Pathogen Threat Contest (Contest dates: April 1-July 30, 2023)

This contest prompted applicants to submit a plausible pathogen emergence story and interdependent social, economic, political, environmental or technological forces that shape the unfolding threat.

Contest Closed

Infrastructure Threat Contest (Contest dates: August 1-October 15, 2023)

This contest prompts applicants to submit an original essay describing a threat scenario related to one or more of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors. Complex threat scenarios which include threats across multiple infrastructure sectors are encouraged. Scenarios must be plausible and may explore interdependent social, economic, political, environmental or technological forces that shape the unfolding threat.

Contest Closed

Natural Disaster Threat Contest (December 1 – January 31)

This contest prompts applicants to submit an original essay describing a threat scenario related to natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, hurricanes and others.

Natural Disaster Threat Contest Details