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The annual Map the System competition wrapped its largest cohort yet at the University of Calgary, drawing 314 participants across nine faculties. 

Led by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, the campus finals saw students tackle a variety of social issues through an innovative lens, with team The Fourth Branch taking first place. 

At the campus showcase, held earlier this month, eight teams presented their topics, chosen from 109 team entries after an in-depth submission process. 

Team exploring social media advances to the finals

The Fourth Branch, led by Aliza Ali, Sean Cadawan, Elin Ha, and Amithi Bawa (all from the ), presented at ԰������'s campus finals in front of a panel of judges, ultimately taking home first place.

“We’re all so genuinely passionate about this topic,” Ali says on their choice to dive into social media and its influence.

“With our topic and its relevance, our main focus is advocacy," she says. "We want people to recognize the implications of social media, rather than just mindlessly consuming it. Making it easier to understand how the system works was our main goal with this project.” 

“Topics like these may be heavy, but understanding them is how we make a change in the world.” 

Kurt White, MBA'23, social innovation specialist at the Hunter Hub and lead of Map the System at ԰������, says this was the first time he saw a team dive into social media. “A lot of times, you tend to see similar subjects, but this was one that had yet to be fully explored,” White says.

Systems thinking and entrepreneurial thinking

Map the System is a global competition hosted by the and delivered in collaboration with educational institutions worldwide. ԰������ joined as a partner in 2022. 

The program embraces a systems thinking approach, challenging participants to address complex social or environmental issues. Participants delve deep into an issue that matters to them and take the time to explore, probe and research all its connecting elements and factors. The program is a discovery process for participants of any discipline, with teams ultimately sharing their findings in a presentation. 

“Seeing the growth of the program has been really rewarding,” says White. “When I joined the team (back in 2023), it was a relatively small program. Today, it’s on par with many of our other flagship programs here at the Hunter Hub.”

For White, the program is unique, both in its approach and in its execution: “The beautiful thing about Map the System is that it focuses on problem understanding, problem discovery and creating that next generation of changemakers.”

Throughout the course of the program, which this year began on Jan. 20, participants analyze a problem from various angles. “Participants get the opportunity to dig beyond what they see at the surface level,” White says. “With Map the System, they look at root causes, historical factors, contributing elements while also exploring why these issues continue to perpetuate.”

White believes the skills learned through Map the System can be applied to any career path. 

“The growth of this program is a testament to the fact that the Hunter Hub, and more largely, ԰������, is the home for changemakers. We are creating a generation that will be able to have meaningful, lasting impact, no matter their chosen field,” says White.

Next step: Oxford finals

The top team from every participating institution will have the opportunity to compete in the Global Finals at the University of Oxford, being held from July 9-12. 

As ԰������'s winning team prepares to head to Oxford, they’re looking forward to tackling this next milestone. 

“I don’t think we’ve fully processed that we’re going to Oxford,” says Ali. “It still feels like a dream. We’ve worked really hard and we’re excited to keep that momentum going as we get ready for the Oxford presentations.” 

԰������ Map the System winners

First Place ($2,500): The Fourth Branch: Aliza Ali, Sean Cadawan, Elin Ha, Amithi Bawa

Second Place ($1,500): Lifting the Standard, Together: Samantha Jones, Jessica Wilkins

Third Place ($500): Alberta's Emergency Department, Stretched Thin: Zarin Hossain, Ciana Sudheer, Shaheryar Ahmed, Jen Chao

People's Choice Award: Lifting the Standard