The Boeing Shanghai Challenge, hosted by Boeing, Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services, Tsinghua University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in June 2008, invited teams of students from across China to prepare environmentally progressive concepts and solutions for the Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services MRO operation.

More than 35 teams from 10 top universities and five aeronautical universities in China participated. The entries were judged on creativity of solution, technical feasibility, depth and completeness of technical analysis, and clarity of presentation.

After a blind review by a panel consisting of Boeing executives and university faculty from participating institutions, the top five teams were invited to come to Beijing to make a final presentation to Boeing to determine the top three "all-around" winners. The winners received prizes of US $1,500, $1,000, and $750 at an award presentation ceremony in July 2008 in Beijing. The three top winners were: Research on Green Disposal of Aging Aircraft by Northwestern Polytechnical University, Building an Environmental and Efficient MRO Supply Chain by Wuhan University and Environmental Progress and Practice: Improving the Environmental Effectiveness of Boeing Pudong MRO by Huazhong University of Science and Technology team.

Students from Tsinghua University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology won special awards for Technical Merit and Creative Merit for their respective projects.

Photo Caption: Students from Northwestern Polytechnical University were recognized by Boeing Commercial Aviation Services leaders Per Norén (left), Environmental Services Strategy director, and Jim Brunke, vice president, Global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, for their environmentally progressive MRO concept at the Boeing Shanghai Challenge.