Future City Competition for STEM students
Working in a team with an educator and STEM mentor, students present their vision of the future through a virtual city design
- Physical systems such as infrastructure and housing are built to withstand high winds or earthquakes
ALBUQUERQUE – Natural disasters, earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes pose serious threats to cities and citizens. The damage from these events can severely disrupt every aspect of life in an affected region.
Especially now, in the wake of recent catastrophic events, engineers, architects, and city leaders face the critical task of creating resilient cities.
New to the program this year is the Mescalero Apache school. Mr. Raynor is the STEM director for the school and has recently proposed a project to his students that will build cities addressing their pueblo and cultural heritage. Currently, STEM students at the school are working on an aqua phonic system that will grow food on a large scale to help feed the elders on reservations.
Physical systems such as infrastructure and housing are built to withstand high winds or earthquakes, information systems such as zoning data and maps are designed to support relief efforts, and institutions such as city management or emergency response are developed to help with recovery, stated in release.
A resilient city ensures its residents are safe, their communities are stable and cared for, and the economy remains durable, and adapt to the challenges of connected systems and infrastructure in place that limit damage and help the city recover.
With this pressing issue top of mind, the award-winning Future City Competition, now in its 27th year, announces its theme for 2018-19. This year, Future City is asking middle school students to respond to the challenge of Powering Our Future and design an electrical grid that can withstand and quickly recover from the impact of a natural disaster.
Working in a team with an educator and STEM mentor, students present their vision of the future through a virtual city design (using SimCity™ software), a 1,500-word city essay, a scale model of their city (built with recycled materials), and in a short presentation to a panel of STEM professionals.
The New Mexico regional final competition will take place at University of New Mexico at School of Architecture and Planning on Saturday, January 12th, 2019.
New Mexico students have a unique opportunity to participate and showcase its cultural and ecological diversity. The winning team will represent New Mexico at the Finals in Washington, DC in February, where they are joined by teams from other 39 US regions and a growing roster of international teams, including those from Canada, Egypt and China.
One of the nation’s leading engineering education programs and among the most popular, Future City has received national recognition and acclaim for its role in encouraging middle school students to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
In 2017-18, for the third consecutive year, Future City received a prestigious national award for being a leading engineering education program.
It was recognized by US2020 and co-founding sponsors, Chevron and Tata Consultancy Services, for its achievements and innovations in STEM education and accessibility to underrepresented youth.
In 2016, the Future City Competition received the 2016 Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction, presented by Turner Construction Company and the National Building Museum. In 2015, Future City was named the grand prize winner in the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) Innovative Education Award program, receiving a $100,000 award.
The UL award highlights the essential, urgent and significant value of E-STEM education. Major funding for Future City comes from the Bechtel Corporation, Bentley Systems, Inc, Shell Oil Company, and DiscoverE.
Future City Competition was brought to New Mexico in 2014. New Mexico’s local critical infrastructure is designed, built, and maintained every day by dedicated planners, engineers, and technicians. New Mexico’s cultural heritage, ecosystem, and climate are unique and diverse.
New Mexico teams were invited to White House Science Fair for their extraordinary work in 2014 and 2015. In 2017, the team Future Falls was awarded the Most Sustainable Building Special Award.
In 2018, the age-friendly city Vida Sana was placed 10th nationally overall and won a Special Award that best incorporates cultural and historical resources at the National Competition in Washington, D.C. Preserving cultural diversity and heritage was one of its unique qualities.
Future City New Mexico region has been supported by many local communities. Current sponsors include Sandia National Labs, Los Alamos National Labs, Public Service Company of New Mexico PNM, University of New Mexico School of Engineering, and School of Architecture & Planning.
About Discover
DiscoverE is leading a growing volunteer movement that inspires and informs present and future generations to discover engineering. Our network of volunteers in the US and abroad is drawn from the DiscoverE coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies.
Together we meet a vital need: introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences and making science and math relevant. For more information, visit www.discovere.org.
In the US, over 40,000 students, representing 1,350 schools, take part in the Future City® Competition. The deadline for registration every year is October 31, 2018. Register today or learn more at www.futurecity.org. Visit our Facebook page for more information and updates on the Future City® Competition.