National Engineers' Week Futurecity Competition™

NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK FOUNDATION
OPENS REGISTRATION FOR  
19th ANNUAL FUTURE CITY® COMPETITION

Students from Nearly 40 Regions Across The Country To Be Tasked With Engineering, Designing and Developing Virtual and On-Site Health Care Systems for Clinics and Hospitals of Future Generations

Washington, DC, June 1, 2010 – Engineers have long played a vital role in improving the quality of healthcare by innovating and implementing ground-breaking delivery systems, technologies, devices and products. Starting this fall, middle schoolers participating in National Engineers Week Foundation’s 2010-11 Future City® Competition will be asked to serve as the engineering leaders for a program that supports and sustains the healthy living and wellness programs that doctors, nurses, caregivers and patients will demand in generations to come. 

With the theme of Providing a Reliable and Effective Health Care System That Improves a Sick, Injured or Disabled Patient’s Quality of Life and Comfort, students will write a research essay describing their concept and a second narrative outlining its key features.  As it addresses how to treat a specific category of patient with a specific condition, the essay will explore options for the practice of both virtual and on-site medicine.  It will detail the development of systems to support diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and rehabilitation and it will adhere to strict technical and ethical standards.

Participating students are also asked to design a model of their project The model is still the city not the device.using SimCity 4 Deluxe software and then build a physical model using recycled materials.  As they envision the medical centers, clinics and hospitals of the future, students will propose, design and develop the supporting infrastructure – both virtual and physical - to be used by those facilities.

The 2010-11 Future City Competition is expected to attract more than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools in regions located across the country.  Now in its 19th year, the annual challenge has received national attention and acclaim for its role in encouraging middle schoolers nationwide to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  Through hands-on applications, Future City participants discover by doing how engineering is both accessible and can make a difference in the world.  This year, for the first time, sixth graders are being invited to join seventh and eighth grade students in the competition.

“Future City motivates students to learn more about the possibilities and opportunities for careers in engineering,” said Leslie Collins, Executive Director, National Engineers Week Foundation. “This year’s challenge should attract even more attention than usual, as we have shifted the focus slightly, to make it about the people who live in the cities of the future, as well as about creating the actual cities themselves.”

The regional competitions get underway with the new school year in the fall and culminates with the regional finals in January, 2011.  One winning team from each region will qualify for a trip to the national finals in Washington DC, which take place during Engineer’s Week, February 18-22, 2011.  The National Finals Grand Prize winners receive a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, provided by National Finals host Bentley Systems, Incorporated. The second and third prize winners receive $5,000 and $2,000 scholarships for their schools’ technology programs.

Registration deadline for schools nationwide is Friday, October15, 2010.  Future City is also looking for professional engineers who may be interested in serving as mentors. For information, school registration, or to volunteer in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org

About Future City Competition

The 19th Annual Future City Competition, for sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, is held from September, 2010 through February, 2011. The National Future City Competition is sponsored in part by National Engineers Week Foundation, a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations. Major funding comes from Bentley Systems, Incorporated., and Shell.  

About Engineers Week

The National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies, is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science.  Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society.  Founded in 1951, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts.  Co-chairs for 2011 are Raytheon and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

 For more information, visit www.eweek.org.