National Engineers Week “Future City” competition winners
-- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 2/25/2008 7:07:00 AM
A city of the future—“RA”—engineered by students from Heritage Middle School in Westerville, Ohio, won the 2008 National Engineers Week “Future City” competition. Glen Gainer, Emma Henderson, and Jeremy Boyd—all age 13—teamed up with their teacher, Debra Pellington, and volunteer mentor, Ted Beidler, PE, from the Franklin County Engineer’s Office.Teams from 36 middle schools nationwide, winners of regional competitions in January, participated in the Future City National Finals, Feb. 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Future City, celebrating its 16th year, asks middle school students to create cities of the future, first on computer and then in large tabletop models. Working in teams with a teacher and volunteer engineer mentor, students create their cities using the SimCity 3000 videogame donated to all participating schools by Electronic Arts, Redwood City, Calif. Teams write a city abstract and an essay on using engineering to solve an important social need. This year's essay asked students to describe how nanotechnology will monitor their city’s structures and systems to keep its infrastructure healthy. Next, the team presents and defends its city before engineer judges at the competition. Some 30,000 students from more than 1,100 schools participated in the 2007-08 regional competitions.
In the words of the Heritage Middle School team’s Future City abstract:
"Like the glorious temple Amon-Ra, honoring the Egyptian Sun God RA, the ultimate city of the sun rises out of the vast sands of majestic Egypt. An engineering marvel, the city of RA was designed to provide an ideal quality of life for all citizens. A flourishing economy is evident in the revolutionary mixed-use Green Living Modules (GLM) and the state-of-the-art EIRS 3000 Educational System. The EIRS provides interactive learning experiences utilizing the latest in educational intercommunication, the Nanosence Glove.
"Energy engineers employ a five-point energy system to maximize energy efficiency throughout RA. The use of flexible solar panels, sprayable solar cells, and desert solar farms harness the sun’s energy to the fullest potential. Hydropower in the Nile River and Mediterranean Sea regions, biomass, wind farms, and Ewind Towers, located on the upper levels of commercial and industrial structures, all provide renewable power options. Finally, nanoparticles produce hydrogen through photoelectrochemical hydrogen production, completing a clean energy picture.
"Solar-cell phones and holographic image converters provide citizens wireless communication options. Energy engineers have also applied solar technology in the production of pure water through the innovative NanoPure Water System. In conjunction with cost effective nanocatalysts, solar power successfully treats wastewater.
"A prosperous economy, progressive research centers, multi-modal forms of transportation, unparalleled recreational facilities, a first rate educational system, an environmentally sound energy strategy, as well as the latest in nanotechnological advancements make RA the ultimate paradise."
Second place went to Farnsworth Middle School, Guilderland, N.Y. for its “Future City, Mohala.” Its team included students Kathryn Liotta, Hannah Liu, and Brien Miceli; teacher Deborah Escobar; and engineer mentor James Liotta.
Our Lady Help of Christians School in Abington, Pa., took third place honors for “Port Tranquility.” The team was comprised of Paul Gennaro, Kiersten Moore, and Maura Nolan; teacher Jane Ring; and engineer mentor Julie Gennaro.
Fourth place went to Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and fifth place to Queen of Angels Catholic School in Roswell, Ga. Queen of Angels also won the special award for Best Essay and Westridge Middle School in Shawnee Mission, Kan. won Best Model.
The Future City National Finals is hosted by Bentley Systems, Exton, Pa. Future City is sponsored in part by the National Engineers Week Foundation, a coalition comprising more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies.
Future City National Finals teams this year represented public, parochial, private, and home schools and were comprised of 53 girls and 54 boys.
“Part of our responsibility as industry leaders lies in developing the talented and diverse workforce who will be designing the world’s infrastructure in the future,” said Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bentley. “We’ve joined with many others who support the National Engineers Week Future City competition because of its unique ability for inspiring students to consider career choices that might otherwise have overlooked engineering. The combination of engineer mentors, hands-on learning, and teamwork engages students and opens the door to endless possibilities for them and the engineering profession.”
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