PLEASE POST
CONTACT:
Don Wittmer
Jennifer Buglione
December 2012
(312) 930-9119
(212) 725-5200 x112
e-mail: dwittmer@hntb.com
e-mail: Jennifer@sayleswinnikoff.com
Regional Finals in "Future City CompetitionTM" Set
Students create a vision of the future
Chicago, December; In conjunction with NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEKTM (NEW), Chicago engineering societies
will be hosting a student design competition in area schools. The contest known as the "Future City CompetitionTM"
(www.futurecity.org/Illinois-Chicago), will require middle grade students with the assistance of an engineer mentor to
design a future city with SimCity 4 Deluxe software and then build a three-dimensional table top model to scale.
This program has been developed by engineers to provide much needed technological education to the students.
According to Bob Johnson, spokesman for the Chicago program, the competition is in its twentieth year and is the only
one of the 40 regional programs that has competed continuously in all years. "Currently schools are assembling teams
and beginning the construction of their Future City. Besides building a model, students will be required to write an
essay. This year’s essay topic is – RETHINK RUNOFF - Design Clean Water Solution to Manage Stormwater Pollution.
Students will also write a City Narrative outlining the key features of their city.
Regional chairman Don Wittmer notes, "It is exciting to see the interaction between the students and witness the
enthusiasm that these students have in learning about engineering and the real life problems that are encounter
everyday. Our hope is that this competition helps students consider the possibility of studying engineering when they
attend college."
Derek Johnson, co-coordinator adds, "It is a great experience for all involved -- the students have fun while learning
about engineering and gaining valuable teamwork and presentation skills. Engineers, mentors, judges and volunteers
always leave impressed by the students' ability and enthusiasm."
Locally, the regional judging for the competition will take place Saturday, January 26, 2013, at the University of Illinois
at Chicago [UIC], 750 South Halsted.
Judging of the projects will begin 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. The winners
will be announced at an Awards Ceremony beginning about 3:00 p.m.. The student models will be on display until the
conclusion of the awards ceremony. The public is invited and encouraged to see the vision of the future as seen by
Chicagoland's 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. There is no cost to attend.
Students from Chicago area schools (with some teams as far away as St. Louis!) will be competing for the top prize.
The winning school will receive prizes and trophies for the team members. All participants will receive gifts courtesy of
the Chicagoland Engineers Week Committee and local engineering/architecture firms. In addition, team members from
the winning school will advance to the final judging in Washington, DC. during NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEKTM,
February 17-23, 2013. The winner of the national competition will receive a week's trip to Space Camp. Top teams from
the Regional Competition will be honored at the Annual Chicagoland Engineers Benefit, February 21, 2013.
Since 1951, NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEKTM, has been the nationwide celebration of the engineering profession, to acknowledge
the essential role which engineering has played in advancing civilization and adding quality to our lives. In Chicago, activities
scheduled include engineering lectures, student outreach efforts, bridge building competitions and exhibitions of engineering
achievements. More than 33,000 students from 1000 schools in 39 regions participated in the 2012 competition. It is sponsored by
the National Engineers Week Committee, a consortium of engineering associations and major U.S. industries. The 2013 co-chairs
will be NCEES [www.ncees.org] and Lockheed Martin.
For more information (including sponsorship opportunities)
www.futurecity.org/Illinois-Chicago
VISIT THE NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEKTM WEBSITE AT http://www.eweek.org
CHICAGO ENGINEERS WEEK INFORMATION AT http://www.chicagolandeweek.org
Supplemental resources:
Editors Note:
Medill News Service Report (Includes video!)
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=199047
Story/Video of the 2012 Competition:
2012: Pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10752828@N05/sets/72157629101671609/
Story/Pictures of the 2011 Competition: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=177881
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/guy/3413386-452/students-competition-engineer-bond-chicago.html
2011 Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10752828@N05/sets/72157626018755926/
Story/Video of the 2010 Competition: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=153924
2010 Pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10752828@N05/sets/72157623322709937/
Video of 2009 Competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRY3pnR-SwQ
Young Engineers Envision Cities Of The Future? (video)
http://vvi.onstreammedia.com:80/cgi-bin/visearch?squery=+ClipID:6++VideoAsset:pbsnh042209&query=%22future+city+competition%22&user=pbsnewshour&tid=email
Also see: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=76389
2008 Competition
And for pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10752828@N05/sets/72157603878323166
And for video (finals): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTeWL5wmjDU
Video/Interview with team in 2008 Competition
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1557544517101615253#
EWEEK Photos (Including Future City)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10752828@N05/sets/72157604569050537
additional information
http://www.todaysengineer.org/2008/Mar/FCC.asp
http://www.tiesmagazine.org/archives/mar_2003/pdf/mar_2003_FutureCities.pdf
http://www.organicgreenandnatural.com/2009/08/19/middle-school-students-to-design-affordable-housing-in-future-city-competition/
http://bdpa.groupsite.com/discussion/topic/show/223796
TV Interview with 2008 Team
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=St.+Paul+of+the+Cross+-+Future+City+Competition&emb=0&aq=f#
SimCity 4 deluxe TM is a trademark of Maxis,
Walnut, California.
National Engineers Week is a registered trademark of the National Society of Professional Engineers (www.nspe.org)
“Scientists discover the world that exists; engineers create the world that never
was."
— Theodore von Karman
This quote by (engineer) Theodore von Karman says a lot about engineers. Engineers
are creative, pay attention to detail, and use math and science.
\EWEEK13\Futurecity\FutureFlyer.doc