Seventh and eighth grade students spend five months preparing for this annual event, in which they compete for scholarships and prizes. During the preparation period, they use computer simulations, research environmental and land-use issues, write an essay, and plot out their vision of the "city of the future” to create a three-dimensional scale model. One team from this regional fianls will go on to the national finals in Washington, DC.
The 2010 National Engineers Week Future City Competition focuses on providing an affordable living space for people who have lost their homes due to a disaster or financial emergency. The students must consider the social, economic and ecological impact of the manufacturing and construction techniques they design, and the models they construct must be recyclable.
In partnership with the American Society of Civil Engineers, Metropolitan Section, Polytechnic Institute of New York University has served as host for the New York Regional Finals for 13 years.