01.03.2008
2008 Future City Competition E-News, Issue 6
Welcome to the Future City Newsletter - Issue 6. This newsletter is here to help you succeed and to share experiences of the many teams competing.
The National Office of the Future City Competition brings this newsletter to you. Please check with your regional coordinator for specific deadlines and additional local information. The regional coordinators' contact information is located at www.futurecity.org.
This concludes this series of E-Newsletters for the 2008 Future City Competition. Regional Winning teams will be posted on the Future City website in March 2008 (www.futurecity.org).
**Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Topics in this Future City E-Newsletter:
--Special Awards at the 2008 Future City National Finals
--Regional Competition Dates – January 2008
--Meet the Prize Winning Engineers–web cast – February 19, 2008 (1:00 PM – EST)
--Future City Alumni spotlight
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
--Special Awards at the 2008 Future City National Finals
--27 Special Awards at the National Finals!
When developing your model, essay and presentation, keep in mind the following special awards that are being given at the National Competition – some regional competitions also have similar prizes – check with your regional coordinator. Special Awards at the National Finals are listed at: www.futurecity.org/competition_step3_specialawards.htm
--Regional Competition Dates – January 2008
All Future City Regional Competitions will be held in January 2008. Please contact your regional coordinator for more details. Lots of prizes to win at the regionals. For a listing of the regional competition sites and locations go to: www.futurecity.org/competition_region.shtm
--“Meet the Prize Winning Engineers” – web cast – February 19, 2008 (1:00 PM – EST)
In conjunction with the National Academy of Engineering, Future City will participate in a forum featuring this year’s National Academy of Engineering – “Prize Winning Engineers.” More information regarding the engineers and their accomplishments can be found at: www.nae.edu
Additional information will be posted later in January on the Future City website at www.futurecity.org. Stay tuned!
--Future City Alumni spotlight
Dylan Goings
FC CLASS: 1996, MYA Middle School, Ann Arbor, MI
EDUCATION: B.S. physics, Carnegie Mellon University, 2005
CURRENT (early 2007): Peace Corps in Namibia
It is wonderful to hear that the Future City program is still going strong. More than ever, I believe competitions and programs such as this are an essential and invaluable addition to our educational system, and I’m so glad to hear that you’re doing more to promote this spirit.
Currently, I am serving in the Peace Corps in the African nation of Namibia. As an education volunteer, I teach Math, Sciences, and Computer skills for students in grades 8 to 10. I have just finished my first year and am looking forward to the second. It has been incredibly challenging – for example, at my school last year my students were, on average, about five grade levels behind in their understanding of math and science (I had grade 10 students who struggled with multiplying simple numbers) – but at the same time there has been so much opportunity for improvement. I think my biggest achievement was in coaching a small group of students to do simple science fair projects which they eventually presented at the country’s national science fair. My school had never had a science fair – or even heard of a science fair – and for these students it was an amazing opportunity that I hope really opened their eyes to the possibilities of furthering their education in math and science.
J.J. Hermes
FC CLASS: 1998, St. Paul’s School, Covington, LA
MAJOR: civil engineering, editor of The Daily Texan
EDUCATION: B.S. physics and astronomy, University of Texas, Austin 2007
CURRENT (November 2007): reporter, Chronicle of Higher Education, Washington, D.C.; graduate studies in astrophysics, fall 2008
I graduated May 2007 with degrees in physics and astronomy, and now I’m up in D.C. interning with The Chronicle of Higher Education as a reporter. I have a few applications for graduate studies in astrophysics out for Fall 2008.
Frank Leone
FC CLASS: 1998, Our Lady Help of Christians, Abington, PA
MAJOR: mechanical engineering
EDUCATION: BS and MS, mechanical engineering, Drexel University, 2007
CURRENT (October 2007): Ph.D. candidate, mechanical engineering
I just received my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in June 2007. I am continuing on to a Ph D at Drexel, and passed my candidacy examination last month. I am currently being funded by the FAA-Drexel Fellowship program. My research involves the damage tolerance and residual strength of full-scale honeycomb sandwich composite aircraft fuselage structures.
I was involved in the 1998 Future Cities Competition, and for the past couple years have volunteered in the Philadelphia regional competition as a presentation judge and special awards judge.
Krista Ricupero
FC CLASS: 1999, Powder Mill Middle School, Southwick, MA
EDUCATION: B.S., civil engineering, University of Maine, Orono, 2007
CURRENT (October 2007): graduating in December
Good to hear from the folks of the Future City Competition. I'm actually still going to the University of Maine--this is my final semester, and I'm finishing a degree in Civil Engineering (I've been concentrating on environmental chemistry and hydrology). I've done some environmental microbiology work as a lab technician at school, and in January, I'm starting my graduate degree at UMaine in the field of hydrology of water resources. I am involved in a field of technology or engineering! I also retain an interest in urban planning as a result of working on the Future City project and have done an internship with TriMet in Oregon (Summer 2006). Thanks again for introducing me to engineering as a middle schooler. Future City definitely lent some direction to my life.
Sheena Wiesner
FC CLASS: 1996, St. Mary’s Parish School, Hales Corner, WI
MAJOR: mechanical engineering
EDUCATION: B.S. mechanical engineering and materials science, Duke University 2005
CURRENT (October 2007): Harvard Law School
It is nice to hear from you again. It is always nice to be reminded of the great experience I had participating in the National Engineers Week Future City Competition.
Since we last spoke, I graduated from Duke University Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. I went directly to law school. I am currently a 3L at Harvard Law School. I accepted a job at Foley & Lardner LLP to practice intellectual property law. Specifically, I will be a patent prosecution lawyer in their mechanical and electro-mechanical devices team.
My experience with Future City was my first true introduction to engineering. The competition definitely sparked my interest in the field and was one of the deciding factors in my decision to major in engineering rather than economics.
Keep going -you are almost to the finish line!
#####
The National Office of the Future City Competition brings this newsletter to you. Please check with your regional coordinator for specific deadlines and additional local information. The regional coordinators' contact information is located at www.futurecity.org.
This concludes this series of E-Newsletters for the 2008 Future City Competition. Regional Winning teams will be posted on the Future City website in March 2008 (www.futurecity.org).
**Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Topics in this Future City E-Newsletter:
--Special Awards at the 2008 Future City National Finals
--Regional Competition Dates – January 2008
--Meet the Prize Winning Engineers–web cast – February 19, 2008 (1:00 PM – EST)
--Future City Alumni spotlight
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
--Special Awards at the 2008 Future City National Finals
--27 Special Awards at the National Finals!
When developing your model, essay and presentation, keep in mind the following special awards that are being given at the National Competition – some regional competitions also have similar prizes – check with your regional coordinator. Special Awards at the National Finals are listed at: www.futurecity.org/competition_step3_specialawards.htm
--Regional Competition Dates – January 2008
All Future City Regional Competitions will be held in January 2008. Please contact your regional coordinator for more details. Lots of prizes to win at the regionals. For a listing of the regional competition sites and locations go to: www.futurecity.org/competition_region.shtm
--“Meet the Prize Winning Engineers” – web cast – February 19, 2008 (1:00 PM – EST)
In conjunction with the National Academy of Engineering, Future City will participate in a forum featuring this year’s National Academy of Engineering – “Prize Winning Engineers.” More information regarding the engineers and their accomplishments can be found at: www.nae.edu
Additional information will be posted later in January on the Future City website at www.futurecity.org. Stay tuned!
--Future City Alumni spotlight
Dylan Goings
FC CLASS: 1996, MYA Middle School, Ann Arbor, MI
EDUCATION: B.S. physics, Carnegie Mellon University, 2005
CURRENT (early 2007): Peace Corps in Namibia
It is wonderful to hear that the Future City program is still going strong. More than ever, I believe competitions and programs such as this are an essential and invaluable addition to our educational system, and I’m so glad to hear that you’re doing more to promote this spirit.
Currently, I am serving in the Peace Corps in the African nation of Namibia. As an education volunteer, I teach Math, Sciences, and Computer skills for students in grades 8 to 10. I have just finished my first year and am looking forward to the second. It has been incredibly challenging – for example, at my school last year my students were, on average, about five grade levels behind in their understanding of math and science (I had grade 10 students who struggled with multiplying simple numbers) – but at the same time there has been so much opportunity for improvement. I think my biggest achievement was in coaching a small group of students to do simple science fair projects which they eventually presented at the country’s national science fair. My school had never had a science fair – or even heard of a science fair – and for these students it was an amazing opportunity that I hope really opened their eyes to the possibilities of furthering their education in math and science.
J.J. Hermes
FC CLASS: 1998, St. Paul’s School, Covington, LA
MAJOR: civil engineering, editor of The Daily Texan
EDUCATION: B.S. physics and astronomy, University of Texas, Austin 2007
CURRENT (November 2007): reporter, Chronicle of Higher Education, Washington, D.C.; graduate studies in astrophysics, fall 2008
I graduated May 2007 with degrees in physics and astronomy, and now I’m up in D.C. interning with The Chronicle of Higher Education as a reporter. I have a few applications for graduate studies in astrophysics out for Fall 2008.
Frank Leone
FC CLASS: 1998, Our Lady Help of Christians, Abington, PA
MAJOR: mechanical engineering
EDUCATION: BS and MS, mechanical engineering, Drexel University, 2007
CURRENT (October 2007): Ph.D. candidate, mechanical engineering
I just received my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in June 2007. I am continuing on to a Ph D at Drexel, and passed my candidacy examination last month. I am currently being funded by the FAA-Drexel Fellowship program. My research involves the damage tolerance and residual strength of full-scale honeycomb sandwich composite aircraft fuselage structures.
I was involved in the 1998 Future Cities Competition, and for the past couple years have volunteered in the Philadelphia regional competition as a presentation judge and special awards judge.
Krista Ricupero
FC CLASS: 1999, Powder Mill Middle School, Southwick, MA
EDUCATION: B.S., civil engineering, University of Maine, Orono, 2007
CURRENT (October 2007): graduating in December
Good to hear from the folks of the Future City Competition. I'm actually still going to the University of Maine--this is my final semester, and I'm finishing a degree in Civil Engineering (I've been concentrating on environmental chemistry and hydrology). I've done some environmental microbiology work as a lab technician at school, and in January, I'm starting my graduate degree at UMaine in the field of hydrology of water resources. I am involved in a field of technology or engineering! I also retain an interest in urban planning as a result of working on the Future City project and have done an internship with TriMet in Oregon (Summer 2006). Thanks again for introducing me to engineering as a middle schooler. Future City definitely lent some direction to my life.
Sheena Wiesner
FC CLASS: 1996, St. Mary’s Parish School, Hales Corner, WI
MAJOR: mechanical engineering
EDUCATION: B.S. mechanical engineering and materials science, Duke University 2005
CURRENT (October 2007): Harvard Law School
It is nice to hear from you again. It is always nice to be reminded of the great experience I had participating in the National Engineers Week Future City Competition.
Since we last spoke, I graduated from Duke University Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. I went directly to law school. I am currently a 3L at Harvard Law School. I accepted a job at Foley & Lardner LLP to practice intellectual property law. Specifically, I will be a patent prosecution lawyer in their mechanical and electro-mechanical devices team.
My experience with Future City was my first true introduction to engineering. The competition definitely sparked my interest in the field and was one of the deciding factors in my decision to major in engineering rather than economics.
Keep going -you are almost to the finish line!
#####