LDA Engineering hosts regional STEM event for students to address sustainability issues
LDA Engineering is encouraging middle school educators from across the state to participate in the 2025 Future City Competition, a STEM education experience in which students are challenged to imagine, design and build cities of the future.
This year’s theme is “Above the Current,” and middle school student teams are charged with designing a floating city while keeping citizens healthy and safe. Participants have the opportunity to win prizes and vie for a spot at the national competition.
This is the eighth consecutive year that LDA Engineering has hosted and participated in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program, with team members volunteering as mentors, judging entries and helping to coordinate the regional event.
“It’s always rewarding to work with bright young minds and see what they can envision to engineer cities of the future using STEM principles,” said Jason Brooks, CEO of LDA Engineering. “Our company is committed to advancing STEM and engineering education, and this event is a great opportunity to help support that mission in our community.”
The regional event will be held Jan. 11, 2025, at the Zeanah Engineering Complex at the University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering. The winning team advances to the finals in Washington, D.C. Last year, a team from Annoor Academy in Knoxville took the top regional honor and competed in the nation’s capital.
Registration is available at futurecity.org/future-city-regions/tennessee and closes Oct. 31, 2024. Teams are required to submit essays, project plans and models ahead of the competition. There is no cost for students to participate thanks to the generosity of donors and sponsors.
Future City is a nonprofit powered by DiscoverE, dedicated to providing global resources, programs and connections between K-12 students and STEM professionals. The competition is open to teams of three or more students in sixth, seventh or eighth grade.
For more information about Future City Competition, visit futurecity.org.
Become a judge
If you are a STEM professional such as an engineer, technician, urban planner, project manager, architect or STEM industry partner, your expertise is needed to score team deliverables, provide feedback and help determine winning projects.
This is a fun event, and judges play a crucial role in encouraging and nurturing young minds. Virtual judges are needed approximately two weeks before the competition to provide online feedback and evaluations. On-site judges are needed at the competition on Jan. 11, 2025, to assess student presentations, engage in Q&A sessions and contribute to the overall success of the event.
The time commitment is between 4-8 hours, and you can register at Register – Future City® Competition. Under the “How would you like to register?” section, click “As a judge” and follow the instructions.
Be an event volunteer
This event has a lot of moving parts and volunteers help make the competition successful and run smoothly. Help is needed in multiple areas such as logistics and registration. The time commitment is between 4-8 hours, and you can register at Register – Future City® Competition. Under the “How would you like to register?” section, click “As a volunteer” and follow the instructions.
Sponsorship opportunities
If you’d like to become a partner of this amazing competition that contributes to the future of innovation in STEM disciplines, consider becoming an event sponsor.
Award Sponsors will support prizes and awards for the winning teams, providing recognition and motivation for the participants. Competition Expense Sponsors will help cover essential competition expenses to help ensure continuation of this valuable educational opportunity.
Contact Brenna Gossett at [email protected] today to learn more about becoming a sponsor.
Event details
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025
Time: 8 a.m.
Location: Zeanah Engineering Complex
University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering
863 Neyland Drive
Knoxville, TN 37916
Oct. 17, 2023
Calling all middle school teachers: Apply NOW for the 2024 Future City STEM Competition
The Future City Competition is returning to Knoxville on Jan. 20, 2024! LDA Engineering is calling for middle school teachers and educators from all over the state to apply to take part in this fun educational experience, have the chance to win prizes and try for a spot at the national competition.
Future City is a nonprofit powered by DiscoverE, dedicated to providing global resources, programs and connections between K-12 students and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals. The competition is open to teams of 3 or more students in 6th, 7th or 8th grade.
This will be the seventh year that LDA Engineering of Knoxville has partnered with Future City to generate local and national support for engineering professions and focus on creativity to produce better, more sustainable results. LDA hosts the Tennessee regional competition, with team members volunteering to mentor, organize and support the students.
The regional competition will be held at the Zeanah Engineering Complex at The University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering. The registration deadline for the 2024 event is Oct. 31. Follow the link below to learn more or sign up.
The competition begins by asking students to imagine what it will be like to walk down the main street of a city 100 years in the future. The students will design a futuristic city with innovative solutions on pressing sustainability issues. Students must write a city essay, create a city model, participate in a presentation/Q&A and develop a project plan.
Teams that win the regional competition advance to the finals in Washington, D.C. Future City provides round-trip transportation and hotel accommodations for the U.S. team’s three student presenters, educator and mentor.
Last year, a team from Annoor Academy of Knoxville won first place and competed in Washington, D.C.
In honor of the firm’s 40th anniversary, in 2022 LDA Engineering made a $500,000 renewed commitment to STEM education and also dedicated $120,000 in college scholarship funds.
“We need to introduce young people to the variety of rewarding STEM professions in multiple fields and spark their curiosity early,” LDA CEO Jason Brooks said. “The Future City Competition is a perfect way to bring together students, educators and engineering professionals in an event that is both fun and inspiring.”