January/February 2017

NSPE Today
Future City Earns Innovation Prize

DiscoverE’s Future City Competition is the 2016 recipient of the Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction, given in association with the National Building Museum. The prize, which comes with a $25,000 honorarium, recognizes an advancement or high achievement in the process of construction, including an invention, an innovative methodology, or exemplary leadership.

Future City asks middle school students to imagine, research, design, and build the cities of the future. More than 40,000 students in 37 US and four international regions participate in the competition.

The program was selected for the prize due to its leadership in engaging students in learning about and solving complex engineering and building challenges; commitment to diversity; and innovation.

DiscoverE, formerly known as the National Engineers Week Foundation, helps unite, mobilize, and support the engineering and technology volunteer communities. NSPE is currently a member of the DiscoverE steering committee and was the founder of Engineers Week in 1951.

The honorarium will help DiscoverE further its commitment to diversity and gender equality. For example, the funds will provide stipends for Future City participation by educators in underserved schools and communities. About a third of participating schools have 50% or more of their students enrolled in reduced or free lunch programs, and about half of program participants are female.

See more on Future City.