The Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium Conference Day and Cities of the New York City Premiere

June 25, 2024

The Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation was proud to partner with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on the third annual Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium Conference on Saturday, May 18, 2024 and the New York City premiere of the film, “Cities of the Future.” Hosted at Brooklyn Tech, the event brought together students, educators, and parents from seven partner Brooklyn public middle schools along with special guests and members of ASCE. The Future World Vision Consortium is geared towards inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators by leveraging Brooklyn Tech's robust STEM curriculum and ASCE's forward-thinking vision for the future of civil engineering.

Dr. Mathew Mandery ’61, Chief Educational Officer of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation and Director of the Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium Partnership, welcomed participants and expressed the significance of this initiative: "At Brooklyn Tech, we often say we prepare students to be leaders in fields that don’t yet exist. After today, we'll see what needs to exist—NOW.”

Activities included an exclusive premier of Cities of the Future, an interactive session with the director and cast members, and opportunities for students and their parents to see the great work of the Consortium and participate in hands-on STEM demonstrations in Tech’s laboratories and classrooms.

In 2020, the American Society of Civil Engineers launched the Future World Vision project to identify the key challenges our world is facing and determine how to best address them. In 2021, Brooklyn Tech became the only high school in the nation to partner with ASCE on this initiative. This partnership benefits Tech in two ways: firstly, by establishing connections with industry, colleges, and universities to ensure the school’s programs remain current and offer current students a world-class education; secondly, by broadening and strengthening Brooklyn Tech’s and the Alumni Foundation’s efforts to provide resources to public middle school students and encourage them to pursue STEM studies and careers.

After the special morning screening, the East Coast premiere of Cities of the Future, ASCE's new film designed for IMAX and giant screens, took place in the evening, also hosted at Brooklyn Tech. The film aims to ignite a passion for civil engineering among young students by showcasing the transformative potential of the field. Paul Lee, one of the civil engineering stars of Cities of the Future, engaged throughout the day with middle school students and current Technites. "We screened the film for arguably some of the best STEM students in the nation," Lee remarked. "Meeting these kids, I believe they're the future designers, builders, and project managers of the innovative projects depicted in the film."

Brooklyn Tech students, who currently select one of 18 majors during their junior and senior years, benefit from a comprehensive civil engineering program led by Michael Boulis, P.E., M.ASCE. The program combines conceptual learning with real-world applications, supported by an active ASCE club and an impressive civil engineering lab. The curriculum also integrates ASCE’s Future World Vision, further aligning the school’s educational objectives with the industry's future needs.

ASCE past-President Maria Lehman praised the Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium Program during her speech at the premiere. "Talking to the students and Mr. Boulis, it's clear that they are learning more in this class than many undergraduate programs offer," Lehman said.

The Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium has expanded access to Brooklyn Tech and other STEM high schools. "You are here today because your school is a member of the consortium,” noted Dr. Mandery. “Let’s give applause to your principals, assistant principals, and teachers who are making this possible. They are working with us to create an ecosystem of inspiration and support."

The Consortium hosts two annual events at Brooklyn Tech, one in December and another in May, bringing together students, parents, administrators, and teachers from each member school to learn more about the Future World Vision project and witness the remarkable work occurring at Brooklyn Tech and their own schools.

“For me, it's incredibly exciting,” Lee said. “Seeing kids get excited about engineering has been a lifelong passion of mine, and this event at Brooklyn Tech exemplifies the impact we can have.”

The collaboration between the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation and ASCE, through the Future World Vision STEM Pathways Consortium, exemplifies a powerful synergy aimed at equipping students with the tools and inspiration to shape the cities of the future.

We screened the film for arguably some of the best STEM students in the nation. Meeting these kids, I believe they're the future designers, builders, and project managers of the innovative projects depicted in the film.