This special National Engineers Week event, targeted at Middle/Jr. High School students, was held at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center on April 29, 2004. The event featured a forum, an award ceremony, demonstrations of IBM Research technology, and refreshments.

Environmental Engineering was the theme and the moon was the setting for FSDC-2004.

Teams of students designed a school environment on the moon, taking into account the environmental constraints of air and energy. Their solutions incorporated engineering based on sound scientific principles. During the forum, each team of students displayed a real or virtual model of its school facility (building and grounds) of the future, along with a poster display explaining the features of the school. A team of judges interviewed each team and selected the top two teams. Each member of the two winning teams (6 students and 2 coach/mentors) was awarded a powerful telescope! Additionally, each student voted for his/her favorite team, and the winning team members received the "People's Choice Award". Every participant received a memento from IBM.

One may think of this as an "engineering fair," analogous to the more common "science fairs" that many schools hold for their students.

Environmental Engineering: A School on the Moon This year's design challenge will require students to investigate an environment very different from the one around them on the earth - the school will be inside a dome on the moon. The design should take into account that resources such as air and energy are in very limited supply. School: The design of the school should consider and take advantage of the unique environment within the lunar dome. Air: The major constituents of earth's air are nitrogen and oxygen. Oxygen (O2) is consumed by humans and carbon dioxide (CO2) is generated. The concentrations of these two gases must be maintained in your lunar environment. Energy: Due to the limited supply, the school should be designed to minimize use of energy. Recreation: This year, for our "people's choice" award you will develop a fun lunar recreational activity and judge each other on the most entertaining and innovative activity. A separate prize will be awarded to the winner.

Top two teams selected by judges

• Mildred E. Strang MS, Yorktown Hts. - First place (this school was represented by two teams)
• Woodlands MS, Hartsdale - Second Place

Team selected by the student participants as the "People's Choice"

• Louis M. Klein MS, Harrison

Other participating schools

• The Sherman School, CT (this school was represented by two teams)
• Seven Bridges MS, Chappaqua
• IS 125, Woodside, Queens
• JHS 185, Flushing, Queens (this school was represented by two teams)
• IS 172, Queens (this school was represented by two teams)
• MS 045, Bronx