FCL x SDSU Designathon

Overview

What if you could fix something broken in your community and use cutting-edge technology to do it?

The FCL x SDSU AI Designathon is a six-month design competition for high school students, created in partnership with San Diego State University. Teams identify a real infrastructure challenge, develop an engineering solution, and present their work to a panel of industry professionals at a final showcase at SDSU. Along the way, they learn to use artificial intelligence the way real engineers do: as a tool to think better, not a shortcut to skip the thinking.

No engineering experience required. Just curiosity, teamwork, and a problem worth solving.

Details

Who Should Participate: High school students in grades 9-12 must registered through their construction or related path teachers/educators. Students will be placed in teams of 3-5. Open to all experience levels. Teachers/educators may register multiple teams.

Program Dates: October 2026 through April 2027

Final Showcase: Sunday, April 4, 2027  |  11 AM to 1 PM  |  San Diego State University

Register: Registration opens September 14, 2026. Closes September 25, 2026. Teachers and advisors register on behalf of their team.

Cost: Free to participate

Team Registration Form

What to Expect

At registration, every team selects one of five challenge tracks: a Safer and Cooler Bus Stop, a School Pickup Zone Redesign, a Flood-Resilient Neighborhood Block, a Disaster Response Structure, or an Accessible Campus Improvement. From there, the program guides teams through six phases of real engineering work.

  • Get Inspired. Teams kick off the program with a recorded introduction, explore real-world case studies, and meet their assigned industry mentor.

  • Learn the Foundations. Teams build the engineering knowledge they need: site planning, structural basics, drainage, sustainability, accessibility, cost fundamentals, and how to use AI responsibly as a design tool.

  • Define the Problem. Teams choose a real or realistic site and dig in. Who uses this space? What is broken about it? What constraints does the site have?

  • Design the Concept. Teams develop their solution: what they are building, what materials they would use, and how their design addresses safety and accessibility. Midway through, they meet with their mentor for feedback.

  • Refine the Engineering. Teams think through how their design would actually get built: cost estimates, construction sequencing, risk analysis, and relevant codes and standards.

  • Prepare for the Showcase. Teams finalize their Design Brief, poster, and recorded presentation for the final showcase at SDSU on April 4, 2027.

Questions

Reach out to us at ContactUs@futureconstructionleaders.org

Partner