Extreme Redesign: The Ultimate 3D Printing Challenge is sponsored by Dimension 3D Printing to engage high school and undergraduate students in developing designs and processing them into STL files—ostensibly for purposes of education, but also because creating fresh designs can be cool.

“There’s a shortage of designers and engineers—especially women—in the U.S. today, and Extreme Redesign aims to give students a taste of the kind of rewarding and exciting work they may be engaged in should they choose careers in these fields,” said Jon Cobb, vp and general manager of 3D printing for Dimension.

In addition to which, there’s scholarship money: three $2,500 scholarships and six $1,000 scholarships. Categories are for high school- and college-level engineering challenges and art & architecture. Submissions are judged on creativity, usefulness, part integrity, and beauty.

Last year’s event drew projects ranging from a Rubik’s Cube-like puzzle for the blind to a water purification system. Notably, two of the three grand prize winners were female, which addresses one of Cobb’s concerns. (See: www.dimensionprinting.com/extereme-redesign/07-Winners.aspx)

The current challenge is open for entries through February 1, 2009. So, if you know any talented young people, have them check out the Extreme Redesign contest at www.dimensionprinting.com/extreme-redesign/extreme-redesign-main.aspx . It may not be the X Games, but catching a scholarship can be better than big air.