Teens Explore Tech at IEEE TryEngineering Summer Camp

The IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute, says one participating student, “gave me the opportunity to gain new experiences and understand different types of engineering disciplines, and made many great friends and memories that will stay with me forever.”

Administered by IEEE Educational Activities, the institute is a nine-day summer camp for students ages 13 to 17. It offers a fun and immersive approach to learning. Students participate in hands-on activities, talk with engineers, and take field trips to learn about real-world problems and solutions.

Launched in 2018, the Summer Institute takes place each year at several American universities. The program took place this year on five campuses: the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Rice University, Houston; the University of San Diego; the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta; and Columbia, the newest site, hosted in partnership with the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC).

In its first year, more than 80 students participated. This year, 311 people participated.

Students explored trending technologies, including artificial intelligence and microcontrollers. They also delved into the ethical questions engineers face, what to expect when pursuing higher education, and what STEM careers look like.

Here’s a look at the events that took place at each location.

University of Pennsylvania

Penn’s campus offered students several historical and cultural experiences. Attendees visited the Franklin Institute, where an IEEE volunteer explained some of the technologies on display at the science center.

A speaker from Philadelphia International Airport explained what engineers do to keep one of America’s busiest airports running smoothly.

Salesforce engineers described the importance of creative problem solving and the growing use of technology across different industries. The company provides cloud-based software.

“TryEngineering is a fantastic place to learn about all facets of engineering.” —Summer Institute participant

The students also attended several practical sessions on different technologies and engineering fields.

“I enjoyed the microcontroller classes the most,” said one participant, “because I was able to combine my computer programming skills with my friend’s electrical skills to create something I couldn’t have done on my own.”

“This program is an opportunity to explore the different branches of engineering.

Rice University

Rice students met with faculty members and designed solutions to several engineering challenges, such as creating and testing bridge and glider designs.

In the bridge challenge, students built a structure from balsa wood and glue, then tested its strength by adding weight until it failed. The glider challenge showed students how to build and test model airplanes.

“I enjoyed the challenges because they were interesting and competitive, and helped us develop critical thinking and teamwork skills,” one student said. Another said that working as a team and building things “was a cool experience, even if we failed.”

Highlights for many students were visits from Salesforce and BP engineers, who spoke about the importance of having an engineering mindset, regardless of industry.

The students spent a day visiting NASA’s Johnson Space Center. In addition to a behind-the-scenes tour, they met former astronauts, who explained the technical design of their rockets and gave them career advice.

University of San Diego

USD students built gliders and tested their designs. They also worked as a team to find a solution to the a toxic popcorn challenge, which involved designing a product and process to safely remove harmful kernels. The students also visited Qualcomm headquarters.

“TryEngineering is a fantastic place to learn about all facets of engineering,” said one participant, calling the program “an invaluable resource, especially for students who don’t have access to engineering classes or a robotics team at their school.”

The camp held in New York offered students the opportunity to participate in leadership sessions in addition to practical activities, thanks to the NSLC partnership.

The students visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey. Members of the U.S. Air Force and Marines demonstrated to students the cutting-edge technology used in rescue missions. Participants explored helicopters and flew drones during their visit.

They also had the opportunity to visit the American Museum of Natural History and Times Square in Manhattan.

“I loved the program, the campus, the staff, my classmates and the activities,” said one student.

Thanks to support from Georgia Tech’s Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, IEEE Technical Activities and industry partners, 20 Georgia high school students were able to participate in the TryEngineering Summer Institute for free. Students remained on the Georgia Tech campus, took classes in the Guggenheim aerospace engineering laboratories, and participated in residential life activities each evening.

Students were challenged to design, build and test a robotic boat capable of delivering humanitarian aid packages (simulated by plastic balls). Georgia Tech students and faculty members served as mentors throughout the process and helped the students build the boats. TryEngineering participants learned to think critically and solve problems. They also learned how to work with an Arduino.

Students at Georgia Tech’s Summer Institute in Atlanta prepare to test their robotic boat designs in a hands-on engineering challenge.Georgia Space Grants Consortium

The students presented their boat prototypes to parents and teachers, explained how they solved the problems and discussed the challenges they encountered along the way.

When the students were not working on their boat, they were participating in team building exercises and other educational activities.

They also visited Accenture offices near campus and met with industry professionals.

Siemens engineers visited students to discuss STEM career paths.

A highlight was a visit to the Delta Flight Museum near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Participants discovered the history of aviation and visited the museum’s hangars.

Students from all campuses participated in the search for solutions group activity. Each student team identifies an engineering problem and a possible solution. Issues included ways to increase mobility for seniors and improve water quality in a park. Using an engineering design process, participant teams developed a design and prototype of their solution.

They then created a presentation and presented their solution to a team of volunteer judges from the IEEE Educational Activities Pre-College Education Coordinating Committee. Members advised young engineers and scored projects based on perceived demand for the final product or service, students’ passion for their project, design, and the style and effectiveness of their presentation. The best team received a prize.

IEEE Technical Societies and Other Donors

A critical component of the Summer Institute is the offering of scholarships to participate in the program through the IEEE Foundation Educational Activities Scholarship Fund.

IEEE Societies and Councils that funded 45 students include Computational Intelligence, Computer Science, Electronics Packaging, Industrial Applications, Ocean Engineering, Photonics, Power and Energy, Power Electronics, Robotics and Automation, Signal Processing, and Solid-State Circuits.

Their support enabled more students to participate in the program and strengthened IEEE’s role in training future innovators and leaders.

“Before attending summer camp, I didn’t know if I was cut out to become an engineer,” said one fellow. “But after my wonderful experience at the IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute, I am sure this will be the right career path for me.”

Another recipient said, “Now that I have experienced all disciplines of engineering, I am better educated in the field as a whole. I have all the information I need to choose a specific field in which to pursue a career.

“To the people who funded my scholarship, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. The only reason I was able to experience a great city in California and become more independent while staying in a college dorm is because of you.”