Teens Explore Aerospace and AI at TryEngineering Summer Camp

The IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute, one student participant says, allowed me to gain new experiences and understand the different types of engineering disciplines, and make many great friends and memories that will remain with me."

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

Participating Universities

Columbia, New York City

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Rice University, Houston

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

University of San Diego

Launched in 2018, the Summer Institute is held annually at a number of U.S. universities. The program this year was held on five campuses: the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia; Rice University, in Houston; the University of San Diego; the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta; and Columbia, the newest location, organized in partnership with the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC).

In its inaugural year, more than 80 students participated. This year 311 attended.

Students explored trending technologies including artificial intelligence and microcontrollers. They also took a deep dive into ethical issues facing engineers, what to expect when pursuing higher education, and what STEM careers look like.

Here is an overview of the events that took place at each location.

University of Pennsylvania

The Penn campus provided students with several historical and cultural experiences. Participants visited the Franklin Institute, where an IEEE volunteer explained some of the technologies on display at the science center.

A speaker from the Philadelphia International Airport shared what engineers are doing to keep one of the busiest U.S. airports running smoothly.

Engineers from Salesforce described the importance of creative problem-solving and the expanding 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 hands-on sessions about different technologies and engineering fields.

I enjoyed the microcontroller lessons the most," one participant said, because I was able to combine my computer programming skills with my friend's electrical skills to create something I wouldn't have been able to make on my own.

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

Rice University

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

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 aircraft designs.

I enjoyed the challenges because they were interesting and competitive, helping us develop more critical thinking and teamwork skills," one student said. Another said working with 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 talked about the importance of having an engineering mindset, no matter the industry.

Students spent a day visiting NASA's Johnson Space Center. In addition to a guided behind-the-scenes tour, they got to meet former astronauts, who explained the engineering design of their rockets and gave career advice.

University of San Diego

Students at USD built gliders and tested their designs. They also worked in teams to determine a solution to the toxic popcorn challenge, which involved designing a product and process to safely remove harmful kernels. The students also toured Qualcomm's headquarters.

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

Columbia University

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

Students visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey. Members of the U.S. Air Force and Marines introduced the students to state-of-the-art technology used for rescue missions. The participants explored helicopters and flew drones during their visit.

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

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

Georgia Institute of Technology

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 at no cost. The students stayed on Georgia Tech's campus, attended classes in the Guggenheim aerospace engineering labs, 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 were taught how to think critically and solve problems. They also learned how to work with an Arduino.

Summer Institute students at Georgia Tech, in Atlanta, get ready to test their robotic boat designs in a hands-on engineering challenge.Georgia Space Grant Consortium

Students presented their prototype boats to parents and faculty members, explained how they solved problems, and discussed the challenges they faced along the way.

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

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

Engineers from Siemens visited the students to discuss STEM career paths.

A highlight was a trip to the Delta Flight Museum near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Participants learned about aviation history and toured the museum's hangars.

Students at all the campuses participated in the sparking solutions group activity. Each team of students identifies an engineering problem and a possible solution. Problems included ways to increase mobility for the elderly to improving the water quality in a park. Using an engineering design process, teams of participants developed a design and prototype of their solution.

They then created a presentation and pitched their solution to a team of volunteer judges from the IEEE Educational Activities preuniversity education coordinating committee. The members provided guidance to the young engineers and scored the projects based on the perceived demand for the final product or service, the students' passion for their project, the design, and the style and effectiveness of their presentation. The top team received a prize.

IEEE technical societies and other donors

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

IEEE societies and councils that provided funding for 45 students include the Computational Intelligence, Computer, Electronics Packaging, Industry Applications, Oceanic Engineering, Photonics, Power & Energy, Power Electronics, Robotics and Automation, Signal Processing, and Solid-State Circuits societies.

Their support enabled more students to attend the program and strengthened IEEE's role in shaping future innovators and leaders.

Before I attended the summer camp, I was not sure if I was cut out to be an engineer," one scholarship recipient said. But after my wonderful experience at the IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute, I am sure that this will be the right career path for me."

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

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