UBCO's School of Engineering faculty has tailored creative engineering camps for students from Grade 1 through high school.
The purpose of the camps, says Senior Instructor Yang Cao, is to encourage kids to think about careers in science, engineering, technology and mathematics.
The Geering Up programs, targeted specifically to children in elementary and middle schools, are all about making science technology and engineering hands-on fun. Along with a variety of activities, campers participate in demonstrations, tours, outdoor events, and design challenges. The camps are taught by experienced university students who are filled with passion for their field of study.
Geering Up programming includes activities such as a CSI-themed day of the science behind crime scenes, building periscopes, a zip-line car design challenge, polymer bouncy balls, coding in Scratch, and building Lego Mindstorm robots. There is also a program focussed on computer science and one that will introduce young minds to chemistry and biology.
The Geering Up girls-only version encourage young female students to discover and explore their love of science and engineering. More information about Geering Up can be found at geeringup.
For high schools students there's DiscoverE or the Stewards in Engineering Education (SEED) summer programs.
DiscoverE gets into general design processes through civil, electrical and mechanical engineering projects. SEED students will participate in cutting-edge research projects with the goal that they will, in turn, share their experiences with their peers the following school year. Information about both these programs can be found at: DiscoverE.