Texas A&M Summer STEM Camp Preps Young Engineers
Texas
A&M University's civil engineering department has
wrapped up the second annual CampBUILD,
a project-based summer camp that brings high school students to campus for a week of finding
real-life
solutions to challenges involving science, technology, engineering and
math
(STEM).
"Project-based learning is a highly effective
approach," said
Texas A&M Civil Engineering Department Head Robin Autenrieth. "Added
benefits are the things we can't teach them, like the value of
collaboration,
critical thinking and confidence."
The 75 students accepted for the program came from
all over
Texas, as well as schools in California, Colorado, Illinois and Ohio.
Although
records for academic achievement were important, so was the fact that
many of
them did not have access to engineering courses.
"We need a civil engineering professional that has
experienced
and appreciates this richness," said Associate Professor Kelly
Brumbelow, "and
we selected a group of campers that spans these ranges."
Throughout the week, the students participated in a
number of
hands-on experiments, tours and competitions. Among other things, they
saw
clean water drip from a filter they had built themselves, a truck smash
into a guard
rail during a crash test, and the intricacies of building a stadium that
will
safely seat 100,000 football fans.
"I really recommend you come to CampBUILD," said
Sachse High
School Junior Makysia Goodwin of Sachse, TX. "You meet people you never
thought
you'd be friends with, and you learn so much beyond engineering."
The additional good news for Texas A&M is that
high school
students like Goodwin may end up on its campus one day. Of the 20 high
school
seniors who attended last year's inaugural CampBUILD, 13 will enter
Texas
A&M this fall as freshmen, 11 as engineering majors.
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.