Engineering Investigations Session 1

The Engineering Investigations (EI) program is designed to provide an introduction to various different disciplines within the broad field of engineering. Many of the significant challenges facing society involve engineering -- from clean water, to renewable energy, to personalized medicine. As Engineering is a diverse field with multiple sub-fields and many possible career pathways, this program will provide students with an overview of many different disciplines within engineering to broaden their understanding of the field and highlight the multiple ways engineers work and impact the world! The set of Engineering Investigations (EI) activities throughout the two weeks balance presentations, discussions, and hands-on activities to keep the students actively engaged in understanding the fields of engineering while simultaneously getting their own exposure and experiences in doing engineering themselves. In addition to participants hearing from researchers, students, and industry professionals about their work in research, design, and entrepreneurship, students will apply these same concepts and ideas to their own hands-on projects. Each day will include activities designed to introduce and explore fields of engineering such as Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Human Factors Engineering, and Electrical Engineering while also considering the concepts of engineering design processes, engineering ethics, client-centered design, engineering project management, and fabrication. The program culminates in students working in small groups to take a deeper dive into an area of engineering they find engaging through the process of developing a final product or presentation. This culminating engineering project will be publicly presented during a final Project Showcase and documented within students personal digital portfolios of the session.