BURLINGTON – Vermont 4-H and the University of Vermont (UVM) College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CMES) are sponsoring a free event for Grade 5-10 students interested in engineering.
Discover Engineering will be held on February 17, on the UVM campus from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The annual event will provide an unparalleled opportunity for youths to meet UVM engineering students, faculty and industry professionals and explore various engineering fields and career pathways through networking; hands-on, skill-building workshops and other activities.
Registration will close on February 7. Early sign up is encouraged as many of the workshops fill up quickly.
The event kicks off with the just-for-fun Engineering Scavenger Hunt where participants will visit exhibit tables staffed by engineering businesses, organizations and student groups to find answers to questions. After lunch, they will take part in their choice of workshops including sessions on Python coding, bridge design, precision measurement and metallurgy (double session), robotics and biomedical engineering and prosthetics.
Participants can also sign up for a double session to learn laser cutting techniques to create designs using sustainable materials and how to optimize 2D materials to build 3D objects. Other options focus on learning the basics of electrical circuits and mechanical principles to build a small-scale car with UVM’s Alternative Energy Racing Organization and exploring the photolithography process used by GlobalFoundries, a semiconductor manufacturer, to make computer chips.
The BSA STEM Merit Badge Day will be held in conjunction with Discover Engineering for registered Boy Scouts and Venturers, ages 11-17. They can work on requirements for badges in composite materials, digital technology, communications, electricity, engineering, inventing, graphic arts and oceanography. Interested scouts should review the BSA STEM Merit Badge prerequisites or check with their Scoutmaster.
Morning refreshments, snacks and lunch will be provided. To register or for additional information, go to edu/extension/youth/announcements. Contact Lauren Traister at (802) 656-7565 by January 26 to request interpretation, translation assistance and/or a disability-related accommodation to participate.
