Build a robot, design a bridge
Are you thinking about a career in engineering? Are you intrigued by complex math and science problems? At our summer youth engineering program you will have an opportunity to explore the many disciplines of engineering as you live and work on a college campus. Whether your field of choice is mechanical, robotic, chemical, electrical or civil, the NSLC has a workshop for you.
Explore this program:
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Interactive Career Simulations
The summer youth engineering program uses an interactive approach to learning that gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in the challenging complexities of mechanics, robotics and technology. Working with outstanding professors and engineering professionals, you and your team will design a bridge that can withstand the elements and build a robot that will operate underwater. Each day will offer hands-on activities and intriguing puzzles to solve.
Meet Engineering Professionals
While at the NSLC, you will meet with and learn from leaders in the many engineering disciplines. In past years, those in our summer engineering programs for high school students have heard from special guest speakers including the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Engineering and the Director of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board at the National Academies.
- Mr. George Levin, Director of the Aeronautics & Space Engineering Board, The National Academies
- Mr. George Banker, Operations Manager, ARMY Ten-Miler
- Mr. Edgar A. Domenech, Deputy Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- Mr. Bill Nott, Lockheed Martin
College-Level Curriculum
At the NSLC, you will enjoy college-level lectures on a variety of engineering disciplines. The lecture series will give you a foundation of knowledge that is vital for your success; not only during this summer youth engineering program, but as you determine your future career path in engineering.
Topics include:
- Chemical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rollercoaster Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
Leadership Workshops
At the heart of the NSLC is a leadership curriculum designed to build concrete leadership skills that will help you succeed. From the beginning of your youth engineering program you will learn to work as a team during an exciting Ropes Challenge Course. Interactive lectures and small-group workshops will give you an opportunity to build upon your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
Leadership topics tailored to the summer youth Engineering program include:
- Personality Styles and Group Dynamics
- Conflict Resolution
- Negotiation and Effective Presentations
Trips & Tours
An important part of the NSLC youth engineering program is seeing the sites around some of our nation’s greatest cities. These trips are designed as both sightseeing tours and exclusive educational trips specifically tailored to the area of Engineering:
Washington, D.C.
- The National Institute of Science and Technology
- U.S. Department of Energy
- The Smithsonian Institution
- National Air & Space Museum
- Baltimore Harbor
- Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division
San Francisco, CA
- The NASA Ames Research Center
- Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center
- California Academy of Sciences
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- Exploratorium
Chicago, IL
- Museum of Science & Industry
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab
- Chicago Materials Research Center
- Willis Tower
- Navy Pier
- Magnificent Mile
- Six Flags
Atlanta, GA
- Georgia Tech Engineering Laboratories
- Corporate Site Visit
- World of Coca-Cola
- Georgia Aquarium
- Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Sample Schedules
Washington, D.C. Sessions
San Francisco Sessions
Chicago, IL Sessions
Atlanta, GA Sessions
Washington, D.C. Sessions
Day 1
- Registration
- Campus Tours
- Opening Ceremony
- Reception
- TA Group Orientation
Day 2
- AU Credit Option
- Ropes Challenge Course
- Leadership Series: Group Dynamics & Personality Matrix
- Lecture: Chemical & Biological Engineering
- Pizza Night
Day 3
- Visit University Laboratories
- Lecture: Aerospace Engineering
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Guest Speaker
- TA Group Meeting
- Social
Day 4
- Goddard Space Center
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Environmental Engineering
- Washington at Night Tour
- Jefferson Memorial
- FDR Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Vietnam War and Korean War Memorials
- Iwo Jima Memorial
Day 5
- Visit University Laboratories & Guest Presentation
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Leadership Series: Communication
- AU Credit Option
- Cake Social
Day 6
- Capitol Hill and the Smithsonian Institution
- Congressional Visits
- Library of Congress
- Air and Space Museum
- National Gallery of Art
- American History Museum
- And many more
- Dinner at Historic Union Station
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- College Life Panel
Day 7
- Maryland Science Center
- Leadership Series: Project Management
- Guest Speaker
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Civil Engineering
- Social
Day 8
- Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Computer Engineering
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Guest Speaker
- Baltimore Harbor
Day 9
- AU Credit Option
- Leadership Series: Making Presentations
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Dance
Day 10
- Final Presentations
- Closing Ceremony
- Final TA Meeting
San Francisco Sessions
Day 1
- Registration
- Barbeque Lunch
- Campus Tours
- AU Credit Option
- Opening Ceremony
- TA Group Orientation
Day 2
- AU Credit Option
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers – Intro to Robotics
- Leadership Series: Personality Matrix
- Engineering Project: Air Pressure Rockets
- Mission Impossible
Day 3
- Ropes Challenge Course
- Leadership Series: Psychology of Group Dynamics
- Lecture: Aerospace Engineering
- Engineering Project: Exploring Wind Energy and Wind Turbines
Day 4
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Mechanical Engineering
- Facility Visit: Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center at UC, Berkeley
- Field Trip: Pier 39
- Social
Day 5
- AU Credit Option
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Leadership Series: Communication, Dialogue, and Discussion
- Lecture: Civil Engineering
- Field Trip: Six Flags
- Social
Day 6
- Engineering as an Undergraduate Presentation
- Engineering Project: Trebuchets
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Facility Visit: Exploratorium
- Field Trip: Fisherman’s Wharf
Day 7
- Leadership Series: Goal Setting & Time Management
- Guest Speaker
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Biomedical Engineering
- Corps of Engineers: Initial Robot Testing
- Social
Day 8
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Computer Engineering
- Corps of Engineers: Final Robot Testing
- Final Presentations
- San Francisco Cable Cars & Fisherman’s Wharf
Day 9
- AU Credit Option
- Facility Visit: Intel
- Field Trip: San Jose & San Pedro Square
- Leadership Series: What I’ve Discovered Is
- Final TA Meeting
- Social
Day 10
- Closing Ceremony
- Departure
Chicago, IL Sessions
Day 1
- Registration
- Campus Tours
- Opening Ceremony
- Reception
- TA Group Orientation
Day 2
- AU Credit Option
- Ropes Challenge Course
- Leadership Series: Group Dynamics & Personality Matrix
- Lecture: Chemical & Biological Engineering
- Pizza Night
Day 3
- Lab Visit: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
- Lecture: Aerospace Engineering
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Guest Speaker
- TA Group Meeting
- Social
Day 4
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Environmental Engineering
- Navy Pier
Day 5
- Visit University Laboratories & Guest Presentation
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Leadership Series: Communication
- AU Credit Option
- Mission Impossible
Day 6
- Chicago Materials Research Center
- TA Group Activity: Exploring Wind Energy – Wind Turbine
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- College Life Panel
Day 7
- Magnificent Mile
- Leadership Series: Project Management
- Guest Speaker
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Civil Engineering
- Social
Day 8
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Computer Engineering
- Guest Speaker
- Willis Tower at Night
Day 9
- AU Credit Option
- Leadership Series: Making Presentations
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers – Robotic Challenge
- Dance
Day 10
- Final Presentations
- Closing Ceremony
- Final TA Meeting
Atlanta, GA Sessions
Day 1
- Registration
- Campus Tours
- Opening Ceremony
- Reception
- TA Group Orientation
Day 2
- AU Credit Option
- Ropes Challenge Course
- Leadership Series: Group Dynamics & Personality Matrix
- Lecture: Chemical & Biological Engineering
- Pizza Night
Day 3
- Lab Visit: Georgia Institute of Technology
- Lecture: Aerospace Engineering
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Guest Speaker
- TA Group Meeting
- Social
Day 4
- Georgia Aquarium
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Environmental Engineering
- Centennial Olympic Park
Day 5
- Visit University Laboratories & Guest Presentation
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Leadership Series: Communication
- AU Credit Option
- Mission Impossible
Day 6
- Lab Visit: Georgia Institute of Technology
- TA Group Activity: Exploring Wind Energy – Wind Turbine
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- College Life Panel
Day 7
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site
- Leadership Series: Project Management
- Guest Speaker
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Civil Engineering
- Social
Day 8
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Lecture: Computer Engineering
- Guest Speaker
- World of Coca-Cola
Day 9
- AU Credit Option
- Leadership Series: Making Presentations
- Engineering Simulation: Corps of Engineers
- Dance
Day 10
- Final Presentations
- Closing Ceremony
- Final TA Meeting
