Summer Pre-Engineering
This summer, high school juniors and seniors from all over the Chicago area were inspired by instructors from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Armour College of Engineering in a new pre-engineering program held on their Mies (Chicago) and Rice (Wheaton) campuses. The program was developed to provide an opportunity for high school students to explore their interests in engineering and to learn about the broad range of engineering careers they could pursue in the future.
High school students engaged in hands-on activities, gained insight from guest speakers, and completed engineering challenges individually and in small teams. Participants were able to select their activities from a variety of course modules, including: Introduction to the World of Engineering, Fabrication Studio, Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Sustainability Engineering, and Introduction to Robotics and Automation.
Students learned to use electrophysiology laboratory equipment and software to measure and analyze their own heart, muscle, and brain electrical signals; used 3D printers to demonstrate how rapid manufacturing and prototyping are being used to drive innovation in engineering; tested and analyzed indoor and outdoor air and water quality; and built and programmed robots for a robot maze competition.
Paschen Engineering, a long-time supporter of science and engineering education in Chicago public schools, sponsored a group of Paschen Scholars from Westinghouse College Prep High School in Chicago for a special two-week pre-engineering session, Introduction to Engineering and Fabrication Studio. This two-week session included an overnight stay on campus as well as hands-on activities to develop technical skills, build problem solving techniques, and gain real world experiences.
Illinois Tech Engineering faculty are committed to promoting the importance of STEM education in the high school level and inspire the great minds of tomorrow. The pre-engineering program will continue to be offered next summer and expanded with sessions during the school year. If you are interested in providing your son or daughter with hands-on insight into the world of engineering by participating in the program, sign up for our mailing list.
