2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering and Technology plays an important role in the advancement and prosperity of any nation. Currently, the gender diversity statistics in engineering presents a dismal picture. Study shows many examples of STEM events focused for secondary school girls are affective in creating a direct pipeline for STEM programs. This paper explains a community service through conducting a week-long online engineering and technology summer camp for high school girl students at a higher education institute. The camp was supported by a grant from federal agency, and it was free for participants. Paper will explain which factors should be considered by faculty members who plan to arrange such camps, which practices are found affective and what lessons are learned.
The summer camp was designed to introduce high school students engineering and technology along with college life in general. It had 18 participants. Camp was conducted remotely through online synchronous sessions. Material required to perform hands-on activities was shipped to students. Camp involved learning robotics, 3D printing, drones, and electric circuits. Each day of camp involved one of PIs sharing her/his research, industry, and educational experiences, to introduce camp participants to many options that await them in a particular area of engineering and technology. Student workers also shared their experiences about choosing a career in technology, college life, and future vision. PIs and student workers also gave remote visits to laboratories and show demos. Finally, PIs gave training about engaging hands-on activity related to his/her major which camp students can perform. Camp participants then performed such activity with the help of student workers. Camp participants took anonymous online pre and post camp surveys which were approved by IRB. Overall, the camp was very well received by the attendees. The paper will present the results of surveys took by camp participants.