It’s A Girl Thing

This week-long residential program is designed to provide a fun and introductory engineering, science and technology experience for girls entering 7th and 8th grades. Attendees will be exposed to the various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers and encouraged to explore their personal interests through group projects and design competitions.

Dates: June 14-18, 2010

Ages: Applicants should be entering 7th or 8th grade in August, 2010.

Cost: $325 – includes housing, meals, t-shirt, activities, and all supplies (Fee will be refunded if not selected to attend)

Capacity: Camp is limited to 30 students (if camp is full you can request to be placed on a waiting list)

PROCESS FOR APPLICATION

• Complete the on-line registration form (if you are unable to complete the form on-line call 573-341-7286 and request an application be mailed to you)
• Print, sign and mail the General Permission Form, Agreement & Release of Liability Form, and Youth Health Statement Form
• Mail all forms and payment (if not paying online by credit card) made payable to the Missouri S&T within 14 days from the date of your registration.

Please note: Submitting the registration form does not guarantee acceptance or hold your place in camp. Registration is not complete until all forms and payment of $325 have been received; these must reach the MS&T office at least 14 days after your registration. If not received by then, your registration will be canceled.

Cancellation Policy: Persons wishing to cancel their registration must do so in writing by May 1, 2010 to receive a refund. Requests for refunds will be charged a $30 processing and cancellation fee. No refunds will be given after May 1, 2010. Please allow three to four weeks for processing refunds.

Helpful Links:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Tentative Agenda
• Travel Information & What To Bring

Dates

The one-week ASM Materials camp offers rising junior and senior high school students with an aptitude for math and science interested an opportunity to learn about the field of materials science and engineering, and opportunities for careers.

Students actively explore materials science and engineering principles through a combination of mini-demonstrations, field trips, and group projects. Past projects have included microelectronic circuitry, friction-stir welding, ceramic magnets, metal casting, glass processing, heat treatment and mechanical property evaluation, plasma-spray deposition and others.

Activities include:

• Group projects
• Visits to labs and local industries
• Guest presentations
• Design-build contests

Eligibility: Participants must be rising high school juniors and seniors in Fall 2010. Acceptance to this camp is selective. Students should have a strong interest in applied science.

Fees & Registration: Participation is FREE; however, students must apply and be accepted into the camp. The camp will cover room and board, meals, educational materials and activities. The only expense is travel to and from Rolla, and incidentals throughout the week.

Application Process: Application Deadline is May 31, 2010.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. APPLICATION FORM (downloadable pdf)
2. School Transcript - Unofficial transcript is OK
3. Maximum of two (2) letters of recommendation
4. Personal essay of 200 words or more that states why you want to be selected to participate in Materials Camp. Please include your planned college major and career plans. Essay can be included in your online application.

Submit all information to (via email, fax OR snail mail):

Jeane Deatherage
ASM Materials Education Foundation, Materials Park, OH 44073
jeane.deatherage@asminternational.org; FAX 440/338-4634

For more information about ASM Materials Camp and how to apply, please visit the Website or http://mse.mst.edu/academic/programs.

How are student selected?

• This is a competitive application process. Students are asked to describe why they want to learn more about engineering and materials science as a possible college major and career.

• Each application will be reviewed to select the “best and brightest” — highly motivated students who have not yet made a firm decision about a college major or career.

• Students must have a strong interest in applied science. Prior participation in science fairs is helpful.

What will I do?

• Have fun. Our number one goal is to make applied science an exciting, fun experience.

• Solve a technical problem. Students work in small groups to investigate various aspects and applications of engineering metals and ceramics.

• Learn to use state-of-the-art research equipment in an engineering laboratory under the guidance of experts.

• Visit several materials-related industries.

Transportation: Participants must provide their own transportation to and from Missouri S&T. University transportation will be provided to and from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport for out-of-state participants.

Cancellation Policy: Missouri S&T reserves the right to cancel any program in the event of insufficient registrations, severe weather or natural disaster. In the event of cancellation, registrants will be notified immediately via email and phone, and all fees will be returned in full. Persons wishing to cancel their registration must do so one week (7 full days) prior to the first day of their chosen program. No refunds will be made after this date.

Registration Contact: Dr. Ron Kohser, Materials Science & Engineering, 224 McNutt Hall, 1400 N Bishop Ave, Rolla, MO 65409; Phone: 573-341-4734 ; Fax: 573-341-6934; E-mail: rkohser@mst.edu

Girls Go Green 2010

This live-in week long camp will give students the opportunity to explore career options that help society while protecting the environment. Attendees live together in a residential hall, meet current female student leaders and professors, participate in team projects and field trips, and explore the science and engineering behind a green environment. Check the Camp Overview for more info.

Dates: July 25-30, 2010

Ages: Applicants should be entering the 11th or 12th grades in August, 2010.

Cost: $325 – Includes housing, meals, t-shirt, activities and all supplies.  Fee will be refunded if not selected to attend.

Capacity: Space is limited to 25 students (if the camp is full you can request to be placed on a waiting list)

Please note: Submitting the registration form does not guarantee acceptance or hold your place in camp. Registration is not complete until all forms and payment of $325 have been received; these must reach the MS&T office at least 14 days from the date of your registration. If not received by then, your registration will be canceled.

Registration Cancellation Policy: Persons wishing to cancel their registration must do so in writing by June 1, 2010 to receive a refund. Requests for refunds will be charged a $30 cancellation fee. No refunds can be given after June 1, 2010. Please allow three to four weeks for processing of refunds.

• Complete the on-line registration form (if you are unable to complete the form on-line call (573) 341-7286 and request an application be mailed to you)
• Print, sign and mail the General Permission Form, Agreement & Release of Liability Form, and Youth Health Statement Form
• Mail all forms and payment (if not paying online by credit card) made payable to the Missouri S&T.

Helpful Links:

• Camp Overview
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Travel Information and What to Bring
• Tentative Agenda

Please check the Website for more, and updated, information.

High school students throughout the United States are invited to participate in NASA’s Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, or INSPIRE, through the program’s Online Learning Community.

Applications are being accepted through June 30, 2010. NASA will make selections for the program in September.

Those selected will participate in an online learning community in which students and parents have the opportunity to interact with their peers and NASA engineers and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade-level educational activities, discussion boards and chat rooms. Participants and their families also gain exposure to the many careers and opportunities at NASA.

Students selected for the program will have the option to compete for unique grade-appropriate experiences during the summer of 2011 at NASA facilities and participating universities throughout the nation. INSPIRE is designed to encourage students grades 9 through 12 to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The summer experience provides students a hands-on opportunity to investigate education and careers in those disciplines.

INSPIRE is part of NASA’s education strategy to attract and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines critical to NASA’s missions.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Website.

Description:

The Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience, or INSPIRE, is a multitier year-round program designed for students in ninth to 12th grades who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers.

The centerpiece of INSPIRE is the Online Learning Community, or OLC. The OLC provides a place for INSPIRE students to interact with their peers, NASA experts and education specialists. Through grade-level-appropriate educational activities, chats and discussion boards, students and their families are exposed to the many careers and opportunities NASA has to offer. In addition, the OLC provides the parents/guardians of participating students with resources designed to help them champion their child’s education and career goals.

To ensure all students have an opportunity to participate in the OLC, those who qualify for the National School Lunch Program are eligible to receive a free laptop.

To be considered for the INSPIRE Online Learning Community, applicants must:

• Be entering the ninth through 12th grade when the school year begins.
• Be at least 13 years of age or older at the time of application.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have a minimum of a 2.5 academic grade point average on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
• Demonstrate the desire and the academic preparation to pursue a STEM-related field of study beyond high school.
• Complete the online application process with all required documentation.

Members in good standing with the INSPIRE OLC have the opportunity to compete for grade-appropriate summer STEM experiences. The summer STEM experience is designed to provide hands-on opportunities to investigate education and careers in STEM at a NASA facility or a Space Grant Institution/University. Each summer experience, except the Collegiate Experience, will take place at the NASA facility within the student’s service area. To locate the NASA facility in your service area, please see the “NASA Facilities and Service Area” section below.

Explorer Experience: INSPIRE OLC participants in the ninth grade may compete for The Explorer Summer Experience. Selected applicants and their parents/guardians receive a trip to the NASA facility within their service areas, where they will participate in a VIP tour and workshop. The visit occurs the summer between the students’ ninth- and 10th-grade school year.

Collegiate Experience: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 10th grade may compete for The Collegiate Summer Experience. Students selected participate in a two-week on-campus experience at a Space Grant Institution/University. Students are chaperoned by the host institution where their exposure to college life is designed to improve study skills and encourage the pursuit of higher education and careers in STEM areas. NASA INSPIRE will pay round-trip travel expenses for those students who live more than 100 miles from the college or university providing this experience. In addition, the college or university provides lodging, meals, supervision and educational activities. The Collegiate Experience occurs the summer between the students’ 10th- and 11th-grade school year.

Residential Internship: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 11th grade may compete for the Residential Internship Summer Experience. Selected students participate in a paid, eight-week internship under a NASA mentor at the NASA facility within the students’ service areas. During the internship, students are provided:

• A stipend based on minimum wage for the state in which the NASA facility is located and a lunch allowance.
• Meals and housing at a location within commuting distance from the NASA facility, typically a nearby college dormitory.
• Daily transportation to and from work and required project activities.
• Have a minimum of a 3.0 academic grade point average on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
• Supervision and mentoring by scientists and engineers at the NASA center during working hours.
• Interaction with qualified, experienced and highly motivated professional educators who provide supervision and implement the enrichment activities and cultural activities during non work hours.

Pre-College Internship: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 12th grade who have been accepted to attend a college or university to pursue a STEM degree may compete for the Pre-College Internship Summer Experience. Selected applicants participate in a paid, eight-week internship with a NASA mentor at the NASA facility within their service areas. During this internship, the student receives a stipend and is then responsible for making all lodging, meals and transportation arrangements.

To be considered for a summer STEM experience, INSPIRE Online Learning Community participants must at a minimum:

• Be an active participant in the INSPIRE Online Learning Community.
• Have a 3.0 academic grade point average on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
• Submit updated transcripts, recommendations and parental consent forms, and other documentation as instructed.

Note: Depending on funding availability, not all summer experiences may be offered every year.

The open application period for NASA’s INSPIRE 2010 – 2011 OLC is from May 3 to June 30, 2010. Students may apply online.

Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is a national science competition for students in grades 5 through 8, encouraging the exploration of science and innovation among America’s youth and promoting the importance of science communication. Over the past ten years, more than 600,000 middle school students have been nominated to participate in the competition, and winners have gone on to speak in front of members of Congress, work with the nation’s top scientists, and pursue academic careers in the sciences.

How To Enter

Students are challenged to create a one- to two-minute video about a specific scientific concept that they will select from a list of concepts provided by YSC judges. Video entries will be due May 27, 2010.

Video entries must demonstrate the student’s understanding of the scientific concept explained and should also exhibit his or her comfort level discussing science in general.

Over the summer, judges will review the video submissions and choose up to 51 semifinalists: one from each state and the District of Columbia.

The Finals

In the fall, 10 finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the competition finals, consisting of a series of scientific challenges designed for students in grades 5 through 8. Finalists will be judged on their scientific problem solving and communication skills.

Prizing

America’s Top Young Scientist will be awarded $50,000 in U.S. savings bonds (a $25,000 cash value), and other finalists will receive exciting prizes.

For more information, and online registration, please visit the Website.

Parents, teachers, businesses and community groups in Eagle River, Wisconsin are collaborating with the SME Education Foundation and partner Project Lead The Way (PLTW) in bringing the Gateway Academy and its world of engineering summer camps to Northland Pines High School.

The co-ed, weeklong Gateway Academy program introduces 6^th – 8^th grade students to the basics of engineering in a fun and exciting environment. PLTW-certified instructors lead students in projects and activities related to engineering disciplines. Students brainstorm ideas, solve problems and learn the basics of engineering concepts involving alternative energy, eco-design, robotics, aerodynamics and manufacturing in a hands-on, project-based environment.

The Foundation and PLTW are dedicated to filling the pipeline with highly-trained and skilled workers to meet the demands of emerging technologies in the next ten years. In 2009, the SME Education Foundation held 237 Gateway Academies and reached over 4,800 students in 28 states. Their goal is to increase to 300 Gateway Academies in 2010. For more information about the Gateway Academy program, contact Project Lead The Way.

For more information on this specific Gateway Academy, contact Scott Foster, principal, Northland Pines High School, Eagle River, Wis. (715) 479-4473, ext. 2013, sfoster@npsd.K12.wi.us or Lance Schultz, technology & engineering instructor, Northland Pines High School, Eagle River, Wis. (715) 479-4473, ext. 0601, laschultz@npsd.K12.wi.us

More on the Gateway Academies and related programs can be found here.

About the SME Education Foundation

Created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in 1979, the SME Education Foundation has provided more than $29 million since 1980 in grants, scholarships and awards through its partnerships with corporations, organizations, foundations, and individual donors. Visit www.smeef.org and award-winning Website for young people www.ManufacturingisCool.com for more.

Dates

Girls Summer Engineering Experience (Girls SEE)

The Lyles College of Engineering at California State University, Fresno, is offering central San Joaquin Valley high school girls an opportunity to attend the 2010 Girls Summer Engineering Experience (SEE), a week-long day camp for high school girls interested in engineering or construction management. Structured hands-on activities, speakers, technical workshops and field trips, will make this a fun filled educational experience for all participants.

Girls SEE, which runs July 12-16, is available to girls entering grades 10-12. Applications are due by May 28, 2010 and notification of acceptance into the program will occur by June 4, 2010. Activities are designed to build upon leadership skills while promoting a female science- and math-based community.

Applicants must submit:

• Completed application form.
• Unofficial high school transcript.
• One-page personal statement demonstrating passion for science and mathematics.
• Letter of recommendation from an instructor.

Click here for the online application, or visit the Website.

Cost of the camp: $250, ($200 for Girls SEE Alumni)

For more, and updated, information, please check the Website, or contact: Lisa Craig, Pathways, Student Services, Lyles College of Engineering; 559.278.1076; girlssee@csufresno.edu

Everybody can envision the “Eureka!” moment of invention, when the idea suddenly strikes and—BOOM—there’s a new product ready to change the world. Spark!Lab, the newest hands on space for families and others visiting the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, shows the real story behind an inventor’s work.

For online access, visit the Spark!Lab Website for activities and experiments, inventor profiles, and a list of resources.

What is Spark!Lab?

Spark!Lab is a hands-on invention activity center where visitors learn that invention is a process and that everyone is inventive. The fun activities incorporate history, science, engineering, technology, and art to help kids and families learn about the history and process of invention. Young visitors can play games, conduct science experiments, explore inventors’ notebooks, and even invent! Lab bench experiments are offered at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

Where is Spark!Lab?

Spark!Lab is located on 1 West of the National Museum of American History on the National Mall. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, every day except December 25.

What age group should visit Spark!Lab?

Visitors of all ages are invited to visit. Most activities have been designed for children ages 6-12, though younger and older visitors can also learn from the wide range of activities. Spark!Lab has a section designed especially for children under the age of 5 and their parents/caregivers, though these children are invited to explore the rest of Spark!Lab under adult supervision. Children under the age of 13 must have an adult with them in Spark!Lab.

Are there school programs in Spark!Lab?

There are no scheduled school programs in Spark!Lab, but teachers are invited to visit with their groups on a space-available basis. Groups larger than 15 students can be split into smaller groups and rotate through Spark!Lab and several other exhibitions in the Museum. For more information about planning a group visit, please contact sparklab@si.edu or see http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/educators/visiting.cfm.

Who can participate in the lab bench experiments?

Anyone is welcome to participate in the lab bench activities. For safety reasons, children under the age of 5 must have an adult accompanying them.

When are the lab bench experiments offered?

Experiments are held at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m., although the schedule may be altered according to other programs and events at the museum on a given day. Check the Spark!Lab schedule on the day you visit.

A sampling of Spark!Lab’s online experiments and activities:

Design and Play a Drum: Make a drum from materials available at home or school. Look in your recycling bin for inspiration.

Invent a Musical Whirligig
Since antiquity, people have used their imagination and common materials to invent toys, many of them active, kid-powered, and noise making–like the whirligig.

Make a Yo-Yo from Recycled Stuff

Thomas Edison said, “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” With these words of wis dom in mind, we challenge you to create your own yo-yo using items found in your recycling bin

When:

The College of Southern Maryland, La Plata campus will be using the popular VEX Robotics Competition Clean Sweep game in their Senior division robotics competition. The Junior division is called “The Save the Bay Robotics Competition,” and it consists of eight robotic challenges designed to mimic the types of tasks a robot would accomplish if it was cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. The Junior division is for elementary and middle school students, while the Senior division is for high school students.

This is a regional event that draws teams from Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia. Registration is by invitation. Please contact the college for information on attending. Visit their website for more information.

Turn your trash into treasure and be on TV! The PBS Design Squad Trash to Treasure Competition Challenge invites kids ages 5-19 to recycle, reuse, and re-engineer everyday materials into an out-of-the box invention.

The invention should do one of these things:

• Move things or people, or
• Protect the environment, or
• Be used for indoor or outdoor play

Get Started

1. BRAINSTORM some ideas. Look at the world around you for inspiration. What problems do you see that your invention could help solve? Need help Brainstorming? Check out last year’s winning invention: The Home Dome.

Next, think about these questions:

• What’s the name of your invention?
• What is it made of? Remember, you have to use at least two different recycled materials (“trash”).
• What does it look like? How does it work?
• How does it make the world a better place?
• How did you come up with your idea?

Prizes

Three winners will come to Boston to see their designs built by Continuum, a design consultancy. Winners will appear on the Design Squad show and Web site.

25 FINALISTS will be featured on the Design Squad Web site.

DOWNLOAD the Contest Flyer (PDF)

Read the Official Rules and visit the Website for complete information

]]> http://students.egfi-k12.org/contest-trash-to-treasure-pbs-design-squad/feed/ 1 http://students.egfi-k12.org/students-summer-science-and-engineering-alfred-u/ http://students.egfi-k12.org/students-summer-science-and-engineering-alfred-u/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:00:07 +0000 als http://students.egfi-k12.org/?p=6189 2010 Summer Institute in Engineering: Engineering the Elements - Polymers and Electronic Ceramics. This exciting residential program at Alfred University, June 27-July 1, 2010, offers students in grades 11 and 12 an opportunity to learn more about engineering; to sample life on a college campus; and to meet other students with similar interests and academic ability. Students will participate in hands-on lab experiences focusing on polymers and electronic ceramics. Cost: $795. Application Deadline: April 16, 2010]]>

Dates: June 27-July 1, 2010. Level: Grades 11 and 12. Location: Alfred University, New York. Cost: $795. Application Deadline: April 16, 2010

The Program: This exciting residential program is an opportunity to learn more about engineering, to sample life on a college campus and to meet other students with similar interests and academic ability. Students will participate in hands-on lab experiences focusing on polymers and electronic ceramics.

Polymers, both natural and synthetic, have unique properties based on their chemistry and physics.

• Understand how the absorbency of diapers relates to contact lenses and environmental cleanup while quantifying and modeling the water uptake.
• Experience the extreme variability of polymer viscosity via student-created slime and consider the effects of viscosity from “molasses in January” to personal armor protection.

Electronic ceramics, aka “solid state” electronics are fundamental to 21st-century life.

• Get a good vibe from ceramics by building a piezoelectric buzzer and understanding the interrelationship of ceramics to speakers, headphones and sonar (bat, dolphin, & naval).
• See how mundane processes like screen printing are applied to high end electronics by building your own touch pack. Check out the hidden electronic insides of consumer products: computers, MP3 players, hard drives, Xbox, etc.

As a concluding activity we’ll use cryogenic temperatures to illustrate some key concepts from chemistry & engineering, e.g., to break rubber and make ice cream.

Who Can Attend? This dynamic camp is designed for high school students who have completed their sophomore or junior years, The number of participants is kept small (20-25) to allow for individualized attention and optimal use of equipment.

Schedule: Students attend classes during the day and enjoy recreational activities in the evening. Living, dining and learning together, students have ample opportunity to get to know each other well and develop lasting friendships. View a sample weekly schedule >>>

Further information, including a detailed program schedule and driving directions to campus, will be sent to all students upon acceptance.

Faculty: Classes are taught by distinguished faculty of Alfred University’s Inamori School of Engineering, assisted by advanced AU graduate students. Dr. Steve Pilgrim, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Dr. Walter Schulze, professor of Ceramic Engineering and Materials Science, are Co-Directors of this institute and will serve as the primary instructors.

Activities: When not in classes, students have lots of fun participating in recreational activities. Living, dining and learning together, students have ample opportunity to get to know each other and develop lasting friendships. Sample activities include:

• Indoor and outdoor games
• Movies
• Visits to a nearby lake for a picnic or campfire
• Swimming
• Hikes
• Hayrides
• Social gatherings at the Terra Cotta Coffee House
• A farewell party on the last night

Supervision: Out-of-class supervision is provided by our team of Resident Directors (RDs) and Resident Assistants (RAs), who are specially trained to serve as camp counselors, positive role models, mentors and friends.

Tuition, Room and Board: The institute fee is $795* (includes a $100 deposit). This covers room and board from dinner on the first day through lunch on the last day, tuition, supervision, program materials and recreational activities. Students stay in residence halls (2 per room). Students must provide their own pillows and bed/bath linens for the week. Meals are served in the campus dining hall.

The $100 deposit must be submitted with the application. Full payment of the balance ($695) is due May 28, 2010. Each participant is responsible for transportation, incidentals and extra nights or meals. If, for any reason, a participant must be sent home early, all expenses will be paid by the student/parents.

*There will be a $30 charge for checks returned for insufficient funds.

How to Apply
Students who wish to apply must return:

• A completed application form
• Copy of an up-to-date transcript or most recent report card
• Two letters of recommendation from H.S. teachers (on official school stationery)
• A one-page essay telling us why you would like to attend this institute (in your own words, with your signature at the bottom)
• A $100 deposit (non-refundable unless student is not accepted into the program).

Application materials must be submitted by April 16. (Later applications may be considered only if space is available. Please call 607-871-2612 to check availability after the deadline.)

Send to: Office of Summer Programs, Alfred University, Saxon Drive, Alfred, NY 14802 or fax to 607.871.2045. Please send all items in one packet. Incomplete or illegible applications cannot be considered. (If you fax the application form and materials, please call us at 607.871.2612 to make sure we receive them and that all is readable.)

Cancellation Policy
Refunds, less the $100 non-refundable deposit, will be made for cancellations received by June 4. 50% refunds will be made for cancellations received from June 5-18. We cannot make refunds to students who cancel after June 18 because we must hire staff, purchase materials, arrange for meals and confirm classroom and housing space long before the start of our summer programs. We base all of these arrangements on the number of students accepted into each camp or institute and cannot make changes after contracts are signed and commitments are made.

Financial Aid
Sorry, there are no scholarships or other forms of financial aid available for students in any of our summer programs.

Questions?
For further general information contact the Office of Summer Programs at 607.871.2612. A copy of the institute application is available in pdf form at application. If you are not able to open it, please contact us and we will send or fax one to you.

For specific information concerning class content, please contact Institute Directors Dr. Steve Pilgrim at 607.871.2431 (email), or Dr. Walter Schulze at 607.871.2471 (email).

View AU Summer Institutes Video >>>

For more information, please visit http://www.alfred.edu/summer/camps/science.cfm.

Date

JHU Robo-Challenge 2010

Team registration is closed, but the public is invited to join in the fun.

The JHU Robo-Challenge is a day long competition for high school and middle school students consisting of five individual robotics challenges, speakers on robotics, tours of the Hopkins campus and the robotics buildings, and lots of prizes.

Some teams will program small robots to move from a starting point to a finish line, passing though a series of “gates.” Others must equip their robots with sensors so the devices can find their way through a mystery maze. Still other teams will be required to locate “tumors” (large dark circles) within an enclosure representing the brain and send out a signal each time a tumor is discovered. Judges will be graduate and undergraduate students from Johns Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering.

Last year, twenty-two 3-member teams from Maryland middle and high schools put their high-tech skills to the test in the second Robotic System Challenge. The event will be supervised by Johns Hopkins engineering students who are officers of the Computer-Integrated Surgery Student Research Society. The event is funded by the Johns Hopkins-based National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Computer-Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology.

The event is designed to excite pre-college students in educational and career opportunities in engineering and science. This is the only medical robotics outreach competition in the nation for pre-college students. Funding from the Alumni Association enables underprivileged students to participate by loaner robotic kits. In addition to the contests, there will be a plenary lecture on science and engineering in college presented by an instructor at a pre-college engineering summer camp and also a campus tour that includes the new home of the Laboratory for Computational Science and Robotics, a world-class research facility where students will be able to see first-hand groundbreaking robotics research. Admissions materials will also be available for interested students.

For more information, please see the Website

Dates

Illinois Aerospace Institute summer camp – IAI

IAI is a one-week residential program for students grades 9-12 interested in learning about the fields of aerospace engineering and aviation.Though most of the students who attend are from the Midwest, students come to us from all over the U.S. and internationally. Many have some sort of experience with the aerospace field, through model rockets, remote control airplanes, or having a family member who is a pilot, but no experience is necessary; just an interest in learning about the field of aerospace engineering.The Institute is held on the campus of the University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign. Students stay at in a University Residence Hall with live-in camp councelors. Students will learn about a variety of topics regarding aerospace engineering through classroom sessions, laboratories, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.

COSTS: The $700 fee includes lodging, all meals, and instructional costs. A deposit check for $100 must accompany the application. The deposit check will be refunded if the application is not accepted. The $600 balance is due June 11, 2010. A $10.00 cancellation fee will be accessed if the cancellation occurs after acceptance. No refunds will be made after June 11, 2010. Limited financial aid is available based on need.

TO APPLY: Applications must be postmarked by April 15. Enrollment is limited, so register early.

The Illinois Aerospace Institute is sponsored by the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois and NASA’s Illinois Space Grant Consortium. To apply, send the completed application form, along with:

• List of coursework in math and science, including grades
• Letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher
• Letter describing your interest and experiences in astronomy, aviation, or aerospace

• $100 deposit using one of the following payment options:

• Pay by check made payable to: The University of Illinois
• Pay by credit card via the National Space Grant Foundation and include a copy of your receipt

Please see the Website for more, and updated information.

Date

Robot Fest 2010

Saturday, April 24, 10am-3pm
Free Admission

Robot Fest is a free, one-day annual event that promotes creativity, technology, engineering and the sciences. RobotFest is for students of all ages and for those with the unquenchable urge to create new, previously unseen forms from lifeless electronics and mechanical parts of metal and plastic.

In the early years we focused on the demonstration of robotic projects, but more recently we have expanded into realms where technology is used in any creative fashion. We welcome the hackers, hobbyists, and makers, and those who are not content to sit back and watch yet another screen, be it on a phone, handheld, laptop, desktop or TV. If you are inexplicably drawn to sites like makezine.com, hackaday.com and instructables.com, we want you. See something new. Ask questions. Awaken your creative instinct.

“History of the Nation’s Defense Electronics.” National Electronics Museum, Inc., 1745 West Nursery Road Linthicum, Maryland. Phone: 410-765-0230

The 2010 Hydrogen Sprint will be held at the Florida Solar Energy Center, May 1, 2010.

The Hydrogen Sprint provides hands-on opportunities for high school students, grades 9 – 12, to explore the emerging scientific technology of hydrogen power. Students are challenged to design and build a high performance model sized vehicle which demonstrates the potential of hydrogen fuel.

• Students work in teams of 2 – 6 students per team.
• Vehicles are designed and constructed around a small PEM fuel cell with open design and material parameters.
• Hydrogen for the fuel is produced by electrolysis powered by photovoltaics.

Resources

The approved PEM fuel cell for the 2009 Hydrogen Sprint, model 1071036, can be purchased from the Florida Solar Energy Center for $115 or fuelcellstore.com. Registration is $40 per team, and is due one month prior to the event.

Competition rules for the Hydrogen Sprint.

Hydrogen Sprint Supplemental activities

How to enter the Hydrogen Sprint

The Hydrogen Sprint is open to all Florida students in grades 9-12. Race teams are to be made up of two to six students with at least one teacher/mentor. To pre-register, fill out the online registration form.

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• Vehicles are judged on technical merit, innovation and speed on a 20 meter track; teams are also judged on their hydrogen presentations.

These are the regional Botball tournaments for which the deadlines have not passed as of March 30. In each case, the deadline for Registration for each tournament is two weeks before each one. The deadline for payment is one week before each tournament. Any team can register for and travel to any tournament. The Global Conference on Educational Robotics will be in July 2010.

Greater DC Botball Tournament

When: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Woodson High School, 9525 Main Street Fairfax, VA, 22031

The tournament will take place in the Main Gym at Woodson High School. Team Sign-In will take place at 8 a.m., with 10:00 a.m. Seeding Rounds, a 1:30 p.m.* Double Elimination Tournament, and a 6:00 p.m.* Awards Presentation. (*These times are subject to change.)

Visit the 2010 Greater DC Botball Tournament webpage for more information.

Greater St. Louis Botball Tournament

When: Saturday, April 24, 2010, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL

The tournament will take place at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Team Sign-In will take place at 8 a.m., with 10:00 a.m. Seeding Rounds, a 1:30 p.m.* Double Elimination Tournament, and a 5:30 p.m.* Awards Presentation. (*These times are subject to change.)

Visit the 2010 Greater St. Louis Botball Tournament webpage for more information.

Pennsylvania Botball Tournament

When: Saturday, April 24, 2010, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Hampton Township Community Center, 3101 McCully Rd., Allison Park, PA, 15101

The tournament will take place at Hampton Township Community Center. Team Sign-In will take place at 8 a.m., with 10:00 a.m. Seeding Rounds, a 1:30 p.m.* Double Elimination Tournament, and a 4:30 p.m.* Awards Presentation. (*These times are subject to change.)

Visit the 2010 Pennsylvania Botball Tournament webpage for more information.

Northern California Botball Tournament and RoboGames

When: Botball – Saturday, April 24, 2010, 8 a.m. – 6p.m., RoboGames – April 23-25
Where: San Mateo Fairgrounds – Redwood Building, 2495 S. Delaware St., San Mateo, CA, 94403

The tournament will take place at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. Team Sign-In will take place at 8 a.m., with 10:00 a.m. Seeding Rounds, a 1:30 p.m.* Double Elimination Tournament, and a 5:30 p.m.* Awards Presentation. (*These times are subject to change.) The tournament will be held in conjunction with RoboGames. Parking at the Fairgrounds costs $8. Botball is free, but there is a fee for RoboGames.

Visit the 2010 Greater St. Louis Botball Tournament webpage for more information.

The Hawaii Botball Tournament – May 1
The Michigan Botball Tournament – May 1
The New York/New Jersey Botball Tournament – May 15