Eureka! Summer Camp 2024: Where fun meets STEM
This past July, almost 70 youths took part in Eureka! Summer Camp, organized by the Faculty of Engineering & Architectural Science (FEAS) and supported by the Faculty of Science (FOS) and Toronto Metropolitan University Athletics.
Historically, the fields of engineering and science have been influenced by ideas about gender-based roles and lacked representation by equity-deserving groups. Eureka! Camp is one of the many ways FEAS’ Outreach team aims to engage children early in their education and empower a new generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators.
Every week of Eureka! Camp featured fun, innovative, and engaging exercises that helped each camper see their world in a new light. Through engineering workshops, campers learned how to make Do-IT-Yourself lava lamps, use open-source electronic (Arduino) programming to code blinking LEDs, build LEGO bionics and prosthetics, and design a roller coaster. The fun continued in science workshops, as campers made silly putty, decorated lab coats, created a mini-ecosystem in a plastic bottle, and explored endothermic and exothermic reactions. With such a variety of workshops, campers could explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in different ways and find their area of interest.
What makes Eureka! Camp truly unique is that workshops are primarily led by current FEAS and FOS students, helping to bring together different generations to explore and celebrate STEM. Engineering camp counselor, Claire Barnes, said, “As a leader, it truly was the most inspiring thing seeing students come to camp every day with a smile on their face. I can say with confidence that the future of STEM is in unbelievably bright hands.” Fellow engineering counselor, Nishaa Badar, added, “I have been able to learn so many valuable skills that I will be implementing throughout my future academics and professional career.”
Image credits: Kinsley Fazzari
About FEAS Teaching and Outreach
The FEAS Teaching and Outreach team actively partners with schools, and other youth-oriented organizations, to inspire and educate the next generation of STEM students. We run in-classroom workshops, and on- and off-campus events, with our engineering students and alumni as mentors and educators. We also equip teachers with resources to promote STEM within their classrooms.
If you would like to join, host, or sponsor an outreach initiative, please contact Minakshi Suri, Engineering Outreach Coordinator at minakshi.suri@torontomu.ca