Explore Morning Workshop Tracks
Check out the workshop tracks below to explore which best fits your interestss before you register!
Track 1: BioSleuths & Smart Solutions
Become molecular detectives and biotech innovators!
Molecular Detectives: Finding the Causes of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
Participants will get a taste of how microbiologists identify drug resistance in bacteria and determine its causes. We will spend some time in my research lab to learn a few basic lab techniques and try out the tools and equipment we use to measure important bacterial phenotypes like survival and growth. We will also look at real DNA sequencing data and talk about how we use DNA sequencing and genetic engineering to understand antibiotic resistance.
Facilitated by: Scarlet Shell
STEM Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
Designing “Smart” Medicines that Fight Infections
Have you wondered how medicine knows when to start working? The secret is in the “smart” coating! In this workshop, you’ll become Chemical Engineers and design clever, “smart” coatings for medicines that find and fight infections in a hands-on activity. We will observe how coatings for medicines act like a package with a mailing address to keep medicines safe and help them figure out where to go. We’ll then dive into the world of bacteria and learn about the protective fortresses bacteria build called biofilms. We will learn how Chemical Engineers use maps of these fortresses to design sneaky ways for medicines to break through bacteria fortresses and fight tough infections. Designing “smart” medicines can help people with infections get healthy faster!
Facilitated by: Christina Bailey-Hytholt & Elizabeth Stewart
STEM Discipline: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Track 2: BioFlow & H2O
Dive into the science of flow, inside the body and across the planet!
How to Unclog a Blocked Blood Vessel
Blood vessels are like tiny pipes that carry blood, oxygen, and nutrients to every part of the body. Just like a kitchen or bathroom drain can get clogged, our blood vessels can also become blocked. Once clogged, that part of the body will die quickly. In this workshop, participants will explore how engineers and scientists use biomaterials and 3D printing to create an important medical tool called a vascular stent to open up a blocked blood vessel so blood can flow again. Participants will also get to see how doctors place a stent inside a vessel using a very thin wire and a tiny balloon (called a catheter).
Facilitated by: Courtney Brady and Nina Chen
STEM Discipline: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Eco-Water Solutions for a Sustainable Tomorrow
In this workshop, participants will engage in various hands-on activities to learn about and apply different water treatment technologies. They will learn how to design, operate, and optimize processes to implement water treatment solutions within specific constraints or scenarios. Participants will collect data during experiments and analyze the results to draw conclusions about water treatment effectiveness. Participants will be presented with real-world water treatment challenges and asked to come up with solutions using the knowledge gained from the experiments. Because this workshop will take place in a laboratory, students must wear appropriate personal protective equipment to do this workshop. For safety reasons participants MUST wear long pants and closed-toed shoes. We will provide hard hats, gloves to keep you clean, and safety glasses to keep you safe.
Facilitated by: Laila Abu-Lail
STEM Discipline: CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL & ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING
Track 3: Bots & Beams
This workshop track shines a light on robots and the physics of light, lenses and surfaces!
Lego Robot Coding and Recycling Challenge
Join us for a fun, hands-on workshop where you’ll explore LEGO robot coding and robotics concepts. Take part in the exciting Recycling Challenge, where you’ll creatively rebuild and repurpose LEGO robot to promote sustainability and innovation!
Facilitated by: Samruddhi Naukudkar and RBE Graduate Students
STEM Discipline: ROBOTICS
STEM Illuminated: Discovering Light and Materials
Hands-on exploration of how light interacts with the world around us! Investigation of the fascinating properties of light and materials—why some images seem to disappear, how eyeglasses help us see clearly, and many more. We’ll experiment with ultraviolet (UV) light, infrared (IR) cameras, and more in this illuminating journey into the science of optics!
Facilitated by: Kateryna Friedman
Stem Discipline: PHYSICS