There is a need to build interest in STEM fields for the future workforce, particularly in girls, and the engineers involved in Harvard’s Tech Savvy summer program aims to do just that.
Immersing students in science, manufacturing, robotics and computer science, the engineers at Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) run this program to give middle school students hands-on experience with technology and post-secondary schools from across the Boston area.
Colette Abah, a research fellow with SEAS, introduced the students to soft robotics. Made from flexible materials, these types of robots can do things their more rigid counterparts cannot - and the engineers and researchers studying in this field often look to biological processes for inspiration.
Seeing how the outside world influences science is a big draw for students thinking about going into STEM.
The teams of girls build soft robotic grippers under Abah’s instruction, building their own molds and using liquefied rubber.
“This project made me more aware of the many types of robotics,” said a seventh grade student. “I was surprised by how different soft robots look and feel from the kinds of robots I knew about.”
Nicole Black, a graduate research fellow also studying biologically inspired engineering, taught the students the basics of CAD using a web-based program called Tinkercad, to design and 3D print personalized keychains.
While showing the youngsters the benefits and limitations of 3D printing in manufacturing and research is important, these aspiring engineers may need more than just tools to do their work.
This gets to the heart of why these engineers from Harvard get involved with initiatives such as the Tech Savvy summer program. “It is so important for girls to have female role models in science and engineering,” Black said. “I want them to realize that they could work in these fields someday.”
The week long Tech Savvy program, with workshops hosted by engineering students and researchers from several Boston-area universities, present these girls with many opportunities to learn about different aspects of science and engineering.
From mobile app design to structural engineering, young students have the chance to get a good look at how STEM fields can influence the world around them.
Kathryn Hollar, director of educational programs at SEAS, easily sees the benefit of the program.
“Not only do these girls get to visit different universities and learn about what college is like, but they also get to see how science and technology play a huge role in everyday life,” said Hollar. “Programs like this, which offer hands-on activities, will help keep these girls inspired.”
For more information on what the engineers at Harvard’s SEAS are up to, check out their website.