Adventures in STEM: Research Centers at the University of Tennessee Host Summer Camp for Local Middle Schoolers
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The National Institute for Modeling Biological Systems (NIMBioS), the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment (ISSE), the Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks (CURENT), and the University of Tennessee (UT) collaborated this summer again to host the annual “Adventures in STEM” camp, where middle school students learned the basic concepts of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related concepts linking math, engineering, and sustainability through fun, hands-on activities, teamwork, field trips and engagement with scientists and engineers. The camp took place July 8-12, 2024.
The camp, designed for rising seventh through ninth grade students, involved activities focused on chemistry, physics, electric circuitry, renewable energy, transportation systems and more. Its goal was to introduce students to the interdependencies of organizing, managing, and running a complex supply chain, particularly in events of uncertainty. Generous financial support given by ISSE and ClearLoop, a Nashville-based solar energy company, along with additional support from NIMBioS, enabled the three centers to host this active learning experience.
The mornings were filled with chemistry and physics related activities, including tie-dying shirts, an egg drop challenge, and making a solar s’more oven. Afternoons were filled with activities about circuits, magnetism, and electric motors.
At the beginning of the week, ClearLoop visited to share with the students about how solar energy impacts our life and workforce development. They built solar critters using mini solar panels. As the camp progressed, activities included explorations related to chemistry, biology, wind power, clean energy, sustainability and transportation.
Later in the week, students toured the UT Veterinary School and the Kao Innovation and Collaboration Studio, where they got to take home some 3D printed keychains designed by UT students.
The camp established a collaborative model between academic, industry, and community partners, including educators, STEM graduate students, public school teachers, and field experts. Campers had the opportunity to learn about real-world applications and how science and technology might shape their future.
“STEM camps offer students a chance to explore diverse scientific fields in an environment that encourages hands-on activities rather than traditional classroom learning. I was excited to see what this year had in store for the participants,” Kristen Mecke, NIMBioS project manager, said.
“Science can relate to a lot more things than I thought, like going outside and seeing the biodiversity of ecosystems, but also getting to learn more about the engineering and building part. The camp helped me expand my definition of science,” said Kevin, a rising 8th grader from last year’s camp.
Adventure in STEM had its 11th anniversary this year. CURENT and NIMBioS worked together on hosting Adventures in STEM from 2011-2019 and 2023-2024, with additional support from ISSE this year and last, with the goal to reach more girls and boys from local communities.
Dr. Chien-Fei Chen, who has hosted STEM education outreach programs for more than 12 years, stated, “We appreciate the local community’s word of mouth about our program, and it is a joy to watch students learn through fun activities and engagement with new people. Early exposure to STEM education is key to sparking their interest, especially middle school-aged students. I wish I had had this opportunity when I was young.” She also highlighted the ongoing gender imbalance in engineering and other science fields, emphasizing, “Engineering, math, and science should be gender neutral. These fields are for women and anyone else who might be interested.”