Summer. For some its a time for fun in the sun. For others, it might be a time to learn new things. But College of Engineering summer campers get to combine the two.

Each summer middle and high school students attend programs throughout the state to discover what engineering is all about. BAE hosts several of these camps each year: a weeklong bioenergy systems camp, a weeklong ecological engineering camp. Rising juniors and seniors populate the weeklong bioenergy systems and ecological engineering camps.

The students conclude their busy weeks of camp with a presentation to share what they have learned with their family and peers.

Bioenergy Camp

Students in the biosystems and bioenergy camp spent the week working in the lab and touring facilities in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. They learned about the challenges and opportunities of bioenergy through the perspective of biological and agricultural engineering. This included creating bioenergy from food-based oils from corn oil to soybean oil.

Ecological Engineering Camp

Students in the ecological engineering summer camp spent each day focusing on a different area of biological engineering. This included field trips to a wetland, aquaculture facility and Kure Beach. They worked hands on with the equipment used every day by biological and agricultural engineers such as Arduinos to test for soil moisture content.