Hope for the future: Summer program introduces STEM principles to underrepresented students
Published: Jul 30, 2024 12:00 PM
By Cassie Montgomery
For 45 rising ninth through 12th graders, envisioning themselves as future engineering undergraduates just became that much easier after spending a week at Auburn University enrolled in the Minority Introduction to Engineering (MITE) program. The program, which was first instituted on the Auburn University campus in the summer of 1978 and resurfaced in 2022, introduces the engineering design processes that are used to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges to underrepresented high school students from throughout the state.
“My hope is that students will walk away knowing more than I did about engineering at their age,” said Ben Bowers, McCartney-Chase Highway Engineering Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who served as a MITE program director this summer. “Ultimately, I hope that they join a STEM field such as engineering. While I would love for them to join the Auburn Family as students one day, if they go somewhere, anywhere, and complete a degree in a STEM field, then my goal has been accomplished.”
Bowers collaborated with the Center for Inclusive Engineering Excellence to plan and execute MITE’s week-long summer program that exposed participating students to a wide range of research projects from faculty throughout the college.
“Our team identifies faculty who have interesting research and who are willing to tell their story – storytelling helps them connect with the students,” he said. “Then we expose them to as many of our neat projects as possible. Examples include Dr. Virginia Davis and Dr. Symone Alexander of chemical engineering talking about their research, Dr. Kyle Schulze from mechanical engineering talking about 3D printing and treating diseases, and Dr. Russell Mailen discussing adaptive structures in aerospace engineering. We also toured the Advanced Structural Engineering Laboratory with Dr. Matt Yarnold of civil engineering.
“We like to weave in activities, from making a bioreactor with Dr. Brendan Higgins of biosystems engineering to learning from Dr. Victoria Ballard how industrial engineers can learn about human factors using simulated manufacturing with LEGO cars. The students also got a kick out of a demonstration of drone flight and use in agriculture at Ag Heritage Park from the biosystems engineering department.”
Each year, the organizers choose a theme for the program. This year’s theme utilized LEGOs under the banner “Building Blocks of Life.”
“Many of our activities used LEGOs, such as competitions to make the tallest tower at the most economical price, while also having to survive a shake-table to simulate an earthquake,” Bowers said. “Most students love LEGOs, so weaving in something that they may not have connected with engineering and showing them how it’s a gateway to engineering was a unique element this year.”
For students, MITE offers a chance to experience life as an engineering undergrad – living in dorms, working in groups, problem-solving, interacting with various faculty members. For faculty, the experience offers hope for the future.
“I’m just now seeing my first group of students from previous MITE programs enter their freshman year, and to see their joy and excitement when they show up for Camp War Eagle is icing on the cake,” said Bowers. “This program has a big impact on these students, and it has a big impact on those of us involved as well.”
Media Contact: , cmontgomery@auburn.edu, 334.844.3668
Participants in the Minority Introduction to Engineering program put engineering principles to the test with hands-on activities.
