Illinois engineering hosting WYSE summer camps

In an effort to foster high school and middle school students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the University of Illinois College of Engineering is once again hosting summer camps through its Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Program (WYSE). 

The camps provide high school students the opportunity to further explore those interests through advanced instruction, demonstrations, classroom presentations, hands-on activities, and interactions with students, staff, and professors in a variety of engineering disciplines. The week-long residential camps also allow students a taste of the collegiate experience at one of the top engineering schools in the world. 

While many students have an interest in engineering, they often don’t understand the possibilities of each discipline. To that end, WYSE camps offer Discover Engineering (Grades 9-10) and Exploring Your Options (Grades 11-12). There are other camps that are designed focused or geared toward a specific discipline (such as nuclear, plasma, & radiological engineering, mechanical science & engineering, or bioengineering). 

WYSE is also continuing a number of girls-only camps (formerly called GAMES or Girls’ Adventures in Math, Engineering, and Science), each with a focus on a single discipline from robotics to bioengineering to environmental engineering and sustainability. There is also a week-long Girls Learning About Materials (GLAM) day camp for middle school girls.

The WYSE camps have a merit-based admissions process that includes opportunities for financial assistance. Cost for each residential camp is $1,000 and covers housing, meals, snacks, classes, lab materials, field trips, evening recreational activities, and a t-shirt. The GLAM camp is free. For more information or to register for WYSE summer camps, email wyse@illinois.edu, or call 217-300-7603.