Introducing High School Students to Engineering Fundamentals by Four Weeks Engineering Innovation Summer Program

Preparing high school students for engineering disciplines is crucial for the sustainable scientific and technological developments in the USA.This paper discusses a precollege program, which not only exposes students to various engineering disciplines but also enables them to consider engineering as their profession.The four-week long "Engineering Innovation (EI)" course is offered every year to high school students by the Center for Educational Outreach, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University.The EI program is designed to develop problem-solving skills through extensive hands on engineering experiments and projects.A team consisting of an instructor, generally a PhD in Engineering, and a teaching fellow, generally a high school science teacher, closely work with students to pedagogically inculcate basics of core engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, materials, and chemical engineering.EI values independent problem-solving skills and simultaneously promotes team spirit among students.A number of crucial engineering aspects such as professional ethics, communication, technical writing, and understanding of common engineering principles are instilled in high school students via well-designed individual and group activities.This paper discusses the model of the EI program and its impact on students learning and