The Molinaroli College of Engineering Computing (MCEC) has continued an annual tradition by hosting three camps for middle and high school students this summer.

The Partners for Mentoring in Engineering and Computer Science (PMECS) is a partnership between educators and businesses to provide gifted students academic enrichment in STEM career areas. Established in 1977, PMECS has been conducting annual summer workshops for high school students for nearly 50 years.

The MCEC hosted two one-week PMECS summer workshops last month. The workshops were designed to address the critical need of motivating students to pursue post-secondary engineering and computer science education.

“Hosting the PMECS summer technical workshops every year is critical to sustaining momentum in STEM education among gifted students,” says PMECS Director Willie Morgan. “These workshops offer an early, impactful experience that reinforces the importance of academic excellence in engineering and computer science. Making this camp an annual tradition builds a lasting pipeline of talent ready to take on the challenges of the future in South Carolina and elsewhere.”

For freshmen and sophomore workshops, the focus was introducing students to engineering and computing fields and various career opportunities. Students participated in hands-on experiments and activities that reinforced engineering activities such as a paper bridge challenge and rocket racers.

Junior and senior workshops provided in-depth studies of the various engineering fields with a focus on real, hands-on applications. Some of the activities included solar energy robot lab, fluid mechanics simulation and American Society of Civil Engineers, South Carolina chapter bridge building and design.

Kelsey Griffin, a rising senior at the Academy for Advanced Studies in McDonough, Georgia, has attended multiple PMECS camps and her experiences have increased her interest in STEM.

“When I first came into this program, I wasn't sure of what I wanted to pursue. But I was exposed to so many different engineering STEM projects. Through this program, I've developed knowledge, and I still stay in contact with my mentors. This has inspired me in both school and my future,” Griffin says.

The MCEC also hosted three camps in June and July as part of the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series. The pre-university program is for academically talented rising sixth through 12th grade students.

Adventures in Telepresence Park Ride via Augmented Reality gave students the opportunity to build model amusement park rides and place a camera at the rider’s location. Videos were created from operating the rides and viewed through virtual and augmented reality. Students learned various STEM concepts, including mechanical balance, electricity and soldering.

“The ultimate vision for this project is a STEAM competition with strong community engagement,” says Martin Cwiakala, an instructor at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies in Chapin, South Carolina, who led the program. “A unique feature is that attendees can directly interact with student creations, building connections through shared experience.” 

Adventures in Vex Robotics had two separate week-long camps. Advanced Vex Robotics was held the week of June 15 for rising 9th to 12th grade students. Vex Robotics for rising sixth to ninth grade students was held the week of July 6. Both sessions were hands-on camps that explored robotics through creativity and technology. Students designed innovative robots and capped off the week with a competition against other participants.

“I enjoyed building the robots and programming them because it’s something you can’t do at home or in a classroom,” said one of the participants.

The camps were led by Jonathan Scrivner, an educator who has led integrative STEM learning opportunities for students in a variety of educational settings, including the University of South Carolina. He also leads robotics and aerial drone competition teams at Powdersville Middle School in Greenville, South Carolina.

“Students get an opportunity to explore mechanical and computer science concepts in a fun and engaging setting through gameplay and competition,” Scrivner says. “While they learn some foundational components in robotics, it hopefully paves the way for students if they choose to pursue this area in the future.”