Students gain practical engineering experience through hands-on projects and real-world site visits, while experiencing college life on the UC San Diego campus.
The Summer Springboard Fundamentals of Engineering program at UC San Diego offers high school students a hands-on, two-week immersion into various engineering disciplines. Participants engage in interactive projects across mechanical, structural, civil, and biomedical engineering, tackling real-world design challenges. Students develop problem-solving, design, and technical skills by creating prototypes such as artificial limbs and scale model structures that adhere to constraints like zoning and budget. The curriculum includes classroom learning, academic excursions to engineering firms and project sites in San Diego, and opportunities to network with industry professionals. The program culminates in a capstone project where students can specialize in an engineering area of their choice, gaining practical experience and a clearer understanding of different engineering pathways.
A typical day includes an academic course in the morning, followed by lunch, and then recreational activities or academic excursions in the afternoon. Commuter students depart around 5pm, while residential students have dinner and evening club activities.
This program is ideal for high school students in grades 9-12 with a 3.0 GPA or equivalent, who are interested in exploring various fields of engineering through hands-on projects and real-world applications.
UC San Diego Campus
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