Engineering & Cybersecurity Workshops

This five-session bootcamp introduced students to the basics of engineering and CAD through hands-on activities and engaging lessons. Students learned about possible engineering careers and simple machines like levers, pulleys, inclined planes, and gears, and how they are used to make work easier. They also explored core physics concepts such as motion, force, and energy, and saw how these ideas connect to real-world engineering problems. Using tools like Onshape, students practiced computer-aided design and tackled creative challenges including bridge-building and gear modeling. The bootcamp also offered an introduction to machine learning and other building activities. Overall, students gained a strong foundation in engineering and design while building teamwork and problem-solving skills.

This workshop introduced students to the basics of Arduino and mechanical engineering. It began with a brief overview of what mechanical engineers do, working in fields like robotics, biomechanics, and thermal-fluid systems, and described exciting college clubs that they could join such as Formula SAE, Battle Bots, and lunar rover design teams. Students then learned about Arduino microcontrollers, including how to identify digital and analog pins, understand signal types, and safely power their boards. A live Tinkercad simulation of the expected circuit was screen-shared on a large front screen for reference, while four student volunteers with laptops were stationed around the room to help troubleshoot. Using the Arduino IDE, students uploaded and modified the classic Blink code, then built their own external LED circuits with resistors and breadboards. They also explored how changing code affected blinking frequency and learned to use buttons and toggle states to control LEDs. To wrap up, they were given a creative challenge requiring them to apply what they learned and troubleshoot their own circuits, leaving the workshop with a strong foundational understanding of Arduino hardware and programming. This workshop took inspiration from Dr. Kuska at the Colorado School of Mines.

This hands-on workshop involved the iOLab device kit and software to explore sinusoidal motion and wave behavior through mass-spring and sound experiments. Each kit included an iOLab unit, spring, hanger, and accessories needed to measure position, acceleration, and sound using built-in sensors like the accelerometer and microphone. Students collected and analyzed real-time data to understand concepts like amplitude, period, and frequency in a fun, interactive way (presented two times). 

Each year, a group of high school robotics experts conduct a condensed robotics engineering crash course for girls with limited opportunities and resources who are passionate about STEM. This year, due to a citywide power outage, we could only cover the fundamentals of programming and CAD design (Presented Three Times).

This series of four cybersecurity workshops introduced students to the foundations of digital security through interactive lessons and guided activities. Using a combination of hands-on demonstrations and virtual machines, students explored topics like encoding, hashing, encryption, Linux commands, and basic networking. They practiced real-world skills such as navigating the terminal, managing packages, and understanding IP addressing in an engaging, beginner-friendly environment. A member of Northeastern University’s cybersecurity club also joined to discuss practical strategies for staying safe online. Most slides are modified versions of materials from Irvington High School’s Cybersecurity Club and CYBER.ORG.

In this workshop, students built simple Brush Bots and Art Bots using motors, batteries, glue sticks, and markers. We guided them through each step of the process, explaining how vibrations caused by an uneven spinning motor create motion. As the bots moved, the attached markers left unique patterns across the paper. Participants worked in pairs, learning how to troubleshoot issues and improve their designs as they built. Throughout the session, we encouraged creative thinking and problem-solving, helping students engineer solutions when their bots didn’t work as expected.