K-12 Outreach

In conjunction with the College of Engineering, CCEI helped coordinate the first High School Engineering Research Internship Program at the University of Delaware. This highly competitive 8-week internship program gave 23 future engineering majors the opportunity to conduct research under the mentorship of a faculty member, staff scientist or postdoctoral student.

For many of these 11th and 12th grade students, this internship was their first work experience. To enhance the professionalism and laboratory skills of these budding researchers, the program also included student development trainings and workshops on topics such as:

• Laboratory safety training
• E-mail etiquette
• Ethics in engineering and science
• Creating effective research posters
• Writing technical reports
• Resume building

At the end of the summer, the interns had the opportunity to share their experience by participating in a poster session at a Summer Finale Reception. At this event, the interns explained their research to faculty, graduate students and program sponsors.

CCEI and the College of Engineering are excited about the success of this new program and look forward to hosting a second High School Engineering Research Internship Program next year. For more information, please visit the High School Research Internship Program page on the UD College Engineering website.

Engineering Cool Stuff Camp

For the past two years, CCEI has provided activities for the Engineering Cool Stuff Camp at University of Delaware. During this week-long day camp, 12- to 16-year-olds are immersed into the world of engineering through laboratory tours and learning activities provided by several different engineering departments.

CCEI staff and students have educated approximately 200 campers about the field of chemical engineering, the benefits of biofuels and the research goals of the center. These interactive camp sessions provided by CCEI engage students in learning by facilitating discussions on alternative energy and giving campers the opportunities to perform hands-on activities.

In 2011, the sessions were led by CCEI undergraduate researchers, who were eager to share their knowledge with the campers. During the first part of the hour-long activity, CCEI undergraduate researchers gave a presentation about the benefits of biofuels, different types of biomass conversion and the role catalysts play in the process. Campers then investigated the properties of catalysts by conducting experiments that examined the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using yeast. During the experiment, the young scientists gained experience following a procedure, recording data, making predictions and drawing conclusions.

Engineering Spring Break Camp

University of Delaware’s 2011 Engineering Spring Break Camp for 4th – 6th graders exposed campers to many engineering topics through different themes each day. CCEI staff led several camp sessions that were focused on nanoscience and renewable energy.

CCEI introduced campers to the properties of nanoparticles through an activity that investigated surface area. Using tofu, campers measured the surface area of a block as they cut it into smaller and smaller pieces. At the end of the demonstration, campers discovered that even though the volume of tofu had remained the same, the surface area increased as the number of particles increased. In a second nanoscience session, campers became engineers as they explored the world of nanotechnology. Campers were given the task of creating waterproof fabric (cotton socks). Using the engineering design process, campers developed a product, created prototypes and tested their waterproof socks. The session concluded with a discussion about nano waterproofing technology and the hydrophobic effect.

CCEI also led a camp session about biofuels and biofuel production. After a discussion about biofuels and how they are different from fossil fuels, campers performed ethanol fermentation experiments to determine which biomass (corn syrup or granulated sugar) produced the most amount of biofuels.

Smyrna High School’s AP Science Program

CCEI analyzed samples of biodiesel created by Smyrna High School’s AP Biology and AP Chemistry classes. Using gas chromatography, the composition of each sample was determined and compared. The analysis allowed students to determine the energy content of their samples and also identify impurities in the fuel.

Click here to see a summary of the biofuel analysis.

Society of Science Scholars

The Society of Science Scholars, established in September 2010 in conjunction with Newark High School, is a guidance and mentorship program that offers students insight into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. The club meets every two weeks and has more than 30 members. CCEI graduate students have encouraged club members to pursue an engineering degree by giving presentations on their research and discussing career path decisions.

What In The World Program

In the past, CCEI has partnered with the Delaware Business, Industry and Education Alliance by participating in the “What in the World” outreach program. Local pre-college students are introduced to careers in science, math and technology by local volunteers, such as our CCEI graduate students. The goal of the program is to stress the usefulness of science and engineering, educate students about renewable energy and inspire them to pursue their interests in these subjects.

CCEI graduate students provided basic lessons on chromatography and ethanol production, exposing more than 500 students to the field of chemical engineering and educating them about careers in alternative energy.