STEM Enrichment Courses
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The STEM Enrichment Courses aim to challenge and excite highly-motivated students from grades 9 through 12 in various areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Led by upper-undergraduate and graduate engineering students, students explore advanced engineering topics and the range of projects engineers work on in order to build a better society. Students will realize what it means to be a well-rounded engineer in this community-oriented, remote and accessible virtual environment.
PROGRAM FORMAT
Each course will run for four Saturdays and consist of live sessions and practical demonstrations. Students will also be invited to participate in optional activities that focus on degree and career exploration, personal development, and community-building.
2021 COURSES
Artificial Organs and Tissue Engineering
In this course, you will learn about the use of tissue engineering, stem cells and transplantations in therapies and gain scientific understanding of artificial organs. The objective of the course is to introduce both advanced research areas and basic concepts in artificial organs which has become increasingly popular in healthcare. If you sign up for this course, you will be guided through a series of activities and simulation and learn how to perform complex analyses, generate hypotheses, understand scientific papers, and communicate their findings.
Design a Sustainable World
How can we engineer our environment and repurpose the Earth to support life? Every year, Earth’s resources are consumed 50% faster than they can be replenished, and, with predictions that the world’s population will grow to 9.8 billion by the year 2050, it’s clearer now than ever that we need solutions to human overconsumption. This course will explore increasingly relevant and interdisciplinary concepts in sustainability, from technological design to economics. With an appreciation of the complex nature of sustainability, you’ll then have the opportunity to use engineering design principles to develop and propose solutions that address this global catastrophic risk.
Think Like an Engineer!
Have you ever wondered how engineers find solutions to many of humanity’s problems? In fact, our entire species depends entirely on engineered artifacts to function—but many of us are not aware of the engineering practices and techniques that brought us to this point in modern society. In this course, you will gain an appreciation for the nature of engineering, and undertake a project to develop an innovation that will solve a problem in your own life. Together, we will also explore how the role of an engineer has evolved from the ancient world to our current era—and subsequently show how human needs have always been met by engineering. With a newfound understanding of the rigorous engineering design process and systems thinking, you will be able to conquer any challenge!
Manufacturing and Computer-Aided Design
In the manufacturing industry, the devil is in the details, meaning that small design flaws can have a huge impact in the final quality of a product. In this course, you will not only become experts in 3D modelling using computer aided design (CAD) software such as Fusion 360, but also learn how to effectively design components for various manufacturing processes to ensure top quality products. Throughout the course, you will go through several tutorials on using Fusion 360 to design products in different industries, and learn how to modify design to accommodate limitations of different manufacturing processes. During the course, you will be given the opportunity to design a product from scratch and go through the process to bring your design to fruition.
Thermodynamics: Studying the Hot and Cold
Do you know how insulated bottles keep your drinks warm for hours in the cold winter? In this course, you will learn how heat interacts with systems and their surroundings. The first and second law of thermodynamics may be simple in principle, but they are widely used in real world applications. Throughout the course, you will find that theories that you have learned in high school physics classes matter in real life. By the end of the course, you will learn about thermodynamic cycles that set the foundation of engines, refrigerators and air conditioners. If you are passionate about physics, you will not want to miss this opportunity.
Artificial Intelligence and the World
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by a spreadsheet and all the numbers? This course will introduce you to powerful tools for processing, visualizing and modelling large quantities of data. You will be introduced to linear and ensemble methods and learn how to fit, tune and test a computational model. At the end of this course, you will be able to make predictions on infectious disease outbreaks, sports performance, forest fires, or even video game outcomes!
SCHEDULE
Dates:
Session One: January 30, February 6, 20 & 27, 2021
Session Two: March 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2021
Each course will be offered twice, with a start date of either January 30 or March 6, and last for 4 weeks. Students will meet on Saturday during their course for two 1.5 hour sessions with a half-hour break in between.
Grade 9 & 10 Courses
2:30 PM – 4 PM
(30-minute Break)
4:30 PM – 6 PM
Grade 11 & 12 Courses
10 AM – 11:30 AM
(30-minute break)
12 PM – 1:30 PM
FAQ
The STEM Enrichment Courses require no more than 3 hours of participation per day. There will be two (2) live sessions per day, each session is 90 minutes (1.5 hours).
As all sessions for specific grades start at the same time you are not able to register for two sessions with the same start date.
Yes, you can! However, it is advised that you do not register for the same course that you participated in over the summer as it will cover very similar content.
Please Note: The course "Predicting the Future with Data" is comparable to the summer 2020 course "Artificial Intelligence and the World". If you have already taken the "Artificial Intelligence and the World" we do not recommend registering for "Predicting the Future with Data".
U of T has compiled a list of Recommended Technology Requirements for Remote/Online Learning. Students taking part in STEM Enrichment Courses will need a computer (tablets are not recommended), internet access with a minimum download speed of 5Mbps, speakers, and microphone (or headset).
Yes, we do. A completed bursary form is required to be considered for a bursary. Note that if your 2019 notice of assessment doesn’t reflect your current situation due to COVID-19, please explain your current situation further in the form linked above.
PROGRAM FEES
$95 per course
If you have questions about High School STEM Enrichment Courses:
Contact us at outreach@engineering.utoronto.ca
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