TechVenturers

TechVenturers

TechVenturers

Summer 2024 Programs || Open to Students Entering Grades 8-10

Week 1: July 8-12, 2024

TechVenturers A. Participants in this program will choose a single, in-depth, weeklong project focused on either bridges/civil engineering or rocketry. All levels of STEM experience are encouraged to apply!

  • Bridge Project - Please refer to the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) page for information about this FREE project (must be a NH resident). Deadline extended to May 21. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

  • Ripping Rocketry Project - In this fast-paced program, students will design, fabricate and test rockets and other air-propelled projectiles! These paper-based pneumatic rockets will be created to complete different missions each day. Some rockets will be used to hit targets, some will be tested on how high they can fly, others on how fast and far they can travel. Students will also explore the history of rocket engineering, as well as the basics of measuring trajectory and accuracy. You'll have a blast learning about rockets!  

Week 2: July 15-19, 2024

TechVenturers B. Participants in this program will choose a single, in-depth, weeklong project focused on either forensic science, RC cars, virtual reality game design. All levels of STEM experience are encouraged to apply!

New & INNOVATIVE!
  • Forensics Project - SpongeBob SquarePants, Bikini Bottom’s fry cook extraordinaire, has vanished! His pineapple was found in total disarray, cold cooking utensils strewn about and the Krusty Krab filled with grief… along with a distinct lack of Krabby Patty goodness. But fear not, you and a team of investigators are on the case! Over the course of this weeklong program, you will get to flex your investigative muscles by using a combination of crime scene analysis, evidence collection, technological savvy and creativity to unravel the mystery of SpongeBob’s disappearance. Along the way you will learn about the identification of counterfeit money, dental forensics, digital forensics (including the use of AI), blood typing and fuming fingerprints. You will also have the opportunity to learn firsthand from experts in the law enforcement field about real-world investigative techniques!
     
  • Virtual Reality Game Design Project - Want to change the world? Let’s build one of your very own! Using an online toolkit, students in this program will create games, escape rooms and interactive stories that others can interact with and experience. Participants will learn how to code/create/test virtual worlds and how virtual and augmented reality is being used in the world today.
     
  • RC Cars Project: Trail to Track - Please refer to the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) page for information about this FREE project (must be a NH resident). Deadline extended to May 21. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Week 3: July 22-26, 2024

TechVenturers C. Participants in this program will choose a single, in-depth, weeklong project focused on regenerative medicine, space travel or internet-based smart technology. All levels of STEM experience are encouraged to apply!.

  • Regenerative Medicine: The Planaria Project - Scientists are beginning to understand how to grow parts of the human body by studying organisms that already have this ability, such as the planaria. Planaria are free-living flatworms that can regrow any lost body part. Students in this program will learn about regenerative medicine and planaria through a variety of hands-on activities in the lab. They will also design and perform an experiment that will determine the environmental factors that influence the ability of planaria to regrow missing body parts. Part of a grant-funded workforce development initiative at UNH called NH CREATES, this program is offered at no cost to participants. All levels welcome!
     

  • Space Camp (But Way Cooler): Mars Edition - Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut and exploring the red planet? Blast off into a week-long adventure where you'll become a Martian pioneer! Build and launch your own model rockets, learn how astronauts live and work in space and the unique challenges of a world without up or down. Strategize how to land your rover safely and prepare for your first steps on the red planet. Design and construct a habitat suitable for long-term living on Mars and figure out what you'll need to survive and thrive. Throughout the week, you'll meet real scientists and engineers who are working on making the dream of colonizing Mars a reality. You'll participate in hands-on activities, solve problems like a real space explorer and make new friends who share your passion for space. So, are you ready to be a Martian pioneer? Blast off with us and take your first steps towards an out-of-this-world adventure! 

New & INNOVATIVE!

  • Electrical and Computer Engineering Project (formerly called "Internet of Things") - This immersive weeklong program is taught by faculty from the UNH Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and explores cutting-edge topics related to circuitry, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and wearable electronic systems. Day one will focus on writing code and developing circuits to perform simple tasks using Arduino and Raspberry PI platforms. Campers will also create their own games using hardware components such as buttons, LEDs, speakers, microphones and various sensors. Day two is devoted to building and programing a mini tank robot while learning about wireless communication protocols, Bluetooth technology, device authentication and message encryption. Day three is all about harnessing the power of AI to identify and track faces, distinguish between different colors and follow lines with precision. Concepts related to image recognition and machine learning models will be explored. On days 4 and 5, students will develop wearable electronic systems and investigate the use of advanced sensor technology, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and learn how to collect and analyze data. 

  • Empowering the Innovators of Tomorrow with Micro:bit, Arduino and Python - This immersive weeklong program hosted by the UNH Interoperability Lab explores the very latest in computer programming and hardware technology. Through a variety of hands-on activities, participants will gain the skills and knowledge needed to program single-board computers such as Arduino, BBC Micro:Bit and Raspberry Pi. They will also be introduced to the basics of the powerful Python programming language and Microsoft MakeCode. Projects include learning how to create a digital painting program, music player and encrypted secret message. Minecraft fans will even learn how to write a Python program to interact with a Minecraft world using a Raspberry Pi. The program also explores how to build the hardware and write the software necessary to create a physical piano and remote-controlled robot, programming both with a controller using MakeCode. Other projects focus on how to use basic electronic components and wire circuits on breadboards. 

Apply Now!

Students are welcome to sign up for multiple sessions, however enrollment in sponsored (no cost) projects will be limited to one sponsored project per camper in order to ensure these program spots go to as many students as possible.