CEN boot camp introduces high school students to the many applications of mechanical engineering

What are the areas that Mechanical Engineers pursue? How can you design, build, and test an aerial vehicle? How can you control a robot? How can you design a Mechanical Element and build it using  a 3D printer? What are microcontrollers and how are digital signals generated? What do traffic lights and fire alarms have in common? To learn the answers to these questions and more, 30 students from 19 high schools around the UAE took part recently in a mechanical engineering boot camp organized by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at American University of Sharjah (AUS).

During the five-day event, students used an Arduino inventor's kit, a great way to get started with programming and hardware interaction with the open-source electronics platform and software. Students were tasked to design and implement a traffic light, a digital switch system and a fire alarm system. They also used a 3D printer and Autodesk to design and create a quadcopter, developed their computational thinking skills by creating graphical algorithms then building and programing functional robots using the LEGO EV3 robotics kit, and learned the basic concepts of microfluidics with hands-on activities during which students designed microfluidic chips using laser machining. Employing a robotics kit and programming their own algorithms,  students competed in a set of challenges. They also learned how to build and program a mechatronics system.

“Mechanical engineering can lead to careers in many essential fields, including mechanical design, manufacturing, aerospace, robotics, mechatronics, and thermal and renewable energy. Through this workshop, we wanted to give students an idea about the various opportunities this field offers and broaden their horizons as they approach their final years in school. This was a hands-on workshop that allowed students to experience university life and what it is like to be an engineering student and gave them space to follow their passion and explore different career opportunities. Students also explored our state-of-the-art labs ,” said Wasim Al-Masi, Lab Instructor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and head of the organizing committee.

Asal Ghassan, a grade 11 student at Dubai International School Al Quoz, said the boot camp helped her understand the importance of mechanical engineering. “I was introduced to the many aspects of this field through wonderful teachers and welcoming students at AUS. Everything that I experienced was lovely and I do look forward to joining more upcoming boot camps AUS organizes,” she said.  

Retaj Mohammad, a grade 11 student at American International School, described her experience: “It was an honor for me to join the boot camp and I had a lot of fun learning about new concepts. It was a new experience for me to see how most of the daily objects we use are made.”

For Rand Emad, a grade 12 student at Al Ma'arifa International Private School, the mechanical engineering boot camp was an exceptional  experience that she said exceeded her expectations. “It helped me gain a better understanding of mechanical engineering and see the field through a series of hands-on experiences. The various labs we've been to were well-equipped to get us immersed in the world of mechanical engineering. Also, it was clear  that a lot of hard work was done in the organization of the boot camp, which was evident in the informative lectures and the activities. The instructors were also helpful and nice, and they answered all the questions we had. It's definitely an experience that I'd like to repeat sometime in the future!,” she said. 

The AUS Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a bachelor’s degree program and a master’s degree program in mechanical engineering. The department is also heavily involved in the master’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering and the PhD degree in material science and engineering. The department’s 15 state-of-the-art labs in a variety of specializations offer students hands-on experience and practical knowledge. 

 For more information about these programs, please visit www.aus.edu/cen/bsme.