The UVM/GIV Engineering
is an 7-day summer program for high school students.

Click Here for 2007 Institute Page

The University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences UVM/GIV Engineering Institute -- June 28 - July 5, 2008 Giving Students the Tools & Confidence to Solve Global Problems Together.

Students from all over the United States will explore how technology impacts society while working on one of four engineering projects.

IBM, Hazelett, McNeil Generation Plant, Winooski Hydro, and General Dynamics are locations that will be visited during this Institute.

STUDENTS DOING RESEARCH! Each student will be part of a team of four to create prototypes and posters of research findings. Teams will present their work during a Project Exhibition at the University Mall in South Burlington on Saturday. This exhibition is free and open to the public.

HANDS-ON ENGINEERING PROJECTS

RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS -- Students will pick a project that can range from designing and building a simple stove and measuring its peak power and efficiency, to designing prototype wind turbines to be tested for power, or developing standardized biomass digester designs. Renewable energy systems are a major engineering growth field world wide.

ROBOTICS -- Students will design robots that can do a wide variety of tasks that could include surveillance, food delivery, land mine detection, earthquake survivor location, etc. Note: There is an additional $200 per student lab fee to cover costs for parts. Each students will receive components they can take home from this project to continue their research work.

AERONAUTICAL ATMOSPHERIC PROBES -- Students will build prototype atmospheric probes using parachutes, small balloons, and helicopter principles. Probes will be launched during the Institute using a compressed air cannon with the goal of probes returning to earth as slowly as possible gathering data along the way.

ENGINEERING SUSTAINABILITY -- Students will examine how products are manufactured and packaged, make assessments how products could be offered with less packaging, and contact manufacturers of products with alternative packaging suggestions. Creation of "Package Facts" for labels and sample product labels with package content, post consumer content, etc. will be examined.

SAND ARCHES -- Students will build sand arches during their visit to the Sandbar Beach in Milton, VT from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Arches will be judged for maximum height/width and span.

Guest Speakers

Robots that Heal Themselves -- Josh Bongard, professor of computer science in the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences will present his research which involves robots that can heal themselves. "In the event a robot encounters mechanical problems during a space mission, it would be essential for it to continue its mission without human intervention". Bongard's research was featured on The Discovery Channel in Canada and on the U.S. Science Discovery This Week. To see footage visit: http://www.cs.uvm.edu/~jbongard/Press/2006_11_16_Discovery.wmv.

Special Electrical Presentation! John Cohn, PhD. Distinguished Engineer, IBM Microelectronics, will exhibit the impact of electricity.

Recognition of Outstanding Teachers! Teacher Recognition Night will provide students the opportunity to recognize a teacher(s) that has impacted their life.

Domenico Grasso will present awards to students for winning essays during our opening. Dr. Grasso is Dean of the College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences at The University of Vermont. Prior to coming to UVM, he was the Founding Director of the Picker Engineering Program Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts and Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Environmental Engineering Science. Dr. Grasso has also served as a President of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors and Vice Chair of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board. Dr. Grasso is now Chairing the Governor's Advisory Council on Engineering and the Environment.

STUDENT RECOGNITION CEREMONY - David Gibson, Research Assistant Professor and Executive Director of Global Challenge from the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences will recognize student research projects with certificates for: Sustainability, Benefit to Humanity, Best Design, Cost Benefit and Communications. Students will also be recognized for written Technocratic Oaths that reflect life purpose, as well as for best Poetry reflective of their experience in the UVM/GIV Engineering Institute.

STUDENT FEEDBACK
"I now understand the importance of engineering to the world --to bring access to innovations to all people of the world. -- Erika Hango
"It was a life changing experience"! -- Rachel Borst
"I learned how technology makes a difference in the lives of others and how it can improve the quality of life for all". -- Elizabeth Dulac