After spending three years online, the Discover Engineering! Camp celebrated its ninth year with a return to in-person operations. Professor Farzad Shahbodaghlou, the camp’s co-founder and director of the Construction Management Program, took pride in the leadership team for adapting and persevering through challenging times.
This weeklong camp, which served 54 students this year, allows high school students from a number of Bay Area schools to gain experience in the field of engineering on the Cal State East Bay campus in Hayward. In addition to the building project, the participants got a taste of college life by living in the Pioneer Heights dorms and dining at Pioneer Kitchen for the camp’s duration.
For their engineering design challenge, the students were divided into nine teams of six. Within those teams, half the members were tasked with constructing a small bridge while the other half built a rover. At the end of the week, their bridges and rovers were scored after being put to the test with weights and a driving course, respectively. The teams also presented their process and findings on the final day of camp.
The camp is made possible thanks to a partnership with Chevron. Lily Rahnema, a Chevron community engagement manager, said, “The Chevron Richmond Refinery is very excited to have sponsored this camp after having created it in partnership with the CSU East Bay engineering team approximately 10 years ago.” Associate Professor of Engineering Cristian Gaedicke and Shahbodaghlou co-founded the camp in partnership with Bay Area LEEDS.
Shahbodaghlou said, “We are very excited and plan a big celebration for the 10th Anniversary of Discover Engineering Camp next year.” A celebration fit for such a milestone is already in the early stages of planning.
Rahnema added, “It’s wonderful to see students’ lives continued to be enrichened by this experience, and understand the road to success toward becoming the next generation’s engineers.”
Chevron also funds Project Lead The Way (PLTW), which provides career awareness for PreK-12 students. Math Engineering Science Achievement programs and PLTW engineering pathways at Bay Area high schools are strengthened by the close relationships with CSUEB professors. Integrating in-school coursework with summer learning also creates a seamless transition for students from high school to post-secondary education and potential career paths.
Just like CSUEB students, the Discover Engineering! campers got to learn by doing and engaging closely with instructors. Participants also got to hear from industry professionals — including Jason Saephan, a 2016 Discover Engineering! alumnus who participated in Career Night. Saephan currently works as a mechanical engineer for the engineering company Psomas. Rahnema said, “As usual, the highlight for us is the opportunity for approximately 15 employees from Chevron to participate in both the camp’s career roundtables as well as participating in the final robotics judging competition.”
CSUEB President Cathy Sandeen stopped by the Product Quality Testing Session to welcome the participants to campus and share her experience as a first-generation college student.
“I encourage you to continue stretching your mind and trying new things. I hope that one day, I can welcome you to Cal State East Bay and congratulate you on getting your degree,” Sandeen said in her remarks. “It is possible. You have already taken the first steps.”
Shahbodaghlou is committed to student success and providing transformative experiences for all the students he encounters. He said, “This camp is like watching blossoms bloom right in front of your eyes. To say the least, no one leaves the camp the same as they arrived.”
