The Da Vinci Scholars High School Summer Research Program launched this past summer. Held in-person at Pangborn Hall, this program introduces research to local high school students through faculty presentations, laboratory work, and group discussions. Students learned about various topics in engineering through engaging activities and workshops. They also had the opportunity to conduct their own research project and present their findings to their peers at the end of the program.
Over the course of eight weeks, students were instructed by full-time faculty members. Topics discussed included microplastics, pressure measurements in microfluidics, transportation engineering, energy storage, materials engineering, and AI-powered 3D sensing. Classroom presentations offered students a chance to ask questions and engage in proactive conversations with our faculty. On top of this, access to research laboratories and interactive workshops demonstrated how the research is applied to real situations and conditions, offering students a deeper understanding of the topics they had learned about in the classroom.
Annabella Du, a rising senior from Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, said, “The Da Vinci Program provided a unique, hands-on lab experience that is not offered in a typical classroom setting. It also exposed me to a wide range of subjects I previously knew little about.”
In addition to the presentations and workshops, students also completed a research project. Faculty worked with students to formulate and execute these projects to help them achieve their research objectives and learn more about the process. Examples of student research projects and topics included microfluidic devices, flow-assembled chitosan membranes, and artificial intelligence-assisted 3D imaging processing.
This year’s program was led by Chuan-Fu Lin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, with additional support from professors Xiaolong Luo, Zhaoyang Wang, Jason Davison, and Rebecca Kiriazes.
Lin said, “Engineering faculty conduct outstanding research that inspires the young minds and impacts the community in our area. This program allows us to demonstrate that Catholic University delivers high quality education through engaging students in vigorous research activities.”
Programs like this offer high school students a unique opportunity to learn about engineering in an innovative and engaging environment prior to attending college. Students received a first hand look at how engineering is researched and practiced by faculty who were eager to share their knowledge and help inspire a future generation of engineers. Students also developed skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving – all of which are essential traits for engineers. The School of Engineering looks forward to expanding this program in the years to come and continually inspiring the next generation of engineers.