Summer Engineering Institute
The Summer ENGineering Institute (SENGI) is a multi-faceted program that allows students to explore how engineers envision creative, practical solutions that benefit the everyday lives of people and the communities in which they live. Students will be exposed to numerous and varied topics and the application of science and engineering principles in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, and mechanical engineering.
These areas will be examined through faculty presentations, guided discovery, and hands-on design activities. Practicing professional and research engineers, most of who are faculty members, will lead projects and activities. Students will also be engaged in a project that extends over the two weeks which they will present on the final day.
The course will be conducted in one of the campus team based learning labs, which offer modern computer stations and state-of-the-art instructional technology, as well as several locations in the Engineering Quadrangle. Students are expected to develop skills in:
- Engineering Design
- Communication
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Research
- Computer software
Scholarships
Applicants with both demonstrable financial need and academic merit may apply for a partial scholarship. Please see Program Fees for more information.
This course is offered at the UMass Amherst campus as a residential program. Local students may apply to attend as a commuter.
Guest Speakers:
Engineering faculty from the various majors will be invited to talk about their discipline and research.
SENGI is designed to introduce students to the various engineering disciplines and give them a taste of what it is like to be a university student. Each day the program includes:
- an engineering warm up activity
- a longer mini group project
- a lecture by a faculty member about their discipline and research
Through these core daily activities, SENGI students are exposed to each of our eight engineering majors. We cover material which our undergraduate students encounter in their freshman, sophomore, and even some junior level courses, albeit at an introductory level.
For the last two hours of each academic day, students are assigned to one of 15 project teams to dive more deeply into an engineering topic of interest. SENGI projects are supported by our faculty members and graduate students that are experts in the topic, enabling us to provide students with exposure to the breadth of engineering (core “all-hands” activities) and depth (two-week team project) in a particular subject area.
Final Project
There will be 15 different team projects for the students to engage in, with slots in each project team limited. The program will culminate in team presentations on the final day, with families invited.
Pre-Requisites
There are no pre-requisites for this program.
Materials
Desktop computers and software will be provided for use in the classroom.
By the end of the course, students will:
- Build familiarity with the different engineering disciplines and career opportunities
- Experience navigating complex problems without clearly defined guidance
- Gain hands-on experience with high level engineering concepts
- Experience working on teams with distinct responsibilities
- Interact with UMass engineering students and faculty
- Experience first-hand what it’s like to be an engineering student
- See yourself as a potential future engineer
- Decide if you are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering either at UMass or another University
Class time is Monday-Friday from 9 am - 4 pm.
|
Time |
Activity |
|
9:00 AM–10:00 AM |
Warm up engineering activity or mini-lab |
|
10:00–11:00 AM |
Faculty Lecture |
|
11:00–1:00 PM |
Engineering thinking/design/build challenge or lab |
|
1:00–2:00 PM |
Lunch Break |
|
2:00–4:00 PM |
Team Project |
In the evenings and on weekends resident counselors will run a series of social activities. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! With social events on campus and in the surrounding Amherst area, and access to the UMass Recreation & Wellness Center, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Learn more about student life at UMass Amherst Summer Pre-College
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Paula Rees, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, College of Engineering
Dr. Paula Rees is the Associate Dean for Diversity in the College of Engineering at UMass. She earned her B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa, and her Ph.D. from Princeton University in Civil Engineering and Operations Research, with a concentration in Water Resources, and a Certificate in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School. Dr. Rees has been at UMass since 1999, when she joined the Civil Engineering faculty. She left Civil Engineering to become Director of the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center (MA WRRC). She became involved more deeply involved in transformative, equitable engineering education through her work with the NSF Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA). In 2011, she returned to the College part time to serve as the Director of the Diversity Programs Office. In Fall 2017 she accepted the full-time position as an Assistant Dean and was promoted to Associate Dean in 2023. Dr. Rees has has been an engineering student, has taught engineering students, and has served as the PI or Co-PI on over $12 million in grants from state and federal agencies. She understands how engineering students and faculty think as well as how the engineering college functions. She is committed to building and supporting an academic-learning environment where all can succeed and thrive.
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