Future science and technology leaders have gathered at UNIST to challenge themselves to design and construct self-driving cars and drones. The whole process, from component design to artificial intelligence implementation, is expected to give them the opportunity to grow into creative and convergent talents.
UNIST will be hosting the 2019-2020 UNIST STEM CAMP from January 6 to 17, 2020. The winter camps encourage students to have fun with science, technology, engineering and math, and build their confidence and ability in these key subject areas to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In fact, this winter camps for STEM-minded students involves the process of planning, designing, and fabricating drones and racing cars based on the knowledge used in creating software and hardware, such as AI programming and machine learning.
Through a separate recruitment process, selected participants have been undertaking pre-basic courses via online since October 2019. Through this online training platform, students gained the knowledge necessary for the practice by listening to video lectures, taking quizzes, and submitting assignments.
In the upcoming camp, UNIST faculty and professional instructors will work together with them. Over the course of the program, students will engage in hands-on learning in STEM fields, using 3D printers to design, build, and assemble the desired parts, and program the system for automated vehicles project.
In particular, on the last day of the camp, students will share their research with their peers through a racing competition, using their self-made drones and racing cars. As the competition is set for the fastest and more reliable autonomous vehicles, students’ engagement is also expected to increase.
“The key to unlocking a student’s interest in STEM is to provide an opportunity to learn in a fun and engaging environment,” says President Yong Hoon Lee of UNIST. “We hope that the camp will help increase students’ academic interest, achievement, and positive attitudes towards STEM.”
Meanwhile, UNIST plans to run a wide variety of other programs for local middle and high school students in addition to STEM camp to enrich their winter break. For middle school students, the Ulju-gun Science Mentoring will be running from January 6 to 22, 2020. The Ulsan Dream Camp will also run from January 6 to 17, 2020. Another intensive course for future science gifted students will be also prepared for local high school students. This one-week program, which runs from January 6, invites local high school students in Ulsan region who have potential in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.