SEAS heats up this summer with research and career readiness programs for high school and college students

Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) offers a variety of summer programs designed to provide students—from high school through college—with impactful, career-ready training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Professional development opportunities include an eight-week biomedical engineering research program focused on aging issues, led by UDC faculty and student mentors. The program is funded by a $1.9 million NIH National Institute on Aging grant and a National Science Foundation Alan T. Waterman Award and serves both Firebirds and students from universities outside the D.C. area.

“Our summer research experience program is designed to provide our student scientists with significant—and hopefully life-changing—exposure, professional training, and research experiences,” says Professor Lara Thompson, Ph.D., principal investigator and founding director of UDC’s Biomedical Engineering Program. In 2022, Thompson became the first female principal investigator from an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) to win the Alan T. Waterman Award.

SEAS is also heavily involved in outreach and engaging potential Firebirds. SEAS’ summer menu includes a variety of pre-college learning opportunities, including the Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Program, the Apple Swift Coding Camp at Anacostia High School, UDC’s civil engineering program on water-energy-food-climate connections, and the Calculus-Ready Summer Bridge Program. This highly competitive program offers 30 recent high school graduates intensive algebra and calculus training to help them prepare for STEM programs in college. The program, led by Kate Klein, Ph.D., chair of UDC’s mechanical engineering department, and Ann Lankford, SEAS’s director of student engagement, is funded by the Special Competitive Studies Project.