ENGage LSU: How to organize and implement an engineering outreach day for middle schoolers

Abstract

Recent studies have identified that engaging middle school students (grades 6-8) in STEM activities increases their chances of choosing STEM-related disciplines when entering college; however, very few university-sponsored opportunities are available for these students. This paper describes an outreach day for middle school students consisting of hands-on activities focused on bioengineering and nanoengineering with applications to clean energy and water, tissue engineering, disease diagnostics, and the development of new materials.