Media Advisory: It’s like a Buffalo Bills mini-camp, only it’s for WNY’s budding engineers

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Teenagers longing for the summer often daydream about sports, video games, movies and sleeping in late.

Not Shawnn Foster.

The Cheektowaga High School student has been thinking, more than anything else, about her favorite summer activity: engineering camp.

“I can’t wait for it to start. It’s definitely a highlight of the summer,” Foster said.

Another 59 students from public and private high schools in Erie and Niagara counties will join her this week at the National Grid-sponsored camp. Hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the camp gives students a chance to:

• build mock wind turbines and design robots
• tour dynamic research laboratories and workspaces
• meet some of the region’s most brilliant thinkers.

Imagine the Buffalo Bills inviting the All-Western New York football team to Ralph Wilson Stadium for a week to learn what it’s like to be a professional football player. That gives you an idea of what’s in store for these students.

Here are the details:

When and Where: Monday through Thursday. Mostly at UB’s North Campus, though there will be field trips to the Buffalo Museum of Science and elsewhere. For a schedule, visit here: http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/summercamp/.

Why: The camp is part of UB and National Grid’s commitment to boosting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education among teens. A recent Brookings Institution report indicates there is room for growth in Buffalo Niagara’s STEM economy. Additionally, STEM education is a priority of President Barack Obama and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Note to media: UB has secured parental permission to take video and/or pictures of the students. Photo-friendly activities at Davis Hall (building No. 37 on this map: http://www.buffalo.edu/buildings/maps/NorthCampus.pdf) include building mock turbines and robots at 4 p.m. Wednesday and testing those devices Thursday at 10 a.m.

On-site media contact: Marilyn Helenbrook, director of educational opportunity programs at UB’s engineering school, at 645-3066 or 472-0523 (mobile).

The engineering camp is made possible by National Grid, which has given UB more than $200,000 over five years toward the program’s development. For more information, visit: www.nationalgridus.com/commitment.