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The STEM Saturdays Program

Fall 2019 applications are closed. Spring 2020 applications will open in December.

 

Application Deadline: September 13, 2019 

Eligibility: Students enrolled in a New York City high school (9th-12th grade). No prior experience is required.

Dates and times: September 21 - December 14, 2019 (No class Nov 2, and Nov. 30) from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: Cooper Union School of Engineering, 41 Cooper Square

Family Presentation:  December 14th,  10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Description:  During the 11 session STEM Saturdays, students will develop design, engineering and entrepreneurial skills as they create "Technology for Good" to solve a current or emerging problem for humans.

Taught by Cooper Union undergraduates and graduate students, called ‘mentors’,students learn engineering design and rapid prototyping equipment (3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools, etc.) and computer aided engineering tools (3D drawing software, microcontroller programming, and more). 

Students are divided into small teams to develop their 'Technology for Good."  They design, analyze, build, test, and present their solution to a real-world engineering problem. The mentors guide the students through the design and prototyping process and coach students on professional skills like technical communication, presentations and teamwork. The program also includes career counseling and college planning sessions with Cooper Union staff members. 

During the program, students also present their work to family and design and engineering professionals. The feedback from the audience informs their design process during the program. At the end of the program, the students present and pitch their product idea to a panel of invited guests and judges. The students on the winning team will receive a cash prize.

Students from groups that are underrepresented in STEM college majors and careers are strongly encouraged to apply.  The program also seeks to host students from all five New York City Boroughs.

 

Additional Information

Accepted Students will be notified by September 17th.

There is no cost for the program.

Lunch and snacks will be provided.

Metrocards (for NYC buses and trains) are provided at the first class meeting.

Fall and Spring semesters are independent programs. Apply for each program separately.

Preference is given to students with no prior engineering experience.

For additional information, please contact us at summerSTEM@cooper.edu

The STEM Saturdays program is made possible through generous donations from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Pinkerton Foundation. 

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  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.