GBAM campers gain awesome experience with hands-on fun

At this summer's third annual GBAM camp (Girls Building Awesome Machines), part of the GAMES series of camps hosted by the College of Engineering, 24 high school girls immersed themselves in mechanical engineering for a week. 

 

The camp took place in and around Mechanical Engineering Lab the week of June 14-20. MechSE professors Elif Ertekin and Matt West, along with Education Coordinator Joe Muskin and many MechSE graduate students, led the campers through activities that included 3D printing, creating a solar mill, building a prosthetic arm or leg, testing the dynamics of polymers for sporting equipment, experiencing a cleanroom, learning about superhydrophobic surfaces, and conducting experiments with tribological materials. They also took field trips to the Caterpillar facility and local startup IntelliWheels (created by a MechSE alumnus), both at the University of Illinois Research Park.

 

Throughout the week the girls also spent time building mini wind turbines and a wind farm, and ended the week with a wind turbine competition.