Machine Science

Description

As a non-profit organization, Machine Science supports intensive, year-long engineering programs in urban public schools and community centers. In addition to providing these programs with project kits and on-line resources, we offer training workshops and in-class assistance for educators and after-school program leaders. We also help our supported sites identify and recruit university students and others to serve as mentors for participating students.

Machine Science's intensive professional development workshops prepare teachers and after-school program providers to lead our engineering programs. These workshops involve a total of up to 15 hours of training in the use of our engineering project kits and curriculum materials. During the workshops, teachers and program leaders are given the opportunity to complete engineering project activities, under the supervision of Machine Science staff. Strategies for incorporating engineering projects into secondary school math and science classes are also presented. Workshops are usually scheduled during August and September, to prepare teachers and program leaders for the upcoming academic year.

Mentor positions are typically filled by undergraduate and graduate students from university engineering programs, as well as engineering professionals, retired engineers, and technology enthusiasts. As students gain experience in Machine Science programs, they are given the opportunity to serve as mentors for beginners.