IMPACT Engineering Experience

Industrial, Mechanical, Prototyping, AI, Computational Technologies

Camp students flying a drone and driving a robot outdoors

Designed for ambitious high school students, the IMPACT program is a premium, immersive introduction to the fields of mechanical and industrial engineering. This program is designed for students seeking an exclusive, hands-on engineering experience. This is not a general STEM camp; it is a focused, rigorous environment where students bridge the gap between theory and hands-on implementation.

Student participants will work in the Engineering Design Lab, Fluids Dynamics Lab, and CAD design studio utilizing rapid prototyping tools to build, code, and fabricate solutions to complex challenges. The curriculum will bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling students to learn through hands-on experimentation. To provide a complete picture of an undergraduate engineering career, the curriculum is paired with exclusive access to the UIC Engineering campus, including guided tours of active research labs and the UIC Makerspace.

Day Topics

Students will rotate through intensive engineering modules designed to build skills in fabrication, logic, and design:

Camp student wiring a device in a lab

Design Engineering (Rapid Prototyping & Innovation):

Discover bricolage—the engineering mindset of solving problems with available resources. Students will master reverse engineering, observe environmental ethics, and construct electronic logic gates with household materials. Concluding the day topics, the students will synthesize salvaged components to engineer a custom handheld electric fan with a user-fabricated switch mechanism.

Camp students assembling a robotic car

Automotive Engineering (Drivetrain Kinematics & Chassis Design):

This module breaks down ground vehicle kinematics, examining how distinct drivetrain architectures affect torque, traction, and vectoring. Students will apply these principles to engineer a remote-operated rover, integrating a chassis with a fully functional steering linkage.

Camp students programming a quadrapod robot

Applied AI (Machine Learning Logic & Neural Networks):

Students will bridge the gap between simple logic and complex AI by exploring the architecture of machine learning. Students will discuss the ethics of autonomous systems and the methods of training datasets. We will discuss how to effectively use large language models (LLMs) and will learn the dangers of implementing AI systems in large architecture. This will culminate in using assistive AI to create a custom gitHub sourced website.

Camp students working in a fluids lab

Fluid Dynamics (Hydraulic Actuation & Robotic Manipulation):

Explore the physics behind the heavy machinery that powers modern industry. This module compares pneumatic compressibility with hydraulic precision. Students will learn about and experiment with hydraulic systems before engineering a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator capable of delicate gripping and complex material handling.

Camp students assembling a device

Smart Manufacturing (Automation & Lean Six Sigma):

Participants will be immersed in Industrial Engineering by combining management science with modern robotics. Participants will apply the “DMAIC” (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) principles to identify inefficiencies in production cycles and supply chain. Students will also explore different sensors and implementation with a microcontroller to design an automated optical candy sorting machine to emulate a manufacturing line process.

Camp Cost and Schedule:

Cost for one session: $500 per student

  • The fee includes a daily lunch at the Student Center East dining hall and all project materials.
  • Children of University of Illinois (UIC, UIUC, UIS, or System Office) employees receive a 10% discount.

Eligibility

  • Students entering grades 10–12 in Fall 2026

Program Dates (both sessions 1 and 2 are identical):

  • Session 1: July 27 – July 31 (full, not accepting new registrations)
  • Session 2: August 3 – August 7 

 Program Schedule

  • Monday – Friday: 9am – 4pm
  • Closing Ceremony: Parents are invited to attend a closing ceremony where student participants will receive a certificate of completion. The closing ceremony will be held from 3-4pm on the final day of the selected session (July 31 or August 7). 
  • 8:30am – 8:50am: Drop off at 801 S. Morgan St. (UIC Daley Library)
  • 9am – 12pm: Project and design challenge #1, with a short break
  • 12pm – 1pm: Lunch (at UIC Student Center East cafeteria)
  • 1pm – 4pm: Project and design challenge #2
  • 4pm: Pickup at 801 S. Morgan St. (UIC Daley Library)

IMPACT Engineering Experience

Join us this summer for an unforgettable engineering experience

Register here

Contact

For more information about the MIE IMPACT Summer Program, please contact Dr. Pranav Bhounsule, camp director, at pranav@uic.edu.