More than 125 high school students visited The University of Akron for Engineering Professions Visit Day, gaining a firsthand look at what it means to be an engineer through hands-on activities across the College of Engineering and Polymer Science (CEPS).

Students from seven area high schools and career education programs — Berea-Midpark High School, Jackson High School, Portage Lakes Career Center, Rittman High School, Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School, Valley Forge High School and a homeschool program — spent the day exploring engineering disciplines and experiencing how engineers use problem-solving, creativity and technical skills to address real-world challenges.

Rather than simply learning about engineering, students had the opportunity to experience it. Faculty, staff and student leaders from across CEPS led activities designed to help students discover what engineers do, ask questions and explore the possibilities of an engineering education at UA.

“Engineering Professions Visit Day is a great example of what we can accomplish when faculty, staff and students come together to create meaningful experiences for high school students,” said Dr. Julie Zhao, assistant dean of CEPS. “Our goal is to help students see engineering through hands-on learning, and thus to experience what engineers do, ask questions and discover possibilities they may not have considered before. We are grateful for UA’s support and especially appreciate the many CEPS faculty, staff and student leaders who shared their time, expertise and enthusiasm with our visiting students.”

Biomedical Engineering

Students explored how biomedical engineers use medical devices to monitor the human body. Using sensors and a scope, they observed waveforms from muscle movements and heartbeats while discovering how engineering and technology can support healthcare.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Students stepped into the shoes of chemical engineers as they explored how small-scale laboratory experiments can be translated into real-world reactors. The activity showed students how engineers design and operate safe processes to create the products used every day.

Civil Engineering

Students explored how civil engineers design structures to withstand earthquakes and other forces. Through hands-on experiments, they tested structural stability, observed how buildings respond to shaking and discovered how engineering principles help create safer, stronger structures.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Students got a taste of the technology that powers our world through hands-on demonstrations involving circuits, sensors, energy systems and digital technologies. Activities introduced students to electrical engineering, computer engineering and electrical and electronics engineering technology and the ways these fields shape modern technology.

Mechanical Engineering

Students designed, built and launched paper airplanes, exploring how aerospace and mechanical engineers use small design changes to improve flight. They also explored motion platforms, pumps, heaters and feedback control to learn how engineers understand and stabilize dynamic systems.

School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering

Students explored through hands-on activities how polymer chains form and how their size affects material flow and elasticity. They also used paper bilayers to model the opening and closing of pinecones, demonstrating how smart materials can respond to environmental changes and be used to create responsive devices.

Through Engineering Professions Visit Day, students gained a broader understanding of the many fields within engineering while seeing how classroom concepts can translate into hands-on problem-solving. The experience gave visiting students a glimpse of the opportunities available at The University of Akron and showed them that engineering is something they can learn by doing.