STEM Camp: Middle School Students Take Autonomous Cars Out for A Spin

While middle school students are too young to drive, on a recent summer afternoon more than a dozen students were driving cars in a parking lot at SLCC’s Redwood campus. The students were driving autonomous rovers that they had programmed; it was the culmination of a week-long STEM camp in which they learned scientific and engineering topics related to developing a self-driving car.

"Did you know there are 22 satellites, and my car is connected to three of them? The more satellites your car is connected to, the more accurate it will be,” explains 14-year-old Aliyah Melgoza, who added she liked designing 3-D models and soldering to make her own circuit board.

SLCC faculty help design the week-long Slick Science STEM camp, which runs three sessions each summer. The curriculum and activities include: computer programming, 3-D computer modeling, 3-D printing, engineering design, calculating direction and distance using GPS/GIS (Geographic Information System mapping) and robotics.

“It is great to catch the attention of these students now, pre-high school, so they can go into high school hyped up and wanting to take some of the STEM classes. It can even plant ideas, early in their educational trajectory, of possible career paths,” says camp director Quentin McRae, associate professor, Engineering.

Participating students come from middle schools throughout Salt Lake County, and scholarships are available for students who may otherwise not be able to attend this STEM camp ($150 this year). The Murray School District supported these scholarships with transportation to ensure access.

“If you like making new friends and if you like to learn new things, this is a good camp,” says 11-year-old River Steimle. “If you think school is boring and you think this is going to be like school, you should still come because it isn’t boring, its super cool and fun.”

Salt Lake Community College’s Slick STEM Camp runs three, week-long sessions each summer. For more information for 2023 summer camps contact jan.rogers@slcc.edu or call 801-957-5181. Each camp is capped at 14 students.

Comments

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

Recognizing SLCC's 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering

The Distinguished Faculty Lecturer is a recognition of quality work by one of Salt Lake Community College’s full-time faculty and a charge to develop that work over an academic year into a public presentation. A committee chosen by the Associate Provost for Learning Advancement selects the faculty lecturer each year. The lecture takes place in the spring. Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering Dr. Andrew Vogt’s teaching philosophy is guided by two principles, curiosity and efficiency. “Curiosity leads us to study a topic and allows us to really understand the ins and outs of research, while efficiency is all about sustainability,” he says. Andrew describes curiosity as a pure, open-minded impulse to explore, such as the ease with which children learn new concepts with virtually no instruction. Efficiency adds maturity to that childlike impulse, creating structures and pathways for accomplishment. Andrew’s work has alwa...

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002). Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...

Official SLCC Blog

Search This Blog