SMCM Solar Cell STEM Camp

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 9am - 3pm
Add to Calendar 2023-06-02 20:28:51 2023-06-02 20:28:51 SMCM Solar Cell STEM Camp The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Materials Science is offering a 1-week summer STEM camp for 25-30 high school students in Southern Maryland. The opportunity will have the highest impact for students from Great Mills, Leonardtown, Patuxent, St. Mary’s Ryken and Chopticon high schools. This camp will be free of charge for students including lunches at the campus center, and will be coordinated, instructed and chaperoned by SMCM faculty and undergraduate students. High school students of any grade are welcome to apply. Location: Schaefer Hall, 47645 College Dr, St Mary’s City, MD 20686    Dates: June 26 - 30 Duration: 1 week (M-F) Time: 9 am – 3 pm Lunch: Provided Cost: Free          Students: ~25 high school students Professors: 3 SMCM STEM professors Assistants: 2 SMCM STEM students Application Deadline: June 1, 2023 Send questions to Dr. Troy K. Townsend tktownsend@smcm.edu Students will be introduced to a college-level laboratory experience with hands-on activities, safety training, and in-person instruction from SMCM’s faculty members. Centered around a renewable energy theme, students will design and build solar powered racecars. While learning about current state of the art solar cell technology, the physics and biology of solar power, students will use a Computer Aided Design (CAD) program to draw their own racecar models and bring them to life with 3D printing, followed by testing and evaluating and re-designing. In the process, they will collaborate with each other and with faculty to develop and test solar cell devices in the sunlight, learn about friction, mass, and power. Each student team of students will be able to test different materials and solar cells to optimize their design. They will also be exposed to the chemistry of state-of-the-art solar cell devices and tour the SMCM chemistry laboratories, and coding for computer-controlled microprocessors to program motors, LEDs and sensors. Learning outcomes include project management skills, communication, group collaboration, team building activities, technical laboratory skills, lab safety and an introduction to renewable energy, conservation and nanotechnology Schaefer Hall Southern Maryland Workforce Development, St. Mary's College of Maryland, The Patuxent Partnership Troy K. Townsend America/New_York public
Schaefer Hall
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Schaefer Hall 106
Intended Audience
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Alumni
  • General public
A photo of a group of students and faculty mentors posing. A photo of a group of students working in a lab with goggles and equipment. A logo of a sun with sunglasses on top of a road with a race car and a solar panel. There is a logo of SoMD 2030 Workforce development. A QR code to scan for link to application. A photo of students working in a lab with a professor titled professor mentors, a 3D printed object and a car race competition.

The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Materials Science is offering a 1-week summer STEM camp for 25-30 high school students in Southern Maryland. The opportunity will have the highest impact for students from Great Mills, Leonardtown, Patuxent, St. Mary’s Ryken and Chopticon high schools. This camp will be free of charge for students including lunches at the campus center, and will be coordinated, instructed and chaperoned by SMCM faculty and undergraduate students. High school students of any grade are welcome to apply.

  • Location: Schaefer Hall, 47645 College Dr, St Mary’s City, MD 20686   
  • Dates: June 26 - 30
  • Duration: 1 week (M-F)
  • Time: 9 am – 3 pm
  • Lunch: Provided
  • Cost: Free         
  • Students: ~25 high school students
  • Professors: 3 SMCM STEM professors
  • Assistants: 2 SMCM STEM students
  • Application Deadline: June 1, 2023
  • Send questions to Dr. Troy K. Townsend
  • tktownsend@smcm.edu

Students will be introduced to a college-level laboratory experience with hands-on activities, safety training, and in-person instruction from SMCM’s faculty members. Centered around a renewable energy theme, students will design and build solar powered racecars. While learning about current state of the art solar cell technology, the physics and biology of solar power, students will use a Computer Aided Design (CAD) program to draw their own racecar models and bring them to life with 3D printing, followed by testing and evaluating and re-designing. In the process, they will collaborate with each other and with faculty to develop and test solar cell devices in the sunlight, learn about friction, mass, and power. Each student team of students will be able to test different materials and solar cells to optimize their design. They will also be exposed to the chemistry of state-of-the-art solar cell devices and tour the SMCM chemistry laboratories, and coding for computer-controlled microprocessors to program motors, LEDs and sensors. Learning outcomes include project management skills, communication, group collaboration, team building activities, technical laboratory skills, lab safety and an introduction to renewable energy, conservation and nanotechnology

Link to Student Application
Registration information
Event Sponsor(s)
Southern Maryland Workforce Development, St. Mary's College of Maryland, The Patuxent Partnership
Troy K. Townsend
tktownsend@smcm.edu
304-676-5367
Event Group
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Conferences