The University of Evansville Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics departments will jointly host an high school STEM camp in 2023. Rising 9^th to 12^th grade students who are interested in hands-on exploration of STEM concepts and applications are encouraged to attend.

STEM Topics

Energy in molecules
The amount of energy a molecule has depends on its temperature, and this determines the types of motion available to a molecule.  At a given temperature, a molecule may undergo translational, rotational, and vibrational motion.  We will determine the speed of sound in a few gases, which, surprisingly, will tell us how the energy of a molecule is distributed among these three types of motion.  Our results will show that vibrational motion occurs at relatively high energies, and molecules at normal temperatures may not have enough energy to undergo much vibrational motion.  We will then obtain the infrared spectrum of a small molecule by directly examining the energy levels that arise from rotational and vibrational motion.  Our study of molecular energy will conclude by simulating our infrared spectrum with a computer program written in python.

Using Data Science to make sense of the world
It seems like everything we do is collected and stored as data. From streaming shows to shopping to healthcare to the use of our devices. But for what purpose? Companies, organizations, the government, and any other entity that uses data are trying to extract value and meaning from that data. They use sophisticated techniques to be able to learn more about you and your habits. In this session, students will begin to see the power of statistics and data science and how they can use it to benefit their own lives.

The biophysics of drugs and their targets
Understanding the atomic structure of large molecules like DNA and proteins is key to developing drugs to cure disease. Through a game-based activity, students will learn how a fundamental law of thermodynamics governs the structure of these important biomolecules. We will then see it in action as we use modern web-based software to visualize key protein components of various biological systems and show how defects in these can cause various diseases.

Testing for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
You will contribute to a nationwide program by testing for antibiotic resistance genes in environmental soil samples isolated in the Evansville area. You will learn how antibiotic resistant infections affect humans and may be linked to antibiotic use on farms. Then, you will test soil samples using molecular techniques to detect the presence of bacteria in our community. You will get hands-on experience extracting DNA from soil, amplifying DNA from your samples, and then analyzing the DNA to determine if antibiotic-resistant genes are present. You will also use bioinformatics tools to compare antibiotic resistant genes in bacteria. Finally, you will contribute your data to a national database of antibiotic resistance surveillance.

Engineering Materials for Infrastructure
A key part of engineering design is selecting the right materials for the job. Engineers must weigh multiple factors in this decision, including cost, strength, durability, weight, and sustainability. In this session, students will learn about a variety of different engineering materials and their properties. Students will gain hands-on experience in engineering concrete materials to make a project they can take home.

Facial recognition and language translation with machine learning
Facial recognition and language translation are two machine learning technologies that have become increasingly prevalent in our daily lives. Both technologies have a wide range of applications that are changing the way we interact with technology and each other.
Facial recognition is being used for security systems, mobile phone unlocking, and marketing, while language translation is used for online customer support, real-time speech translation, and language learning apps. However, there are concerns about the potential for bias and error in facial recognition algorithms and the privacy implications of language translation technologies. Despite these concerns, these technologies have the potential to transform many industries and make our lives easier and more convenient. It is important to ensure that they are used ethically and responsibly. Students will obtain and process data to train, test and optimize machine learning models for facial recognition and language translation, and then deploy these models.