The Grainger College of Engineering
Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Program

Mid-GLAM - Materials Science & Engineering Middle School Daycamp [*EAGER]

Camp is FULL for Summer 2025.
Application is OPEN for Summer 2025. Register Now.
Application is CLOSED for Summer 2025.
This is an INVITE-ONLY camp.
Application is TBA for Summer 2025. Check back soon.

Age Group: 7th - 9th

Cost

  • Residential:
  • Commuter:
  • Virtual:
  • Day Camp: $20 (grant-funded, housing not provided)

Category: 3-D Sessions

Dates:

  • June 16 - 20 (no camp June 19)

Residence Hall:

Scholarships: Yes, see details No

*EAGER camps are mission-driven camp sessions led by Engineers Aiming for Gender Equity & Representation in STEM majors and careers. These camps focus on support and empowerment of traditionally excluded populations in STEM. EAGER camps provide a safe environment to build a community of peers and mentors who empower one another to be confident in their exploration of STEM. All are welcome to apply.

Four students working in a lab with some beakers and other lab equipment
Students working in the lab

How do we think about the future? What will our future world be made of?

Mid-GLAM Campers will have the opportunity to think like a “materials scientist” by studying “stuff”. From the clothes we wear to the batteries that power our phones, all of that “stuff” is made of materials like plastic or metals. A materials scientist investigates how materials are put together, how they can be used, and how they can be changed or improved.

Through hands-on experiences,

  • explore the materials that run our society,
  • learn how to make them,
  • understand their function and how we can predict the ways they will evolve in the future,
  • investigate how materials are made stronger, cleaner, smarter, more colorful, or lighter.

No special science background is required to participate, just a curious mind that’s ready for fun!

Note: Camp sessions will not take place on June 19th in observance of the Juneteenth Holiday. 

Due to this being a day camp and housing is not provided, preference is given to local area students.

Testimonial

Student and TA working together in the lab
Student and TA working together in the lab

“I think the best things about Mid-GLAM are the cool projects, learning about cool science things that relate to this science, the food, and being able to spend time with my friends.” (Camper feedback, 2018)

From Previous Years:

Staff

Hua Wang grew up in China and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Polymer Science and Engineering there, before moving to the US for graduate studies. He has a Chemistry and Materials background by training, but his research has shifted to more and more biology over the years. Hua joined UIUC as a faculty in August 2020, and his lab has been working on biomaterials, cell engineering, and immunotherapy. Within and beyond the research community, he is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and collaborative environment. In his leisure time, Hua likes photography, watching sports, and hiking.

Antonia Statt is from Germany, but her academic career brought her to many places in Europe and finally to the US, where she joined the University of Illinois in 2019. Her research is completely computational, focusing on the fundamental understanding of soft and squishy materials, with applications for energy and medicine. Like Cecilia, she is passionate about making science and the scientific community accessible and welcoming for everyone. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her partner, cat, and dog. She likes all types of arts and crafts, like painting, block-printing, and stained glass. Antonia’s professional biography.

Marie Charpagne joined MatSE as an assistant professor in August 2021. She grew up in France where she was a first-generation student and moved to the U.S. after completing her graduate studies. At UIUC, she specializes in designing and 3D-printing metallic alloys that are strong, resilient, and sustainable. Aside of science, Marie enjoys creative activities such as watercolor painting, playing piano, and growing flowers and vegetables together in eclectic gardens.

Founder

Cecilia Leal grew up in Portugal in a rural town but her appreciation for learning and science brought her to Sweden, Norway, and finally to the US to pursue an academic career. Cecilia has been a professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering since 2012. She is interested in materials for medicine as well as materials inspired by nature. Cecilia is passionate about fostering a diverse and inclusive scientific community. She likes to spend time with her two kids and husband, hang out with friends, and ride her bike to work. Cecilia’s professional biography.

Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions