Project Description

In SUMMIT project, 20 teachers from Regions 4, 6, and 8 of New York City (NYC) school system will be recruited, trained, and mentored in hands-on engineering design in a four week summer workshop at Polytechnic University . The project will enhance teachers' technical competency through professional development in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

This project will introduce the multidisciplinary field of mechatronics to teachers using a structured and integrated learning environment consisting of training, mentoring, and engineering design activities. Specifically, during the first two weeks, guided training, consisting of tutorials, structured engineering designs, and discussions, will expose the teachers to foundational elements of mechatronics, e.g., sensors, actuators, electronic/electro-mechanical components, and microcontroller technologies. Next, during the last two weeks, through team-based, real-world, engineering design projects, teachers will experience synergistic integration activities involving sensors, actuators, instrumentation, and computer control hardware and software. Sample project activities will include: mobile robotics; automation; embedded sensing, control, and computing; and mechatronics-enabled apparatus for physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science labs. The project plan includes conducting an event to showcase teachers' projects to invited middle and high school educators and administrators. Moreover, professional and social meetings will be held to enable participating teachers to network with the engineering faculty and the staff of university-based outreach centers.

Project activities, including lectures, laboratory practice, prototype engineering design, teamwork, and interactions with engineering professionals, will orient teachers to the field of engineering. Moreover, teachers will acquire confidence and capability to enhance the education of their students by embracing technology and by integrating hands-on mechatronics projects in classrooms, laboratories, science research, and new courses. The proposed program is designed to satisfy Standard 5 in the New York State (NYS) Learning Standards in Mathematics, Science, and Technology. Specifically, Standard 5 fosters technological literacy by requiring students “to apply technical knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems.” This project also addresses workforce diversity issues by providing professional development opportunities to teachers working at, primarily, urban middle and high schools with a socially diverse, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented student body.

Polytechnic University 's mechatronics lab, developed by the principal investigator (PI) through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and university resources, will be leveraged to create a motivating, hands-on mechatronics training and mentoring program. Undergraduate and graduate students will also contribute to this effort. The PI and co-PI offer extensive experience in K­12 outreach.

Recent News

 

February 29, 2008: An article on the "New, GK12: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science (AMPS)" project is available on the Poly website.

February 27, 2008: Under the GK-12 Fellows program, Division of Graduate Education of the National Science Foundation has awarded Polytechnic University a grant titled "New, GK12: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science (AMPS)." This award provides funding in the amount $600,000/year. Under NSF's continuing award instrument, the project duration is expected to be five years. Professor Vikram Kapila, will serve as the PI and director of the AMPS project. The Co-PIs of the AMPS project include Professor Magued G. Iskander and Professor Noel N. Kriftcher. In addition, the following Polytechnic faculty will serve as the senior personnel on the AMPS project: Professor Dariusz Czarkowski, Professor Rastislav Levicky, and Professor Maurizio Porfiri.

February 15, 2008: An article on the "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)" project is available on the Poly website.

February 5, 2008: An article on the "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)" project is available on NY Daily News (pdf version).

January 30, 2008: An article on the "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)" project is available on Brooklyn Daily Eagle (pdf version).

December 16, 2007: An article on the "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)" project is available on Our Time Press (pdf version).

August 12, 2007: An article on the summer Workshop in Instrumentation, Sensors and Engineering (WISE) is available on the Poly website.

July 20, 2007: An article on the the Summer Mechatronics Institute for Teachers (SUMMIT) is available on the Poly website.

July 2007: The Independence Community Foundation and the J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation have awarded Polytechnic University a $226,449 grant titled "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)." The project is led by Professor Vikram Kapila and Professor Noel N. Kriftcher.

July 2007: The Independence Community Foundation has awarded Polytechnic University a $226,449 grant titled "Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI)." The project is led by Professor Vikram Kapila and Professor Noel N. Kriftcher.

July 12, 2007: SUMMIT selection committee has now completed the review of all applications submitted for the 2007 cycle. The 20 finalists from highly qualified teachers are selected for the 2007 summer research program.

Announcing an Open House Program
    On Tuesday, May 22, 2007, we will be holding an Open House for teachers who are interested in finding out more about our two Engineers of the Future opportunities this summer. This program will be conducted from 5:00 to 6:00 pm in the Faculty Dining Room in Rogers Hall, on Polytechnic University's MetroTech campus in Brooklyn.  At this meeting, participants will learn about project SUMMIT (for New York City teachers) and project WISE (for teachers in selected school districts in Westchester and Long Island). Directions to our campus may be found on the Polytechnic University website, www.poly.edu. Ample parking is available in the area for those who will be driving. Also on the Poly website is a news article about our two state grants, including abstracts describing the projects.  SUMMIT will run from July 16-August 10 and WISE, which is a residential program, will run from August 13-24.

April 25, 2007: Under the Engineers of the Future Program, New York State Education Department has awarded Polytechnic University a $240,654 grant titled "Summer Mechatronics Institute for Teachers (SUMMIT)." The project is led by Professor Vikram Kapila (PI) and Professor Noel N. Kriftcher (Co-PI).

April 25, 2007: Under the Engineers of the Future Program, New York State Education Department has awarded Polytechnic University a $297,455 grant titled "Summer Workshop in Instrumentation, Sensors and Engineering (WISE)." The project is led by Professor Magued G. Iskander (PI), Professor Vikram Kapila (Co-PI), and Professor Noel N. Kriftcher (Co-PI).
SUMMIT Project Brouchure, click here.
Last Update: July 12, 2007

SUMMIT project is funded by the Summer Training for Teachers in Engineers of the Future program at New York State Education Department.