ENVISION 2025 Tracks:

Tracks for High School Participants (grades 9-12)  

Track 1:  

Wearable Exoskeleton to Control a Robotic Arm – Mechanical Engineering/Neuromechanics Lab 

Learn about the basic principles of assistive robotics, machine learning, and human-robot interactions in this hands-on workshop. Test out a robotic arm and explore the industrial and medical applications of this mechanical engineering technology! 

Built to Last, Built to Power: The Many Sides of Materials Science - Materials Research Society  

Get ready for an exhilarating journey into the world of materials engineering! Engage in hands-on activities like tensile testing, hardness testing, and microstructural analysis to uncover the secrets of material properties. Analyze data, explore microstructures under a microscope, and discover how these properties impact material behavior in this thrilling and educational experience!  

Unveiling Electrical Marvels in Squishy Materials and Graphene - Materials Research, Science & Engineering Center 

Discover the exciting world of materials science! In this hands-on workshop, you'll create squishy circuits, explore the properties of graphene, and learn about the atomic structure of matter. Let's uncover the electrical marvels hidden within everyday materials! 

Neurofutures: envisioning the future of brain technologies - ESM/Engineering, Neuroethics Lab - Rock Ethics Institute. - Bioethics Program  

Explore the field of neuroethics! What will the future hold with a variety of new brain technologies? Join us as we explore the options and ethical implications of neuroscientific advances and neurotechnologies through an interactive game.   

Track 2: 

Exploring Engineering Design: How to Begin any Engineering Project - Penn State Society of Women Engineers 

The Penn State’s Society of Women Engineers will take you through all the planning steps of assembling an air-powered vehicle. Then you will be able to design, build, and test your own creation! 

Eat Like a Bug: Discovering the Diversity of Insect Mouthparts - Entomology Department 

Dive into the fascinating world of insects with our hands-on activity exploring the diversity and functionality of insect mouthparts! Using everyday items, you'll simulate different types of mouthparts, test their efficiency on various resources, and collect data to plot and interpret your findings. This engaging experience will deepen your understanding of insect biology and data analysis in a fun and interactive way!  

NeuroGAME: What IF you had…? ESM/Engineering, Neuroethics Lab - Rock Ethics Institute. - Bioethics Program  

Several brain disorders can now be treated with new neurotechnologies! Play a game with team members to learn more about specific brain diseases as well as the pros and cons of different treatments.  

Backpack Escape Room – Penn State Applied Research Laboratory STEM Outreach  

If there was a zombie apocalypse, could you and your team escape? Come to this workshop to find out! You’ll need to solve science and engineering challenges to get to the sanctuary city before it’s too late! You will also learn from experts in different engineering disciplines about the importance of teamwork and communication to solve problems. 

Track 3: 

Eat Like a Bug: Discovering the Diversity of Insect Mouthparts - Entomology Department 

Dive into the fascinating world of insects with our hands-on activity exploring the diversity and functionality of insect mouthparts! Using everyday items, you'll simulate different types of mouthparts, test their efficiency on various resources, and collect data to plot and interpret your findings. This engaging experience will deepen your understanding of insect biology and data analysis in a fun and interactive way!  

Exploring Engineering Design: How to Begin any Engineering Project - Penn State Society of Women Engineers 

 The Penn State’s Society of Women Engineers will take you through all the planning steps of assembling an air-powered vehicle. Then you will be able to design, build, and test your own creation! 

Backpack Escape Room – Penn State Applied Research Laboratory STEM Outreach 

 If there was a zombie apocalypse, could you and your team escape? Come to this workshop to find out! You’ll need to solve science and engineering challenges to get to the sanctuary city before it’s too late! You will also learn from experts in different engineering disciplines about the importance of teamwork and communication to solve problems. 

Wordmaxxing: Exploring Words with Science - Center for Language Science 

Discover the fascinating intersection of science and language! Learn how scientific tools and methods, like EEG, eye tracking, and fMRI, can be used to study language structure, acquisition, and cognitive processes. Dive into the intriguing topic of word structure and participate in lively discussions to uncover the hidden complexities of language.  

Tracks for Middle School Participants (grades 6-8)  

Track 4: 

Marine Mysteries: Currents, Critters, and Wetlands! – Marine Science Society  

Dive into a world of discovery with our thrilling activities! Create mesmerizing ocean currents, match insect larvae to their adult forms in a fun guessing game and build your own wetland to see how it combats flooding. Our enthusiastic volunteers will guide you through each hands-on adventure, making science come alive!  

Discovering DNA: A Hands-On Exploration of the Blueprint of Life - Department of Biology, and DNA Day Club 

Get ready for an exhilarating adventure with this workshop! Dive into the wonders of biology as you extract and see actual DNA, guided by our enthusiastic volunteers. Uncover the secrets of what makes you unique, explore cutting-edge medical research like gene editing, and discover how DNA modifications can solve real-world problems. This mind-blowing scientific journey will leave you amazed and inspired!  

Piezoelectric Materials - Graduate Women in Science 

Did you know that some materials can generate electricity just by being squeezed? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore piezoelectric materials—used in musical greeting cards, lighters, and even energy-harvesting devices! See electricity in action, experiment with real piezo devices, and discover how materials science is shaping the future of technology. 

Spaghetti Towers: Build, Design, and Engineer Your Way to the Top! - National Society of Black Engineering (NSBE) 

In this workshop you'll learn to design under pressure and collaborate effectively in a team. This activity will teach you the essential skills of reflection and prototyping, while also enhancing your creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. Get ready for a fun and challenging experience that will put your engineering skills to the test!  

Track 5:  

Escape the Herbarium – a Fern-tastic Experience! - Eberly College of Science 

Step into the world of a botanist! Visit the PAC Herbarium on campus and learn about the terminology and multiple characteristics that botanists use to identify different ferns. You’ll have several fun challenges to complete before you can “escape”!  

Rover and Out: Designing the Ultimate Mars Explorer – TriMech Solutions, LLC.  

Meet female engineers from TriMech Solutions and learn about cool engineering projects, 3D printing, and how computer aided design is used by engineers! With your own mission team, you’ll get to create a space vehicle that you can customize with hand-held 3D printers!   

From Farm to Dairy: The Essentials of Tractors, Clean Water, and Cheese - Alpha Epsilon (Biological Engineering Honor Society), Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering 

Embark on an exciting journey with this workshop! Dive into hands-on activities like building a water filter, making delicious cheese, and assembling a model tractor. Our enthusiastic instructors will guide you through each station, revealing how clean water, efficient farming, and sustainable food production come together to solve real-world problems. Get ready to predict, create, and discover the essential role of agricultural science and engineering in our daily lives!  

Myths and Realities of Recycling - MRSEC Sustainability Team 

 Recycling is an important part of having a sustainable environment. Come play fun games and learn about some recycling myths and the reality of sorting trash made from different materials! 

Track 6: 

Microbe Mania: The Science Behind Your Oral Microbiome - Anthropology/College of the Liberal Arts/MicroARCH 

Anthropologists study questions related to the history of our species - including how the microbes in our bodies change over time! Learn about microbiomes and how different factors affect the health of oral microbiomes in humans.  

The Magic of Materials Science – Material Advantage, Penn State Chapter (material science and engineering) 

Discover the wonders of materials science at Steidle Laboratories! Dive into hands-on demos with polymers, metals, and ceramics, exploring cool examples like fake snow and shape memory alloys. See how quartz powers everyday gadgets through piezoelectricity and its other fascinating properties like triboluminescence.  

Fission and Fun: Unlocking the Power of the Atom – Radiation Science & Engineering Center/Women in Nuclear 

Embark on an electrifying adventure into the world of nuclear engineering at Penn State! Witness the power of the Breazeale Reactor as we use neutrons for groundbreaking experiments, delve into the mysteries of atomic structure and radioactivity, and uncover the incredible applications of nuclear science. Get hands-on with Geiger counters to detect radioactivity in everyday objects and experience the thrill of watching a nuclear reactor come to life while chatting with the operators about its fascinating workings!  

Rover and Out: Designing the Ultimate Mars Explorer - TriMech Solutions, LLC  

Meet female engineers from TriMech Solutions and learn about cool engineering projects, 3D printing, and how computer aided design is used by engineers. With your own mission team, you’ll get to create a space vehicle that you can customize with hand-held 3D printers!    

Track 7: 

The Magic of Materials Science – Penn State Chapter of Material Advantage  

Discover the wonders of materials science at Steidle Laboratories! Dive into hands-on demos with polymers, metals, and ceramics, exploring cool examples like fake snow and shape memory alloys. See how quartz powers everyday gadgets through piezoelectricity and its other fascinating properties like triboluminescence. 

Fission and Fun: Unlocking the Power of the Atom – Radiation Science & Engineering Center/Women in Nuclear 

Embark on an electrifying adventure into the world of nuclear engineering at Penn State! Witness the power of the Breazeale Reactor as we use neutrons for groundbreaking experiments, delve into the mysteries of atomic structure and radioactivity, and uncover the incredible applications of nuclear science. Get hands-on with Geiger counters to detect radioactivity in everyday objects and experience the thrill of watching a nuclear reactor come to life while chatting with the operators about its fascinating workings!  

Rover and Out: Designing the Ultimate Mars Explorer - TriMech Solutions, LLC 

 Meet female engineers from TriMech Solutions and learn about cool engineering projects, 3D printing, and how computer aided design is used by engineers. With your own mission team, you’ll get to create a space vehicle that you can customize with hand-held 3D printers!    

Sweet Victory with Machine Learning - Department of Statistics / Eberly College of Science / Statistics and Data Science Education Lab 

Have you ever wondered how self-driving cars and robots work behind the scenes? In this activity, we will explore how popular artificial intelligence tools like these work without using a computer but with candies! Join us for a fun, hands-on experience where you'll train an artificial intelligence using sweet treats and learn the magic behind machine learning!