The 2025 STEAMM Inventor’s Studio at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), held from July 28 to August 8, concluded with a vibrant final reception celebrating two weeks of interdisciplinary exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Hosted by RPI’s School of Engineering, the camp welcomed twenty highly motivated high school students in grades 9–12 from six states across the country to engage in cutting-edge topics spanning science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and medicine (STEAMM).  

Co-sponsored by the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH), of which RPI is a founding member, the camp offered students immersive studio experiences, exposure to advanced research areas including battery technologies, semiconductors, quantum computing, and nuclear reactor simulations, and tours of RPI facilities such as the CRAIVE Lab at Tech Park and at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex. The camp also offered students a glimpse into college life, including resume-building sessions and insights into college admissions.

The camp’s faculty team was led by Lucy Zhang, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research Innovations, Partnerships, and Workforce Development, with Asish Ghosh, Ph.D., and Casey Hoffman, Ph.D., guiding the Inventor Studio experience and  Muhsin Celik, Ph.D., leading semiconductor-focused activities. RPI-HVCC Semiconductor Scholars also participated in many sessions, enriching the collaborative learning environment. Campers were supported throughout the week by RPI student teaching assistants (TAs), who guided them on hands-on projects and encouraged collaboration across teams.  

Lucy Zhang, who directed the camp, said, “It’s truly inspiring to see these students diving into advanced STEAMM topics at such an early stage. Their ideas are bold, innovative, and refreshingly out-of-the-box, offering creative solutions to real-world challenges."

Sam Slane, one of the TAs who supported campers throughout the week, added, “It’s exciting to see them grow and realize they can make meaningful contributions even at this age. It was genuinely impressive watching them present a finished product that was hypothesized, designed, built, and polished all in under two weeks. Seeing them experiment reminds me why hands-on learning is so important and makes me excited to see what else the younger generation will create.”

The final day of the camp featured student team presentations showcasing innovative solutions to real-world challenges. Shekhar Garde, Ph.D., the Thomas R. Farino Jr. ’67 and Patricia E. Farino Dean of the School of Engineering, offered strong support and encouragement to the students, praising their creativity and drive. In a keynote address, Tara McCaughey, Strategic University Partnership Manager from GlobalFoundries, shared her own nonlinear career path and inspired students to pursue their passions and see themselves as future leaders in STEM fields. Darrilyn DiNardo, Workforce Development Coordinator at NORDTECH, was actively engaged throughout the camp and expressed strong enthusiasm for helping replicate the program at other NORDTECH sites, aiming to expand its impact across the Capital Region.  

The program’s success reflects RPI’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators and leaders. By providing high school students with early exposure to cutting-edge technologies, hands-on projects, and mentorship from faculty and student TAs, the STEAMM Inventor’s Studio continues to spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and empower the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.