Rensselaer Set To Host Fourth Annual ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp for Middle School Students

Fifty area middle school students are curing the summer “brain drain” this year with a heavy dose of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fun at the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The hands-on program offers students an exciting way to beat the heat as they design space suits, build rockets, and more while experiencing life on a college campus. From July 24 to August 5, Rensselaer is hosting the program that provides students with an insider’s look at engineering and other science careers.

For the sixth consecutive year, the ExxonMobil Foundation has partnered with former astronaut Bernard A. Harris Jr. and his nonprofit organization, The Harris Foundation, to provide residential camps to underrepresented and underserved middle school students at 25 universities across the country. This is the fourth year that Rensselaer has had the honor of participating in the program. Rensselaer was selected this year as a camp host because of its long-standing commitment to math and science education, and its efforts to support and promote local community youth in these disciplines. This year, Rensselaer received an $80,000 ExxonMobil Foundation Grant to support the program.

“We have seen this experience positively impact youth in our community, and look forward to witnessing our students’ dramatic growth as they gain valuable knowledge and a passion for math and science this summer,” said Cynthia Smith, assistant dean of students at Rensselaer, director of pipeline initiatives and partnerships, and the director of the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. “At Rensselaer, we understand the important role STEM programs such as these play in preparing students for the high-tech careers of tomorrow.

“More than 170 students applied for the program’s 50 spots,” Smith continued. “Over the years, we have seen incredible enthusiasm and interest from our campers, sparked by the connection between the exciting interactive experiments and field excursions and the core curriculum taught by our highly qualified and motivated teachers.”

As part of the program, students will live in the residence halls on the Rensselaer campus. Throughout the program, students will work side by side with ExxonMobil Engineers and scientists as they conduct experiments, participate in highly interactive projects and demonstrations, attend classes and weekly excursions, and interact with guest speakers.

“Summer learning opportunities are crucial to continued academic success,” said Harris, veteran astronaut and camp founder. “In partnership with the ExxonMobil Foundation, we are able to offer students a tremendous opportunity to hone the math, science, communications, and leadership skills needed to realize their full potential. Our goal is to inspire them to reach beyond the classroom and pursue careers in critical technology fields.”

A special highlight of the program will take place on Friday, July 29. During the “Space Day” event, the students will be treated to a visit by Harris, who flew on two space shuttle missions. Harris will talk about his inspirational journey to become the first African American to walk in space and the extreme elements he encountered during his historic spacewalk.

As part of the “Space Day” event, campers will be given the opportunity to become space suit engineers for the day. Students will be tasked with designing and creating a space suit swatch capable of absorbing the impact of space debris. Using household items to mimic essential protective materials, students will work to assemble a test sample to submit for friendly competition. Using an “impact tester” to imitate the rigors faced during spacewalks, students will be able to test the durability of their samples.

“ExxonMobil is committed to inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers and innovators who will be critical to our nation’s economic success,” said Suzanne McCarron, president of ExxonMobil Foundation. “By partnering with Dr. Harris, we are able to provide talented young students with hands-on experiences that could lead them to a career in math, science, engineering or technology.”

The demand for workers with strong math and science skills is significant as eight out of 10 of the fastest growing occupations in the nation are in STEM fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since its inception, more than 5,500 students from across the country have participated in the camp. The camp program aims to fill this critical need by offering a curriculum that features hands-on experiments, team competitions, and field excursions to help students build essential skills. Campers receive quality instruction from local educators and hear from ExxonMobil engineers about the exciting and rewarding aspects of their profession. For more information, visit: www.theharrisfoundation.org.

About ExxonMobil Foundation

ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The foundation and the corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health, and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels.

In 2010, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $237 million in contributions worldwide, of which more than $110 million was dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil’s community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.

About The Harris Foundation

Founded in 1998, The Harris Foundation (THF) is a 501 (c) (3), nonprofit organization based in Houston, Texas, whose overall mission is to invest in the community through innovative education, health, and wealth programs. The foundation supports programs that empower individuals and their communities, in particular minorities and economically and/or socially disadvantaged, to develop and pursue their dreams.

The education mission of the Harris Foundation is to enable youth to develop and achieve their full potential through the support of social, recreational, and educational programs. The Harris Foundation believes that students can be prepared now for the careers of the future through structured education programs and the use of positive role models. More than 10,000 K-12 students participate and benefit from THF programs annually. www.theharrisfoundation.org

Contact: Jessica Otitigbe
Phone: (518) 276-6050
E-mail: otitij@rpi.edu