Community Involvement
William States Lee College of Engineering takes pride in our engineering outreach efforts which seek to promote engineering awareness, education and engagement in the K-12 student population of the Charlotte community. The Engineering Outreach program focuses on connecting W.S. Lee College of Engineering faculty, staff and students to the community through professional development, school visits and on-campus events which mutually benefit the college and the community. Outreach efforts happen year round both on and off campus.
On-campus events include our Mini Carolinas Conference, a high school engineering competition; field trips to tour the engineering department; open houses; and K-12 engineering community events such as Discover Engineering. Off-campus events include lessons in classrooms, STEM nights, college and career fairs, and partnerships with various youth organizations. On occasion, the engineering department supports STEM-oriented organizations such as the Pinewood Derby or MathCounts competitions.
To engage in our various outreach efforts, please check back regularly for upcoming events or reach out to Kelly Anderson at kellyanderson@charlotte.edu to connect your K-12 student population.
Connect with us
FREE Teacher Conference
The 2026 ASEE PreK-12 Engineering Education Teacher conference will be on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) in the William States Lee College of Engineering. We are proud to offer a wide variety of programs to support any PreK-12 engineering-interested educator. Whether you are a formal or informal educator, new to engineering or even just curious, we want to share ideas, expertise, and especially hands-on programming with you! Speakers will be teachers and engineering education leaders from across the nation!
Kick off Summer with STEM!
This year’s STEM Innovation EXPO will be Sunday, April 26, 2026 at UNC Charlotte Main Campus Plaza-Cauble Quad. The UNC Charlotte Center for STEM Education, UNC Charlotte STEM departments including the College of Engineering, and community stakeholders will facilitate events focused on engaging and interactive STEM learning opportunities. Through hands-on activities, STEM talks, lab tours, nature experiences, exhibits and performances, the UNC Charlotte STEAM Expo engages a wide range of public audiences while inspiring future generations.
Summer Camps
Spend the week engineering with us! Summer camps are run through camps on campus and feature various engineering experiences all coordinated by College of Engineering faculty and staff.
June 8-12 | Lego Robotics 101 | Grades 1-4 | Sam Shue
June 15-19 | Lego Robotics 201 | Grades 5-8 | Sam Shue
June 22-26 | Lego Robotics 201 | Grades 5-8 | Sam Shue
July 6-10 | Lego Robotics 201 | Grades 5-8 | Sam Shue
July 13-17 | Lego Robotics 201 | Grades 5-8 | Sam Shue
July 20-24 | Electronics 101: Build Your own Robot | Grades 9-12 | Sam Shue
July 20-24 | Engaging Engineers | Grades 1-4 | Kelly Anderson
July 27-31 | Lego Robotics 101| Grades 1-4 | Sam Shue
August 3-7 | Electronics 101: Build Your own Robot | Grades 9-12 | Sam Shue
Want a Niner Engineer to visit your classroom?
Teachers, do you want to give your middle or high school students an engaging, STEM-focused learning experience? Our Student Ambassadors can visit your classroom and provide age-appropriate information about STEM, as well as a fun activity that will help engineering come alive for your students. Reservations required.
Resources
Electrical Systems and System Parts
In this module, students investigate the 2021 Texas blackout to explore how electrical systems function and fail. Through modeling and hands-on activities, they examine how electricity is transferred across small and large-scale systems, including substations and microgrids. Students design and revise models to explain energy flow, disruptions, and system resiliency.
This high school physical science unit engages students in exploring alternative energy sources through the lens of sustainability, energy transfer, and cost-benefit analysis. Over several days, students investigate how various fuels (gasoline, ethanol, electricity, etc.) impact Earth systems, calculate energy efficiency and work, and examine the environmental and economic trade-offs of different energy sources.
Forces and Motion
This high school physical science unit challenges students to apply Newton’s Laws and force concepts by designing resilient transmission towers. Through case studies, modeling, and hands-on building, students investigate how unbalanced forces—like wind, impact, and weight—affect structural stability.
In this high school physical science or physics unit, students apply wave and energy concepts to solve a real-world engineering challenge: designing a wave-powered buoy system to generate electricity for an island community. Through modeling, testing, and data analysis, students bring core wave standards to life, including frequency, amplitude, velocity, and energy transfer.