PITA supports courses and outreach programs aimed at educating students who are at various educational levels in engineering and technology.
PITA is actively engaged in outreach programs that help educate pre-college students in math, science, engineering, and technology. The program also supports project courses that link Pennsylvania companies with teams of students working on engineering projects and are aimed at improving the products and/or processes of these companies. These courses are part of the students’ undergraduate or graduate curriculum. In addition, PITA provides courses jointly taught in an industrial setting to engineering professionals by Lehigh and Carnegie Mellon University faculty.
Engineering Design Project Course
An interdisciplinary, team-based product design course taught at Carnegie Mellon University and Lehigh that encourages the participation of graduate and undergraduate students in industry sponsored challenges.
Moving 4th Into Engineering
Each spring, approximately 30 fourth-grade students from various Pittsburgh area schools are invited to visit Carnegie Mellon University's campus and participate in a full day of hands-on engineering activities. This program provides the students with an interactive introduction to the exciting world of engineering.
Rapid Prototyping in Education at CMU
Because of rapid scientific advances in materials, manufacturing processes, and information technologies, the design techniques developed even five years ago are no longer effective in today's complex, competitive environment. This course familiarizes students with rapid prototyping technology and the collaborative, interdisciplinary design process.
SEE: Summer Engineering Experience for Girls
Source: PITA
SEE: Summer Engineering Experience for Girls is a new two-week program that gives middle school girls an opportunity to explore multidisciplinary engineering activities focused around the theme of energy. Through hands-on activities, girls employ critical thinking and problem solving skills to explore ways in which to create efficient and environmentally-friendly uses of energy. The program draws participating faculty from the various departments of Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering.
S.T.A.R. Academy
The goal of this outreach program is to improve academic performance; encourage students to complete high school and explore college opportunities; provide adequate exposure to various educational fields; and assist students to achieve greater self-esteem and motivation. S.T.A.R. Academies prepare academically disadvantaged students for college and emphasize science, engineering, information technologies, and business. More than 125 students from the 4th through 12th grades are involved and more than 100 Lehigh students and faculty serve as volunteers. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and other Lehigh Valley companies support the S.T.A.R. Academies.
A S.U.R.E. Thing! (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience)
Through the SURE Thing program, the Engineering Research Accelerator offers undergraduate students–either Pennsylvania residents or those from Pennsylvania universities other than Carnegie Mellon University–the opportunity to spend ten weeks working with Carnegie Mellon faculty and graduate students on real-world engineering research projects. A primary mission of the program is to retain highly educated students for future employment in the state of Pennsylvania.
Student Retention Statistics
Educating and retaining educated university graduates in Pennsylvania are goals of the PITA program.