This project will be conducted in Jordan, officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, located in Western Asia within the Levant region. The project aims to address the educational and economic challenges faced by Syrian refugee youth in the Al Za’atari camp by providing them with access to STEM education. This initiative is crucial as it equips students with critical 21st century skills, fosters problem-solving abilities, and enhances their future opportunities in education and employment.
Through hands-on learning experiences, participating students will:
• Develop teamwork and leadership skills by working collaboratively on STEM-based projects that integrate robotics and programming with sports challenges.
• Learn foundational and advanced programming concepts to design and program robotic systems that perform tasks related to real-world applications, encouraging creativity and critical thinking.
• Engage in structured sports activities that incorporate engineering principles, demonstrating how science and technology intersect with movement, mechanics and strategy.
• Participate in mentorship and training sessions conducted by experts to build their technical and problem-solving skills while also promoting social cohesion and resilience among refugee youth.
• Conduct hands-on, service-learning projects within the camp to apply STEM knowledge in meaningful ways, fostering a sense of empowerment and confidence in their own abilities.
The program is made possible through a partnership with Jordanian nongovernmental organization Al-Ghara’a and with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and We Save the Children.
“Students will leave this program with sharper technical skills and a deeper appreciation for how engineering can make a real difference in the world.”
Students are required to sign up for six hours of credit. Students may choose two of the following engineering courses, based on their degree level.
If desired, one of the engineering courses may be replaced with the following course:
