Students in grades 6 to 12 can sign up for a free, two-hour science lab offered monthly through the University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering. The lab program — Engineering Programs Inspiring the Community (EPIC) Lab — offers a look into the engineering field, including a hands-on activity. EPIC lab will be offered Feb. 11, March 11 and April 15 at the William Pennington Engineering Building on the UNR campus. Registration opens Jan. 23.

“We know from studies that academic interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) starts to wane in middle school,” Samantha Bickert, K-12 outreach coordinator for the College of Engineering, said. “Many middle and high school students view STEM as uninteresting and they don’t know how to apply the knowledge to real life.”

EPIC Lab and other outreach programs offered through the College of Engineering are designed to help students stay focused on math and science and to learn about the wide range of careers in engineering. That mission has only become more urgent as the National Science Foundation, in its 2022 report The State of U.S. Science and Engineering, asserted that strengthening the United States’ science and engineering enterprise is critical to maintaining the country’s position as a lead performer and collaborator of science and technology activities globally. This aligns with the one of College of Engineering’s overall focuses: preparing the engineers of the future.

To sign up for EPIC Lab, contact Sam Bickert, sbickert@unr.edu.