“My most powerful experience in manufacturing and engineering was with a group of 12-year-old girls …. It was at an NBT camp that as a young student I learned to use hand tools, drill presses, 3D printers, and my imagination to turn raw, recyclable materials into useful and functioning contraptions. This program sparked my passion for engineering. GADgET (Girls Adventuring in Design, Engineering, and Technology) was so formative and enlightening that I was shocked that [a camp like this] didn’t exist in my own town.”

Amanda attended her first Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT) summer manufacturing camp, named GADgET, in 2014 at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, which was an hour drive from her home. GADgET was a two-week long, all-girls camp for ages 12-16.

“I had no idea what to expect. I was amazed by the breadth of tools, expertise, and topics that were used and shared as part of our engineering education. We learned through many hands-on experiences, like field trips to factories where we were able to design and create our own products. Most importantly, I appreciate how knowledgeable and passionate each of my instructors has been.

At the NBT camp, I worked with a team to build a hydraulic robot arm from a kit. We also used simple 3D printing devices and explored how the technology is different to current CD printing methods. One of my personal projects was developing a portable battery-powered light fixture, using tools and materials provided at camp.

I am lucky that my family has always been supportive of my interest in science and has encouraged me to take every opportunity I can to pursue that interest. I appreciated the GADgET program’s commitment to tackling the specific hurdles faced by women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) by providing a welcoming community for girls to begin their engineering journey.

Camps like GADgET are an incredible way to dive into new areas of STEM that many students don’t get the opportunity to do during the course of a typical school year. In addition to discovering new academic passions, these programs also connect you to amazing students and mentors who are also excited about STEM. These summer programs are truly one of a kind.

I had always been generally interested in science as a kid, but I didn’t always know how that interest would translate into a future career. This summer camp ignited my passion for engineering and innovation, specifically in biotechnology, by teaching me how scientists can identify social and medical problems and use engineering methods to address them. In doing so, I learned that there is a rapidly expanding world of possibilities in STEM — and that I wanted my future to include using STEM to improve the world around me.”

Amanda will attend Harvard University in the fall to study biomedical engineering. On her application to Harvard, she credited her technical and leadership skills to experiences she gained at the GADgET camps she attended and served as a mentor. She plans to continue her medical research and exploration in engineering and manufacturing methods of all kinds.

“I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to study [at Harvard]. I’m very excited to continue learning and exploring areas of STEM that I don’t know about yet, as well as meeting classmates and professors who are also excited about these areas. Specifically, I am very excited to continue the biomedical research that I have conducted alongside a Harvard professor (an opportunity I was inspired to pursue with the confidence I gained through GADgET). Someday, I hope I will be able to develop new technology that can improve the way we study and treat different medical conditions.”

NBT congratulates Amanda on her determination and perseverance to reach her goals and share her knowledge of STEM education.

nbtfoundation.org/camps