IEEE TryEngineering has partnered with Keysight Technologies to develop lesson plans focused on electronics and power simulation. Keysight provides hardware, software, and services to a wide variety of industries, particularly in the area of electronic measurement.

IEEE TryEngineering, an IEEE Educational Activities program, empowers educators to foster the next generation of technology innovators through free, online access to culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, and educationally sound instructional resources for teachers and community volunteers.

The lesson plans cover a variety of STEM topics, experience levels, and age ranges. Educators should be able to find an applicable topic for their students, regardless of their grade level or interests.

Lesson plans on circuits

There are already a number of lesson plans available through the Keysight partnership that introduce students to electrical concepts, with more being developed. The most popular one thus far is Series and Parallel Circuits, which has been viewed more than 100 times each month. Teams of pupils predict the difference between a parallel and serial circuit design by building examples using wires, light bulbs, and batteries.

“TryEngineering is proud to be Keysight’s partner in attaining the ambitious goal of bringing engineering lessons to 1 million students in 2024.” —Debra Gulick

The newest of the Keysight-sponsored lesson plans, Light Up Name Badge, teaches the basics of circuitry, such as the components of a circuit, series and parallel circuits, and electronic component symbols. Students can apply their newfound knowledge in a design challenge wherein they create a light-up badge with their name.

Developing a workforce through STEM outreach

“Keysight’s commitment to workforce development through preuniversity STEM outreach makes it an ideal partner for IEEE TryEngineering,” says Debra Gulick, director of student and academic education programs for IEEE Educational Activities.

In addition, Keysight’s corporate social responsibility vision to build a better planet by accelerating innovation to connect and secure the world while employing a global business framework of ethical, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible operations makes it a suitable IEEE partner.

“TryEngineering is proud to be Keysight’s partner in attaining the ambitious goal of bringing engineering lessons to 1 million students in 2024,” Gulick says.

The IEEE STEM Summit, a three-day virtual event in October for IEEE volunteers and educators, is expected to include a session highlighting Keysight’s lesson plans.

Educators and volunteers engaged in outreach activities with students can learn more on the Keysight TryEngineering partnership page.

When it comes to addressing climate change, the “in unity there’s strength” adage certainly applies.

To support IEEE’s climate change initiative, which highlights innovative solutions and approaches to the climate crisis, IEEE’s TryEngineering program has created a collection of lesson plans, activities, and events that cover electric vehicles, solar and wind power systems, and more.

TryEngineering, a program within IEEE Educational Activities, aims to foster the next generation of technology innovators by providing preuniversity educators and students with resources.

To help bring the climate collection to more students, TryEngineering has partnered with the Museum of Science in Boston. The museum, one of the world’s largest science centers, reaches nearly 5 million people annually through its physical location, nearby classrooms, and online platforms.

TryEngineering worked with the museum to distribute a nearly four-minute educational video created by Moment Factory, a multimedia studio specializing in immersive experiences. Using age-appropriate language, the video, which is posted on TryEngineering’s climate change page, explores the issue through visual models and scientific explanations.

“Since the industrial revolution, humans have been digging up fossil fuels and burning them, which releases CO2 into the atmosphere in unprecedented quantities,” the video says. It notes that in the past 60 years, atmospheric carbon dioxide increased at a rate 100 times faster than previous natural changes.

“We are committed to energizing students around important issues like climate change and helping them understand how engineering can make a difference.”

The video explains the impact of pollutants such as lead and ash, and it adds that “when we work together, we can change the global environment.” The video encourages students to contribute to a global solution by making small, personal changes.

“We’re thrilled to contribute to the IEEE climate change initiative by providing IEEE volunteers and educators access to TryEngineering’s collection, so they have resources to use with students,” says Debra Gulick, director of IEEE student and academic education programs.

“We are excited to partner with the Museum of Science to bring even more awareness and exposure of this important issue to the school setting,” Gulick says. “Working with prominent partners like the museum, we are committed to energizing students around important issues like climate change and helping them understand how engineering can make a difference.”

The annual IEEE STEM Summit in October brought together a record number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics enthusiasts, who shared ideas and inspired each other to continue their work with school-age children.

The event for preuniversity educators, IEEE volunteers, and other STEM enthusiasts provides resources and activities. Now in its third year, the free virtual summit had 581 participants from 87 countries last year. The 15 sessions garnered 950 comments and questions.

Participants posed questions to award-winning educators and knowledgeable volunteers from academia and industry, who offered practical advice on how to plan interesting and effective outreach activities. Sessions included topics on pedagogy, engineering education, and outreach best practices, as well as inspirational talks and resources to empower the STEM community.

Inspiring interest in STEM through new approaches

The summit was organized by the preuniversity education coordinating committee, a standing group of IEEE volunteers within Educational Activities. The committee’s mission is to foster educational outreach to school-age children around the globe by providing educators and IEEE volunteers with tools for creating engaging activities and measuring outcomes.

The committee, which hosted the summit, provides resources and services through TryEngineering.org. Powered by IEEE, TryEngineering inspires educators to foster the next generation of technology innovators by providing resources, lesson plans, and activities at no charge for use in their classrooms and community activities. Students’ interest in STEM careers can be ignited through exposure to new technologies and the way they operate.

The committee is committed to fostering a lively community where educators and volunteers can share ideas and experiences—which provides intriguing STEM content that can be shared through platforms and channels such as TryEngineering and taken back to the classroom.

“I’m really glad that I was able to [meet people] from all over the world who share the same thoughts” about STEM, one participant said.

Jamie Moesch, managing director of IEEE Educational Activities, says, “The IEEE STEM Summit provides preuniversity thought leaders with the opportunity to come together to share their best practices and motivate each other to inspire the next generation of engineers and technologists.

“TryEngineering serves to coordinate a vast network of resources and volunteers committed to this cause.”

Talks on climate change and generative AI

Saifur Rahman, IEEE past president, and Rabab Ward, vice president of IEEE Educational Activities, kicked off the event with welcoming remarks. Rahman spoke about the climate crisis and encouraged summit participants to utilize the IEEE climate change resources in their outreach events. Ward discussed the importance of outreach activities for school-age children.

The summit featured four keynote speakers and several panel sessions.

Wioleta Burdzy-Seth spoke about STEM for climate solutions, explaining climate change and how passion can be used to find solutions.

Jenna Carpenter referenced her TED Talk Engineering: Where Are the Girls and Why Aren’t They Here? when she discussed why it has been difficult to attract and retain women in STEM fields. She also presented research-informed strategies to help address the situation.

Tiffani Teachey presented Unleashing the Power of Persistence: Nurturing an Engineering Mindset for Success. She discussed the role persistence plays in cultivating an engineering mindset, and she asked participants to encourage young students to be more determined.

“The IEEE STEM Summit provides preuniversity thought leaders with the opportunity to come together to share their best practices and motivate each other to inspire the next generation of engineers and technologists.” —Jamie Moesch, managing director of IEEE Educational Activities

Minjuan Wang spoke on the impact the metaverse and generative AI are having on education. She showcased several technologies being used for the metaverse and learning platforms.

A panel of semiconductor professionals discussed the growing interest in semiconductor engineering. Shari Liss, executive director of the SEMI Foundation, joined several IEEE volunteers who covered different aspects of the technology. They also discussed U.S. legislation that supports the industry and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that are helping to cultivate the field’s workforce.

During the Girls in STEM panel discussion, several female students, educators, and engineering leaders shared their stories and perspectives on how to encourage and keep women in engineering.

Several sessions highlighted people who have successfully implemented STEM outreach programs, locally and globally, including a librarian and a NASA scientist.

One summit highlight was a hands-on activity. Several participants, including students from a U.S. elementary school, worked together to build a windmill using materials commonly found around the house or classroom.

Visit the IEEE TryEngineering YouTube channel to view other summit sessions.

This year’s IEEE STEM Summit is scheduled for 22 to 25 October. More information about it will be posted on the IEEE STEM Summit website.

The IEEE Foundation, the philanthropic partner for TryEngineering, provided financial support for the summit. To support future events and the TryEngineering program, visit the IEEE TryEngineering Fund donation page.