Looking for an engaging way to introduce students to energy and hands-on STEM learning? Join the CREATE Energy Center and Dr. Vidya Schalk for a webinar highlighting “Shining a Light on Solar Energy,” an interactive four-day solar energy camp.
This session provides an overview of the camp model that immerses students in the science and engineering behind solar power. Through hands-on activities and guided discovery, students explore how sunlight can be transformed into usable energy and how solar technologies support a more sustainable future.
Viewers learn how the camp introduces students to key concepts such as renewable energy, photovoltaic systems, and solar thermal technologies while encouraging curiosity and exploration. Throughout the program, students engage in collaborative challenges that allow them to experiment with solar-powered systems, investigate energy efficiency, and apply the engineering design process.
The camp emphasizes active learning and real-world problem solving. Students work together to design, build, and test solar-powered devices while collecting and analyzing data to understand how environmental factors affect energy capture and performance. These activities help students connect scientific principles with practical applications used in today’s clean energy technologies.
The experience culminates in a creative engineering challenge where students design solutions that harness the sun’s energy in new ways. Along the way, participants develop valuable STEM skills including critical thinking, teamwork, experimentation, and communication.
During the webinar, educators will gain insight into the structure of the four-day program, the types of activities that keep students engaged, and strategies for implementing similar energy learning experiences in camps, classrooms, or outreach programs.
Ideal for middle and high school educators, community college, STEM instructors, and program coordinators. This webinar highlights how solar energy education can spark student interest in science, technology, and sustainability while introducing them to careers in the growing clean energy workforce.
Join us to discover how this camp model can help students explore the power of the sun while building the skills needed for the energy systems of the future.
This is part of the CREATE Innovation series.
Sign up for the CREATE Newsletter and stay updated on the latest information in Energy Education.
