About > Programs
As a non-profit organization, Machine Science supports intensive,
year-long engineering programs in urban public schools and community
centers. In addition to providing these programs with project kits and
on-line resources, we offer training workshops and in-class assistance
for educators and after-school program leaders. We also help our
supported sites identify and recruit university students and others to
serve as mentors for participating students.
Machine Science's intensive professional development workshops
prepare teachers and after-school program providers to lead our
engineering programs. These workshops involve a total of up to 15 hours
of training in the use of our engineering project kits and curriculum
materials. During the workshops, teachers and program leaders are given
the opportunity to complete engineering project activities, under the
supervision of Machine Science staff. Strategies for incorporating
engineering projects into secondary school math and science classes are
also presented. Workshops are usually scheduled during August and
September, to prepare teachers and program leaders for the upcoming
academic year.
Mentor positions are typically filled by undergraduate and graduate
students from university engineering programs, as well as engineering
professionals, retired engineers, and technology enthusiasts. As
students gain experience in Machine Science programs, they are given
the opportunity to serve as mentors for beginners.