Get Excited About Materials Science (GEMS) Camp
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 W. Green St., MC 246, 201 Materials Science and Engineering Building, IL 61801
About
Get Excited About Materials Science (GEMS) Camp includes activities such as a ceramic brick project, a design project woven throughout the week, and individual modules covering a wide range of topics. The camp structure comes from years of feedback and continual modification, and it incorporates a centralized theme to connect the entire week’s activities. No special background is required to participate, only curious minds ready for fun.
• Ages: 15–17 years old
• Schedule: July 26 – August 1, 2026
Camp Coordinator Professor Jessica Krogstad received her PhD in Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012, and her research focuses on material performance in extreme environments such as gas turbine engines and nuclear reactors. She joined the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall of 2014 as an Assistant Professor, after receiving her BS from the same department in 2007. All camp applications are submitted through the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Program.
A past camper commented that they enjoyed the ceramic brick project and felt that the Materials Science and Engineering professors and students connected the project to other engineering majors, such as civil and structural engineering.
Last updated May 26, 2026.
• Ages: 15–17 years old
• Schedule: July 26 – August 1, 2026
Camp Coordinator Professor Jessica Krogstad received her PhD in Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012, and her research focuses on material performance in extreme environments such as gas turbine engines and nuclear reactors. She joined the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall of 2014 as an Assistant Professor, after receiving her BS from the same department in 2007. All camp applications are submitted through the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Program.
A past camper commented that they enjoyed the ceramic brick project and felt that the Materials Science and Engineering professors and students connected the project to other engineering majors, such as civil and structural engineering.
Last updated May 26, 2026.
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