The Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (CAMM) inspired hundreds of high school students during the 2024–2025 school year through lab tours and panel discussions. Over the summer, CAMM expanded its outreach by bringing hands-on STEM workshops directly to younger learners in Knoxville.
Partnering with Christenberry, E.V. Davidson, and Deane Hill community centers, CAMM’s Education, Community Outreach, and Recruitment (ECOR) team, along with REU students, delivered engaging activities that introduced elementary and middle school students to the world of materials research.
Students explored concepts through interactive lessons such as tensile testing, a materials matching game, ferrofluids, shape memory alloys, and crystalline materials.
These efforts provided safe and engaging learning opportunities for local youth, helped to expand awareness of CAMM and NSF funded programs in the local community, and gave REU participants a valuable experience in science communication. CAMM continues to bridge advanced research and accessible education, strengthening its role in STEM outreach.
