Explore Engineering Summer Academy

The Explore Engineering Summer Academy is a free, week-long engineering camp run by the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) School of Engineering for students entering 8th through 10th grade. The 2026 academy was the 27th annual edition. It offered two sessions in 2026, June 1 to June 5 and June 8 to June 12, each meeting weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The program takes place in person at UCO in Edmond, Oklahoma. There is no cost to attend, and participants receive a travel stipend and a daily lunch. Each session has five teams of three students, and every team is guided by a current UCO engineering student. UCO engineering faculty serve as the instructors. Teams design, build, test and improve projects while competing in challenges covering aerodynamics, steam power, 3D printing, structural integrity and mechatronics. The academy is funded by a grant from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Open to students entering 8th, 9th or 10th grade in the fall. To apply, students submit an application form signed by the student and their parents, a recommendation from a teacher or youth leader, and a one-page essay on why they want to attend a STEM summer academy. Materials can be emailed or mailed to the UCO School of Engineering. For 2026, application reviews began April 1.