Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Build an engineering research proposal with Polygence during 2 weeks on UCLA’s campus for high school students, then continue through 10 mentor sessions.
Course Description
Start with an engineering problem worth investigating, then determine what evidence could move it toward a solution. Students explore the research cycle through questions connected to areas such as biomedical devices, smart cities, sustainable energy, computing, and aerospace. A paper-bridge design challenge makes the process tangible as teams test constraints, compare results, and revise their thinking.
Students learn to find and evaluate scholarly sources, choose among experimental, computational, design-based, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, and consider ethics in data collection. Workshops in descriptive and inferential statistics, citations, abstracts, data visualization, and peer review help turn an initial idea into a focused research proposal.
This hybrid academy combines an on-campus experience with Polygence’s Core Research Program. During the campus program, each student develops an engineering research proposal, abstract, and professional scientific poster, then presents the work in a symposium-style setting. Afterward, students join a virtual cohort and are matched 1:1 with a Polygence research mentor in their field of interest. Across 10 virtual sessions, the mentor helps each student continue the project at an individual pace toward a research paper, symposium presentation, podcast, or another appropriate final format.
This 2-week full-day academy takes place at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. Students spend the full program focused on one intensive academy. The academy is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic work with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study or pursue next. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What Will You Do?
• Frame an engineering research question around a current technical challenge
• Compare experimental, computational, design-based, and mixed research methods
• Evaluate scholarly sources and build a focused literature review
• Analyze data while considering ethics, limitations, and research integrity
• Draft a proposal, abstract, and professional scientific poster
• Present an elevator pitch and defend the project at a mock symposium
• Continue the project through Polygence’s Core Research Program and 10 one-to-one virtual mentor sessions
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Formulate a focused engineering research question and select an appropriate method
• Evaluate sources, evidence, ethics, and limitations when developing a proposal
• Communicate a research plan through an abstract, scientific poster, and oral presentation
Students will leave the campus program with an engineering research proposal and scientific poster, a plan for continuing the project through Polygence mentorship, stronger research and presentation skills, and clearer direction for further study.
Why Engineering Research Skills Matter
Engineering research asks students to connect creative ideas with evidence. Defining a testable question prevents a broad interest from becoming an unfocused project, while selecting a method requires students to think carefully about constraints, variables, and the kind of data a claim needs.
The process strengthens quantitative reasoning, source evaluation, ethical judgment, and clear technical communication. Iterating after a test or peer critique also teaches that revision is part of serious problem-solving. These habits support advanced coursework and collaborative projects because students learn to explain not only what they propose, but why their design and evidence justify the next step.
Who Should Attend?
This academy is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and want to investigate how engineers turn questions into evidence-based designs and decisions. It fits students interested in fields such as biomedical, environmental, computer, electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering, including those still deciding which direction appeals most.
Participants should be ready to read research, work with data, give and receive peer feedback, revise a proposal, and present ideas several times. The experience rewards curiosity, persistence, and thoughtful collaboration.
Students should also be ready to continue after the campus program through 10 one-to-one virtual sessions with a Polygence mentor matched to their field of interest.
Recommended by More Than 4 out of 5 Students
Based on students surveyed in Summer Discovery’s 2026 UCLA high school program.
Why UCLA?
UCLA gives high-school students the opportunity to explore an academic interest while experiencing university life in Los Angeles, a city where entertainment, technology, business, science, and culture constantly intersect. The campus has its own community and rhythm while connecting students to a wider environment built around creativity and new ideas.
Students learn alongside peers, navigate a large campus, and gain independence through everyday choices and responsibilities. Time outside class expands the experience through friendships, campus life, and opportunities to notice which subjects and settings hold their attention. For families, UCLA offers a valuable combination of substantive academics, personal growth, and clearer direction about what a student may want to study, experience more deeply, or pursue next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive