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
A paper bridge puts an engineering idea to the test. Compare what happened with what you expected, then start shaping a research question of your own.
In this course you will explore the research cycle through questions connected to areas such as biomedical devices, smart cities, sustainable energy, computing, and aerospace. A team paper-bridge design challenge makes the process tangible through constraints, testing, and revision.
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.
On campus, you’ll develop an engineering research proposal, abstract, and professional scientific poster, then present in a symposium-style setting. Continue afterward through Polygence’s Core Research Program: join a virtual cohort and work one-to-one with a mentor matched to your interests. Across 10 virtual sessions, pursue the project at your own pace toward a paper, symposium presentation, podcast, or another appropriate 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. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What Will You Do?
• Frame an engineering question and compare research methods
• Evaluate scholarly sources for a focused literature review
• Analyze data with attention to ethics and limitations
• Create a research proposal, abstract, and scientific poster
• Pitch and defend your project at a mock symposium
• Continue through Polygence’s Core Research Program with 10 one-to-one virtual 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
You’ll leave with your engineering research proposal, scientific poster, a plan for continuing through Polygence mentorship, and a certificate of completion.
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?
For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
An engineering idea you want to investigate can become the starting point for your own research proposal. There is room to discover which field interests you. Biomedical, environmental, computer, electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering are possible directions. Reading research, working with data, exchanging peer feedback, and presenting more than once help your plan take shape.
After the campus program, continue through 10 one-to-one virtual sessions with a Polygence mentor matched to your 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.
Your Summer at 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