Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Explore medical devices and BME research in this 2-week biomedical engineering academy for high school students on UT Austin’s campus.
Rated 4.3 out of 5 for classroom experience by students who took this course in 2026.
Instructor:
Course Description
How can engineering tools help researchers understand the body or improve healthcare? Students begin with the engineering design process and the major disciplines that contribute to biomedical engineering. Biology and cell and tissue engineering establish a foundation for examining how living systems interact with materials, forces, devices, and data.
Each course topic opens a different window into the field. Students investigate biomaterials and biomechanics, then move into computational biomedical engineering, medical devices and instrumentation, organ-on-chip systems, and biomedical imaging. Laboratory tours connect these concepts with current research settings and the equipment biomedical engineers use.
Quizzes and short reflection papers ask students to interpret lectures, laboratory activities, tours, and guest presentations. In teams, students prepare two presentations on engineering concepts or research topics. The sequence helps them compare biomedical specialties, communicate technical ideas, and consider the kinds of problems they may want to investigate further.
This two-week full-day academy takes place at UT Austin. 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 the University of Texas at Austin and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
A supplemental course fee of $195 applies.
What Will You Do?
• Compare major engineering disciplines and their roles in biomedical engineering
• Explore cell and tissue engineering, biomaterials, and biomechanics
• Investigate computational BME, organ-on-chip systems, and biomedical imaging
• Examine medical devices and instrumentation used in healthcare research
• Tour biomedical engineering laboratories and reflect on research applications
• Collaborate on two presentations about engineering concepts and research topics
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how engineering principles apply to biological and medical problems
• Compare biomedical engineering specialties, including devices, imaging, materials, and computation
• Research and present technical concepts clearly with a team
Students will leave with reflection work and team presentations, stronger biomedical-engineering communication skills, and clearer direction for further study or careers in engineering and health technology.
Students receive a University of Texas branded certificate of completion at the end of the program.
Why Biomedical Engineering Skills Matter
Biomedical engineering requires students to connect several ways of thinking. Biology explains the living system, physics describes forces and motion, and engineering design turns a need into specifications that can be tested. Comparing these perspectives helps students see why a medical solution must work technically and fit the body or clinical setting.
Reflection and presentation work strengthen the ability to explain complex material accurately. Collaboration also matters because biomedical projects often bring together engineers, scientists, clinicians, and designers. These habits support future laboratory work, design courses, research, and problem-solving in many health and technology fields.
Who Should Attend?
This academy is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in engineering, biology, medicine, technology, or the design of healthcare solutions. It is useful for students who want to compare several biomedical engineering specialties before choosing a more focused direction.
Participants should be ready to engage with technical concepts, visit research laboratories, write short reflections, collaborate with classmates, and present course material. Curiosity about how engineered systems interact with the human body is the most important preparation. Applicants must also complete the program application.
Why UT Austin?
Studying on UT Austin’s Forty Acres campus gives high-school students a substantive introduction to academic life in Austin, Texas. Courses draw from popular undergraduate fields and Austin specialties. Full-day academies offer concentrated study, while classes across the program take place in campus classrooms and laboratories and may include guest speakers and fieldwork around Austin.
The experience extends beyond class for both residential and commuting students. Residential students live in Jester Hall, eat at J2, a popular campus dining hall, and take part in activities that may range from a star party at PMA to time at Gregory Gym, Zilker Park, South Congress, or an Austin FC match. Students gain independence, meet peers, and leave with a clearer view of college life, possible directions for future study, and what it can feel like to be a Longhorn.
UT Austin Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment from UT Austin.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive