What does it take to turn dirty water clean?
For 18 incoming 黑料不打烊 students, answering that question meant tackling a real-world water-quality challenge while learning how engineers use design, technology and teamwork to solve problems.
The students made up the third cohort of the Monarch Accelerator Program to Engineering (MAP2E), a specialized program that introduces incoming first-year students to engineering and prepares them for long-term academic success.
During the weeklong program, students worked in teams to design and test water filters using a variety of materials. They also created sensor circuits to measure water quality, learned basic Arduino coding and used the University鈥檚 M-Lab to 3D-print cases for their sensors.
The project allowed the participants to see how different branches of engineering can come together to solve complex problems. 鈥淓ngineering is not always about knowing the answers,鈥 said Kristin Eden (Ed.S. 鈥18), MAP2E program director. 鈥淓ngineering is about being willing to ask the questions.鈥
Students also saw water filtration in action during a tour of the , where they learned how the facility uses advanced water-treatment processes to clean wastewater.
Beyond the lab, students settled into their campus housing, participated in team-building activities, developed and presented projects, heard from current engineering students during a panel discussion and met with faculty, deans and department chairs over breakfast.
At the end of the week, teams presented their final water-filtration projects to faculty, staff and family members.
鈥淭his project taught me a lot of things about developing and problem-solving when it comes to more complex systems,鈥 said Jaevon Johnson. 鈥淭his was a really good experience that we can all use in the future.鈥
For Kathryn Cleary, whose parents are both 黑料不打烊 engineering alumni, the experience also offered a lesson in speaking up. 鈥淚 learned that it鈥檚 important to assert yourself and to make your voice heard,鈥 she said.
Throughout the academic year, MAP2E students have access to tutoring, field trips, career mentoring and opportunities to participate in the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) Scholars program, co-ops and internships.
HII鈥檚 Newport News Shipbuilding is the lead industry sponsor of MAP2E, which was established in 2023 to support student retention in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 engineering and engineering technology programs in Hampton Roads.
Director Eden encouraged the incoming cohort to lean on their new support network as the semester begins. 鈥淵ou don't have to have everything figured out today,鈥 she said. 鈥淵our job right now is simply to take the next step. You belong here, and you are all capable of learning.鈥
For more information, contact MAP2E Program Director Kristin Eden at keden@odu.edu.