Course Descriptions
Course offers vary for each of the summer sessions. View the registration page for details. The Summer Science Academy course at McDaniel College is a fantastic experience for high school students interested in science.
Forensic Science
Instead of talking about it or watching it in some dramatized show on TV, you will participate in realistic forensic investigations using actual techniques in use today. Some of the topics we will cover during this week-long class include eyewitness testimony, drug analysis, blood and DNA analysis, hair analysis, forensic anthropology and entomology, and ballistics. Come see if you have what it takes to figure out "Who Done It"!
Marine Science
Ever considered a career in marine science? If so, come get your feet wet in this week-long, hands-on course where we will carry out practical laboratory experiments and do meaningful fieldwork to explore topics in marine ecology, biological oceanography, and physical oceanography. This course includes a field trip on a working oceanographic research vessel.
Cooking Science
Prepare to indulge your two most chemically related senses — smell and taste — in a gastronomical, yet scientific journey. Students will experiment with, and, of course, consume, a variety of foods as a way to fuse interesting scientific principles with the art of cooking. The “chef-scientists” will prepare staple ingredients, concoct fancy glazes and spices, and whip-up some delicious desserts as a means to learn about basic physical principles and chemical laws, the quantification of mixtures and compounds, and interesting and relevant chemical reactions. Through these examples of food experimentation, you will gain a meaningful understanding of the depth and breadth of the subject that is Cooking Science!
Real-World Physical Science Laboratory
Are you interested in science but frustrated by your limited experience in high school science classes? Do you want to experience what real scientists do in the laboratory? If yes, come and join us during this week-long science course for “real scientists”. Throughout the week you will apply a variety of techniques to an array of interesting real-world problems from biomedical application to environmental problem solving and get hand-on experience using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Completion of one year of high school physics or chemistry is recommended, but not required.
Pre-Health Science: Medical Anatomy
How does the human body work? How are our parts interconnected? In this course, students will explore the major organ systems of the body through hands-on activities and medical case studies. Guided dissection of animal hearts, kidneys, eyes, and brains will coincide with examining the pathology of these tissues in normal and diseased states. Students will gain confidence in skills such as specimen dissection and microscopy as well as strategies for retaining large amounts of new information in preparation for intensive college courses in anatomy. This course is open to all students, but is particularly aimed at students thinking about a future career in health (nurse/physical therapist/doctor/trainer/
The Brain: Memory, Perception, and Cognition
Be prepared to have your mind blown! This course serves as introduction to the basic theories, principles, and methods that provide insight in the mysteries of how the mind works. Through class activities, discussion, and laboratories, students will learn about cognition, behaviorism, and neuroscience through experiments focused on attention, perception, memory, reasoning, decision making, and problem solving.
Engineering Laboratory
Interested in engineering? In this course, students will gain an understanding of the various professional engineering fields. The topics covered will include: Problem conceptualization and solution design, economic and technical constraints, basic mathematical and computational techniques for solving engineering problems, and engineering as a creative endeavor. Students will also learn how to recognize and understand the impact of engineering solutions on the environment, economy, and society.
Pre-Health Science: Genetics – Unlocking Life’s Code
How can a simple four letter code (A-C-G-T) produce all life’s diversity? In this course, we will learn how the genetic code gives us our unique identities. Through case studies and activities, we will learn about genetic diseases and promising new treatments, including gene therapy, stem cells, cancer immunotherapy, personalized medicine, and CRISPR. In the lab, we will use techniques such as PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction enzyme digestion, and transformation to insert the jellyfish green fluorescent protein gene into bacteria to make them glow green! This course is open to all students, but is particularly aimed at students thinking about a future career in health (nurse/physical therapist/doctor/trainer/
Organisms to Ecosystems: Introduction to the Principles of Ecology
Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment. Using hands-on laboratory and field activities, this course will introduce students to ecological principles and their utility in understanding and developing solutions to global environmental problems. Students will investigate how populations shift, species interact in nature, and how to predict global patterns of biodiversity. Field trips to local field sites will allow students to become immersed in the study of ecology and to participate in ongoing ecological research.
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
Get a $40,000 McDaniel Scholarship!
Students who successfully complete at least one session of the Summer Science Academy and who have not already been admitted to McDaniel College will receive a guaranteed minimum $40,000 scholarship to attend McDaniel College as an undergraduate.