Explore Careers in the Industry

The Challenge: Oil and gas drilling requires incredibly strong materials that can withstand extreme pressure. Your challenge is to build the strongest possible tower using only 100 toothpicks and one bottle of white glue. Your tower must be at least 12 inches tall and able to support the weight of a textbook placed on top for at least 30 seconds. Test different structural designs—triangles, squares, cross-bracing—and document which geometry makes the strongest structure. Time yourself during construction to see if you can improve efficiency on a second attempt!

What You'll Learn: Structural engineering principles, material strength, geometric stability, and iterative design thinking.

The Challenge: Environmental scientists work hard to keep water clean and safe. Your mission is to build a water filtration system using everyday materials (coffee filters, sand, gravel, activated charcoal, cotton balls, plastic bottles). Start with "contaminated" water—add dirt, food coloring, small debris, and cooking oil to clean water. Pour your dirty water through your filtration system and collect what comes out the other end. Compare before and after samples. Which materials worked best? Can you design a multi-stage filter that removes different types of contamination? Document your process with photos and explanations.

What You'll Learn: Environmental science, filtration technology, water quality testing, and the importance of clean water systems in energy production.

The Challenge: You've been hired as a junior engineer to design a pipeline system that transports water from Point A to Point B without any leaks. Using household materials (straws, tape, plastic bottles, rubber bands, aluminum foil), create a functional pipeline that can move at least one cup of water across a 3-foot distance. Your system must include at least two turns or elevation changes. Test it over a container to catch any leaks. The goal is to transport the most water with the least spillage. Bonus points for creative solutions like adding a valve system or pressure regulation!

What You'll Learn: Fluid dynamics, engineering design, problem-solving under constraints, and how real pipelines prevent environmental hazards.

The Challenge: Become an energy detective for one week! Create a data collection system to track electricity usage in your home. Monitor lights, appliances, electronics, and heating/cooling. Record when devices are used and for how long. Calculate the total estimated energy consumption using online calculators or appliance wattage labels. Create a visual presentation (chart, graph, or infographic) showing your findings. Then propose three realistic changes your family could make to reduce energy waste. Present your findings and see if your family will implement your suggestions!

What You'll Learn: Data collection and analysis, energy conservation, graphing skills, and how to communicate scientific findings effectively.