The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS is hosting its annual Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS) summer program. The camp gives students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields while being instructed by real STEM professionals. The week-long event is eligible to students who are going into 8th through 11th grade free of charge.

A number of Trial and Error team members have been involved with the GEMS program in the past, here’s what some of them had to say.

“GEMS showed me multiple different routes I could take going into the engineering field. It showed some of ERDC’s biggest projects, and it introduced some interesting STEM topics one may not have heard before. We were also able to see a variety of departments at ERDC run experiments.” – Shelby

“I would recommend the GEMS program to any teenager interested in STEM in any capacity. Even if you aren’t sure what type of field you want to go into as an adult, it’s beneficial to get hands-on experience with what you’d actually be working with to see if you’d be interested in a potential career in STEM. If you go through the experience and determine that STEM isn’t right for you, at least you had a blast learning about it.” – Wesley

The GEMS program exists to educate, inform, and give the next generation of innovators an opportunity to engage with new STEM concepts. The program is sure to provide students in both the GEMS I and GEMS II levels with an enriching experience and thus creating a newfound appreciation for STEM. Most importantly, those having completed the program are now equipped with the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision about their future.

https://www.usaeop.com/program/headquarters/