Exploring STEM at The Cooper Union

For the second year in a row, Junior Theodore Kennedy spent his summer at the “Summer STEM 2024” program with The Cooper Union. Not only is The Cooper Union our neighbor in the East Village, but it is also known for having one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the country.

After participating in the shorter 3-week program last summer, Kennedy knew he wanted to apply again, this time for the 6-week program. He submitted his application in early spring and received his acceptance in April.

Kennedy described the program as “hands-on” and project based. One of the projects required teams of students to identify a problem in the world and propose a solution. Kennedy’s team came up with the idea to create a mat to set hot hair tools on, such as a curling iron, that could automatically shut the tool off to decrease the likelihood of a household fire. He also had the chance to work with a 3-D printer, build a robotic arm, and practice coding. Overall, Kennedy found joy in his time spent at The Cooper Union and is considering applying for the program again next summer.

Kennedy is unsure what he would like to pursue after high school, but for now, he would like to continue to explore the STEM field and the opportunities within it.