The Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP) welcomes highly motivated and talented students to explore Engineering at the college level. The Academy’s intensive, three-week programs combine sophisticated theory with hands-on practical experience in cutting edge technologies. Work with leading faculty while earning college credit, live on Penn’s historic campus, and connect with new friends from around the world.

Whether you are local to the Philadelphia area or hail from halfway around the world, we welcome you to explore what ESAP has to offer. Our program is, in part, designed to provide exceptional math and science students the opportunity to explore the field of Engineering before applying to college. Situated on Penn’s historic campus right in the heart of the city, students can also take advantage of the vast array of activities and resources available to the Penn community.

Participants of ESAP enroll in one of six offered courses. Click on one of the courses above to find out which one is right for you!

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Biotechnology has been revolutionized by the techniques of genetic engineering which are used to design new proteins, produce drugs, and investigate disease mechanisms. Engineers use this technology to modify living cells of plants, bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells so that they produce important biomedical products such as human insulin and cancer drugs. In this course, students will learn some of the fundamentals of molecular biology and have the opportunity to carry out molecular cloning experiments in the lab. A group research proposal on a current problem in biotechnology provides the students with an opportunity to investigate a particular research area in depth. Students also attend a journal club to discuss recent journal articles and hear Penn faculty discuss current research in areas related to biotechnology.

Eligible students should have at least 1 year’s coursework in Biology and Chemistry. AP Biology experience is a plus but not a pre-requisite.

COMPLEX NETWORKS

Networks are ubiquitous in our modern society, playing an increasingly larger role in every day life. These include: Social networks such as Facebook or Twitter, infrastructure networks such as the Internet, or energy networks such as the electric grid. Network Science and Engineering is a new discipline that investigates the structure of large complex networks and their behavior and properties, and then designing technologies that control and manipulate their behaviors to bring about greater benefits to society. In this program, students will learn some of the basic tools, methods, and algorithms for analysis of networked systems, as well as practical applications of this new science.

Eligible students should have coursework in physics and math. Some computer programming knowledge is recommended but not a pre-requisite.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

The fast-growing field of nanotechnology is the study of the control of matter on an anatomic and molecular scale, with significant and exciting future applications in life sciences, medicine, and engineering. Through lecture, lab, and group projects, the course will cover topics in nanomaterials, nanofabrication techniques, imaging nanostructures, real-life applications of nanotechnology, nanoscience ethics, and other concepts necessary to understanding why very small systems exhibit unique behavior. Assignments are designed to encourage creative, innovative, independent thinking skills, with a strong emphasis on significant group contribution and teamwork.

Prior coursework in Chemistry and Physics is preferred, but not mandatory.

ROBOTICS

Students will be introduced to the state of the art in robotics, design, manufacturing, and automation. The course ties together engaging classroom discussions on a variety of topics including sensing, actuation, control, and embedded programming. Working in groups, they will build their own mobile robot that can be tele-operated with some onboard autonomy.

The program will culminate in competitive demonstrations in which students will test their robots against each other in a specifically designed course.

Eligible students should have prior coursework in Physics, Math (Precalculus is a plus but not a pre-requisite), and C programming or Autocad.

COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Students will be introduced to the character pipeline for games and animation. It will include design, anatomy, modeling, texturing, rigging, programming, and animation overall, while focusing on character modeling in depth. They will learn, in part, through visits to Penn’s own LiveActor motion capture studio, the Human Modeling and Simulation Center (HMS), and field trips to related companies.

Beginning with clay modeling, sketches, and progressing quickly to some of the most advanced software in the industry (such as Alias, Maya, and Photoshop), students will use their creative powers and technical skills to produce a character that can be used in games and animation.

Eligible students will find prior experience in Photoshop, Maya or other modeling tools useful, but it is not a pre-requisite.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Computer science involves translating a complex problem into a computing solution by learning how to create data models and think algorithmically. Students in this course will be introduced both to the practical work of programming and to the important foundations of computer science. Using a variety of programming languages (which varies per offering), students will learn about abstraction, modularity, objects, loops, arrays, classes, and OOP. In addition, students will learn the theoretical underpinnings of computer science so that they will understand such fundamental concepts as how we get from the 0’s and 1’s of machine language to highly complex software.

This course is recommended for those that have had little to no exposure (if you have never coded before or the largest program you have written is less than 200 lines of code) in Computer Science..

ADMISSIONS

THE 2023 ONLINE APPLICATION IS CLOSED. Please note that we are no longer accepting application documents.

2023 PROGRAM UPDATE:

We will be offering a full on-campus program in 2023, featuring all 6 courses. However, that may be subject to change due to any emerging public health concerns. Please note that the university’s COVID guidelines have been recently updated (as of April 2023). It is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that all students be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 before arriving to campus.?

If you have questions or concerns regarding ESAP, please contact us via email at esap@seas.upenn.edu. Due to staffing shortages, we ask that you refrain from calling our office or leaving voicemail messages. We make every effort to respond to emails in a timely manner.

APPLICATION PROCESS OVERVIEW

Before beginning the application below, please review the Application Requirements page in order to gather all of the necessary materials for both the online and supplemental portions of the application. Please read the Application Instructions below to assist you in completing your application. Your high school administrator must submit your OFFICIAL transcript by email as a PDF document in order for your application to be completed. Your application will be reviewed only after ALL supplemental materials have been received. Please log into the application portal to check the completion status of your application. WE DO NOT SEND NOTIFICATIONS FOR MISSING MATERIALS.

FINANCIAL AID APPLICANTS: If you are applying for financial aid, please click here to download the appropriate form(s). Your completed financial aid application and requested supplemental materials can be uploaded online on your CollegeNet dashboard, and should be submitted NO LATER than 10 days after your program application is submitted. Please note, applications without supporting documentation (W-2 form and most recent income tax return) are considered incomplete and WILL NOT be reviewed. Completed financial aid applications and supplemental documents must be uploaded to CollegeNet within 10 days of submitting the online program application.

DEADLINES: The priority deadline to submit your completed application is March 3rd. If spaces remain available, completed applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling (ongoing) basis. The final deadline for all applications is April 7th. For applications received after the priority deadline, please allow AT LEAST 3 weeks for processing and review (wait times may be prolonged if your application is completed immediately after the priority deadline, as this is an extremely high volume time). You may check the completion status of your application at any time by logging into the application portal.

ADMISSION DECISIONS: Admission to ESAP is very selective, and based on our assessment of several factors: your academic interests, abilities, past achievements, your potential to actively contribute to your peers in the program, and your potential to gain a substantial learning experience through the program. You will be informed of an admission decision the week of April 3rd if you submit your completed application by the priority deadline. All applications received after the priority deadline will be evaluated and notified of an admission decision on a rolling basis only.

BEFORE APPLYING, PLEASE READ THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS SHEET IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS WILL ASSIST YOU IN SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.

APPLY HERE!

STUDENT LIFE

LIVING ON CAMPUS

ESAP students are housed in the high-rise residence halls. These air-conditioned residence halls provide a comfortable balance of privacy and camaraderie in central locations. Residents will stay in multi-occupancy guest suites and will have a private or shared bedroom. Each bedroom is equipped with a set of the following items: extra-long twin bed, desk, desk chair, lamp, and dresser. Due to space constraints, any additional furniture is discouraged. The following items are NOT provided: sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, soap (laundry, dish, and bath), wastebasket, hamper, alarm clock, phone or computer. Amenities, such as linens, can be arranged at rates that are typically lower than economy hotel rooms. Residential Teaching Assistants (RTAs), supervised by a full-time Residential Director in the dorms and instructors in the classrooms, are current Penn undergraduates who live in the dorms with the students and serve as TAs in the classrooms.

More information about residential staff, housing, and dining will be available in the Spring. For general information about Penn’s campus, please visit: http://www.upenn.edu/campus/

HIGH-RISE RESIDENCE HALLS

Offering a total capacity to accommodate 2,317 residents, Penn’s high-rise residence halls welcome guests to apartment-style living with breathtaking views of the city, in attractive accommodations offering wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, private bathrooms and many with kitchens. ESAP students typically live in one of the following residence halls: Rodin, Harnwell, and Harrison College Houses.

DINING

ESAP participants typically dine at 1920s Commons and Houston Market dining halls.

Students with special dietary needs can be accommodated, however, the offerings may be limited due to the summer schedule. More information will be provided at the time of enrollment for admitted students.

PUBLIC SAFETY

All entrances to the high-rise residence halls are monitored 24/7 by Penn Public Safety. Students must swipe their ID and enter a secure, private key code to enter any residence halls. To learn more about security measures on Penn’s campus, please visit: http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/.

FAQs

Thank you for visiting our FAQ page. Here you will find valuable information regarding the ESAP program. Whether you are a potential applicant, enrolled student, parent, educator, or ESAP alum, the answers to your questions can be found here!

CLICK THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORY ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

General Information

PROGRAM DATES

Start: July 9, 2023

End: July 29, 2023

Students have academic commitments through the last Friday of the program until 4pm.

PROGRAM FEES

See Financial Information.

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

See Fast Facts.

SUMMER PROGRAMS AT PENN

General information about all of the summer programs offered at Penn can be found here:?

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/highschool

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY SUMMER INSTITUTE

For rising high school seniors interested in the principles and practice of technological innovation in the business world. Sponsored by the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Wharton School: https://fisher.wharton.upenn.edu/management-technology-summer-institute/

LEADERSHIP IN THE BUSINESS WORLD

Sponsored by the Wharton School: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/academics/lbw.cfm

PENN SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Sponsored by the College of Liberal and Professional Studies: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/highschool

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

PENN GEMS

Engineering, Math & Science Summer Camp: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/awe/gems/index.php

FOR YOUNG WOMEN

ADVANCING WOMEN IN ENGINEERING (AWE)

Undergraduate: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/awe/

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