Fourteen local high school students proudly demonstrated their robotic inventions and poster projects Friday evening during the third annual graduation ceremony of the Medical Engineering and Robotics Innovation for Tomorrow (MERIT) summer program at Florida Polytechnic University.
MERIT offers local high school students an intensive, hands-on learning experience in health informatics, nanotechnology, renewable energy, surgical robotics and other high-demand industries using advanced technology.
“The MERIT summer program is a great way for students to get up close and personal with key concepts in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Dr. Susan LeFrancois, Assistant Professor of Science and Logistics at Florida Poly and lead organizer of the annual summer program. “I am proud of all of our MERIT graduates. They thoroughly enjoyed working with high-tech innovations and learning about how they are applied in the real world.”
Florida Poly partnered with All Saints Academy, Lakeland Regional Health, The PUR Clinic, WellDyne and Winter Haven Hospital for the evening program, which began on June 1 at the University’s campus. During the last four weeks, students participated in a series of immersive, three-hour evening sessions that covered different topics in advanced technology, engineering and medicine. Leading faculty and industry experts from the partner organizations taught the classes and engaged students by using 3D printers, taking field trips and conducting research on a topic of their choice.
Students in the MERIT program also assembled and programmed functional robots, which they demonstrated as part of the final assignment and graduation ceremony before faculty and special guests. All students kept their robots and received a certificate of completion.
“Being part of a hands-on learning experience involving robotics and medical advances was exciting, and something that I would not have been able to take part in if it were not for MERIT. I would not have missed this for anything. I would support this camp in any way that I can in the future,” said Ted Willoughby,who just graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and plans to attend Florida Polytechnic University in the fall.
Each weekly session of the MERIT program covered a different topic in advanced technology, engineering and medicine, including:
- “Design and Rapid Prototyping with Tinkercad and Makerbot®” – Students gained hands-on experience using 3D printers and software;
- “Innovation in Cancer Therapy” – Oncologists explained cancer therapy and offered students experience using scanners and therapy in a simulated experience;
- “Robotics Lab/Surgery” – Physicians discussed high-tech surgery and allowed students to operate the CT and MRI scanning equipment as well as the da Vinci® Robot used in surgery.
“It’s been exciting to watch the MERIT students learn and be inspired by the innovative advancements our faculty and industry partners are applying every day,” said Dr. Ghazi Darkazalli, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Florida Polytechnic University. “For the third year, Florida Poly is proud to offer this experience to these bright young students and we hope it inspires them to keep learning.”