Taryn Bayles - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Taryn Bayles

A report by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of M... more A report by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine titled "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" specifically calls for the development of rigorous new K-12 curriculum materials to improve science and mathematics education as a highest priority action. With funding from the National Science Foundation, we have developed new curriculum modules which target the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) Standards for Technological Literacy and increase involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related fields. Each module focuses on an engineering design challenge that provides real world context, is grounded in STEM content, and uses the engineering design process to design, construct and test a working prototype. The modules feature professionally produced video segments which introduce the design challenge, hands-on activities, and online segments with interactive animations and mathematical simulations. The curriculum has successfully been used in high school technology education classes over the last six years. Our state recently received an award from the Race To the Top (RTTT) fund, a competitive grant program designed to encourage and reward states that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform and achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring student preparation for success in college and careers. Our state has focused its RTTT program to include STEM initiatives throughout PreK-12 to teachers looking for new curricula with a STEM focus, which in turn has fostered collaborations among STEM high school teachers. As a result, a higher percent of science teachers attended our Professional Development (PD) workshop last summer and are currently using our engineering design curricula in their traditional science classrooms. Further, one of the technology education teachers using our curriculum has partnered with physics and biology teachers to provide supplemental science lessons related to the overarching engineering design challenge. In another school, three teachers who attended the PD workshop are partnering with two teachers who did not attend the workshop to help them deliver the curriculum to their students, which has resulted in thirteen classrooms from a single high school using the same curriculum module. Currently thirty-five classrooms at eleven different schools are using the "Engineering in Health Care: A Heart Lung Case Study" curriculum module, and more classrooms are planning to use this module in the winter or spring of 2012. Student learning data is being collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of using the curriculum in a variety of different settings and will be compared to the results attained in previous years of the program.

, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive... more , where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

(USA) was the 2014-15 Fulbright Scholar in Engineering Education at Dublin Institute of Technolog... more (USA) was the 2014-15 Fulbright Scholar in Engineering Education at Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland). She obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996. Dr. Farrell has contributed to engineering education through her work in experiential learning, focusing on areas of pharmaceutical, biomedical and food engineering. She has been honored by the American Society of Engineering Education with several teaching awards such as the 2004 National Outstanding Teaching Medal and the 2005 Quinn Award for experiential learning. Stephanie has conducted workshops on a variety of topics including effective teaching, inductive teaching strategies and the use of experiments and demonstrations to enhance learning.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2012

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder... more Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of students with an ASD in special education. Findings suggest that students with an ASD had the highest STEM participation rates although their college enrollment rate was the third lowest among 11 disability categories and students in the general population. Disproportionate postsecondary enrollment and STEM participation by gender, family income, and mental functioning skills were found for young adults with an ASD. Educational policy implications are discussed.

Workshop: Best Practices in Advising and Mentoring Undergraduate and Graduate Students

2005 Annual Conference Proceedings

Over the last four years, the Introductory Engineering Science (ENES 101) course has been revised... more Over the last four years, the Introductory Engineering Science (ENES 101) course has been revised from a traditional lecture and design-on-paper course, to an active learning lecture and project based learning engineering design course. The design teams are required not only to research, design, construct, evaluate, test and present their product, but also to develop a mathematical model of their product's performance. Successful engineering design projects have included human powered pumps, water balloon launching devices, hot air balloons, wooden block transport devices, hemodialysis systems and chemically powered vehicles. ABET evaluations have been collected for this course over the last four years and this data has been used to evolve the course, as well as to formulate the design criteria for the design projects. In addition, a new "Success Seminar" component was added to one section of this course last year, and due to the positive impact on students' academic success in the following semester, the "Success Seminar" component has been added to two sections of the course this year. The success of the revision of the introduction to engineering design course has led to partnerships with various area high schools, where the equivalent of ENES 101 is taught in the high school environment. As a result of these partnerships, the high school students have a better appreciation of engineering and over 90 % of these high school students are majoring in engineering in college (5-60 % per class per high school at UMBC). UMBC has assisted the high schools in teaching summer workshops for middle school girls, establish an "Engineering Olympics" for their feeder middle schools and start FSEA (Future Scientists and Engineers of America) after school clubs. Many of the high school engineering teachers have partnered with UMBC for several NSF engineering education grants which have been awarded.

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemic... more Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

County. She plans to finish her MS degree in Chemical Engineering also from UMBC in May 2009, aft... more County. She plans to finish her MS degree in Chemical Engineering also from UMBC in May 2009, after which she will pursue a career in industry.

Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practic... more Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, ... more County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, her work focuses on bacterial adhesion to physiological surfaces. In addition, she maintains an active research program in curriculum development with a focus on workforce development. She is also the 2007 recipient of the ASEE Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education.

Creating an Equitable Learning Environment

Chemical engineering education, 2018

To better understand the components that create an equitable learning environment, we have analyz... more To better understand the components that create an equitable learning environment, we have analyzed a number of highly successful programs that we developed and conducted targeting K-12 students, their teachers, and university students. We identified four criteria experienced by the student that are essential for his or her recruitment, participation and completion. These include (1) an inclusive and welcoming environment, (2) an experience of normalcy that minimizes conflicts to the student’s identity, (3) a sense of empowerment and control in his or her learning, and (4) relevance to his or her life, culture, and community. Formal and informal educational programs have been analyzed and have been found to have these four elements, which is supported by both literature and three diverse focus groups. Having educators and administrators create an equitable learning environment benefits all of our students and is supported by evidence in the enrollment in the chemical engineering pro...

Alternatives to the Tenure Track

Chemical engineering education, 2020

The number of PhDs awarded in chemical engineering is disproportionate with the number of tenure ... more The number of PhDs awarded in chemical engineering is disproportionate with the number of tenure track positions available; an overview of the contributions that can be made by teaching-focused faculty is presented. Statistics are provided for the number of chemical engineering faculty in the US by rank, position and gender. Based on literature and experience, best practices are recommended for successful, mutually beneficial actions for teaching-focused engineering faculty and their administrative leadership.

As both a student and teaching fellow in an Introductory Engineering Design class, experiences an... more As both a student and teaching fellow in an Introductory Engineering Design class, experiences and observations have allowed me to see the many benefits of the course’s design project requirement. For many young engineers who chose their major based on an interest in math and science, the design project provides their first encounter with synthesis and evaluation, two skills that distinguish the engineering profession from the natural sciences. The design project requires that students utilize their knowledge and comprehension of math and science to inexpensively and efficiently build something to accomplish a set objective given a series of problem constraints. The design project also requires students to evaluate and reflect on not only their own work, but the work of their colleagues in the class as well. The skills of synthesis and evaluation later become crucial as students progress through their years as upperclassmen and enter the research or industrial fields. My own experie...

Chemical engineering education, 2020

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, ... more County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, her work focuses on bacterial adhesion to physiological surfaces. In addition, she maintains an active research program in curriculum development with a focus on workforce development.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County (UMBC). He obtained his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, gr... more County (UMBC). He obtained his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, graduating Magna Cum Laude and with an Honors College certificate. His current research at UMBC involves curriculum development and outreach in the field of engineering education and he currently serves as the teaching fellow for UMBC's Introduction to Engineering course.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

in 2006 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Count... more in 2006 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is currently pursuing a MS degree in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Engineering Education, also from UMBC. He is a member of several prestigious honor societies, most notably the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County (UMBC). He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, gr... more County (UMBC). He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, graduating Magna Cum Laude and with an Honors College certificate. His current research at UMBC involves curriculum development and outreach in the field of engineering education and he currently serves as the teaching fellow for UMBC's Introduction to Engineering course. Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland-Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches, the Introduction to Engineering Design course, among other Chemical Engineering courses. Her research interests include engineering education and outreach. She is actively involved in developing curriculum to introduce engineering concepts to K-12 students.

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches Introduction to Engineering Design ... more Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches Introduction to Engineering Design and various Chemical Engineering courses. She has spent half of her career working in industry and the other half in academia. Over the last three years, she has received over $3M of NSF funding in Engineering Education & Outreach to develop hands-on curriculum to increase the interest, participation, recruitment, and retention of students in engineering and science. She has been recognized with several teaching and mentoring awards and the 2006 USM Regents Award for Collaboration in Public Service.

2005 Annual Conference Proceedings

The Young Engineers and Scientists Seminars (YESS) program targets gifted high school students fr... more The Young Engineers and Scientists Seminars (YESS) program targets gifted high school students from the Baltimore/Washington areas who have a strong aptitude in the engineering and science fields. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics High School teachers are asked to nominate students for participation in the program. This program was founded in 2002 and is funded by the Historical Electronics Museum with a grant from the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Speakers in the YESS have presented on topics as diverse as plasma physics, stealth radar, biomedical imagery, super computers/micro technology, aeronautical engineering, astrophysics and satellite reconnaissance. This year, the program has been revised from a strictly seminar series, to a hands-on program designed to help students understand the engineering method. In seven sessions, students learn how to go from theory to modeling, designing, building, and testing. The hands-on project is the modeling and design of a hot air balloon, which students built and tested. The hot air balloon had to meet specific size, cost, time aloft and payload criteria. The program is a scaled-down version of the Introduction to Engineering course that the authors teach at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. At each seminar, the high school students learn engineering fundamentals that relate to their design project and participate in hands-on activities and competitions. The students compete for prizes provided by Northrop Grumman. In most of the sessions, a technical expert presents material on topics related to their design project; examples include: the Engineering Method, Buoyancy, Materials Testing and Properties, and Computer Modeling Techniques. Monetary awards were made as part of the final hot air balloon competition. Pre and post surveys for assessing the effectiveness of the YESS program were compiled and will be presented at the ASEE Annual Conference in June 2005.

A report by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of M... more A report by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine titled "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" specifically calls for the development of rigorous new K-12 curriculum materials to improve science and mathematics education as a highest priority action. With funding from the National Science Foundation, we have developed new curriculum modules which target the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) Standards for Technological Literacy and increase involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related fields. Each module focuses on an engineering design challenge that provides real world context, is grounded in STEM content, and uses the engineering design process to design, construct and test a working prototype. The modules feature professionally produced video segments which introduce the design challenge, hands-on activities, and online segments with interactive animations and mathematical simulations. The curriculum has successfully been used in high school technology education classes over the last six years. Our state recently received an award from the Race To the Top (RTTT) fund, a competitive grant program designed to encourage and reward states that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform and achieving significant improvement in student outcomes, including making substantial gains in student achievement, closing achievement gaps, improving high school graduation rates, and ensuring student preparation for success in college and careers. Our state has focused its RTTT program to include STEM initiatives throughout PreK-12 to teachers looking for new curricula with a STEM focus, which in turn has fostered collaborations among STEM high school teachers. As a result, a higher percent of science teachers attended our Professional Development (PD) workshop last summer and are currently using our engineering design curricula in their traditional science classrooms. Further, one of the technology education teachers using our curriculum has partnered with physics and biology teachers to provide supplemental science lessons related to the overarching engineering design challenge. In another school, three teachers who attended the PD workshop are partnering with two teachers who did not attend the workshop to help them deliver the curriculum to their students, which has resulted in thirteen classrooms from a single high school using the same curriculum module. Currently thirty-five classrooms at eleven different schools are using the "Engineering in Health Care: A Heart Lung Case Study" curriculum module, and more classrooms are planning to use this module in the winter or spring of 2012. Student learning data is being collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of using the curriculum in a variety of different settings and will be compared to the results attained in previous years of the program.

, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive... more , where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

(USA) was the 2014-15 Fulbright Scholar in Engineering Education at Dublin Institute of Technolog... more (USA) was the 2014-15 Fulbright Scholar in Engineering Education at Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland). She obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996. Dr. Farrell has contributed to engineering education through her work in experiential learning, focusing on areas of pharmaceutical, biomedical and food engineering. She has been honored by the American Society of Engineering Education with several teaching awards such as the 2004 National Outstanding Teaching Medal and the 2005 Quinn Award for experiential learning. Stephanie has conducted workshops on a variety of topics including effective teaching, inductive teaching strategies and the use of experiments and demonstrations to enhance learning.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2012

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder... more Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of students with an ASD in special education. Findings suggest that students with an ASD had the highest STEM participation rates although their college enrollment rate was the third lowest among 11 disability categories and students in the general population. Disproportionate postsecondary enrollment and STEM participation by gender, family income, and mental functioning skills were found for young adults with an ASD. Educational policy implications are discussed.

Workshop: Best Practices in Advising and Mentoring Undergraduate and Graduate Students

2005 Annual Conference Proceedings

Over the last four years, the Introductory Engineering Science (ENES 101) course has been revised... more Over the last four years, the Introductory Engineering Science (ENES 101) course has been revised from a traditional lecture and design-on-paper course, to an active learning lecture and project based learning engineering design course. The design teams are required not only to research, design, construct, evaluate, test and present their product, but also to develop a mathematical model of their product's performance. Successful engineering design projects have included human powered pumps, water balloon launching devices, hot air balloons, wooden block transport devices, hemodialysis systems and chemically powered vehicles. ABET evaluations have been collected for this course over the last four years and this data has been used to evolve the course, as well as to formulate the design criteria for the design projects. In addition, a new "Success Seminar" component was added to one section of this course last year, and due to the positive impact on students' academic success in the following semester, the "Success Seminar" component has been added to two sections of the course this year. The success of the revision of the introduction to engineering design course has led to partnerships with various area high schools, where the equivalent of ENES 101 is taught in the high school environment. As a result of these partnerships, the high school students have a better appreciation of engineering and over 90 % of these high school students are majoring in engineering in college (5-60 % per class per high school at UMBC). UMBC has assisted the high schools in teaching summer workshops for middle school girls, establish an "Engineering Olympics" for their feeder middle schools and start FSEA (Future Scientists and Engineers of America) after school clubs. Many of the high school engineering teachers have partnered with UMBC for several NSF engineering education grants which have been awarded.

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemic... more Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

County. She plans to finish her MS degree in Chemical Engineering also from UMBC in May 2009, aft... more County. She plans to finish her MS degree in Chemical Engineering also from UMBC in May 2009, after which she will pursue a career in industry.

Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practic... more Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she incorporates her industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to help students understand fundamental engineering principles. Her current research focuses on engineering education, outreach and curriculum development.

County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, ... more County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, her work focuses on bacterial adhesion to physiological surfaces. In addition, she maintains an active research program in curriculum development with a focus on workforce development. She is also the 2007 recipient of the ASEE Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education.

Creating an Equitable Learning Environment

Chemical engineering education, 2018

To better understand the components that create an equitable learning environment, we have analyz... more To better understand the components that create an equitable learning environment, we have analyzed a number of highly successful programs that we developed and conducted targeting K-12 students, their teachers, and university students. We identified four criteria experienced by the student that are essential for his or her recruitment, participation and completion. These include (1) an inclusive and welcoming environment, (2) an experience of normalcy that minimizes conflicts to the student’s identity, (3) a sense of empowerment and control in his or her learning, and (4) relevance to his or her life, culture, and community. Formal and informal educational programs have been analyzed and have been found to have these four elements, which is supported by both literature and three diverse focus groups. Having educators and administrators create an equitable learning environment benefits all of our students and is supported by evidence in the enrollment in the chemical engineering pro...

Alternatives to the Tenure Track

Chemical engineering education, 2020

The number of PhDs awarded in chemical engineering is disproportionate with the number of tenure ... more The number of PhDs awarded in chemical engineering is disproportionate with the number of tenure track positions available; an overview of the contributions that can be made by teaching-focused faculty is presented. Statistics are provided for the number of chemical engineering faculty in the US by rank, position and gender. Based on literature and experience, best practices are recommended for successful, mutually beneficial actions for teaching-focused engineering faculty and their administrative leadership.

As both a student and teaching fellow in an Introductory Engineering Design class, experiences an... more As both a student and teaching fellow in an Introductory Engineering Design class, experiences and observations have allowed me to see the many benefits of the course’s design project requirement. For many young engineers who chose their major based on an interest in math and science, the design project provides their first encounter with synthesis and evaluation, two skills that distinguish the engineering profession from the natural sciences. The design project requires that students utilize their knowledge and comprehension of math and science to inexpensively and efficiently build something to accomplish a set objective given a series of problem constraints. The design project also requires students to evaluate and reflect on not only their own work, but the work of their colleagues in the class as well. The skills of synthesis and evaluation later become crucial as students progress through their years as upperclassmen and enter the research or industrial fields. My own experie...

Chemical engineering education, 2020

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, ... more County. Her technical research interests are in the area of cellular engineering. In particular, her work focuses on bacterial adhesion to physiological surfaces. In addition, she maintains an active research program in curriculum development with a focus on workforce development.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County (UMBC). He obtained his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, gr... more County (UMBC). He obtained his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, graduating Magna Cum Laude and with an Honors College certificate. His current research at UMBC involves curriculum development and outreach in the field of engineering education and he currently serves as the teaching fellow for UMBC's Introduction to Engineering course.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

in 2006 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Count... more in 2006 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is currently pursuing a MS degree in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Engineering Education, also from UMBC. He is a member of several prestigious honor societies, most notably the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi.

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

County (UMBC). He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, gr... more County (UMBC). He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2006 also at UMBC, graduating Magna Cum Laude and with an Honors College certificate. His current research at UMBC involves curriculum development and outreach in the field of engineering education and he currently serves as the teaching fellow for UMBC's Introduction to Engineering course. Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland-Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches, the Introduction to Engineering Design course, among other Chemical Engineering courses. Her research interests include engineering education and outreach. She is actively involved in developing curriculum to introduce engineering concepts to K-12 students.

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches Introduction to Engineering Design ... more Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she teaches Introduction to Engineering Design and various Chemical Engineering courses. She has spent half of her career working in industry and the other half in academia. Over the last three years, she has received over $3M of NSF funding in Engineering Education & Outreach to develop hands-on curriculum to increase the interest, participation, recruitment, and retention of students in engineering and science. She has been recognized with several teaching and mentoring awards and the 2006 USM Regents Award for Collaboration in Public Service.

2005 Annual Conference Proceedings

The Young Engineers and Scientists Seminars (YESS) program targets gifted high school students fr... more The Young Engineers and Scientists Seminars (YESS) program targets gifted high school students from the Baltimore/Washington areas who have a strong aptitude in the engineering and science fields. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics High School teachers are asked to nominate students for participation in the program. This program was founded in 2002 and is funded by the Historical Electronics Museum with a grant from the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Speakers in the YESS have presented on topics as diverse as plasma physics, stealth radar, biomedical imagery, super computers/micro technology, aeronautical engineering, astrophysics and satellite reconnaissance. This year, the program has been revised from a strictly seminar series, to a hands-on program designed to help students understand the engineering method. In seven sessions, students learn how to go from theory to modeling, designing, building, and testing. The hands-on project is the modeling and design of a hot air balloon, which students built and tested. The hot air balloon had to meet specific size, cost, time aloft and payload criteria. The program is a scaled-down version of the Introduction to Engineering course that the authors teach at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. At each seminar, the high school students learn engineering fundamentals that relate to their design project and participate in hands-on activities and competitions. The students compete for prizes provided by Northrop Grumman. In most of the sessions, a technical expert presents material on topics related to their design project; examples include: the Engineering Method, Buoyancy, Materials Testing and Properties, and Computer Modeling Techniques. Monetary awards were made as part of the final hot air balloon competition. Pre and post surveys for assessing the effectiveness of the YESS program were compiled and will be presented at the ASEE Annual Conference in June 2005.