Inspiring future engineers: DREAAM and CEE students visit ICT

Illinois Center for Transportation welcomed two groups of future innovators this July for hands-on learning and lab tours.

Middle school students from the Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for Males program visited ICT to explore the world of transportation research.

DREAAM is a community impact organization dedicated to empowering young students through academic support, leadership development and career readiness.

The visit offered students a glimpse into STEM careers and encouraged a college-bound mindset through engaging, hands-on engineering activities.

A week later ICT hosted high school students participating in the CEE City Designers and Builders Camp, part of the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering program at the University of Illinois.

The camp introduces students in grades 10 through 12 to civil and environmental engineering through immersive, real-world experiences, including field trips, lab demonstrations and design challenges.

During their visits, both groups toured ICT’s facilities and participated in interactive demonstrations of ground-penetrating radar and drone technology, led by ICT graduate students.

The visits concluded with a question-and-answer session, offering students the opportunity to further engage with researchers and explore career pathways in transportation and engineering.

For more information about ICT’s outreach efforts or to inquire about future educational visits, contact ICT Communications or visit ict.illinois.edu.