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Intro to Engineering Technology

A partnership between Salina South High School and K-State Salina


In a course created by the Engineering Technology Department, six seniors from Salina South High School spent the fall semester learning about opportunities available in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. They came to campus for class twice a week, each week exploring a new topic with one of 10 K-State Salina professors, and earned dual credit for their coursework.

For the most part, the students signed up to explore their interest in STEM fields as a career. Coming in, some were considering careers as an Air Force security officer, a Navy medic, and a firefighter. Only one student had experience with electronics, computer programing, and robotics, having built a remote control car. The others were exploring them for the first time.

Each student managed an aspect of the project: programming the sensors, programming the robot’s actions, communication between the robot and the Bluetooth network, using a smartphone app to control the robot, and creating the report for the final presentation. For class projects they created smartphone apps, built an air-compressed engine, and experimented with lasers. The final project was to program a robot to draw a flower as it “danced” to music that the students wrote. 


Intro to ET

The Intro to Electronic Engineering class taken by students at Salina South High School for dual credit were co-taught by ten K-State Salina professors with expertise in areas applicable to the course. Pictured are front row (l-r): Julie Falcon, counselor; students Kali Lewis, James Baker, Seth Abell, Cody Johnson, and Tyler McGaha. Back row (l-r): Rick Zajac, physics; Matt Williamson, construction; Saeed Khan, electronics; Les Kinsler, computer systems; Nathan Maresh, unmanned aerial systems; and Bill Genereux, computer systems. Not pictured: Zach Packer, student; Jung Oh, chemistry; Troy Harding, computer systems; Fred Guzek, technology management, and Robert Homolka, mathematics.