About Our Program
MIT’s UNITE program is a non-residential AEOP-funded outreach of the Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM.mit.edu) in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at MIT.
This program provides middle and high school students living in the Boston area the opportunity to conduct original research under the guidance of experienced teachers in a state-of-the-art laboratory at a near-by high school and to use the advanced resources of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An academic component of this program includes a critical review of the engineering design and research process with an eye to goal setting, planning and the logistics of research as well as preparation and presentation of empirical results to generate maximum impact.
Our 2023 on-campus program begins on June 20 and runs through July 20. Twenty students will be selected based on their academic record, recommendations from teachers, and a brief essay indicating their interest and research focus. Preference will be given to returning students who are continuing research from previous years and students identified in UNITE’s preferred demographic.
Our Mission
Our mission is to synergistically match small groups of young, inquisitive middle and high school students with dedicated, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable teachers, staff, and graduate students. In doing so, younger students will gain knowledge and research skills while grad students develop pedagogic and reflective skills that enhance their way of sharing insights and solving problems.
From 2020-2022
During the 2020-2021 school year, the group’s research focused on Lunar Exploration and Habitation. Students worked with simulated lunar mare and highland dust provided by The University of Central Florida, from NASA to search for ways to use the lunar soil (regolith) as a building material and construct 3D Lunar dwellings.