K-12 Outreach
Some of the most inspiring educational experiences happen outside of the classroom.
We are committed to using our expertise and resources to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers through hands-on activities across the spectrum of engineering disciplines.
Our Programs
FIRST® LEGO® League
The UND College of Engineering & Mines sponsors the annual FIRST LEGO League tournament for North Dakota, typically held in late January or early February. Teams of future engineers in grades 5-9 design and program a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot to achieve a specific set of tasks. Over 30 teams come together at the state tournament to test their creations against the best ideas from around the state. Tournament winners are eligible to move on to the World Festival, held later in the spring.
North Dakota State Science & Engineering Fair (NDSSEF)
The next generation of North Dakota scientists and engineers will compete in the North Dakota State Science and Engineering Fair in April. Qualifiers from six regions from across North Dakota vie for honors at this UND sponsored event. First-place winners in the senior division advance to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair.
TEAMS (Test of Engineering Aptitude, Math and Science)
The National Society of Professional Engineers sponsors the TEAMS competition at UND each year to encourage participation in math, science and engineering activities. UND hosts the annual competition as part of the celebration of National Engineers Week. High school students participate in a day-long series of written exams and design challenges to test their math, science and critical thinking skills.
Nurturing American Tribal Undergraduate Research and Education (NATURE)
NATURE is an educational outreach program sponsored by the North Dakota Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ND EPSCoR). NATURE is designed to build new and strengthen existing pathways for Native American students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Participants of the program include students and faculty from all five tribal colleges in North Dakota, high school students and teachers from the four North Dakota Indian reservations, and faculty from research universities of North Dakota, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and University of North Dakota (UND).