SEED program offers high school students a chance to gain hands-on learning experience.
Gurnoor Chawla drawing on a whiteboard.
UBC Okanagan engineering student Gurnoor Chawla knew she’d chosen the right path after an inspiring summer learning experience at the university while she was still in high school.
Fast forward several years later, now a student in the Computer Engineering program at UBCO, Chawla is encouraging the next cohort of engineering students to follow in her footsteps.
UBCO’s School of Engineering hosts the Stewards in Engineering Education (SEED) Program each July to promote engineering research interest and involvement among high school students. Students going into grades 9-12 have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research projects with world-class researchers and graduate students in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities.
The program is free and designed to be a spring board to helping students make decisions and plan ahead.
Inspired by her experience within the School of Engineering, Gurnoor Chawla speaks highly of the SEED Program.
“When I was in high school, I had been looking into engineering as a potential career choice. SEED was a great way to experience being an engineering student, before committing to it for my degree,” explains Chawla. “I enjoyed that SEED was hands-on and realistic. Being able to connect with professors and graduate students early on helped me understand what my education and research opportunities would look like.”
She recalls stepping into the radioactive materials lab for the first time as being one of the most memorable parts of her SEED experience, and one that helped to validate her decision to study engineering.
For me, the most memorable part was definitely getting to see the electron microscope and interact with the radioactive materials lab. I enjoyed how intensive and collaborative it was.
Chawla adds: “Overall, the SEED program provides a very realistic and intensive understanding of what work in university research labs looks like, so it ensures that you are partaking and putting effort into the work instead of simply watching from the sidelines. Anyone interested in SEED should come in with an open mind and a will to explore, because this is such an amazing opportunity and a great way to create a strong network at UBCO.”
Dr. Jonathan Holzman, an electrical engineering professor and faculty lead for SEED, concurs that the program offers a unique, hands-on opportunity for students. “Many incoming students will have never seen—let alone actively experienced—a research lab before. SEED can help them better understand the learning environment and pathways in engineering as they are making their post-secondary choices.”
The SEED program runs from July 20 – 24, 2026. Applications are open until May 29 and can be completed online. Selected candidates will be notified by June 12. More information about the program is available on the SoE’s website under Events and Community Programs.