Amir Soleymani is Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers

By: Ben Donohue

C2E2’s own, Amir Soleymani, started teaching this summer at Yale University’s “Eduexplora” program. Eduexplora is a two-week summer program for academically talented students ranging from the ages of 13-18 years old. The goal is to expand student’s knowledge beyond their academic school setting. This is seen in their motto: “Where tomorrow’s leaders meet their future”. While the program is aimed at everyone, it has especially gained more interest within the Latino community.  Amir took on the role for being an instructor in their STEM program where he was asked to teach students about climate change, and possible solutions to climate change, all from an engineering perspective.

When asked about the program Soleymani had this to say: “The students are very smart. Maybe they will go to the most prestigious universities in the world and continue their studies in the engineering or science world and can invent or do something that can help solve the climate crisis. If that is the outcome, I think I’ve achieved my duty in life. As an engineer, I want to leave the world a better place.”

Soleymani’s goal is to make his students aware of the current climate change crisis and how engineering can aid in solving this crisis. “I was really interested in the fact that they were high school students, because it’s one of our duties as a researcher to spread the knowledge, specifically to young students and the next generations of researchers.”  Soleymani is looking to accomplish this goal of recognizing and inspiring climate change solutions by getting his students to notice clean energy solutions such as solar panels and fuel cell motors. Students were learning of clean energy technologies by assembling a fuel cell, constructing a coin cell battery, learning about the STEAM tree design and technology, and the importance of microscopy in research.

“…..it’s one of our duties as a researcher to spread the knowledge, specifically to young students and the next generation of researchers”  -Soleymani

“I like the challenge. I’ve worked in university, I’ve been an instructor, I’ve been a TA, and I participated in outreach programs. I’ve never had the chance to directly teach high school students and work with them using a very simplified language.”, Amir said. “What I really like and what’s rewarding to me, is that now I have the experience to be patient, and answer questions in a calm manner using words in everyday life.”, Amir explained in response to what he hoped to get out of the opportunity. “We need to invest more. We need to get the talents from all races all around the world without any bias.”

Soleymani looks forward to the next opportunity to work in this program or other outreach programs and sees a bright future for not only the students he is teaching, but for these programs as whole.