Eleven years ago Robert Shin of MIT Lincoln Laboratory was challenged to extend Beaver Works—a joint education and research center of MIT School of Engineering and the lab—to the nation’s brightest high‑school students. In the summer of 2016 the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) launched as a four‑week, hands‑on program designed to give students a transformational STEM experience and the skills for future study and careers.
Shin, who has served as founding director and STEM program director since 2016, reflects on the decade: “What started as an idea has grown into something far bigger and more impactful than we imagined. Each cohort exceeds expectations with curiosity, hard work, willingness to tackle challenges, and perseverance.”
The inaugural class comprised 46 students from 24 schools and offered a single course—Rapid Autonomous Complex Environment Competing Ackermann‑Steering Robots (RACECAR)—where participants programmed vehicles to navigate obstacle‑filled tracks. Ten years later BWSI delivers 14 courses spanning artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, quantum computing, microelectronics and more, serving over 440 students.
Lincoln Laboratory director Melissa Choi notes, “The nation needs innovators, problem‑solvers and leaders to meet tomorrow’s security challenges. By bridging classroom theory with practical application, BWSI inspires the next generation of scientists and engineers and reflects the lab’s commitment as a federally funded R&D center to develop the future STEM workforce.”
Operational manager Lisa Kelley, involved since Beaver Works’ 2010 founding, says, “Seeing thousands of students pass through our programs fills me with pride. We built something exceptional yet accessible—a program that pushes students to the highest level while expanding opportunity.”
Beyond the summer curriculum, BWSI runs eight‑week spring and fall outreach programs that lay technical foundations for grades 9‑11. One fall initiative, “Girls Who Can,” targets young women in STEM. In 2022‑2023 the institute turned two courses (Build a CubeSat and Designing for Assistive Technology) into eight‑month, team‑based national challenges with mentors.
The curriculum has inspired similar programs in Greece, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Spain and across U.S. schools and universities. Manager Joel Grimm says the program’s growth continually pushes him to embrace change, encouraging students to step out of comfort zones and take risks.
Alumni often stay involved. Diptanshu Sikdar, a two‑summer participant, returned as a teaching assistant for Quantum Software and Software Development. He remarks, “BWSI turned my curiosity about quantum computing into a solid foundation and introduced me to the beauty of algorithm design. It was more than a summer program; it was the origin of my quantum journey and the springboard to a PhD and a role at MITRE.”
Shin hopes this transformational experience will persist. He believes the next decade will see all interested students gain access to BWSI, fulfilling our responsibility to the next generation.
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