N.C. A&T’s Honors College Hosts 2026 Honda STEM Summer Camp on Biotechnology, Data Science

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 18, 2026) — Twenty-nine students participated in the inaugural 2026 Honda STEM Summer Camp at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, gaining hands-on experience in biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Hosted by The Honors College, the multi-phase initiative included 18 high school students from Guilford County and selected out-of-state communities and 11 N.C. A&T Honors College students. Participants engaged in research, technical workshops, programming, mentorship and career exploration with A&T faculty, Honors College mentors and industry professionals.

“The Honda STEM Summer Camp exemplifies the Honors College’s commitment to expanding educational opportunity and inspiring the next generation of scholars and innovators,” said Margaret Kanipes, Ph.D., Honors College dean. “Through the support of the Honda USA Foundation and the collaboration of our academic and industry partners, we are able to provide students with transformative experiences that combine research, mentorship and career exploration.”

Supported by a $100,000 grant from the Honda USA Foundation, the camp was a collaborative effort among the Honors College, Department of Biology, Bio-Rad, Syngenta, Honda, Guilford County Schools and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Phase 1: Biotechnology Training, held July 12-17, introduced 18 high school students to laboratory-based scientific research. Students explored the expression, purification and analysis of recombinant proteins through hands-on laboratory activities with A&T faculty, biotechnology professionals and Honors College student mentors.

Participants also visited Syngenta to learn how scientific discoveries are translated into solutions for agriculture and food production. Through the camp’s Mentor Connect Initiative, each high school student was paired with an A&T Honors College student who provided guidance on college life, STEM degree pathways, research opportunities and the university experience.

Phase 2: Summer 2026 Online Data Science Training Program, held July 20-24 and July 27-31, provided 11 Honors College students with intensive training in Python and R programming, data analysis, data visualization, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity and technology career preparation.

During the first week, students developed programming and data science skills through coding exercises and collaborative projects. The second week, delivered in partnership with AWS, introduced students to cloud computing, generative AI, responsible AI, cybersecurity and emerging technology applications. Students participated in technical workshops, career discussions, mentoring sessions and capstone projects before presenting their work.

“Our goal was to provide students with authentic research and technology experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom,” said Gerard Dumancas, Ph.D., Honors College associate dean of Research and Program Innovation. “Through hands-on biotechnology training, programming, data science instruction, mentorship and engagement with industry professionals, participants developed valuable scientific and technical skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the many opportunities available in STEM.”

The program concluded with student presentations, reflections and recognition activities celebrating participants’ accomplishments.

The camp also provided an opportunity for A&T and its Honors College to showcase academic pathways, the Honors College experience and scholarship opportunities, including the full-ride Dowdy, Cheatham-White and February One scholarships. By combining research, technology training, mentorship and industry engagement, the program helped participants build technical skills and envision careers in biotechnology, data science, engineering and related STEM fields.