Boston Leadership Institute

Since the advent of human life, we have looked to those luminescent points in the night sky with wonder and curiosity. How do we know the distances to various stars and planets? What is dark matter? Why do we need it? Is a black hole a hole? Do pulsars pulse? Venus is hotter than mercury, Sirius is hotter than our Sun – but wait, how do we know that? Explore these astounding questions and much more with our BLI teaching team, which includes physics scholars from Harvard and Princeton! As we traverse the cosmos, it is imperative to understand the laws of physics that allow astronomers and space scientists to grasp the behavior of celestial bodies. This course offers an exciting look into the fundamental physics of the universe and is ideal for teens interested in physics and astronomy Students will learn about and explore SETI signals, using data streaming online to search for radio signals in space that may originate from extraterrestrial intelligence. They will use data streaming in from Pluto from the Bright Horizons project. Cassini, a satellite orbiting Venus, streams data that students can analyze on their own computers. Students will learn about stellar nurseries that create new galaxies. They will explore how wobbling in the light streaming in from distant stars may indicate the existence of orbiting planets. This data will be explored against a backdrop of lectures on astrophysics and a field trip to a local observatory.

Students will be introduced to the Engineering Design Process through the design and fabrication of a small scale 3D printed race car. Research on aerodynamics and car design will inform each student’s car design as they fabricate, test and evaluate prototypes for a CO2 powered race car. Students will be introduced to both hand and digital fabrication processes including the application of 3D modeling software to 3D printing. Testing of final prototypes will culminate in an actual head to head race competition. Perfect program for those thinking about engineering school and those who wouldn’t necessarily take a traditional engineering program. This one-week summer program is designed for teens interested in design & engineering. Interested in our three-week programs? Take a look at Engineering Research or Electronics & Robotics.

One-Week Summer Program for Pre-High School Students Hey future doctor, get your stethoscope ready! Mini Med School is now in session. We’ll dive into various areas, focusing on new subject areas every day. What makes up a routine check up? How do you test a patient’s reflexes? What are you listening for in their breathing? What about the differences between pediatric physicals and adult check ups. How do you know if a child is developing properly? After this, we’ll move on to more specific specialties. We’ll go from top to bottom, starting with Neuroscience. The nervous system, spinal cord, degenerative diseases – we’ll cover it all! What is Alzheimer’s? You’ve heard that mental health and physical health are similar, and we’ll explore how. After this, we’ll get down to the heart. Did you know your heart beats 115,000 times and pumps 2,000 gallons per day?! But what can go wrong? How does someone end up on the path to a heart attack? Imagine you’re a cardiothoracic surgeon. A patient needs a bypass. What happens next?! We’ll continue through the body, covering orthopedics, oncology, genetic diseases, and more. This fast-paced and hands-on program sold out last summer. Sign up today!