From Curiosity to Career: How the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

For many middle school students, engineering is something they read about in textbooks or see on a screen. This summer, students participating in Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab will experience it firsthand.

On July 29, students from the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit’s (UMCI) Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™ will participate in its third visit to the University of Michigan’s Mcity Test Facility in Ann Arbor, where they’ll explore connected and automated vehicles, engage with researchers and engineers and experience cutting-edge mobility technologies shaping the future of transportation.

The visit is more than a field trip – it’s the culmination of weeks of hands-on STEM learning designed to help students see themselves as future innovators.

Thinkabit Lab, powered by Qualcomm Incorporated and delivered through the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ), is one of UMCI’s signature youth engagement initiatives. Serving more than 2,000 students each year, the program introduces middle school students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through immersive experiences that combine engineering, invention and career exploration.

Currently located in Midtown Detroit, MEZ is a community-based makerspace that provides free STEM programming designed to help students build technical skills, strengthen problem-solving abilities and explore future educational and career pathways.

At the heart of the July 29 experience is a collaboration between the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit and Qualcomm that demonstrates the power of higher education and industry working together to expand opportunities for students.

Together, the U-M and Qualcomm co-developed the City Tech for Good curriculum, combining the university’s educational expertise with Qualcomm’s industry knowledge to create a hands-on STEM learning experience focused on emerging technologies and real-world problem solving. U-M is the only university to co-develop the curriculum with Qualcomm and the only site implementing it through a three-year cohort model, allowing students to build increasingly advanced skills over multiple summers.

Through UMCI’s partnership with Mcity, students have the opportunity to bring that curriculum to life. At one of the world’s leading connected and automated mobility research facilities, they’ll participate in interactive demonstrations featuring connected and automated vehicles, digital twins, advanced simulation technologies and mobility research while engaging directly with researchers and engineers.

The experience reflects a shared investment in preparing the next generation of innovators. Students gain access to learning experiences rarely available at the middle school level, Qualcomm continues to collaborate with University experts to strengthen STEM education and Mcity provides an unparalleled environment where classroom learning becomes real-world discovery.

“At the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit, we’re committed to creating opportunities that help young people discover what’s possible,” said Lutalo Sanifu, director of marketing, communications and community engagement for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit. “Programs like Thinkabit Lab connect students with world-class researchers, industry partners and emerging technologies, helping them see themselves not only as future college students, but as the engineers, innovators and leaders who will shape our communities and our economy.”

“Thinkabit Lab is about more than introducing students to STEM concepts,” said Jessica Ely, program manager, Thinkabit Lab at the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit Michigan Engineering Zone. “Our collaboration with Qualcomm has allowed us to create experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world innovation.”

Mcity, part of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, is a globally recognized public-private partnership advancing connected and automated transportation technologies through research, testing and industry collaboration. Its internationally recognized test facility provides students with a unique opportunity to experience innovation in action.

For the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit, partnerships like those with Qualcomm and Mcity demonstrate how collaboration can expand educational opportunity, strengthen Detroit’s future talent pipeline and create lasting value for students, industry and the community.

By connecting students with researchers, industry leaders and emerging technologies, UMCI is creating pathways from curiosity to career – helping Detroit’s next generation of innovators imagine what’s possible and equipping them with the experiences to pursue it.

Qualcomm and Thinkabit Lab are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.