Join the UAB School of Engineering for a summer program where high school students can build and race their very own drones! On the way, participants will get hands-on experience with CAD, 3D Printing, circuit building, and construction. See below for more details and how to apply or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What is the Summer Drone Academy?

The Summer Drone Academy is a week-long program hosted by faculty and students in the UAB School of Engineering. It aims to instill practical engineering knowledge that will allow high school students to build and operate their own remote-control quadcopter drone. All components will be provided along with instruction on how to complete each step, and some fun additional activities and competitions along the way.

The program is open to rising 9th graders through high seniors graduating this year. No prior experience is needed, we welcome all budding engineers of all levels, as well as those who are just STEM curious.

When Is the Camp Offered?

The Drone Academy is a five-day program that meets Monday through Friday. Students must arrive each day between 8 am and 9 am and must leave each day between 2 pm and 3 pm.

The sessions for 2026 will be offered on the following dates:

• June 8- 12
• July 7- 10
• July 20- 24

Campers may select their preferred week when applying. However, if some sessions reach capacity, some participants may be asked to choose a different session.

Where Is the Camp Located?

The program will primarily meet in the newly completed Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall, with most of the hands-on work done in the Design x Prototyping Lab. 

What is the Cost?

The fee for the program is $200.

(No student will be excluded if cost is a limiting factor. Please indicate need in the appropriate area of the application.)

Lunch and transportation are not provided at this time. Students and their guardians are responsible for transportation to and from the UAB campus and for providing a lunch each day.

To apply click the button below. Campers who are selected for the program will receive a link to submit payment

Apply for UAB Drone Academy 2026

Is there a way I can support more programming like this?

Programming such as this is only kept accessible through the support of UAB donors and supporters. Please contact Michael Wilson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and indicate your interest in supporting summer programs and outreach.

Other Questions?

Contact Camp Director Ian Berg, Ph.D., at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Research

Bridging Funds Program

Faculty Fellows Program

Graduate Research Assistant/Post-Doc Proposal Budget

GRIT Proposal Development Participation

Research Submission Incentive Plan

Initiate a Research Proposal  

SOE Grants Library (with sample proposals and templates)

Grant Writing Resources and Boilerplate Library (UAB Research Development Office) 

UAB Framework for Research Submissions

CCTS Grant Library

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Example Engineering Data Management Plans

Administrative

2023 Survey Results

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SOE Sharepoint Home

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Teaching and Advising

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An emergency or "disaster" is an event that seriously disrupts the normal functions of the UAB Campus, regardless of the cause. Special detailed plans are included which address such scenarios as fire, bomb threat, loss of electrical power, dangerous person or active shooter, severe weather, and medical emergencies. UAB's School of Engineering has a comprehensive Emergency Action Plan - faculty, staff, and students can access the plan by clicking the button below.

Senior Leadership

Jeffrey Holmes

Dean, Goodrich Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-J
(205) 934-8400
(205) 934-8437 (fax)

Mark Banaszak Holl

Associate Dean for Research, Professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5274
(205) 934-8400
(205) 934-8437 (fax)

Gregg Janowski

Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Programs This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5268
(205) 934-8524

Andrew Sullivan

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Associate Professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5272
(205) 934-8400
(205) 934-8437 (fax)

Michael Wilson

Director of Development This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-C
(205) 767-7338

Deanna C. Smeltzer

Director of Administration and Fiscal Affairs This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-B
(205) 934-8401

Staff

Neil Adams

Director, Engineering Career Services This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 2212E
(205) 934-1822

Mary Terese Campbell

Senior Grant Development Specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201D

Aubre Comesanas

Business Officer II This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Shimoli Desai

Marketing Specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-H
(205) 975-2321

Bailee Drummond

Recruiter This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5257
(205) 934-8343

Sarah Gulledge

Alumni Affairs Specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5250
(205) 934-0695

Andrés Hernandez

Research & Proposal Development Coordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jaylin Jones

Academic Advisor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 2212
(205) 934-0830

Michelle Leaton

Grants Administrator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201D

LaTanya Lee

Personnel Generalist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-F
(205) 996-2669

Chastity Malcom

Program Manager II This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5258
(205) 975-2425

Grant Martin

Director of Communications This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-K
(205) 975-0993

Dino Martinez

Assistant Director, Engineering Career Services This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 2212
(205) 934-1822

Kayla Paul

Grants Administrator Specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-D
(205) 934-0580

Carol Prince

Executive Assistant to the Dean This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5201-G
(205) 934-8400

Sydney Sherwood

Academic Advisor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 2212
(205) 996-2684

Timothy M. Wick

Director of Engineering Design, Professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gorrie Hall 5270
(205) 934-8400
(205) 934-8437 (fax)

Janice Wagnon

Administrative Associate This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Information Technology

The UAB School of Engineering is a vibrant and vital part of many collaborative activities at the university. There are UAB Engineering faculty and students all across campus working in a number of research labs, centers, and offices. The school has six primary locations.

Hoehn Engineering Building (HOEN)

Main Administration Building

Hoehn houses the Dean's office, which includes:

• Office of Academic Programs
• Development and External Relations
• Engineering Alumni Relations
• Office of Research
• Financial and Grants Management
• Information Engineering and Management Program Office

It also houses two departments:

Department of Biomedical Engineering

• administrative and faculty offices
• classrooms
• laboratories

Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

• administrative and faculty offices
• Construction Management program office
• classrooms
• student computer laboratories

1075 13th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 934-8400

Directions

Education-Engineering Complex (EEC)

The EEC houses four departments:

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

• administrative and faculty offices
• laboratories

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

• administrative and faculty offices
• laboratories

Department of Mechanical Engineering

• administrative and faculty offices
• laboratories

Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

• laboratories
• undergraduate design laboratory

1150 10th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233

Directions

Center for Biophysical Sciences and Engineering (CBSE)

The center houses the Engineering and Innovative Technology Development (EITD).

• administrative and faculty offices
• EITD research laboratories

1025 18th Street South South
Birmingham, AL 35233

Directions

501 Building

The 501 Building houses the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's Materials Processing and Applications Development (MPAD) Center.

501 12th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35233

Directions

Volker Hall (VH)

Volker houses the Department of Biomedical Engineering's main administrative office, faculty offices, and research laboratories.

1670 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35233

Directions

Shelby Biomedical Research Building (SHEL)

Shelby houses the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

• administrative and faculty offices
• laboratories

1825 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35233

Directions

Chairs and Program Directors by Department

Engineering is an amazing and rewarding profession. Clean drinking water. Highways and bridges. Cars and airplanes, drones and robots, computers and cellphones, medical devices and imaging systems. Engineers shape the world through the technologies we invent and the things we build. At UAB, we believe that anybody with an interest and a willingness to learn should have the opportunity to become an engineer, and we support you on that journey with a range of resources including caring advisors and professors, peer tutoring, guaranteed internships, and boundless opportunities for research, work, and community service on campus and in the city around us.

At UAB, you don’t have to wait until you graduate to start making the world a better place. We are improving human health through new devices, drugs, and diagnostic tools as well as by improving neighborhoods and houses. We build equipment for the International Space Station and develop advanced materials for the space, defense, and energy industries. Our students work in research labs doing all of these things and more. They also design solutions to real-world problems facing area companies, government agencies, and healthcare professionals.

Please come visit us and see for yourself what you could do at UAB.