Virginia Tech® home

Explore Physical Sciences Camp–Understanding the Nonliving World

Summer Camp for rising 11th through 12th graders

3 male students look at computer
Photo by Luke Hayes/Virginia Tech

July 20-25, 2025 (rising 11th-12th grade)

Campers will explore the inanimate universe (from subatomic to galaxy levels) and the laws that govern it. We will cover some basics, e.g., physics and chemistry, as well as cutting-edge, interdisciplinary fields, e.g., nanoscience, ground water, geomorphology, and quantum information science.  

Cost: $1250 
Camp fees cover faculty instructional time, equipment, supplies, room and board, resident assistants and program assistants. If your child will need a scholarship to participate, please apply for one in the application form. Families are responsible for transportation to/from the Virginia Tech campus. 

Sign up to get notified when registration opens.

tentative Schedule

Day 1

  • Check in 3:00 pm
  • Orientation 
  • Dinner 
  • Group games
  • Team meetings
  • Lights out by 10:30 pm

Day 2

  • Breakfast    
  • Solar Batteries
  • Physics is fun
  • Lunch
  • WAVES: Music and wavelengths
  • Electricity
  • Dinner
  • Group games
  • Team meetings
  • Lights out by 10:30 pm

Day 3

  • Breakfast    
  • Quantum World
  • Analyzing food with radioisotopes, part 1
  • Lunch
  • Physics of soft matter
  • Chemistry experiments
  • Dinner
  • Group games
  • Team meetings
  • Lights out by 10:30 pm

Day 4

  • Breakfast    
  • Field trip to New River
  • Lunch
  • Analyzing food with radioisotopes, part 2
  • Dinner
  • Career Networking
  • Group games
  • Team meetings
  • Lights out by 10:30 pm

Day 5

  • Breakfast   
  • Fieldtrip to Nano Characterization and Fabrication Labs 
  • Lunch
  • Analyzing food with radioisotopes, part 3
  • How to write a great college essay
  • Dinner
  • Group games
  • Team meetings
  • Lights out by 10:30 pm

Day 6

  • Breakfast    
  • Analyzing river data
  • How to get to and prosper in college
  • Lunch
  • Check out of dorm 1:00