19 virtual summer camps in 2020 (across 7 sites)
2014
Thinkabit Lab opens at Qualcomm headquarters for an immersive Signature Experience. 14,000+ students
Qualcomm for Good
Empowering people. Transforming communities. Protecting the planet.
At Qualcomm we invent breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects, computes, and communicates. As Qualcomm continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, we embrace the opportunity to tackle global challenges, inspire tomorrow’s workforce and make a difference for decades to come. A core pillar of our Corporate Responsibility portfolio is STEM education, and our homegrown Thinkabit Lab is one of our signature programs.
Explore the Thinkabit Lab Timeline
2015
2015
Pilot Thinkabit Lab at 3 San Diego Schools
2016
2016
Expand to universities and libraries, replicating the Signature Experience and beyond
2017
2017
Site expansion across the country
2018 - 2019
2018 - 2019
Audience and content expansion. Now 16 sites
2020
2020
Expand to remote learning: academic year and 40 virtual summer camps
The Thinkabit Lab Program
At the Thinkabit Lab, students explore engineering and non-engineering careers available at tech companies and engage in a fun and unique hands-on engineering project. Together, the career exploration and engineering activities help students understand where they might fit in the future workforce and how they could contribute to solving real-world problems using technology.
Thinkabit Lab OverviewFundamental Elements of our Program
Qualcomm®️ World of Work
Internet of Things
Learn about how the internet connects the "smart" things in our lives and allows them to communicate with each other
Engineering Activities
You can explore these at our Learning Center
Qualcomm®️️ Wireless Reach™ Initiative
Engineering Design Process
Go through this process to test, modify, and make your project better, just like engineers do
Internet of Things Invention
Create an internet of things related invention project that solves a real-world problem
Students
See Thinkabit Lab inventions come to life!
The Thinkabit Lab Signature Experience combines our engaging career exploration and hands-on engineering activities. Students from all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds can dive into the world of engineering and invent Internet of Things themed projects to solve a problem of their choice. The journey to inventing today and tomorrow’s wireless world begins here!
Meet Vivian, Max, and Cariana! They share their experience inventing with technology and learning about careers at the Thinkabit Lab.
Curious about what it’s like to complete the Thinkabit Lab Signature Experience? Sixth grader Kyla shares about her visit to Qualcomm.
Thinkabit Lab is committed to inspiring the next generation of inventors. Learn about the impact of the program in a rural Californian city.
Lewis Middle School students reflect on the Thinkabit Lab experience and their aspirations to become engineers in the future.
The Wearable Tech week-long camp is designed to engage all-girl groups in a fun, hands-on engineering experience. Students explore their unique strengths, interests, and values while engaging in hands-on engineering activities using LED lights and servo motors. Students get to use these newly found skills to invent creative Internet of Things inspired, automated wearable technologies. The gender gap in STEM ends here!
Summer 2020
Check out how this young inventor showcased her Strengths, Interests, and Values with her cowboy hat.
This middle school student models her hat after herself with a nod to Rosalind Franklin.
Watch how this future engineer uses her servos and LEDs to highlight her resiliency.
Watch how this young inventor overcame challenges with building an automated hat!
The Tech for Good program draws inspiration from Qualcomm efforts to advance worldwide communities socially and economically. Students learn about Wireless Reach and harness the power of Bluetooth technology to invent an automated Internet of Things inspired solution to a real-world problem. Students learn that they can use technology to solve societal challenges at any age!
Summer 2020
This is the perfect solution to collecting litter from the streets!
This future inventor has created a way to make stairs more accessible for everyone!
This middle school students wants to bring medical robots to rural areas. Check out her invention!
Watch how this clever invention can create safer slides from your local park to water parks!
The AgTech for Good project inspires students to leverage their every-day experiences in agricultural communities for “good.” Students learn more about both agriculture and technology as they use Bluetooth wireless communication to invent an innovative solution to problems in their community. Qualcomm is committed to ending the digital divide. This program shows the power of technology to students in rural communities!
Summer 2020
The Water Weaver is a wirelessly-controlled irrigation system for farms with crops and animals.
With his invention, this future agricultural engineer tackles how to efficiently test soil for optimal crops.
This middle school inventor drew inspiration for her conveyer belt from looking right outside her window.
Check out how this high school student’s love of sea turtles inspired her to invent technology to help rehabilitate them.
Qcamp™ began offering students an invention-packed summer in 2014! Hosted in the Thinkabit Lab at the Qualcomm Headquarters in San Diego, middle school students toured the Qualcomm campus, gazed at the famed Wall of Patents, met Qualcomm engineers, and jumped into an exhilarating week of Internet of Things-inspired inventions. These camps at Qualcomm are what lead to the now themed summer camps that occur across the country!
In 2014, Qualcomm hosted its first Qcamp to introduce a group of unstoppable girls to the world of invention. Watch where it all started!
2015 Qcamp students return to further develop their sisterhood of female engineers! They learn about environmental awareness and invent automata.
2016 Qcamp students come back for a third and final time! Students reflect on experiencing hands-on engineering and learning about STEM careers.
Learn about the impact of Qcamp on the middle school girls who attended over three years from summer 2014 -2016.
Vista Unified School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
Vista Unified School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
Chula Vista Elementary School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
Chula Vista Elementary School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
Cajon Valley Unified School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
Cajon Valley Unified School District students come to Qualcomm headquarters for Qcamp! They participate in a hands-on summer program.
In 2020, everyday life was suddenly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Schools closed, hospitals were overwhelmed, and masks became essential. Students, naturally observant, were drawn to the pandemic-related problems and inspired to invent relevant and highly valued solutions. Watch how they used an Internet of Things framework to mitigate the challenges and help people in this much needed time.
Check out this touchless mask dispenser to keep people safe!
This young inventor created a real-time temperature indicator to keep people safe!
The drone can come to you and diagnose your illness from the safety of your home!
This handy handwash timer makes sure you are you are’re washing your hands for 20 seconds!
Feeling inspired to try coding yourself? The Thinkabit Lab Learning Center offers free online resources, developed to help adult instructors and parents introduce coding and engineering to students. Click here to learn more!
Learn more about the Thinkabit Lab Learning Center and how you can create your own inventions right at home.
Why should you learn how to code? Thinkabit Lab students, teachers, and community partners share their thoughts.
Learn how to use a microcontroller as a power source to build an LED circuit and upload and modify code to make it blink at various speeds.
Learn how to wire two different Servo motors to a microcontroller and write and modify code to make them spin in various ways.
Sites
Locations
The Thinkabit Lab national network is comprised of 16 sites in 5 states. We collaborate with teachers, educators, librarians, and others to implement our hands-on invention-based program.
- 2School Districts
- 3Universties
- 10K-12 Schools
- 1Library
Find out more about the
Nationwide Network of Thinkabit Lab Sites (pdfs)
California
- Feaster Charter School
- Innovation Station
- Porterville Unified School District
- Vista Innovation and Design Academy
San Diego Unified School District
- Sweetwater Union High School District
Louisiana
Michigan
North Carolina
Virginia
- Cedar Point Elementary School
- Virginia Tech Falls Church
- Virginia Tech Roanoke
- Harrisonburg County Schools
Fairfax County Public Schools
- Dogwood Elementary School
- Lanier Middle School
- Wolftrap Elementary School
- Woodlawn Elementary School
Our partnership with Qualcomm has been the strongest, most successful business partnership I’ve worked with. It Is an honor to work with you and your team, and it is exciting to be spreading engineering across the country.
Feaster STEAM Charter in Chula Vista
Students
78,000
We’ve expanded the number of students reached to include K-12 and college students. We have several IoT-themed projects for summer STEM camps.
Teachers
30+
Student Inventions
20,000
Summer Camps
19
Engaged close to 900 students in summer camps (2014-2020)
Media
Thinkabit Lab in Action
@QualcommForGood
@QualcommForGood
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The Thinkabit Lab provides students with a unique STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experience and exposure to careers they may not know exist. It also provides an opportunity for educators to learn best practices for engaging students in STEM. Students engage in hands-on engineering activities that involve problem-solving, creativity and collaboration. The Thinkabit Lab Signature Experience is designed to inspire a new generation of innovators and inventors who will build on the foundation of 5G to invent the unimagined. To learn more, download the Thinkabit Lab Overview.
As a company of inventors and technologists, we care deeply about STEM. It is part of who we are and the foundation for everything we do. We are committed to contributing to a successful, robust, diverse and expanding pool of talent in STEM fields. Therefore, we invest in sustainable, STEM programs that reach, inspire and engage students of all ages, at all levels and from all backgrounds. We expose students to STEM concepts and careers that are essential to tomorrow’s workforce, not only at Qualcomm, but in every aspect of building the wireless, Internet of Things and 5G ecosystems.
Our overarching goal for Thinkabit Lab is to inspire the next generation of inventors by:
- Demystifying engineering and the possibilities of being an inventor.
- Guiding students through Qualcomm World of Work activities where they can unlock their unique talents and see the careers that are open to them.
- Engaging students from all backgrounds to experience hands-on, interactive activities where they gain confidence in a future STEM career and an understanding that STEM concepts are found in many careers.
We’re glad you asked! We've posted engineering activities that we use with students in our Learning Center. Click here for hands-on engineering activities involving LEDs and Servos and use the activities to create projects of your own!
We’re excited about your interest to create a Thinkabit Lab experience for your students. We would love to talk with you and learn more about your organization, interests and goals. Please email ContactThinkabitLab@qualcomm.com.
Between 2014 and 2018, the Thinkabit Lab at our San Diego headquarters has:
- Inspired more than 14,000 local students to be inventors
- Produced 5,000 inventions created by students
- Hosted students from 107 schools across the county
- Collaborated with 20 districts/organizations to expand the Thinkabit Lab Program
We encourage you to follow us on social media @qualcommforgood and #thinkabitlab
Learning Center
Sample both career exploration and hands-on engineering activities for you to use in your own classroom, home, or organization