At Lehigh University's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, the First-Year Rossin Engineering (FYRE) curriculum is built around a series of immersive, project-based modules that give students real engineering experience from day one. Each FYRE academic module blends technical fundamentals with hands-on design, experimentation, and teamwork, allowing students to explore different disciplines before declaring a major.
These seven-week modules are designed to make the first year of engineering both engaging and meaningful—helping students understand how engineering impacts the world and where they fit within it. Each FYRE module offers students a chance to learn by doing—a core value of Lehigh’s approach to engineering education. Through project-based teamwork, exposure to multiple disciplines, and early engagement with professional tools, FYRE ensures that first-year students don’t just study engineering—they start becoming engineers from their very first semester.
FYRE Academic Modules:
Artificial Intelligence
The Harnessing Agentic AI for Engineers Module introduces students to the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence through hands-on programming and real-world application. Over seven weeks, students with no prior coding experience learn Python fundamentals culminating in a final project of creating a functional AI agent powered by the Claude API. Along the way, they explore the mechanics behind large language models, including tokenization, vector representations, and how AI systems process and generate language.
In this module, students learn about AI by building with it. They develop interactive chatbots, implement tool use to extend their agents' capabilities, and apply context engineering techniques to manage complex conversations. The curriculum emphasizes practical problem-solving over code elegance, encouraging experimentation and iteration in a low-stakes, portfolio-based environment. By the end of the module, FYRE participants have constructed an AI agent that solves a problem of their choosing, gaining both programming literacy and a grounded, critical understanding of what AI can and cannot do—skills increasingly essential across every engineering discipline.
Design & Making
The Design & Making Foundations Module introduces students to the creative, hands-on practice of bringing ideas to life—skills that form the foundation of every engineering discipline. Over seven weeks, students gain practical experience with modern makerspace tools and technologies such as 3D printing, laser cutting, Arduino programming, and basic electronics. They learn to design and prototype with purpose, emphasizing iterative design, safety, and precision.
This module highlights how engineering comes together through making. Students work at the intersection of mechanical engineering, materials science, and electrical and computer engineering as they design, test, and refine their projects. By the end of the module, FYRE participants are confident in using a variety of prototyping tools and understand how these skills apply to solving open-ended engineering challenges across disciplines.
Energy Storage
The Energy Storage Module immerses students in one of the most important areas of modern engineering: sustainable energy and materials innovation. Students gain hands-on experience designing and testing electrochemical cells, building a Raspberry Pi–powered potentiostat to measure and control those systems, and conducting experiments to understand how materials store and release energy.
In this module, students step into a wet lab environment where they synthesize and analyze materials used for energy storage—connecting classroom concepts to global challenges like renewable energy, electrification, and battery technology. Along the way, they explore the intersections of chemical and biomolecular engineering, materials science and engineering, and electrical and computer engineering, discovering how collaboration across fields drives innovation. By the end of the Energy Storage Module, FYRE students have built functional systems, analyzed their performance, and gained a first-hand understanding of the challenges and opportunities in sustainable energy engineering.