{"id":62,"date":"2026-02-23T18:09:43","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/?page_id=62"},"modified":"2026-04-15T12:56:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T17:56:29","slug":"2026nsti","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/2026nsti\/","title":{"rendered":"2026NSTI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">2026 MTSU NSTI Program<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Free 4-Week Residential Summer Program for Rising 9th\u201312th Graders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Questions can be directed to the Program Director, Dr. Lei Miao: lei.miao@mtsu.edu .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/mtsu.iad1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_cSHRVdtMcHhilWm\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Discover Transportation Careers &amp; Build Real STEM Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you a high school student excited about <strong>autonomous vehicles<\/strong>, <strong>drone technology<\/strong>, <strong>traffic system simulation<\/strong>, <strong>experimental vehicles<\/strong>, and the future of transportation? Join MTSU&#8217;s <strong>National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI)<\/strong> \u2014 a free, federally funded residential program designed to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Introduce real-world transportation careers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boost your STEM knowledge through hands-on projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspire you to pursue engineering, technology, or transportation-related majors in college<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fun field trips to transportation agencies, museums, airports, and more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Program Details \u2013 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> July 6\u201331, 2026 (residential \u2014 stay on campus Monday morning through Friday afternoon)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who it&#8217;s for:<\/strong> Rising 9th\u201312th graders<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cost:<\/strong> FREE (includes housing and meals \u2014 funded by FHWA\/TDOT)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Applied Engineering Building, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focus areas:<\/strong> Autonomous systems, computer programming, drones, traffic simulation, experimental vehicles, hands-on STEM activities<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Past Participants in Action \u2013 2024 &amp; 2025 Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture1-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture1-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture1-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture1-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture1-1.png 1032w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture2-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture2-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture2.png 1114w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"898\" height=\"674\" data-id=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture6.png 898w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture6-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/Picture6-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"96\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-96\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9977-1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"95\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9974-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"94\" src=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/IMG_9944-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Ready to Join?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Spots are limited \u2014 apply today and take the first step toward a future in transportation innovation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/mtsu.iad1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_cSHRVdtMcHhilWm\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2026 MTSU NSTI Program Free 4-Week Residential Summer Program for Rising 9th\u201312th Graders Questions can be directed to the Program Director, Dr. Lei Miao: lei.miao@mtsu.edu . Discover Transportation Careers &amp; Build Real STEM Skills Are you a high school student excited about autonomous vehicles, drone technology, traffic system simulation, experimental vehicles, and the future of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-nobannernosidebar.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-62","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114,"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62\/revisions\/114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.mtsu.edu\/lmiao\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}