Sandia National Laboratories researchers teach wave energy concepts to students at Explora summer camp

Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories recently took wave energy out of the lab and into a summer camp, introducing students at Albuquerque’s Explora to one of the lesser-known frontiers of renewable energy. Through hands-on demos and activities, the students got a firsthand look at how ocean waves could one day power homes and communities—and at the science Sandia is doing to make that possible.

Sandia researchers bring wave energy to Explora Camp students

Explora is a science-focused educational organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, known for connecting young learners with hands-on STEM experiences. When Sandia researchers showed up at one of its summer camps, they brought something most students had probably never considered: the idea that ocean waves—thousands of miles from New Mexico—could be a serious source of clean electricity.

Rather than lecturing, the Sandia staff ran activities and demos designed to put students in direct contact with the ideas. That approach let them engage with the science in a way a textbook rarely allows. For many of these students, it was their first real exposure to marine renewable energy—as both a scientific topic and a potential career path.

Researchers didn’t assume any prior knowledge, starting instead with the basics: how waves move, what energy conversion means, and how those two ideas connect.

That combination matters. Showing students what the work actually looks like, not just what it produces, is one of the more effective ways to spark lasting interest in a field.

Why Sandia is involved in wave energy outreach

Sandia National Laboratories runs an active wave energy research program focused on advancing marine and hydrokinetic technologies. That work is technical, specialized, and largely invisible to the general public—which is part of why outreach events like the Explora Camp are worth doing at all.

Engaging students is built into Sandia’s broader mission. The lab has a long-standing commitment to STEM education, and connecting young people with emerging scientific fields is a natural extension of that work. Wave energy, in particular, is a field where the future workforce is still taking shape—getting students curious now could translate into researchers, engineers, and technicians a decade from now. It’s also genuinely still emerging. Compared to wind and solar, it’s far less developed, and the US has significant untapped potential along its coastlines.

What students experienced during the wave energy activities

The activities at Explora were designed with accessibility in mind. Researchers didn’t assume any prior knowledge, starting instead with the basics: how waves move, what energy conversion means, and how those two ideas connect.

Students participated in interactive demos that simulated how ocean waves can generate electricity—not passive presentations, but activities designed to make the science feel concrete rather than abstract. For a topic involving open ocean deployments and complex engineering, that’s no small challenge. The Sandia team designed the activities to meet students where they were, then layered in context about how wave energy devices actually work and where they get deployed.

That context shifts things. Understanding that real devices are being tested in real ocean environments changes how students relate to the subject—wave energy stops being a vague idea and starts having a visible shape. The activities gave students a window into what renewable energy research looks like in practice.

Wave energy research at Sandia and its national significance

Sandia’s wave energy program operates with support from the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office. That federal backing reflects a recognition that wave energy, while still early-stage, deserves serious investment.

The scale of the opportunity is real. The US coastline and exclusive economic zone represent a large theoretical wave energy resource, and the Department of Energy has made it a priority area. Exactly how much of that resource can be practically captured depends on technology still being developed. Wave energy conversion remains well behind wind and solar, which have had decades of commercial scaling behind them—partly a function of the environment, since the ocean is a harsh, unpredictable place to operate machinery.

Sandia National Laboratories researchers work across device testing, modeling, and resource characterization to help close that gap. Each area contributes to a clearer picture of what wave energy can realistically deliver and how to build devices that survive long enough to deliver it.

Wave energy remains an emerging technology

The Explora summer camp visit was a focused, practical effort to connect young students in Albuquerque with a field of renewable energy they’re unlikely to encounter in a standard classroom. Sandia researchers used hands-on activities to explain wave motion, energy conversion, and how real wave energy devices are designed and deployed.

The event reflects Sandia’s dual role: advancing the science of wave energy through federally supported research while building public and educational awareness of that science. Wave energy remains an emerging technology, still well behind wind and solar in development and deployment—but the US coastline represents a substantial resource, and programs like this one help ensure there will be people ready to develop it.

For the students at Explora, the session offered something straightforward: a look at a real scientific frontier, explained by the people working on it.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.