Open to students rising into grades K-12
June 15-July 24, 2020 (see the actual class dates below)
9 AM - Noon weekdays
Optional After Care available Monday-Thursday each week of the academic class
All classes are held at CMU Oakland campus, are $325*, 9 am-noon daily
*Scholarships are available, limit 1 class per child, please contact the Gelfand Outreach Center for more information.
These classes are developed by Carnegie Mellon University Faculty and Staff
Classes are designed to be Rigorous ~ Educational ~ STEM Focused ~ Hands-on ~ Fun
For a printable PDF, please visit:
https://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/documents/gelfandoutreach_summerseries_2020.pdfFor information about our instructors, please visit:
https://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/gelfand-outreach/our-instructors.html---
ALL STEAM AHEAD GRADES K-2, July 13th-17th
All aboard! Create, discover, and learn with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. In this course, students will be sampling the different parts of STEAM, making connections between the things around us and how they work. Explore the different states of matter, gravity, sound waves, and more! Use science, technology, engineering, arts, and math to make predictions, design and run experiments, and make conclusions that help us to understand our world. Instructor: Carol Ann Smith
ANATOMY AND ROBOTICS GRADES 5-7, June 15th-19th CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
This class is for the aspiring physician, scientist or roboticist! Learn the anatomical concepts of the bones and muscles that make up the human arm. Dissect a chicken wing to see the components and how it functions. Discuss extension and flexion of the arm and how the elbow and wrist move. Diagram the muscles and bones and make life-sized models. Program a circuit board and make your arm model come to life. Use servos, LEDs, and sensors as you apply robotic technology to make your anatomical model move in a very realistic way. When science meets technology, you will be amazed -- we’re not twisting your arm! Instructor: Dr. Terry Richards
FROM PHOTONS TO PHOTOS GRADES 9-12, June 22nd-26th CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
Light and its interactions with the world around us is a fascinating topic at the center of many scientific disciplines. This five-day workshop is an introduction to the physics of light, with a focus on topics relating to imaging and displays. We will begin by investigating properties of light such as spectrum, polarization, and coherence, and see how they provide complementary insights into the world around us. We will use this background to understand how cameras work, and how images are formed. We will then study specialized cameras that are used in scientific applications, including microscopy, astronomy, and 3D scanning. Additionally, we will look at how manipulating light can help us build not only special cameras, but also new types of displays for 3D viewing and virtual reality. Finally, we will use off-the-shelf optical components to build simplified versions of a few of the cameras and displays presented. The workshop will include lab visits and demos at various imaging labs at Carnegie Mellon University. Class instructors are faculty at Carnegie Mellon: Aswin Sankaranarayanan, Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Ioanis Gkioulekas, Assistant Professor, Robotics Institute, Srinivasa Narasimhan, Professor, Robotics Institute and Matt O' Toole, Assistant Professor, Robotics Institute. This class is supported by an NSF grant and the COST is $50.
INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS SCIENCE GRADES 5-7, July 6th – 10th
The focus of this class is on relating material properties to superpowers and uses existing superheroes to illustrate the concepts. Included are an introduction to chemistry (compounds, the Periodic Table, and types of bonding) and how structure can give a material its unique properties. Students will learn how to make their own "bullet-proof" putty, and experiment making circuits with different types of materials. They will use shape-changing polymers and observe how a material's microstructure can influence its sound. Students will also be able to critically think and discover the answers to why Spider-Man can stick to walls, how Wolverine can heal his wounds, how Aquaman can control water, and more. Instructor: Jasio Santillan
JUNK BOTS GRADES K-2, June 22nd-26th
What are robots and what makes robots work? Can robots really take over the world? In this class, we’ll build different types of robots and learn about batteries, LED, circuits, electricity, and more. We’ll explore how engineers build machines and make modifications to our robots to really make them buzz, rattle, and move! Draw and design your own junk bot, bringing it to life with household items! Have fun with science and technology while learning to think like a robotics engineer. The sky’s the limit! Instructor: Christa Romanosky
KITCHEN CHEMISTRY GRADES K-2, July 6th-10th CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
Join your fellow scientists as we use everyday ingredients to conduct experiments and learn the science explaining them. Learn about solids and liquids by making your own glop! Learn how to blow up a balloon without using your own breath! Discover how to make a rainbow in milk. Discuss molecules and make your very own molecule model. Instructor: Jennifer Lang
LEARN ENGINEERING @CMU THROUGH MINECRAFT GRADES 4-7, July 20th - 10am-4pm (NOTE: This is a 1-day, 5-hour workshop) CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH MINECRAFT AND HAVE A MINECRAFT ID. THE TIME WILL NOT BE SPENT TEACHING THE GAME BUT WILL FOCUS ON USING MINECRAFT TO LEARN ENGINEERING. Learn how real engineers build and launch rockets in Minecraft. What about building a Robot in Minecraft? Imagine the strongest material in the universe. Can Minecraft teach you how to build it? Interested in video games? Do you play Monopoly? Learn how to make your own fun and educational game in Minecraft. Do you collect stones? Did you know Minecraft can build and help you learn about precious stones like diamond? Do you want to become an Engineer @ CMU? Come learn how to do this while playing Minecraft! STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BRING THEIR OWN NUT-FREE SACK LUNCH. COST: $125.00. Instructor: Dr. B. Reeja Jayan
RESEARCH @ CMU GRADES 6-8, July 13th – 17th
Students will be introduced to faculty members and graduate students who conduct cutting-edge science, computer science and engineering research at Carnegie Mellon. Through discussions, tours, and hands-on activities participants will learn about studies that are designed to solve societal problems, application of science and mathematics content that they are learning in school, and about pathways to careers in STEM fields. Instructor: Courtney Daylong
ROBOTICS AND BIOMIMETICS GRADES 6-8, June 15th – 19th CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
This camp will be an introduction to mechanical engineering and robotics for students interested in world-building and interactive art. With a unique focus on biomimetics, or the imitation of natural models and creatures, this program is designed to challenge students to critically observe and find inspiration from the natural world. Through the integration of Shape Memory Alloys (SMA), electrical circuits, and paper engineering, students will work together to create a high/low tech universe populated by whimsical robotic creatures. Each student will take home their own moving creation at the end of the camp. Instructor: Marieke Van Der Maelen
ROBOTICS 101 GRADES 6-8, July 20th – 24th CLASS FILLED-WAIT LIST ONLY
This course is an introduction to robot-building and robot-programming. Using LEGO® pieces and the Arduino board, we'll design and build desktop mobile robots, then program them to do dances, follow lines, and “sense” different objects in the environment. Will you be able to program your robot to bowl? Will your robot successfully be able to navigate through a maze without getting stuck? This is a team-based, hands-on course. No experience in robotics is required. This class will be taught by members of the Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group at CMU.
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SAMPLER GRADES 3-5, June 15th- June 19th
Students will visit a variety of labs and spaces at Carnegie Mellon to learn about cutting edge research. Faculty, graduate students and staff in science, engineering and computer science will share information, demonstrations and hands-on activities to help Sampler participants to develop a broader understanding of what it means to work as a scientist or engineer. Students will summarize the information that they have learned and to make connections between the research activities and the content that they are learning in school. Instructor: Courtney Daylong
SUMMER SUPERHERO SCIENCE GRADES 3-4, June 22nd- 26th
Have you ever wondered how Spider-Man is able to swing through the Big Apple and stick to walls? Ever wonder why Wolverine’s claws can cut through anything? Or even how Ant-Man is able pack a punch while he’s so tiny? If you’re curious how superheroes do what they do (and maybe even secretly want to become one yourself), then this is the class for you! Spend the week learning how we can use materials science to explain superhero powers and learn how to make some super-materials for yourself. Instructor: Jasio Santillan
