Course Overview
Embark on a transformative experience at ASCENT: Aspiring Students in Computing and Engineering NeTwork, where the synergy of innovation and empowerment propels you into a 3-week-long program reshaping the landscape of technology. This course spotlights the significant impact of women in the field, delving into areas such as mobile development, web development, project management, teamwork dynamics, and the exciting opportunities within tech careers for women. Immerse yourself in the vibrant community of diverse learners, where you’ll connect with like-minded high school students, interact with exceptional faculty, and engage with current college students. This summer, join us on a tech journey meticulously crafted to ignite inspiration and foster empowerment, as we collectively pave the way for a future where women thrive as the makers of the world of technology.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will acquire a robust foundation, enabling you to unleash the full potential of the computer systems you engage with in your daily life. This course will also inspire you to appreciate the contribution of women computer scientists and engineers. This program serves as a gateway to explore the vast opportunities available for women in the fields of technology and engineering. It is designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to confidently embark on your journey towards a rewarding and successful career in these dynamic industries, marking the initial strides toward becoming a future professional in the field.
This highly interactive course will teach high school students to think critically and develop creative, useful computing and engineering solutions to problems which has the potential to help users with mental and physical wellbeing. The skills acquired through this course are highly coveted by employers across various professions in tech industry.
An essential component of the course involves creating meaningful connections between participants, professionals, graduate students, and alumni who are committed to supporting underrepresented identities in the computer science, engineering and technology discipline. Class activities include a combination of teamwork and individual projects.
All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Gain significant coding skills in Java language
- Create cool mobile application to help users with physical and mental wellbeing
- Solve real-world problem using machine learning models and tools
- Articulate the social impact of developed mobile applications and systems
- Analyze the relationships between computing and engineering solutions and real life processes
- Delve into cool new technologies with professors and industry reps
- Develop appreciation for how computing and automation influence society
- Discover future internship and career opportunities
Course Information
Course Prefix and Number: SCN 183
Format: Online
Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school junior, or senior status – or a 2024 high school graduate.
Credit: Noncredit
Grading: Pass/Fail
Cost: $1,995
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.
Program Information
Summer College – Online: Explore college life before stepping foot on campus! High school students can enroll in a college-level course, pursue their academic interests, and meet likeminded students in daily virtual events and activities.
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Synchronous Class Time (Eastern Time) | Credit/Noncredit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College – Online | 3-Week Session II: Monday, July 29 – Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 | MTWTh; 5 – 7 p.m. | Noncredit | Open |
Course Requirements
Eligibility Requirements
Students must be of rising high school junior, or senior status – or a 2024 high school graduate, who has passed Algebra I and Geometry with understanding, and whose reading comprehension is sufficient to read a textbook or articles used in colleges and high schools. No previous programming experience required. Potentially helpful, but NOT required are critical thinking and analytical thinking skill.
Student Expectations
Students are expected to attend every online class session and be engaged during all lectures, guest speakers and team activities. This course will offer the opportunity for academic and experiential learning, and the expectation is that all students come prepared to take full advantage of what is presented. Students are also expected to give each other feedback on in-class virtual presentation and participate in the final student presentation.
Good behavior in class (no disrespect, no disruptions, no distractions, no extra-curricular computer or cell phone usage, no side conversations, etc.) and adherence to all pertinent conduct standards are expected from all students. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructors if they must miss a synchronous class session due to health concerns, religious observances, or other obligations.
Technology Requirements
- Reliable internet access
- A space conducive to taking an online class (without distractions)
- Open source software: All the software that we will use are either open source (free) or free trials and we will install them in class so no need for students to have anything prepared ahead of time. However, it would be helpful to have MS Office apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Zoom: This course will require students to use zoom. Syracuse University provides a Zoom account to all pre-college student
- Microsoft Teams: This course will require you to use your Syracuse University provided Microsoft and Google Accounts. Both accounts are based on your NetId. Your Google account is netid@g.syr.edu and your Microsoft Account is netid@syr.edu . We will use Microsoft Teams for communications, questions, and general asynchronous discussion between students about homework and projects. You will receive an invitation to the join these forums
Typical Day
Each day typically begins with a review of previous covered topics and proceeds with coverage of new topics based on the currently due reading assignment. Then students work in small teams to perform hand-on exercises related to the technical tool or open source software. Occasionally, students will have guest lecture on emerging and hot topics in computing and engineering. Note, while this is a sample structure, each day may look different and what will be covered could vary day to day.
When class is over, and on weekends, students can look forward to various Summer College virtual activities to meet and connect with other students across the world. Check out our Virtual Campus Experience page for more information!
Faculty Bios
Dr. Farzana Rahman
Dr. Farzana Rahman, an associate professor of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), teaches many core programming and systems courses in the Computer Science major, for example – data structures, object oriented programming, computer systems organization, mobile app development and etc. She has research interest in computer science education, design and development of technology-enhanced learning environments, and measuring the impact of integrating learning science theories in CS courses. Dr. Rahman has been awarded with the College Educator of the Year award by Technology Alliance of Central New York (TACNY) for her outstanding contribution towards creating equitable and engaging learning experiences for all students in her classes.
Dr. Rahman is the director of Research Exposure on Socially Relevant Computing (RESORC) Program, funded by Google Research, to increase both the exposure and visibility of undergraduate research at Syracuse SU. With more than 200 students participating in RESORC over the past 3 years, she has designed and facilitated multiple virtual workshops to help undergraduate students develop computing identity, research skills, practice teaching strategies, and explore research topics in computing and engineering domain. The project formalizes best practices in research experiences to reach more students, particularly women from historically excluded groups, and prepares them for graduate study.
Dr. Rahman’s research and mentoring initiatives has been funded by many agencies, including the National Science Foundation, Google, NCWIT, Google TensorFlow, and American Association of Colleges and Universities to develop effective pedagogy in undergraduate computer science education. She is the winner of the NCWIT Extension Services (NCWIT ES-UP) award, ABI Systers PIO (Pass-It-On) award, Google ExploreCSR Award, and NCWIT educator award.
In her free time, Dr. Rahman loves to read books on world history and philosophy, write comics with her daughter, and bake!