Summer Program in Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC)
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Description
| PROGRAM LENGTH | Two-week summer program Monday–Friday, 9 am-4 pm |
| ELIGIBILITY | Must be Age 14+ the day program begins (minimum 15 years old for housing) |
| EXPENSES |
$2600 tuition $50 application fee No deposit for housing. *Unfortunately scholarships and financial aid are not available for this program at this time
30% due (1) week of acceptance to hold your spot and the balance due (1) week before your session start date. Tuition deposit is non-refundable. **International Students - Please note there are additional fees associated with your visa process. Refer to the Office of Global Services for details. ***Students receive a take-home kit with components that they can use to further develop and build projects on their own. |
The Summer Program for Automation Robotics and Coding (SPARC) introduces students to the basics of robotics, mechatronics and programming. This is a 2 week, full-day summer program for rising 9th through 12th grade high school students. Students do not need experience in robotics to participate in SPARC, but should be academically strong students with an interest in robotics and the ability to take initiative. During the program students will learn about applications for microcontrollers, interface sensors and actuators through hand-on manipulation of the components provided in their robotics kit.
Coursework
SPARC is robotics at a high level: combining concepts and practices from computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Learn about basic electrical components, circuits, and circuit configurations; microcontroller anatomy, features, and programming; coding key constructs like variables, conditionals, loops, data representations; all while building interactive, robotic devices. The program introduces advanced technical skills like how to interface various electrical and electronic components with the microcontroller and how to perform serial and parallel communication. Other challenging content includes learning to add sensors and actuators, how to acquire measurements from sensors, and how to command the actuators under program control.
Important Dates
2024 Program Dates
- January 1 – Application Opens
- May 1 or While Spaces Available – Application Closes
- Session One – Orientation TBD (via Zoom): Program June 17 – June 28
- Session Two – Orientation TBD (via Zoom): Program July 8 – July 19
- Session Three – Orientation TBD (via Zoom): Program July 29 – August 9
I enjoyed learning the basics of binary code and learning how to properly construct a functioning robot. I enjoyed getting to experience college life and meeting new friends.
Related Research
SPARC is led by Prof. Vikram Kapila alongside several colleagues from Tandon's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Application - Applications for 2024 launch in January
SPARC Keywords: Computer Sciences, Computer Engineering, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Sensors, Microcontrollers, Circuitry, Electronics, Coding, Robotics, Binary Code