Boston University will host its AI4ALL summer STEM program in-person, July 25-August 12, for young women currently in Grades 10-11 in Massachusetts schools. Participants will explore topics in Artificial Intelligence such as robotics, computer vision, and natural language processing through team projects, industry field trips, and presentations from guest speakers. The program will conclude with a small group research project and a presentation for friends and family. Cost: $100.
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Whitehead Institute’s Free, Virtual Event with Prof. Jennifer Doudna: The Codebreaker — The Development of CRISPR-Cas9, Mar. 14
On March 14, 7PM-8PM, the Whitehead Institute will host a free, virtual event, open to all: The Codebreaker — A Conversation with Jennifer Doudna, who is a Nobel Laureate, a U.C. Berkeley professor, and co-developer of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome-engineering technology. Register here.
Local High-School Students Organize In-Person MAHacks Hackathon, Mar. 19-20
MAHacks is a hackathon produced by high schoolers for high schoolers. Following five earlier events, MAHacks VI will be held in-person, noon-to-noon on March 19-20. High-school students may apply, and middle-school students may be accepted on a case-by-case basis (email team@mahacks.com). Adults are not admitted, except as mentors or sponsors (for those roles email team@mahacks.com).
Grades 9-12: Register Now for Northeastern Splash!, In-Person, Mar. 26
Each spring, NEPTUN (a Northeastern University student group) hosts Splash!, a free program for students in Grades 9-12 to take fun and informative mini-classes led by Northeastern undergraduate students. This year, Splash! will again be held in-person at Ryder Hall on the Northeastern campus, on March 26, 8:45AM-6:40PM. Proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours will be required, and current plans will require masking. The $0 cost includes free pizza and a T-shirt. Registration is now open and is first-come/first-served and requires setting up a free student account. For more information, see the FAQs or contact nu.neptun@gmail.com. You can also access online recordings of Digital Splash! courses from last spring. Among the 26 in-person Splash! courses this year are these STEM offerings:
- Exploring the Engineering Design Process with Rube Goldberg Machines
- Playful Peep Science
- [ACCESS_GRANTED]: 1N7R0 70 H4CK1NG
- The Key to Unlocking Data: An Intro to Database Management
- Can We Make You Enjoy Math?
- Let there be Lights!
- Emoji: How They Work and Why They Break Everything
- Epigenetics: Why everything you know about genetics is wrong
- I’m So Tired: Why You Feel Like You Never Get A Good Night of Sleep
- Plant-on-Plant Violence
- Glowing Plants? Yes, Glowing Plants.
- Get Some Structure in Your Life: Modelling the Cytoskeleton
Newton Schools Foundation Seeks Donations to Expand Calculus Project
The Calculus Project works in all of Newton’s middle and high schools to have more Hispanic, African American, and low-income students successfully complete calculus in high school, as a path to success in college. The program provides intensive, small-group summer classes, enrichment activities, and year-round mentoring and tutoring. The TCP summer program includes instruction in Computer Science, field trips to STEM-related companies, and college campus visits for rising 11th graders with a focus on STEM majors and careers. The program currently includes 150 students in Grades 8-12. The Newton Schools Foundation seeks donations to fund the enrollment of an additional class of 8th Graders to start this summer. While the NPS operating budget funds part of the program, tax-deductible donations via the NSF are needed for the summer program, tutoring, enrichment activities, and supplies. Donate here.
HMSC Online: Animal Encounters — Super Skeletons, Apr. 9
Harvard Museums of Science and Culture will host another free, online session of Animal Encounters called Super Skeletons on April 9, 4PM-4:45PM. Register here at least 30 minutes prior to the event.
Oak Hill MathCounts Team Advances to State Competition
The Oak Hill Middle School MathCounts team won third place at the MathCounts MetroNorth Chapter competition, held online last month, qualifying the team for the in-person state-level competition this weekend. In the MetroNorth competition, twelve OHMS students participated, and four members of the team placed in the top quarter in the individual rounds. These four represented the school in the collaborative team round, solving 9 of the 10 problems and advancing to the state competition. MathCounts is a mathematics competition for middle-school students with chapter, state, and national events. The Oak Hill team is coached by Newton South HS students many of whom are MathCounts alumni. The coaches hope to start a MathCounts team at Brown MS next year.
McAuliffe Center: Star-Gazing Mar. 8; “Big Astronomy” Planetarium Show Mar. 18
The Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University will host an evening of stargazing and observation on March 8, 5:30PM-7:30PM (weather permitting), in FSU’s O’Connor parking lot by Maynard Road in Framingham. Masks are required.
On March 18 at 6:30PM, the Center’s public planetarium show will be Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries, a full-dome film suitable for all ages, followed by a discussion with the Director of the Center and a graduate student about career paths and areas of expertise in physics and astronomy. Tickets are $5.
Caterpillar Lab Seeks Interns, Seasonal Employees, and Volunteers
The Caterpillar Lab in Marlborough, NH — founded by Newton alum Sam Jaffe — seeks interns, seasonal employees, and volunteers to help open people’s eyes to the natural value of their backyards, neighborhoods, and green spaces. Contact Sam Jaffe at jaffe@thecaterpillarlab.org.
LLCipher: MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Virtual Summer Workshop in Theoretical Cryptography for Grades 9-12, Aug. 1-5
MIT Lincoln Laboratory offers LLCipher, a free, one-week workshop in theoretical cryptography, August 1-5, for high-school students in Grades 9-12 interested in math and cyber security. Students from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications are due April 29.