Category Archives: Virtual/Online

Mass. Science & Engineering Fair: Alumni Speaker Series

For students in Grades 6-12, alumni of the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair are speaking online in a series about their academic and professional pathways, with an interactive Q&A for each. View them live on Zoom as they are presented (3:30PM – 4:15PM on the days indicated) or see recordings of completed talks.

  • May 14: Nathan Blazon-Brown, Grad Student, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
  • May 19: Nick Rabb, PhD Student, Computer Science & Cognitive Science, Tufts University
  • May 20: Cecilia Hinojosa, PhD Candidate, Experimental Psychology, Tufts University
  • May 21: Richard Parent, MustangBio
  • May 26: Maurice (Mo) Steinman, Lightelligence
  • May 27: Lei Poo, Analog Devices
  • May 28: Sean Cotton, Synlogic
  • June 2: Joyce Wu, Analog Devices
  • June 3: Rajni Aneja, Sanofi Genzyme
  • June 4: Rachael Bonoan, Post-doctoral Researcher, Tufts University
  • June 9: Jim Doscher, Analog Devices

The Innovation Institute: Let’s Go Outdoors!

The Innovation Institute is offering “Let’s Go Outdoors!” summer programs that combine online get-togethers with outdoor explorations. Its Summer Living in the Lab course, July 6-31, has separate sections for ages 5-8, 9-11, and 12-15. Three virtual gatherings a week — for learning and sharing findings — will be hosted from Ti2’s Virtual Field Station in England by evolutionary biologist and naturalist, Dr. Arkhat Abzhanov. In between sessions, students will conduct structured explorations to discover, identify, compare, and learn about their natural surroundings. Explorations will highlight evolution, natural history, zoology, comparative anatomy, and geology. Children who are old enough will explore independently, and younger ones will need a caregiver/partner to join them. Enrollment closes June 13 — and tuition is discounted for enrollment by May 31.

MIT Museum: Virtual Idea Hub

The MIT Museum has created a Virtual Idea Hub to offer weekly online guidance for maker activities for families, teachers, and youth-group leaders working with Grades 4+. Sessions are every Friday at 11AM on Zoom. Registration is required. Upcoming sessions are:

MSEN Discounts for Aspire: Virtual Robotics Summer Camps

Camp: ASPIRE offers online robotics summer camps run by UB Tech from June 15 through August 28, five days a week, four hours a day, for ages 8+. The Metrowest STEM Education Network offers these discount codes for the camps:

Beginner Camps (use code METROSTEMBEG):

Intermediate Camps (use code METROSTEMINT):

Kids 4 Coding: Virtual Summer Camps, Ages 7-16

Kids 4 Coding, based in Atlanta and now in its 5th year in Massachusetts, is offering one-week virtual summer programs running June 1-August 21 with a maximum of five students per instructor (see instructor bios). Use code SAVE50 for a $50 discount. For more information, email info@kids4coding.com or call 800-484-2664.

  • Adventure Academy MMO:  Students in ages 7-9 combine gaming with learning in an open-world, instructor-led fantasy multi-player environment.
  • Kids 4 Coding Virtual Camp: Students in ages 7-16 code mobile apps, Roblox Studio games, and Minecraft mods, learn to code in a Python-based music environment, and learn to use Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop for graphics and design.
  • Party of Five: Groups of five friends may join together to turn any Kids 4 Coding camp into a private coding camp for themselves.

Girls Who Code: Virtual Summer Immersion Program, Free Code-At-Home Activities, and Peer Discussion Series

In response to COVID-19, Girls Who Code has changed its Summer Immersion Program to be a free two-week virtual program. It’s for girls and non-binary students currently in Grades 9-11 to learn computer science and get exposure to technology jobs. No previous experience is required — just an interest in technology and willingness to learn. For more information, register for a live webinar on May 20, 6PM-6:30PM, or view the pre-recorded webinar here. Space is limited for the Summer Immersion Program, and applications are considered on a rolling basis, so act quickly. The application takes about 20-30 minutes and does not require grades or recommendations. Students may also apply for a $300 need-based stipend.

Girls Who Code also offers free Code-At-Home activities each week, some online and some offline, at varying levels of difficulty. New activities are released each Wednesday at 1PM, and each activity features a woman who pioneered innovative technology. The activities are also on GWC’s Instagram.

Girls Who Code also invites you to register for a free, four-part virtual event series for GWC alumni and community to discuss uncertainties around college, internships, and careers during the pandemic.

The Story of Robotics in Mass., 4 Webinars Starting May 20

MassRobotics and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative are co-producing a four-part webinar on the story of robotics in Massachusetts, featuring four leaders in the industry interviewed by four rising-senior high-school students. Register at the links below for the sessions, on four Wednesdays at 3PM:

The Knowledge Society Online: Talks with Tesla and SpaceX, May 23

The Knowledge Society will host an online talk for teens, Tesla & SpaceX: The Future of Travel, on May 23, 1PM-2:30PM, with Rey Mastrapa, the lead engineer of SpaceX’s Starship, and Mark Wai, former product lead at Tesla and co-founder of Orbiter. It’s free, but limited spots are available and by invitation. Apply for an invitation. According to TKS, priority will go to “students that demonstrate a strong level of curiosity and interest in emerging technology and science … The more effort you put into your application, the higher chance you’ll be invited.”