GoSciTech - Day Course Descriptions

How can we make a better future by studying STEM? During camp, you’ll be an engineer challenged with designing a livable structure and the various systems necessary to support comfortable living in that structure. We will investigate the disciplines of materials science as well as civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering as we explore the future of sustainable living and design.

Do you enjoy playing video games? Have you ever thought about making your own? How do game designers take their ideas and make them playable for you and your friends? Join us as we explore the world of game design using the PICO-8 fantasy console! You will write code and build custom sprites, sounds, and objects as you develop and remix classic video games. Then put those new skills to work by creating your own game from scratch, collaborating with your peers, and competing in game design challenges. No previous coding experience is required—just bring a desire to learn and a passion for digital gaming!

Become an architect for the week as you work with a team to design a zoo and wildlife education center! Discover the principles of sustainable building and explore flair and function as you sketch your design, use a computer to refine it, and build a model to bring it to life.

How will we send humans to Mars? How do we know what the stars are made of? Are we alone in the universe? During hands-on experiments and analyzing data, students will see how scientists explore the vastness of space. We will put our experimental skills to work to see what laws govern the universe. Join us to also explore the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe and how scientists could find it.

Have you ever wanted to learn how electronics control the world around us? We will explore how electronics work from the ground up. Starting with a basic light bulb circuit we will build many different kinds of circuits and learn how the motor on a 3D printer works, how your dishwasher controls the flow of water, and how your air conditioning knows when to turn on or off, to name just a few topics. We will use the Arduino throughout the course as our platform for building and controlling our circuits.

Are you the kind of person that always has the desire to want to know “how something works”, or “how it was made”? Then you are going to have the best time in this course! Reverse engineering, also known as back engineering, is the process of deconstructing a product to extract information about its design, structure, and functionality. This process can be applied to a wide range of products, including machines, aircraft, and architectural structures. This engineering design process works with hands-on and design-and-build challenges as an important part to every engineering field and as such will be the focus, and engaging purpose, of our time together. 
 

Have you ever wanted to build and program your own robot? In this camp, you will work with a group of students to design, build, and code a VEX V5 robot to compete against your peers. Learn the basics of creating sturdy chassis and strong drivetrains to take your building skills to the next level. Then, we will code your robot to perform tasks autonomously. Finally, explore the competition rules and discuss strategy before taking on the other competitors. This class will be very hands-on and student-driven. No background in VEX robotics is necessary.