College Offers Summer Science Camps for K-12 Students
Departments and research centers in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) at the University of Maryland are hosting several summer camps in 2015. Below are the details.
Insect Summer Camp: For Kids Ages 8-12
Session I: June 29–July 3, 2015
Session II: July 20–July 24, 2015
Through a variety of hands-on activities and interactive field trips, Bug Camp: Insects, Science & Society will teach kids how amazing and valuable bugs truly are. Campers will gain experience with science in the field and the lab, and will come away with an understanding of the important relationship between humans and insects. For more information, visit http://entomology.umd.edu/insect-camp.html.
Computer Science Connect: Rising 7th Graders
Dates: August 3-August 14
Participants will learn how to program, break codes and more. Designed as a three-year program where participants return the following summers to learn more advanced skills - meeting once a month through the school year to maintain those skils. The first year is for students who are just finishing 6th grade. Participants will learn about web development, programming, robots and more, emphasizing how these connect both to other areas of study and to making the world a better place. For more information, visit http://www.cs.umd.edu/compsciconnect/about.
CyberSTEM Camp: For Rising 7th and 8th Grade Girls
Dates: July 20-24, 2015
This five-day experience provides hands-on activities focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and cybersecurity topics. Attendees will learn and apply basic concepts of programming, forensics, cryptography and program management from a series of gaming, modeling and simulation activities that explore the interconnections of science, math, technology and computers. This is the third year this camp is being offered, and it will cover the same content as the 2014 camp. For more information, visit http://cyber.umd.edu/education/cyber-stem.
Physics of Quidditch Summer Camp: For Rising 7th, 8th and 9th Graders
Session I: June 29 - July 3, 2015
Session II: July 13-17, 2015
This innovative program combines physics, sport, and literature of the Harry Potter novels. Throughout the week spent immersed in fun and physical activities, participants gain skills in physics, critical thinking, teamwork, playing the sport of quidditch, and an appreciation for the literature that inspired the sport. Daily activities include: lab experiments in the context of the sport, introduction to applicable physics concepts in mechanics, drills that apply the concepts the sport, and quidditch scrimmages. Throughout the week of the camp, participants develop teams, sorted into two "houses," in preparation for the final tournament. The tournament consists of a luncheon for participants and parents, student poster session and the championship game between the two houses. For more information, visit http://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/aboutus-outreach/outreach-physics-quidditch.html.
Physics Summer Girls: For Rising 9th Graders
Session I: July 6-17, 2015
Session II: July 20-31, 2015
In the mornings, participants will observe demonstrations, complete hands-on laboratory experiments, listen to lectures and document their progress in journals. The afternoons are devoted to an ongoing two-week project that teaches participants trial and error and the principles of the scientific method. At the end of the two-week program, parents, teachers and siblings are invited to a closing ceremony where participants present their favorite demonstrations. For more information, visit http://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/aboutus-outreach/summer-girls.html.
Intermediate CyberSTEM Camp: For Rising 9th and 10th Grade Girls
Dates: July 27-31, 2015
This five-day experience provides hands-on activities focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and cybersecurity topics. Attendees will learn and apply basic concepts of programming, computer forensics, cryptography, steganography, system vulnerabilities and program management from a series of gaming, modeling, simulation activities and hands-on exercises, which explore the interconnections of science, math, technology and computers. Participants did NOT need to attend our CyberSTEM middle school camp to be eligible. This camp covers similar content areas as CyberSTEM Camp for 7th and 8th graders, and allows for a deeper and more in-depth exploration of the subject matter. For more information, visit http://cyber.umd.edu/education/intermediate-cyber-stem.
Young Scholars Program: For Rising 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Graders
Dates: July 12-31, 2015
Young Scholars take one three-credit UMD introductory course and can live on campus or commute from home. For three weeks, young scholars will attend class, enjoy field trips or guest speakers, study, work on projects and prepare for exams. They will also participate in seminars, workshops and social activities where they will meet, live and study with other talented high school students from around the U.S. and the world in many of the same world-class facilities used by UMD's full-time college students. CMNS will be offering three courses during summer 2015: environmental biology, computer science: a hands off approach, and computer programming via the web. For more information, visit http://oes.umd.edu/young-scholars/terp-young-scholars.
Cyber Defense Training Camp: For Rising 11th and 12th Graders
Dates: July 12-18, 2015
Cyber Defense Training Camp is an intermediate level (some technical experience is required) seven-day residential summer program for high school men and women (rising juniors and seniors). Students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of cybersecurity and gain practical skills through instruction by an experienced security professional, while living on the UMD campus. Students learn about the field, take at least one field trip and hear from a variety of speakers to learn more about how to prepare to enter this exciting profession. For more information, visit http://cyber.umd.edu/education/cyber-defense.
Physics Summer Girls - Advanced: For Rising 11th and 12th Graders
Dates: August 3-14, 2015
While the 9th grade program focuses on classical physics, the advanced program will jump into the world of modern physics. Participants will learn about topics ranging from relativity to antimatter, quantum mechanics, physical uncertainty, quantum computing and more. The afternoons will be filled with hands-on lab activities, visits to cutting-edge research labs, discussions with professors who currently specialize in modern physics and a project to make the discussions of modern topics tangible. Students will be introduced to topics that they will likely not be offered in their high school classes, from the thought experiments of Einstein to current applications in code breaking. For more information, visit http://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/aboutus-outreach/summer-girls.html.
Media Relations Contact: Abby Robinson, 301-405-5845, abbyr@umd.edu
University of Maryland
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
2300 Symons Hall
College Park, MD 20742
www.cmns.umd.edu
@UMDscience
About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 7,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $150 million.