Summer Research Academies
Designed for rising 7th-rising 9th graders, explore advanced topics in small (10-person or less), lab-based experiences guided by experienced scientists and engineers.
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SUMMER RESEARCH ACADEMIES AND SUMMER EXPLORATION (2020)
RISING 7TH - RISING 9TH GRADES
Research Academies: Looking for an advanced science or engineering experience this summer that is both fun and educational? Explore advanced topics in small (10-person or less), lab-based experiences guided by experienced scientists and engineers. Each week is a different topic, but in each one we work as a lab team to research a topic, build and/or experiments each day, learn new lab or engineering skills, and most of all, have fun doing authentic studies in advanced topics.
Summer Explorations: The Ideaventions Summer Explorations consist of one-week long camps where rising 7th through rising 9th graders explore a topic under the mentorship of an experienced scientist, engineer, or educator. Summer Explorations are extra-curricular investigations of a topic and involve experiences aimed at developing a students curiosity. The exploration topics are offered alongside our Research Academies. Each week has a different topic for exploration and unique schedule based on the aims of the exploration. In these unique exploration camps, you'll explore everything from survival skills to battle bots. Maximum Enrollment: 10 students |
Tuition and Fees
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2020 Research Topics
Certain weeks have two different offerings. Please register for only one of the two.
Camp Name |
Date |
Description |
Register |
Machine Learning: Self-Driving Cars 3 spots remaining |
6/22 - 6/26 |
Learn about the field of machine learning and self-driving cars in this DIY course where we build a self-driving, small-scale car based on the Donkey Car project. We will hack a small, RC car and turn it into an autonomous ground vehicle using technologies such as Raspberry Pi, Python, TensorFlow, and OpenCV. We will learn to drive our car remotely with a laptop, record images, log steering and throttle information, and then train a neural network pilot to drive our car on various tracks. As part of the engineering lab experience, they will practice collaboration and leadership skills as they work together in small teams to build, test, troubleshoot, and train their self-driving cars. Research Academy |
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Aerospace Engineering: Rocketry 3 spots remaining |
6/29 - 7/2 (4-day camp) |
For thousands of years, humans have looked up to the sky and wondered about the cosmos. A few exceptionally curious people have dedicated their lives to finding more about what lies above us. This course will focus on learning about the innovative technologies that have made these breakthroughs possible and rocket building science and techniques. As we learn about these advances, we'll engineer and launch basic and advanced model rockets to complete various missions of their choosing (e.g. carrying an egg as cargo to target altitudes and ensuring safe recovery). Additionally, we'll use the flight simulation program Kerbal Space Program to design, construct, and test virtual rockets and planes. Topics include fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, propulsion, projectiles, craft structure, and materials science. This class looks to inspire the next generation aerospace engineers to help develop technologies to drive mankind forward not only here on Earth, but also in the cosmos. It’s only rocket science! The experience will conclude with a launch day to test and evaluate our rockets. Students will take home their finished rockets. However, due to the risks with launching rockets, not all rockets may survive their launches or be recoverable. Summer Exploration |
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Anatomy: Exploring Form and Function (Dissections) |
7/6 - 7/10 |
The human body is a fascinating set of interconnected systems, each with its own structures and functions. In this week, campers will discover some of the mysteries of the human body through a series of dissections and related activities. They will learn about systems such as the circulatory, nervous, and skeletomuscular systems. Dissections will include specimens such as a sheep brain, eye, and heart. Summer Exploration |
Cancelled due to no enrollment |
7/13 - 7/17 |
How does learning occur? Campers will tackle this question via the humble nematode, C. elegans. They will design and carry out their own behavioral experiments using this model eukaryotic organism. Along the way, they will discover how learning and memory works at the neuronal, genetic, and behavioral levels. Come spend a week with us learning about learning! Research Academy |
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7/13 - 7/17 |
Based on William Gurstelle’s book Backyard Ballistics, and with a strong emphasis on safety, we engineer mechanisms to launch projectiles. Additionally, we will delve into the “physics of the projects, with profiles of the scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Michael Faraday, Alfred Nobel, Henrik Lorenz, and Isaac Newton.” Sample projects available in the book include: paper match rockets, potato cannons, and the Pnewton's Petard. Summer Exploration |
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7/20 - 7/24 |
Campers will start by learning about the central dogma, which underlies the connection between genes and traits. Next, we will harness modern biotechnology techniques to insert a small circle of DNA called a plasmid into bacteria. This will allow us to "hack" the bacteria so that they would start making a protein of our choosing (a dye). Finally, we will move on to more fine-tuned technique called CRISPR, which allows us to edit the bacteria's own DNA instead of needing to add something new. Research Academy |
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Wearable Technology: Hack Yourself 4 spots remaining |
7/20 - 7/24 |
Push the edge of technology and creativity by hacking yourself - or at least your clothing. Build circuits into your clothing and accessories with wearable technology! Learn about the materials, boards, and sensors to help you create wearable electronics, as well as gain new skills like soldering and sewing. In this hands-on workshop experience, explore sewable microcontrollers, such as the FLORA and GEMMA by Adafruit, that interface with wearable sensors and can be programmed to activate LEDs (lights). Investigate conductive textiles, sensors, LEDs, and battery packs. Campers will learn the basics of the C/C++ programming language as they write code for their microcontrollers. After completing starter projects to learn new skills, we'll tackle a wearable project, such as glowing sneakers or a GPS-enabled hat. Students must bring their own item to hack such as a sweatshirt, hat, or pair of shoes. Note: Students should be comfortable typing at least 20-30 words-per-minute. Summer Exploration |
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7/27 - 7/31 |
Explore how movie special effects are made using science, then create and record your own film using some of the special effects you've learned. In this hands-on lab and film studio environment, you will be introduced to the field of chemistry, as well as some physics. Investigate the fundamental properties of matter, as well as elements and compounds. Next, through experiments and lab activities, we'll examine the properties of different compounds such as polymers, metals, and organic molecules. Finally, design your special effects and film a short video clip incorporating them based on chemistry and physics principles. Summer Exploration |
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Combat Robotics: Battle Bots Email info@ideaventions.com to be added to the waitlist |
7/27 - 7/31 |
Welcome to the field of Combat Robotics! Your life won't be the same once you've built and battled robots. Learn how to build a combat robot from scratch, then battle it in our custom arena. In our workshop, you will build Ant Weight Class (1 lb) robots to battle. Come up with your strategy, design it, and then build it. Will you design a bot with a weapon, or will you choose to make a more defensive-minded "wedge" bot? In the workshop, we'll teach you electronics and fabrication skills to help you build the chassis, solder together the electronics, connect our R/C controller, and troubleshoot issues found during testing. At the end of the week, we'll conduct our own bot battling tournament to test our creations against one another. Note: For an extra fee, students may take home their finished bots. Summer Exploration |
FULL |
8/3 - 8/7 |
Campers will be introduced to the biology and chemistry behind modern forensic techniques. After an introduction to basic crime scene analysis, we will conduct a series of experiments to analyze our scene. We will evaluate different chemical methods for visualizing latent fingerprints and practice identifying unknown substances using techniques such as chromatography and chemical reactivity. Campers will then have the opportunity to learn about genetic fingerprinting. We will use restriction enzymes to fragment a real piece of sample DNA, then run our own gel electrophoresis using the resulting fragments. By comparing the results with other known samples, we will be able to confirm or reject our suspect. Research Academy |
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8/3 - 8/7 |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing our world! From self-driving cars to computer vision that is able to recognize faces, AI is transforming our lives. Learn about AI in our hands-on computer science lab and engineering workshop where you will build your own voice assistant based on Google's Voice Assistant and Cloud Speech software libraries. Using the Google AIY Kit, we will construct our voice assistant, then we will learn to create Python programs to customize our assistant by programming unique behaviors that we come up with. In addition to Python programming, we will learn about operating systems and how to configure our assistant. What will you choose to do with your AI assistant? Make your assistant react to custom phrases by controlling the microphone, speaker, LED, or try adding a motion sensor or servo motor for even more interactive options. The AI engineers will take home their customized Google Assistant (Google AIY Voice Kit including a Raspberry Pi Zero). Students take home their customized voice assistant. If they want to continue programming it at home, they will need a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. Note: Students should be comfortable typing at least 20-30 words-per-minute. Summer Exploration |
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Drone Lab: Remotely Operated Vehicles (Fixed Wing) Email info@ideaventions.com to be added to the waitlist |
8/10 - 8/14 |
Join us for a week in our Drone Lab where you’ll learn how to build and remotely fly a fixed-wing drone. Integrating the fields of aeronautical engineering, physics and electronics, build a remote-controlled stunt plane based on the Flite Test Simple Cub design (or similar airframe). Construct the airframe, install the electronics, motor and propeller, train on flight simulators, and conduct human-controlled test flights with our finished planes. As part of the experience, we’ll research the science and engineering behind drone flight and their use, as well as learn about current regulations and ethical issues surrounding drones. In this hands-on lab experience, we’ll learn and practice electronics skills, such as reading schematics, building circuits, assembling electronics, and soldering. Students will also gain proficiency using tools such as X-acto knives, measuring tools, and hot glue guns to construct their planes. During the final two days, we'll take our planes out to a local field and test fly them, and then making modifications and repairs. Note: For an extra fee, students may take home their finished planes. Research Academy |
FULL |