Artificial Intelligence
Broadly speaking, the field of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is the branch of computer science centered on the science and engineering of intelligent machines and computer programs. This course will provide an introduction to some of the main problems and techniques of this field. Topics include logical reasoning, knowledge representation, search and planning methods, uncertainty, and machine learning. AI is applied to language processing, speech recognition, computer vision, robotics, strategic planning, computer game technology, and many other applications.
Session 2 (July 12 - July 31)
Prerequisite(s): This course requires a past course in computer programming and mathematics through pre-calculus.
Age and grade requirements: 9th, 10th or 11th grade in Spring 2010, and age 14 - 17 on July 12, 2010.
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Automata and Computation Theory
Major developments in Theoretical Computer Science predate the invention of the modern digital computer, and work in this field played a fundamental role in bringing us to the modern computer age. This course will examine abstract models of computation and then use those to show one of the most important results in computer science: Not all problems are computable. However, just knowing whether or not a problem is computable isn't sufficient for practical computer applications; programmers need to know if the problem they want to solve is feasibly computable. This leads to the study of Complexity Theory and the goal of formally defining the class of problems that are feasibly computable. One of the most important open problems in mathematics and computer science is centered around this goal, namely the "P vs. NP" problem.
Session 1 (June 20 - July 9)
Prerequisite(s): This course requires a past course in computer programming, and courses in algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
Age and grade requirements: 10th or 11th grade in Spring 2010, and age 15 - 17 on June 20, 2010.
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Computer Programming: Java and Robotics
This course is a general introduction to computer science and programming with a robotics component. The course covers the essential syntax of Java, as well as some commonly used Java packages, and it emphasizes the advantages of object-oriented programming. Students write both stand-alone programs and applets, and they get to work with the LEGO MindStorms Robotics Invention System.
Session 1 (June 20 - July 9)
Session 2 (July 12 - July 31)
Prerequisite(s): Completion of an algebra course. No prior experience in programming is assumed.
Age and grade requirements: 8th or 9th grade in Spring
2010, and between age 13 and age 15 at start
of session.
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