Come and learn how to solve a 3x3 Rubik's cube and impress your friends!

We will go over a layer-by-layer method of solving Rubik's cubes, including algorithms and intuitive ways to figure out your next move. We will also shortly cover algorithms, its uses, and its optimization.


Prerequisites
Come prepared with a Rubik's cube and your enthusiasm! No experience necessary.

I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse: if you take this class, I'll teach you an amazing party game that your friends and family will love.

Mafia is a logic and psychology game for 8-14 players. Everyone playing is part of a town, but some of the townspeople are members of the mafia. It's the townspeople's job to find the mafia before the mafia kills off everyone in the town. Can you figure out who it is?

Have you ever wanted a Hackathon at your school? Or to be the secretary general at a Model United Nations conference? Or to bring Splash closer to home? Maybe you saw something cool on the internet and want it to happen near you. Come learn how to organize events with a nonprofit event manager and a hackathon organizer!

Come see how we transform our sketch of a storyline into an actual 2d animation. You'll walk out with an animated gif if you do some leg work :)

Bring in your projects from the last session "Intro to 2d animation | Key frames", and we'll go over some techniques you can add to improve your animation.


Prerequisites
"Intro to 2d animation | Key frames"

Have you ever noticed how strikingly different some buildings look from each other? Wondered what exactly makes old buildings look "old" or new buildings look "new"? Or heard a building described as "Gothic" but didn't know what that really meant? In this class, you'll learn to identify the features of buildings that make them unique and interesting. In addition, you'll see how buildings with similar features can be grouped into named categories, such as "Victorian Gothic" and "Art Deco." Next time you're walking through a college campus or a historic downtown, this class will help you recognize the architectural styles you see around you.


Prerequisites
Curiosity and interest in the appearances of buildings.

Come learn calligraphy! Try out different styles, pens, inks, and papers. Write anything your heart desires - I will show you the basic strokes and swashes and you can take it from there. We will also be using gold leaf for embellishments!
Your natural handwriting does not need to be "good" to do calligraphy, and no experience is required.

Architecture surrounds us, but in more ways than you'd think; from furniture to flatware, Architecture is more than just buildings, spreading form the macro to the micro. In its purest form, it is a way of thinking, analyzing, problematizing, and creating something through that iterative design process. In this course, we will explore how architects think, communicate, and create the myriad of objects and projects that they do.

In this class, we'll be exploring the art of making music with our voices! Members of the Cornell University Chorus will be teaching various ways we can create harmony and will be introducing techniques for priming sight singing skills. Come ready to have fun, learn, and sing (as a group of course) a bit with us! No formal music instruction background necessary.

In this course student artists will be introduced to the worlds of character design and 3D modeling.

Part one of the session will be devoted to brainstorming a unique creature concept to bring to life. We will discuss a few different approaches for deriving inspiration for our designs and a variety of mediums (sketching, image collage, clay sculpting) will be available to the artists to help them realize their concepts. In the second half of the session students will learn how to transform their designs into 3D creations using free, web-based 3D CAD modeling software.

After participating in this session, artists will know basic 3D CAD modeling skills and will have been introduced to industries that utilize CAD modeling software (product design, video game design, etc). Please note that artists will take away whatever materials they created in the first half of the class plus a 3D file of their creature creation. Information regarding additional 3D modeling programs + 3D printing services will be given out at the end of the class if students want to pursue 3D printing their models on their own.

Most of us know or have heard about people who need new organs, whether it be a heart, a kidney, or a skin graft, and through this, have learned about how difficult (and expensive) it is to attain them. However, doctors, scientists, and engineers are currently on the brink of developing the technology needed to eradicate this problem completely.

In this class, we will talk about current research on and applications of tissue engineering and artificial organs, and what the future of biomedical engineering looks like. We will also look briefly at the feasibility of related fictional technologies in the real world.


Prerequisites
High school biology will be helpful, but is not necessary.

How would you go about building a computer? What would your shopping list look like? What would it cost? How would you know that you're getting the best parts for the best price? How would you know that you're buying the best laptop for your price range? $$\\$$
$$\\$$
We'll be learning about computer hardware! Topics and skills covered include: $$\\$$
- Basic Computer Hardware $$\\$$
- Computer Performance (what makes a computer "good" or "fast") $$\\$$
- Walking into Best Buy like you own the place

Ever wanted to create a Web application that helps distribute food to where it's needed in India, or a browser extension that identifies misinformation on news websites? In the first part of this course, you'll learn about ways companies, non-governmental organizations, and governments have used technology to solve real-world social problems. In the second part, you'll work with a group to design and present a technology project that addresses a social issue.


Prerequisites
Some experience with creating technology projects and an understanding of social issues would help, but if you don't have both, our teaching assistants (TA's) have you covered.

Write a word in your own handwriting and watch as a 3D printer draws it for you! We will be using SketchUp, a computer-aided design (CAD) software, to model your handwritten word as a 3D object. Then, we'll attach a Sharpie to a 3D printer (because who doesn't love a good hack), and we'll watch as the 3D printer "writes" your word. You can also just draw whatever your heart desires! No experience with CAD software is necessary, as all tools will be demonstrated.

Synthetic biology is awesome, and no, it doesn’t just have to do with genetically modified organisms. There’s so much more we can do – space travel, smart cells, water filtration – if there’s a problem out there, synthetic biology has a solution. This class will be taught by members of the award winning Cornell iGEM team, which competes in a competition every year showcasing a product or research with a synthetic biology aspect. Come learn from us as we explore our past projects and what is to come in the future of synthetic biology! There will be hands on demonstrations and a discussion on bioethics.


Prerequisites
Be able to name the parts of a cell (or at least some of it!)

We are all now at a stage when our dependence on electronics is extremely high. It is therefore required to build better devices that can make our life much more easier. Electronics refers to making devices on the basis of movement of electrons through a material. We can make novel devices and explore new phenomena by using PHOTONICS - use of photons (the particle nature of light) to make new systems. This class will be a survey of basic principles of photonics, history, present state, and future impact of photonics.


Prerequisites
Any introductory physics class is recommended, but not required. A curious mind to explore something new, is the only pre-req.

A lot of people love to read when they're younger, but once they reach middle school and high school, they become too busy to pick up the books they want. In this class, you will be introduced to some fun, helpful websites and apps that can help you manage your time to fit reading in your schedule and also suggest some new, interesting books. You will also get to share and receive reading recommendations and just talk about the books you love. This is your chance to have a stress-free, interactive conversation about books and fictional worlds with your peers.

With the musical "Hamilton" taking Broadway by storm, the American Revolution and the life of Alexander Hamilton have been hot topics. Now that Hamilton has taken center stage, it’s time for him to share the spotlight with his closest companion during the war – John Laurens.

John Laurens served alongside Hamilton in the Revolutionary War as both a soldier and an aide to George Washington. The two fought together, engaged in duels, and helped secure the American victory at the Battle of Yorktown. But perhaps the most significant part of Laurens’s life was his efforts to abolish slavery. Despite being a member of the South Carolina elite and the son of a wealthy slave owner, Laurens openly condemned slavery. He tried to bring about the end of the practice by proposing a plan to lead a regiment of slaves and grant them freedom after their service.

In this lecture, I will present a biography of the life of John Laurens, with a focus on his years serving in the Revolutionary War and his anti-slavery efforts. Through this class, you can learn about who he was, what he did, and why he deserves to have his story told.

Do you love to read and write? Do you think you could be the next J.K. Rowling, John Green or Suzanne Collins? Would you like to learn how to write a novel in 30 days (or less)? Come join us as we discuss how to take our stories to the next level through short writing prompts and fun discussion. Plus, learn how to join the global event that is National Novel Writing Month!

Metaphor is typically thought of as a purely literary phenomenon. In this class, we will explore how metaphors are used in everyday speech to conceptualize abstract concepts. Love, for example, is an abstract concept. If you asked two people to describe love, you would get different answers. Because it is difficult to describe love, speakers use metaphor to help conceptualize it. Some common love metaphors that occur in speech are the following: love is war (“we have to FIGHT for our relationship”), love is a game (“he PLAYED with my emotions”), and love is a journey (“we may have to GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS”). In this class, we will learn about common conceptual metaphors; learn how to spot examples in music, literature, advertisement, and more; and discuss what these metaphors reveal about the way we think about ideas, perceptions, emotions, and other abstract categories.

Why do humans love some animals but eat other ones? Is it moral to consume animal products? Can we consider Specie-ism an ism on the plane of racism or sexism? This course hopes to cover the most groundbreaking question in philosophy since Plato- the question of what it means to be human in the world and how that line we draw around ourselves affects us.

Baila con nosotros! If you love dance, latin music, or are just curious, this introductory-level course is for you. We will go over the basic step as well as some simple moves, learning to lead and follow.

If you already have some salsa experience, you're still welcome to join us. There will be lots of dance time to work on improving your skills no matter what level you're working from.

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.

Machine learning is becoming one of the largest fields of computer science, all major companies use it to predict how data can be used to make predictions. Researchers study it to determine how knowledge can be represented and interpreted. We are a long way from terminator style AI, but we've still made some amazing progress.
In the course we will explore the basics of machine learning from a theoretical as well as applied perspective. We will attempt to understand why machine learning algorithms work, and how to use them in practice.


Prerequisites
Some python experience would be helpful but not required.

We will explore the basics of Set Theory, including defining sets, equality, union, intersection, and more. The class will also explore Russell's Paradox and its implications.


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of formal logic (and, or, implication, etc) would be helpful.

This course will discuss various interesting proofs in advanced applied mathematics. We will learn about various important integrals, derivatives, and other interesting functions that are useful in various applied fields like atomic physics, physical chemistry, and quantum mechanics.


Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with all of the material covered in a second-level calculus class like AP Calculus-BC. In particular, familiarity with sequences/series and separation of variables will be important.

Curious about how people make choices? Want to make more optimal choices in your daily life? What to “Game” your challenges? Come join us for a brief introduction of game theory and how we can make better choices based on simple facts and a few logical assumptions about probability and minimizing risk!

Course will include discussion of what game theory is, applications and implications of theory, as well as brief discussion about intelligent, rational decision making. We will include lecture, case studies, and application of material in a fun and interactive environment.


Prerequisites
Basic algebra skills, an inquisitive mind, no previous knowledge required about game theory

What would you do if you had a million dollars? Would you travel the world? Would you donate it? In this class we will learn just how possible it is to become a millionaire using math and determination. We will study the surprising effects of compound interest and review tools and tips you can start using now to help you achieve your financial goals - whatever they may be!


Prerequisites
Must know exponents. Must know equations.

Have you ever wondered what $$\sqrt{-1}$$ really is? Mathematicians call this number imaginary, but is it even a number at all?

In this course, we'll explore imaginary numbers and how they arise from arithmetic operations. We'll trace the history of numbers and learn about the development of different number systems as we try to gain intuition about how imaginary numbers work. Along the way, we'll discuss some of their applications to physics, electrical engineering, and computer science.


Prerequisites
algebra knowledge: functions, graphing, polynomials, exponentiation, logarithms, basic trigonometry (ex: sine, cosine, tangent)

Drosophila are a great genetic model organism, and with some cool new technology, we can control them like robots! Optogenetics is useful to study what happens when you activate or deactivate a class of neurons, or an entire motor circuit.

For all of you Java programmers out there, it's time to make something fun! In this class we will make the most fun real-world application there is to coding: making a game. Learn concepts such as how to use Java's class on Graphics, how to implement a Stack to prioritize when to process inputs, and how to turn while loops into a continuous game cycle. This class, though it can not teach you everything about game design, should whet your appetite to building more extensive projects in Java in the future!


Prerequisites
Experience in Java (e.g., be comfortable with object-oriented programming, if/else statements, for/while loops, etc.)

Whether you think they're cool or scary, reptiles are an amazing group of animals with an array of characteristics that have made them the successful group they are today. In this class, you'll learn about their evolutionary history, their shared characteristics, and unique traits that help to specialize the main groups of reptiles.


Prerequisites
Be able to understand basic evolutionary concepts. If you are afraid of snakes, do not take this course *will have LIVE reptiles*

What do the Crazy Cat Lady stereotype, and the Alien from the iconic sci-fi horror franchise have in common? Parasites! Whether you like it or not, they are practically everywhere, and in fact, some might be infected with some right now. In this class, we'll explore the somewhat grim and gruesome (but always fascinating) world of parasite biology, highlighting some that have made their way into pop culture.


Prerequisites
Have general biological knowledge and be able to watch some clips of parasites being super weird.

This class will cover basic principles of neuroscience including organization of the nervous system, neuromodulators, synaptic plasticity, and analyzing data collected during class.


Prerequisites
High School Biology or Physics

This class will cover basic principles of neuroscience including organization of the nervous system, and students will analyze data collected during class.


Prerequisites
N/A

What are we made of? How can we build complex structures out of simple ones? Are the structures we know truly simple? These are some of the questions particle physicists ask everyday.

In this course, we will try to understand how our continuous world is discretized into lego-like building blocks ("particles"), and how physicists can discuss properties of these particles, predict their behavior, and make detectors to observe them directly. We will also discuss how physics at small scales can have manifest effects on physics at the large scale, and how this gives insight into what the truly fundamental building blocks of nature are.

The main focus of the course will be on detecting cosmic ray particles by building a "cloud chamber". These particles are the by products of high energy cosmic rays hitting the Earth's atmosphere creating cosmic ray "showers". The results can be detected using condensed isopropyl alcohol, and we will try to observe this effect and identify a few different particles.


Prerequisites
Most students are not expected to have a background in physics, but an understanding of basic atomic structure (electrons, protons, neutrons) will be exceptionally useful with particle identification techniques.

If you've ever wanted to be a part of the FBI, now's your chance: We'll introduce some of the basic categories of forensics, including chemical, blood, fiber, and fingerprint analysis, and you'll be able to try your hand at solving a fake crime!

An interactive class taught in small groups introducing students to different systems of the earth. Learn how earthquakes were used to determine the internal structure of the earth, boil a pot of hot chocolate to demonstrate plate tectonics, observe the colorful world of minerals under petrographic microscopes, and more!

Does where you grow up affect your IQ? Is your SAT score influenced by what you eat? These are the types of questions that this class will attempt to answer. We will explore how personal space impacts human health and behavior, what aspects of a house makes it homey, and what makes certain physical spaces more likely to be targeted by criminals.

What is the psychology behind pop culture trends? We will be talking about topics like why reality TV is so addictive, pop music is so catchy, and why people feel the urge to binge watch certain TV shows over others. If you are interested in answering all these questions, then this class is for you! Clips from your favorite TV shows and your favorite pop songs will be played!

Let us venture into the world of Cleopatra VI, the last pharaoh of Egypt. Who was she? A glamorous lover? A fierce and formidable ruler? We're going to find out!

We will learn the basics of microeconomics and apply them to explore sustainable development concepts. Using a country analysis of China's new normal growth, we will investigate the trade-offs governing institutions make while factoring in social, environmental, and economic pillars of decision-making. This class will be both lecture-based and discussion-oriented!


Prerequisites
Math - Basic Algebra