Monday, April 10, 2023
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM on Zoom
An Introduction to FIRST Robotics
Elementary Students | Middle School Students | High School Students | Teacher Sessions | Parents
Facilitator: Monica Paredes, Anjola Fajemisin, Kira Valensi, Mila Burton, and Natalia Castillo, High School Students & FTC Robotics Team #16795 GALAXY members, Girls Academic Leadership Academy
Description: Ever been curious about what it’s like to take part in a robotics competition? How does one go about starting, funding, and managing a robotics team? In this session, high school robotics team members will go over their personal experiences in taking part in a robotics team, how to start a team, and how to keep a team going. Their team, GALAXY, is a high school robotics team that competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge, a Robotics competition that’s part of the Gala Robotics Program.
1:00 - 2:00 PM on Zoom
Using Robotics to Fight Toxic Lake Algae
High School Students
Facilitator: Isabel Rayas, & Chris Denniston, USC Computer Science PhD students
Description: Learn about how we can use robots to explore natural aquatic environments! We will discuss current research in environmental robotics with the goal of understanding harmful algae growth in freshwater systems. Our research investigates planning algorithms that robots can use to effectively gather information for scientists to study.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
10:00 - 11:00 AM on Zoom
Wikipedia Live Edit: Ayorkor Korsah
High School Students | Teacher Sessions
Facilitator: Helen Choi, Senior Lecturer of Engineering Writing for USC Viterbi Engineering in Society (EiS)
Description: How can we play a role in making sure Wikipedia better presents information on all those in the field of Robotics? Join us for a live editing session to update the Wikipedia page for Ayorkor Korsah--the woman co-founder of the African Robotics Network (AFRON).
1:00 - 2:00 PM on Zoom
iRobot Cool Stuff Museum: Virtual Tour with iRobot Education
Elementary Students | Middle School Students | High School Students
Facilitator: Lisa Freed, STEM Program Manager at iRobot
Description: Have you ever been on a tour led by a robot? Explore over 30 years of robotics history with the iRobot Education team! Experience the iRobot Cool Stuff Museum through the lens of a mobile robot while our team brings robotics and computer science to life. You'll learn about our robots, what they do and the jobs that go into making them.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM on Zoom
Smart Robotic Assistants for Manufacturing Applications
High School Students | Teacher Sessions | Parents | Administrators
Facilitator: Satyandra Gupta, USC Viterbi Center for Advanced Manufacturing
Description: This session will describe work being done by students at the USC Center for Advanced Manufacturing to develop Smart Robotic Assistants for Manufacturing Applications. This work aims to increase human productivity and reduce the need for humans to do ergonomically challenging tasks in manufacturing applications. Students are making advances in artificial intelligence technology to ensure that robotic assistants can follow high level task instruction and operate safely.
4:00 to 5:00 PM on Zoom
Mission 007 with WhizGirls Academy and ArcGIS/esri
Middle School Students
Facilitator: Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia, Founder of WhizGirls Academy
Description: Hello super secret agent trainees of WhizGirls Academy. Your mission should you choose to accept it is to learn how to use the ArcGIS esri platform to find a special robot between USC and your location on the GIS platform. We will give you all the tools you need to succeed during our mission. Good luck super secret agents of WhizGirls Academy!
Thursday, April 13, 2023
9:15 to 10:15 on Zoom
FIRST Tech Challenge 101
Middle School Students | High School Students | Teacher Sessions
Facilitator: High School Students Noraly Romero (Building Lead), Jade Stashin (Programming Lead), Zoe Ngov-Nordvall (Scouting Lead) and Eliza Monslavez (Computer Assisted Design Lead), Team RGB #14863
Description: The GALA Robotics Program was founded in 2018 by seven high school students interested in participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge, a robotics competition. Team RGB, the first team of the GALA Robotics program, advanced to the regional competition in their first year. GALA High School Robotics teams participate in the annual FIRST Tech Challenge, where teams design, build, and program a robot from scratch and compete in head-to-head challenges. Join FIRST Tech Challenge team RGB # 14863 and learn the ins and outs of competitive robotics. Facilitators will be covering everything from creating prototypes to programming autonomous paths and planning outreach events. To wrap it up, they’re hosting a mini CAD ( Computer Assisted Design) tutorial to give attendees a taste of what it's like to design custom parts.
Registration Now Closed
1:00 - 2:00 PM on Zoom
Innovating and Creating Simple Products with 3D Printing
Elementary Students | Teacher Sessions
Facilitator: Elisabeth Arnold Weiss, Associate Professor of Technical Communication Practice for USC Viterbi Engineering in Society (EiS)
Description: Students from Viterbi Makers and from Professor Weiss’s WRIT 340 class, will showcase the making of the Viterbi “Moral Compass,” an original 3D printed object and the students’ collaborative experience producing it from start to finish. Through this presentation, the audience will share in the experiential learning process of Viterbi students to gain a better understanding of how to leverage innovative automated technologies to create simple products.
Friday, April 14, 2023
10:00 - 2:00 PM on Campus
Robotics Open House
Elementary Students | Middle School Students | High School Students
Facilitators:
- Heather Culbertson, HaRVI Haptics Lab
- Allan Weber, Maker Space
- Junheng Li & Yiyu Chen on behalf of Quan Nguyen, Dynamic Robots & Control Lab Robot Demo
- Heramb Nemlekar on behalf of Stefanos Nikolaidis, ICAROS Lab
- Nathan Dennler on behalf of Maja Matarić, Interaction Lab
- Jesse Thomason, GLAMOR Lab
- Plus, Student Demos
Description: Experience what’s happening inside several USC Robotics labs during guided lab tours on the USC campus with professors and their students leading demos.
Requirements: Schools are responsible for transportation to the USC campus. Teachers and school-supplied supervising adults are responsible for accompanying their students in small groups of 10-15 as they are guided through each open lab on a set schedule provided.
4:00 - 5:00 PM on Zoom
Program the Virtual Robot with VR Vex hosted by CS@SC Coding Camps
Elementary Students | Middle School Students
Facilitator: CS@SC Instructors
Description: VR Vex is an innovative tool that allows students to program a virtual robot online without needing a robotics kit. Elementary & Middle School students will learn how to program a virtual robot and test themselves with activities and challenges. No background or experience in robotics programming is necessary.
