Outreach - University of Utah High School Computing Institute

University of Utah
Department of Computer Science

University of Utah High School Computing Institute

The High School Computing Institute (HSCI) is a program of study designed to interest and challenge outstanding Utah high school sophomores and juniors wishing to explore areas of interest in computer science.

Over the past 8 years, the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering at the University of Utah has hosted the HSCI. The institute is designed to give selected high school students the opportunity to expand their horizons and to give them a "behind the scenes" look at some tools that are on the leading edge of computer technology.

Founded on the premise that the joy and excitement of participating in research should be accessible to high school students, the Institute's five week program is focused on topics related to computer graphics, geometric modeling, scientific visualization, expert systems, and rule-based programming.

HSCI staff work with the students on a one-to-one basis, to insure that each student reaches an understanding of basic principles. At the same time we work with the students to develop two individual and group research projects. In the latter mode, which is typically new and unique to the students, we have found that they pick up ideas, work prodigiously, attain remarkable results, and seem ``hooked'' by the end of the formal program. The students work in a state-of-the-art computer laboratory and interact daily with active, successful researchers in the field. By working side-by-side with a significant number of similarly talented peers, the participants gain self confidence, learn that they are not alone in their interests, and that it is socially, as well as academically, appropriate to show their interests in technical pursuits.

Following introductory lectures on general topics in science and engineering, the next two weeks emphasize instruction in computer graphics, scientific visualization, geometric modeling, and computer-aided manufacturing. The final two weeks of instruction is centered on expert systems and rule-based programming.

The program is open to all qualified students from the State of Utah. Applications from rural, minority, and female students are encouraged. This is NOT a residential program; participants are responsible for their own housing arrangements. Some need-based scholarships and stipends are available for qualified participants.

The program holds additional activities during the academic year culminating in a workshop for the previous summer's participants. The morph animation above is the result of one of these workshop. Click on the "cool dude" to see a morph in action!

For further information contact:

Department of Computer Science
Attn: HSCI Executive Director
3190 Merrill Engineering Building
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Phone: (801) 581-8224
Fax: (801) 581-5843
E-mail: hsci@cs.utah.edu

Staff members who make the High School Computing Institute a reality

HSCI Directors

: Director of the High School Computing Institute
Dave Hanscom
: Undergraduate Chairman of U. of Utah, Dept. of Computer Science

HSCI Main Faculty

: Alpha 1 Geometric Modeling
Dave Johnson
: Alpha 1 Gemoetric Modeling
Bob Kessler
: Lisp & Cassini
Eric Eide
: Lisp & Cassini
Rich Riesenfeld
: U. of Utah, Dept. of Computer Science
Joe Zachary
: U. of Utah, Dept. of Computer Science

Lab used for HSCI

The Institute comprises five weeks of classes with hands-on laboratory practice. Instructors are prominent experts in the fields of computer graphics and expert systems. Students use computer-aided design software with high-performance engineering workstations to practice and use a lot of the tools they learn about in the classes. This hands-on experience includes high performance software to produce 3D geometric models, and expert systems that allow the students to create rovers which use artificial intelligence to explore unknown terrains on unknown surfaces of planets.

Students visit science and engineering research laboratories on campus, as well as local computer companies. In addition, guest lectures describe their particular research, such as medical imaging, virtual reality, and scientific visualation. Students will see and experience many real-life applications to the things they learn from the Institute.

Click on a year to see some geometric models which were designed by students in the 1994, 1995, and 1996 Institutes.