Students will be walked through the more complex video game environment of Tetris. They will be shown how a larger action space requires the use of a more intelligent reinforcement learning strategy, before implementing the Cross-Entropy algorithm. Students will finalize their code and then compete with their Artificial Intelligence (AI) to see if they can clear more lines than their coded Tetris algorithm.

In partnership with the City of Seattle and the Seattle Urban League, students work in teams to create multi-page websites for local BIPOC businesses. Students envision numerous web page layouts with a variety of tools geared to display partnered company's goods and services using an online Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Students learn approaches to web design that will allow them to swiftly implement certain coding blocks from a myriad of online web-template resources, so that they will be able to construct production-ready websites in a timely manner. Example websites can be seen via our linktree here

Using a custom Tanks map students will get to use an online art application to draw the sprites for a Tanks Battle Royale game. After designing their own sprites, students will then get to train an Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent to learn how to play the game against a pre-programmed Computer Player Unit (CPU). After training their tanks, students will get to compete in a battle royale with one other student’s AI agents!

Students learn about geometric patterns called fractals, like the Sierpinski triangle and fractal tree. Initially, they learn about the beautiful applications of geometric properties that are found in nature. Students also handcraft a fractal out of paper, and visualize various fractals using an online Python IDE. The students learn how software can be a powerful tool for visualizing geometric patterns that are too tedious to handcraft. At the end, students design their own fractal using online software.

With a certain push for digital circuits and hardware in consumer devices, the need for analog electronics is oftentimes misunderstood and underappreciated. In this program, we seek to develop an analog heart rate monitor circuit, one completely independent of digital screens and components. Students will learn the fundamentals necessary to build such a circuit, beginning with Ohm’s Law, Kirchoff’s Voltage and Current Laws, as well as filter design with operational amplifiers. By the end of the program, students will be able to simulate and design a working heart rate monitor circuit using completely analog components.

Throughout the course, students learn about several circuit components through a series of mini-projects . By applying mathematical concepts and basic circuitry techniques, the students utilize circuit components like LEDs, servos, keypads, distance sensors, and more to accomplish tasks like ringing a buzzer and making a servo-based timer. The overall Portable Door Alarm System brings all of the mini-projects together so that the students are able to create their own alarm system.

Electronic devices have become integral to all aspects of human life, however electronic waste (e-waste) is among the fastest growing global waste streams. E-waste often contains toxic and hazardous materials with significant health and climate implications. A framework for sustainable electronic design will require the use of biodegradable materials, like Polylactic acid (PLA) or PolyVinyl alcohol (PVA). PLA is biodegradable in industrial composting plants, and PVA is dissolvable in water. Both materials are commonly used in 3D printing, a process that helps expedite and mass produce devices around the world. We walk students through the basics of 3D modeling using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, before allowing them to 3D print their own structures using a sustainable material.

This year’s Math Academy group got the chance to do an egg drop activity, with a pinch of electrical engineering sprinkled in. Instead of an egg, the students helped to create an impact mitigation device for a very sensitive circuit that measures impact force. The circuit consists of an Arduino Nano for communicating between different components, an accelerometer for measuring the deceleration of the structure's impact, a lithium ion battery to power the device, and a microSD reader to save data to for later calculations. The purpose of this video is to highlight some of the creative thoughts that these bright young engineers put into their designs, as well as to showcase some of their results.

We first introduce the Bullitt Center, the greenest commercial building in the world, through a virtual tour before having a representative from the Bullitt Foundation come and do a Q/A session with the students. The class is then concluded with a green roof activity where students will be given cardboard boxes, soil, grass seeds, and other decorative materials, before being tasked to design their own green roof.

For this activity, the students used Arduino Nanos and SparkFun's BME280 pressure sensors to code a circuit that calculated the approximate altitude of the sensor. In order to allow the campers to throw their circuit as high as they wanted, we 3D printed an encasing for the circuit that fit inside a 3D printed ball we designed. This allowed the campers to throw the ball to whatever height they wanted, then attempt to catch the ball using one of the parachutes we supplied. The purpose of this activity was to show the campers how they could apply the physics’ concepts they were learning in class, coupled with some coding/circuitry tools, to gather real information about the world.

After learning the basics of coding and Arduino electronics, students are able to combine the techniques they've learned with concepts in Mixed Reality to design a “smart shoe.” The smart shoe includes features such as tracking the user's temperature, humidity, and number of steps taken. An accelerometer works in conjunction with the other onboard sensors, all powered by a LiPo battery to enable the step counter functionality within the shoe. The Mixed Reality class scans the smart shoe and uploads a 3D model to an online server for later viewing. These student designs showcase their ability to design, build, and market real-world technical products using practical embedded systems approaches.

This Advanced Arduino class starts with an introduction to engineering and electrical/computer engineering concepts, including Python basics and a comparison to Arduino and its integrated development environment (IDE). Each class, students utilize Arduino to manipulate new pieces of hardware such as resistors and light emitting diodes, a water pump, photoresistors, piezo buzzers, and various sensors like temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and water level sensors. The final product combines the modules into a self-sustaining hydroponics gardening system.

This series of workshops introduces participants to the fundamentals of drone technology, covering RC Drone construction and architecture, flight dynamics, functionality, and component integration. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to build, customize, and program their own drones, applying knowledge of electronic hardware, soldering, CAD design, and aeronautical engineering in wind tunnel testing. The NanoHawk DIY drone is used throughout the lesson.

Participants will develop their skills to design and simulate circuits used in everyday devices. By learning the fundamentals necessary to build useful circuits, participants will know how to use Ohm's Law, Kirchoff's Voltage and Current Laws, as well as filter design with operational amplifiers. By the end of the program, participants will use their knowledge to design, simulate, and solder a frequency modulated (FM) radio receiver, similar to commercial use devices.

Participants explore sustainable materials and environmental justice through hands-on activities and real-world case studies. Students will experiment with innovative concrete alternatives like Ferrock and permeable concrete, test material properties, and design sustainable bridges using digital tools or physical materials. Guided campus walks and case studies on environmental justice, such as Superfund sites, will connect theoretical knowledge to practical applications. The class culminates in designing a conceptual “living, breathing building” for 2050, integrating sustainable technologies and environmental principles.

This course combines computational sustainability and eco-friendly design practices to address environmental challenges. Students will use Python to analyze real-world datasets, visualize trends, and propose data-driven solutions for reducing emissions. They'll also be introduced to the structure, function, and challenges of modern power grids. These activities provide an in-depth exploration of power systems, covering energy generation methods (like coal, hydro, solar), transmission, and distribution grids while emphasizing the critical importance of redundancy, the integration of microgrids, and the adoption of smart technologies like electric vehicles. Participants will get hands-on exposure to an LED neighborhood experiencing real-world challenges like power outages, storm recovery, and equitable energy distribution. Their transportable LED power grids will be complete with substations, lateral lines, feeder lines, and houses, with outages measurable using multimeters and smart technologies like solar energy incorporated using small solar cells.The course concludes with the challenge of designing a green stormwater robot, blending computational analysis with innovative environmental design.

This class introduces students to the principles of origami through a hands-on activity. Participants will explore the design and mechanics of leaf-out origami structures, inspired by natural folding patterns, to understand concepts such as bistability and energy efficiency in engineering applications. The course emphasizes the intersection of art and engineering, encouraging creativity while teaching practical skills in structural design. By the end of the class, students will have constructed their own leaf-out origami models and gained insights into their potential applications in fields like robotics and aerospace.

As of 2019, Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White Women [1]. To empower students to better understand and analyze various datasets, we walk students through the process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data using Google Sheets. These concepts are highlighted through the exploration of maternal health disparities in Black women in the U.S.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many scientists narrowed their studies to respiratory illnesses and how it can affect or be affected by other health conditions. Students build a 3-D model of the lungs to better observe the effects of respiratory illnesses on the short and long-term health of the lungs. Students will be able to physically touch and see how various conditions can affect the lungs’ ability to collapse and decay. This activity introduces the specific effect of Covid-19 and other major respiratory illnesses on the lungs using items easily found at home (Balloons, Water bottles, Straws, etc.).

There are approximately 20,000 genes in each cell of the human body; together they create a person’s genotype. After reviewing the four bases of DNA, Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T), students will then get to walk through an activity where they can visualize strands of strawberry and banana DNA.