19.06.2019 12:00
TechCamp@POLIMI, the Summer School for high school students
Intensive weekly courses, theory and practice in English with the Politecnico professors on mobility, robotics and programming
The second edition of TechCamp@POLIMI, the Summer School of Politecnico di Milano dedicated to students of the last four years of high school is underway.
A week of courses in English on topics as mobility, robotics and programming, with theoretical insights and hands-on experiences. A way to make known the core of our training offer, or the world of STEM disciplines - science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
A unique experience in Italy and at the forefront also at the international level. Usually, this kind of summer camp is run by external companies, while the TechCamp@POLIMI is managed by Silvia Strada and Mara Tanelli, professors of the University, supported by Dr. Francesca Sibella, and the courses are designed and held entirely by professors, researchers and PhD students of Politecnico di Milano.
The topics of this year's courses are:
• Mobility: "Smart and self-driving vehicles"
• Robotics: "The robot: enemy or friend to teach?"
• Programming: "Languagesto make your way through ideas"
An important added value of TechCamp@POLIMI is the experience dimension. In the morning theoretical lessons are held while in the afternoon the theory is applied and tested on real cases. Students learn how to use Python to write code to solve a sudoku or even to write poems, but also they study the basics of robotics by practical group experiments, programming of two collaborative robots specifically purchased for these courses, the principles of vehicle dynamics and how they, through sensors and control electronics, can move independently, like the "postman robot".
Visits to research laboratories are also carried out and soft skills are developed, such as techniques to prepare an effective scientific presentation of the results of the working group in English.
The numbers of this year show how this kind of experience can catch the attention of students: more than 170 young people from all over Italy, from Liguria to Sicily. Most of them come from scientific high schools, but there are many classical high school students, technical and professional institutes; 7 'illuminated' private sponsors that according to different specific criteria support the participation of boys and girls with scholarships assigned to the most worthy and motived among them.
Furthermore, 38% of the participants are girls. An encouraging figure, for an institution that is increasingly committed to the enhancement of diversity, especially in STEM fields. Proof of this is the availability provided by the University through TechCamp@POLIMI of 10 scholarships specifically for 11th grade female students who have already passed the Engineering test.