Utah High School Computing Institute

Co-PI Elaine Cohen created the High School Computing Institute over nine years ago with the goal of bringing students from outlying, mostly rural areas of Utah in contact with computer technologies integral to the future of design and manufacturing. The program is now partially funded by the Center and leverages funding from the University of Utah's College of Engineering and Department of Computer Science, the NSF Young Scholar's Program, and several industrial sponsors.

Forty to fifty students a year spend five intensive summer weeks on campus at the University of Utah completing projects in computer-aided design, artificial intelligence, and scientific visualization. After learning basic principles, students design geometric models and make realistically rendered images, using Utah's Alpha_1 experimental testbed research system. They also create rule-based lunar rovers for a competition. In 1995, the rover challenge sparked great enthusiasm and over a quarter of the participants stayed up the entire night before the competition to perfect their creations. The students also attend interdisciplinary seminars that cover such topics as ethics and technology. Participants create their own Web pages during the summer and return throughout the year for additional activities, including a workshop on morphing.

The Institute makes special efforts during recruiting visits to high schools to encourage women and minorities to apply. Previous programming experience is not required because such a requirement would eliminate many female candidates.