Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering Camps

Game Design & Development

Are you enthralled by PlayStation 4 or Xbox One games? Do you have an idea for a gaming world that you want to bring to life? Take advantage of this unique opportunity to become a beginning game developer! Using Unreal 4—the world's leading game engine that was used to create "Batman: Arkham Asylum," "Gears of War," and the "Final Fantasy VII" remake—you'll learn to create a fully playable, original 3-D world complete with lands, buildings, and all kinds of objects from the world of gaming. You won't need previous experience.

Note: This camp topic has a grade restriction. Only students entering grade 10 and above may register.

Digital Biology

On average, 99.9% of human DNA is common among all humans. What parts of the human genome are variable? How can a 0.1% difference lead to different hair colors, eye colors, blood types, and all the other characteristics that make us all unique?

How can we use computers to help answer these questions? In this summer camp, we'll examine these questions and more, as we harness the computing power of modern computers and dive into the world of human genetics. You won't need any previous programming or biology experience.

Augmented Reality Application Design & Development

Join us for a one-week Augmented Reality Application Design & Development summer camp, where you’ll transform the everyday world into your own interactive playground. Using beginner-friendly tools, you’ll explore how AR works, learn the basics of 3D assets, image tracking, and simple interactions, and then design and prototype your own AR mini-app—such as a virtual pet, an interactive poster, or an AR scavenger hunt. No prior coding experience is required, just curiosity and creativity.

Throughout the week, you’ll work in small teams, get personalized feedback, and experience what it’s like to think and create like an immersive media developer. At the end of camp, you’ll present your finished AR experience in a showcase for friends and family and walk away with a project you can be proud of, plus a solid foundation for future study in game design, computer science, or digital media.

Digital Painting

In this camp, you will learn different techniques and aspects that focus on all things Digital Painting. No matter your experience, all students are welcome and should feel excited to learn more and expand their knowledge and skills.

From doing several engaging exercises, students will be able to gain confidence in their Digital Painting process. To further develop understanding and learning, students will also be taught foundational information such as Gesture Drawings, Value Structure, and Color Harmonies. Using software such as Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita, students will work and collaborate on different art projects and challenges throughout the week.

RStudio

Jump into the world of coding with RStudio—a super popular and easy-to-learn language! You’ll solve fun challenges and learn the basics, like making variables, writing functions, and creating cool projects that uncover hidden patterns in data.

RStudio is a great way to start your adventure in coding and STEM, and it can even lead to exciting things like exploring data science and machine learning!

Creature & Character Design

Do you love creatures and aliens? Do you have a sketchbook full of original creations?

You'll learn to draw, animate, and create a creature, alien, or other characters to share with your friends and family—and how to use the Spore Creature Creator Engine. To help bring your creations to life, we will study myths, legends, biology, and evolution—and how your creatures fit into video games, comic books, movies, and more. You'll also explore the creation of Pokémon and its worldwide success.

Website Design

Bring your ideas to life on the web! In this fun and creative workshop, you will learn how to design a personal website that reflects who you are, including your interests, hobbies, and favorite activities. Whether you want to make a blog, an online shop, or a gallery to showcase your art, you will discover how design and user experience work together to create great websites.

You will also explore topics such as visual design, web accessibility, and how to share content responsibly and ethically online. Using Figma, you will design and build a working prototype of your very own website. No design experience is required, just an interest in creativity and technology.

Python and Machine Learning

This workshop will introduce you to Python programming as well as the fundamentals of Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). We will start by setting up a coding environment, build a foundation for coding in Python, and then we will learn to work with data, train basic models, and process text.

At the end of the week, you will apply your new skills to build and deploy an interactive web app that anyone can access online! No prior experience with Python is required, but students are encouraged to at least skim through the Introduction to Python course on VSCode EDU.

2D Illustration and Animation

In this camp, we'll dive right into the foundations of 2D animation both narratively and visually—a full-throttle crash course in storytelling!

We’ll start with The Hero's Journey and character psychology and talk about what makes your favorite animated characters and stories so good. We’ll break down Disney’s 12 Principles of Animation and the Animation Pipeline to explore how those stories are structured and created.

You’ll do all this by creating your own characters and stories in class, with design and animation exercises each day on industry-standard Cintiq drawing monitors, using Adobe Animate and Photoshop. You’ll learn to build your world from scratch, and by the time you leave at the end of the week, you’ll not only have a much broader knowledge of the craft of animation and storytelling, but also a new understanding of how to structure and present your characters and stories more like a pro.

Artificial Intelligence and Bot Development

This workshop will guide you through the exploration of the symbiotic relationship between AI and humans, fostering your imagination and creativity. You will explore the intersection of AI and Human Intelligence (HI) in the co-creation of technology and relationships, analyzing scenarios of self-learning AI systems while assessing potential risks in human-AI interactions.

As a participant, you will learn how to adopt a Conversation-Driven Development (CDD) model and leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP), Natural Language Understanding (NLU), and dialogue management to build effective AI assistants.

Going beyond theory, you will be creating your own Digital Twin—a virtual representation of yourself—by designing personalized AI agents. This hands-on experience will include crafting conversation paths, training data, and integrating AI applications to build, connect, and train your own digital assistant.

By the end of this workshop, you will have not only gained insights into the foundations of AI bot development but also created a personal AI assistant, paving the way for a deeper understanding of AI’s role in shaping your digital future.