Name: exploretech.la
Start: 2021-04-10T10:00:00-04:00
End: 2021-04-10T13:30:00-04:00
Location: Online Virtual Platform

About

exploretech.la is an annual event previously held at UCLA that aims to encourage and inspire high school students from underserved communities in the Greater Los Angeles area to pursue possibilities in computer science and technology.

Through panels, interactive workshops, and booths representing UCLA student organizations as well as industry, we have aimed to make computer science and technology more accessible to local high school students.

Last year's iteration of the event, saw about 200 high students attend. This year, we plan to open our event up to more schools and create more inspiring experiences for our attendees.

Due to COVID-19, our event will be completely virtual this year. It will be hosted through an online virtual platform where we will be porting over many of our prior activities and adding new ones.

We will be hosting our next event on April 10-11th, 2021, and we would love for you to attend! Scroll down to get more information on how to register!

DETAILS

DATE

Saturday April 10, 2021

to

Sunday April 11, 2021

LOCATION

TIME

Saturday & Sunday

10:00 AM PST - 1:30 PM PST

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Caption

UCLA students only:

Interested in volunteering?

Apply now

Eligibility

Student Eligibility

1. Must be a current high school student (grades 9-12). Public or private high school students are eligible, as well as homeschooled students.

2. Must be a Los Angeles County resident

3. Must have a computer and reliable internet connection for the duration of the event

Educator/Teacher Eligibility

1. Must be a current high school teacher in Los Angeles County

2. Must have a computer and reliable internet connection for the duration of the event.

Student Priority Registration

Register by January 24th @ 11:59 PM PST! As long as space permits and all eligibility requirements are met, you will be accepted and guaranteed a box.

Register Here!

Educator/Teacher PriorityRegistration

Register by January 24th @ 11:59 PST! As long as space permits and all eligibility requirements are met, you will be accepted.

Register Here!

The Final Countdown!

Time left for the event days hours minutes seconds

The countdown doesn't work if the event start date is set to TBD

See you on April 10th!

Interested in Attending?

Pre-register your school here:

Pre-register

Saturday Schedule

9:30 AM

Virtual Platform Opens

10:00 AM

Opening Ceremony

10:30 AM

First Activity Session

11:40 AM

College Buddy Chat

12:20 pm

Second Activity Session

1:20 PM

Closing Remarks

Sunday Schedule

9:30 AM

Virtual Platform Opens

10:00 AM

Welcome

10:10 AM

First Activity Session

11:20 AM

College Buddy Chat

12:00 PM

Second Activity Session

1:00 PM

Closing Ceremony

Keynote Speakers

Ruth Johnson

UCLA Computer science phd student

Nick Corral

senior Technical program manager at oculus

Workshop/Panel Schedule

9:30 aM - 12:30 PM (Room 2408)

Coding 101

Use your coding prowess to help Lancelot the Leprechaun find the pot of gold. If you help him succeed, you'll be rewarded with prizes!

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM (Kerckhoff State room #5)

Digital design

Have you ever been utterly confused or frustrated by a feature on an app or a website? Wonder why dark-mode is becoming so widespread? Or why Instagram and TikTok feel so seamless? Come learn why interface design is important and how it impacts usability.

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #3)

AI adventures

Learn the basics of artificial intelligence and neural networks and how they are used to categorize images and identify faces. Then, compete against others for the title of "smartest” AI!

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #1)

magnet motors

Do you know how to convert electric potential energy into motion? It is truly shocking how powerful electricity is. Come learn how and see it in action with a mini magnet motor!

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM (ROOM 2412)

Hack for LA | Track to App Development

Interested in building the next TikTok or Instagram? Want to know what makes a great app? Hear from students who are making their mark and building their own apps.

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM (Bruin reception room)

university 101 panel

Experience a day in the life at one of the top universities in the world - UCLA! Learn about the college admissions process, transfer options and the engineering college experience, featuring our very own UCLA students!

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM (Kerckhoff State Room #5)

Binary bracelets

Binary is extremely important to the computer world. The majority of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. Learn how it’s possible to take something that we know and translate it into a series of ons and offs while making your own art!

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #3)

Can computers understand us?

How do computers understand our language? Learn firsthand how AI (Artificial Intelligence) is bridging the gap between man and machine in this interactive NLP (Natural Language Processing) workshop.

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #1)

ACM AI | Intro to AI

Self Driving Cars? Chess-Playing Computers? We will be introducing various opinions and perspectives on AI (ethics), and show how it is changing life around the world

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM (Bruin reception room)

Diverse Careers in Tech Panel

Rocket Scientist, Disney Engineer, Video Game Designer… what do these careers all have in common? They all use computer science! Computer science is used every day in so many different fields - come see behind the scenes about how tech is used in our daily lives!

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM (Kerckhoff state room #5)

crash course in cryptography

Come and learn how to keep information secret! We’ll be walking through common encryption techniques employed to keep your information safe, private, and secure.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #3)

The Internet: Living in the Digital Age

Turning 50 this past year, the Internet has become a huge aspect of our daily lifestyles, essential to how we connect, communicate, create, and collaborate. In this workshop, we will learn the creation and inner workings of the Internet. As consumers of the Internet, we will also be reflecting on its impact on society and discuss its consequences for the future.Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee before the presentations. We’ll be handing out pamphlets that outline this evening’s details.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM (KERCKHOFF STATE ROOM #1)

Get Lit & Loud!

Do you know how to turn electricity into sound? Learn circuitry that you can use to make music, create alarms, dim lights, and much more!

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM (bruin reception room)

roadmap to cs panel

Interested in coding or a career in the tech industry? Come hear UCLA students and professionals share their tips on how to make your big break into technology.

FAQs

For Students

Is there a registration fee? Is there any associated costs with the program (ie: need to pay for an account on the virtual platform?)

This event is completely free for all attendees! All you will need is a computer and stable internet to access the event.

What prior background is needed?

No experience needed! This event is meant to help you explore the different fields of CS and tech!

How will the workshops be organized?

There will be two blocks each day in which you can select a new workshop to attend.

What if I can only make part of the event (only one day, missing a few hours, etc)?

Let us know in the registration form!

How would virtual format work? (boxes, platform, etc)

The event will be hosted completely online. exploretech.boxes will be sent to each attendee (while supplies last) as well as instructions on how to access the virtual platform prior to the event. Attendees will receive more information once registration is closed.

What is an exploretech.box?

An exploretech.box is a box that will hold all of the supplemental workshop materials and swag for the event. We will ship these to our attendees prior to the event. Supplies will be limited, but not having a box will not prevent you from attending our event.

What is the College Buddy Chat?

Each day you will have the opportunity to talk with one to two UCLA undergraduates about their life at UCLA and in STEM. Feel free to ask them any questions you may have about going from high school to college and pursuing a STEM degree!

What happens if I don’t get my box in time?

We plan to ship the boxes well ahead of time so you should have them by event day. In the case your box does not arrive on time, you will still be able to participate in the event.

If I'm not an LA County resident, can I still participate?

If you do not reside in LA County and would like to attend the event, you can fill out the registration form and we will place you on a waitlist. Depending on availability, we may open up the event to non-LA County residents. However, you would not be eligible to receive an exploretech.box, as we can only ship within LA County.

When is the deadline to register for the event?

Please see the Registration Deadlines section for more information about deadlines.

Who can participate/register for the event?

Please see the Eligibility section for more information about who can participate in this event.

I am homeschooled, can I still attend the event?

Yes you can! Just denote on the registration form that you are homeschooled where it asks for your school name.

For Parents and Educators

Can I attend with my child/children?

Parents will not be able to attend this event with their children. This is meant to be an experience for the student only. Teachers are allowed at this event so they can get ideas for activities for their students.

How will my child receive the supplies for the event?

We will be mailing boxes containing any necessary supplies to each attendee in the days leading up to our event. We have a limited number of boxes, so please have your child register as soon as possible.

My child is homeschooled. Can they still attend the event?

Of course! Just please make sure you follow all instructions pertaining to homeschooled students in the registration form.

This sounds great! How do I sign up my students?

Have each of your students fill out the registration form separately so that they can attend the event!

Can I attend with my student(s)?

Yes you can! Just fill out the registration form for Educators/Teachers.

Can I attend this event even without any of my students?

Of course! We want to offer this event to teachers so you can bring back some of the activities to teach to your own students.

Will I receive supplies for the event?

Unfortunately we can only provide supplies for the students who attend our event.

Our sponsors

UCLA students only:

Interested in getting involved?

Sign up for our Mailing list

contact us

Questions? info@exploretech.la

Interested in having your school attend? attend@exploretech.la

Want to become a sponsor? sponsor@exploretech.la

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram for updates!