STUDENTS

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UNITE Program Participants:

Students from all backgrounds can participate in this STEM-enrichment program and get hands-on experience on programming. They gain the opportunity to work side by side with data-scientists and engineers in a computer science laboratory setting, gaining real-world research opportunities. The main goal of this program is to encourage students to partake in STEM related activities with the aim to spark their interest in these fields.

Programming is the core skill of the connection-and-communication oriented 21st century. Our approach will be to prepare students for their future endeavors in STEM fields by providing basic programming experiences. The training will focus on developing coding skills along with building background knowledge for research.

As UNITE is going to be focused on programming, students with interests in coding are preferred. Even those who have no previous programming experience are encouraged to apply as UNITE at UNLV’s Las Vegas Summer Program is all about teaching and learning.

Eligibility Criteria:

• • Students studying in 9th to 12th grades, preferred. Students from middle school can also apply, provided that they are greatly interested and have the zeal to tackle advanced topics.

• • A Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Students who demonstrate a strong research motivation coupled with a relatively lower GPA will be given careful consideration.

• • Strong interests in research related to STEM fields, primarily, Computer Science.

• • Students with a strong technical background and logical mind

• Students who are innovative and are able to develop new ideas.

Based on the above mentioned criteria, all the applicants will have to go through our evaluation process which consists of three steps: screening, ranking and selection. Candidates who pass the screening will then be ranked by the participating faculty mentors. The primary ranking criterion is the match of background and interest between the students and the faculty mentors. The final selection will be based on this ranking, together with other factors, including minority participation, institutional distribution, and availability of research opportunities at the home institutions.

Scholarship:

There are also scholarships for students on a merit basis. The candidates with higher ranking will be considered for the Department of Defense AEOP Scholarship. The scholarship recipients must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. Recipients receive $100 per week and have no fee for the program.

Eligibility for the DoD Scholarship:

To be considered underserved and underrepresented, UNITE students must meet two of the criteria listed below:

• Student self-identifies as qualifying for free or reduced lunch
• Student self-identifies as a minority historically underrepresented in STEM (Alaskan Native, Native American, Black or African American, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander)
• English is a second language for the student
• Student is a potential first-generation college-bound student (parents did not attend college)
• Student attends a rural or frontier school or a school/program selected for Federal-targeted outreach

For those students who do not receive the scholarship, the program is still open for a fee of $1500 for the 6-week course. Additional STEM scholarships (non-DoD) may be offered to qualifying students. The instruction is the same for both groups.

EDUCATORS

Lecturers 

Lecturers help to develop, explain, and execute each teaching module in the UNITE Program. Lecturers are college students from all STEM fields especially with Computer Science/Engineering majors. These lecturers are closer in age than the traditional teacher and create a more relaxed atmosphere for learning. The main task of each lecturer is to provide basic-to-advanced programming theories and guide the students in practical lessons. The responsibilities of a lecturer are to be role models to the students, promote interest in high-level computer science related classes, and act as expert resources concerning college life and career pathways. Lecturers are selected for their technical experience, attitude, and teaching skills.

Mentors

Mentors help students in understanding the overall research approach and theories related to advanced concepts. Mentors are usually Graduate and PhD students who are active researchers in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. These mentors guide the students in doing research from scratch and the necessary tools required for doing research related tasks.