UMass Boston

AI Foundations: 
Build and evaluate AI models in NLP, computer vision, and generative AI using Python.  

Portfolio Projects: 
Complete an end-to-end AI project for applications, competitions, and future programs.  

Presentation & Leadership: 
Present your work confidently and apply AI responsibly in real-world settings. 

Week 1: How Machines Learn 
Students will start their journey by understanding the foundations of how computers learn from data. They will go from a "curious beginner" to a "confident AI builder" in just five days. 

Key Takeaways: Learning how to train an AI model and improve it through simple experiments. 

Cool Projects: Building a personal image classifier and working with the same "AI coding assistants" used by engineers at Google and Microsoft. 

College Prep: Students demonstrate initiative by solving an original problem, which makes for a compelling personal narrative in applications. 

Week 2: Teaching Robots to See 
This week brings code to life. Students will learn how AI allows robots to "see" and interact with the physical world using specialized hardware. 

Key Takeaways: Understanding how neural networks recognize patterns and how to run AI on small, portable computers like the Raspberry Pi. 

Cool Projects: Using a robotic arm to pick up objects and creating a custom system that can detect things through a camera in real-time. 

College Prep: Hands-on experience with hardware integration and professional equipment like robotic arms and GPU servers. 

Week 3: Communication & Language 
We pull back the curtain on how tools like ChatGPT work. Students discover that these complex systems are "prediction machines," not magic. 

Key Takeaways: Understanding how computers process human language and the ethics behind "deepfakes" and voice cloning. 

Cool Projects: Creating a "Mood Detector" and testing whether people can tell the difference between student-written essays and AI-summarized text. 

College Prep: Developing critical thinking skills about technology's impact on society and learning the technical pipeline behind voice-activated tools. 

Week 4: The Art & Science of AI 
This week explores the "creative power" of AI. Students learn to use AI for generating text, images, and audio while thinking like investigators. 

Key Takeaways: Mastering "prompt design" (the art of talking to AI) and investigating why AI sometimes makes mistakes (hallucinations). 

Cool Projects: Creating a multimedia production, like a narrated story or a podcast introduction, using a mix of AI tools. 

College Prep: Students have the opportunity to turn their creative projects into professional research posters or papers. 

Week 5: Building Your Research Portfolio 
The final week is about "From Curiosity to Creation." Students focus on high-level research and preparing their work for the world. 

Key Takeaways: Learning how to ask "meaningful questions" and seeing how AI models make decisions behind the scenes. 

Cool Projects: Conducting tests for machine "self-awareness" and creating a professional, portfolio-ready project to show off. 

College Prep: Students produce a formal "research-style write-up" perfect for college essays or major research competitions like ISEF. 

Tuition

• 1 Week – $899
• 2 Weeks – $1,798
• 3 Weeks – $2,697
• 4 Weeks – $3,596
• Full 5 Weeks – $4,495

Payment Policy
Payment confirms your student’s registration for the selected program week or event.

Because payments are processed through the University payment system, all payments are non-refundable. Please review your selection carefully before submitting payment.

This five-week program is designed to help high-achieving middle school students, high school students, and early college students develop from curious learners into confident creators, innovators, and emerging researchers. Led by UMass Boston Computer Science faculty and AI experts, students progress from foundational concepts in computational thinking and artificial intelligence to designing their own robotics systems, developing AI applications, and building research-ready portfolios that showcase technical skill, creativity, and scholarly potential. Students may enroll in any individual week or combine multiple weeks to create a customized summer experience. Each week is designed as a standalone program focused on a comprehensive AI topic, allowing participants to join based on their interests and schedule.

Our hybrid format combines rigorous campus-based instruction with focused remote learning to prepare students for the digital future. Monday and Friday are held in person, while Tuesday through Thursday are conducted remotely. On Monday, professors and their research teams meet individually with each student to assess academic background, clarify summer learning goals, and establish the appropriate technical development environment. Friday is reserved for group presentations, project evaluation, field experiences, and other collaborative activities that strengthen communication, critical thinking, and applied learning.

• Mondays: In-person welcome, community building, technical setup, and one-on-one support with professors and PhD student mentors.
• Tuesday through Thursday: Virtual instruction and guided activities, including daily 3-hour lectures led by professors who are AI leaders, daily 3-hour lab sessions led by PhD student mentors, and daily 2-hour guided practice supported by AI Institute assistants and high school student assistants.
• Fridays: In-person wrap-up, project presentations, evaluation, collaborative activities, and community learning.

Lunch provided on all in-person days.

To successfully complete your registration, please follow the steps below: 

• Students or parents access the Registration Form
• Complete all required information and submit any necessary materials 
• Proceed to the payment section within the same form to complete payment 
• Upload the payment receipt within the form 
• Submit the form to finalize registration 

If space becomes unavailable for a selected week, the program team will follow up directly with the family regarding next steps. 

Registration will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of 20 spots available per week.

Register