COMPASS

About

The Computational and Mathematical Program for incoming Arizona Science Students is a new UArizona initiative aimed at smoothing the transition of students from high school to college, helping them succeed in their studies, and increasing retention of underrepresented minorities, including first-generation and hispanic students, in STEM fields. The workshops are open to everyone, but incoming undergraduate students and rising sophomores are the main target group. There are two types of COMPASS workshops offered: the first is a week-long workshop on the fundamentals of computation that takes place the week before the Fall semester. The second series of workshops are on math preparation where students are trained in algebra, geometry and pre-calculus.

COMPASS is supported by National Science Foundation CAREER grant No. 2145421 to PI Paschalidis.

Materials

You can find all program materials at this GitHub repository

Additionally, we provide 'work-along' python notebooks for Python basics, data visualization, and debugging.

Contact Us

For more information, please reach out to us at:

Professor Vasileois Paschalidis: vpaschal@arizona.edu

Erik Wessel: ekwessel@arizona.edu

Vikram Manikantan: vik@arizona.edu

Schedule

Monday [recording]

10am-10:30am: Introductions & Pre-workshop survey

10:30am-noon: Intro to Python with Hands-on Experience

noon-1pm: Lunch (provided)

1pm-2pm: Python Hands-on experience

Tuesday [recording]

10am-11am: Python Loops & Functions

11am-noon: Data Visualization with Matplotlib & Numpy

noon-1pm: Lunch (provided)

1pm-2pm: Data Visualization Continued

Wednesday [recording]

10am-11am: Intro to Linux (pdf notes will be provided)

10:30am-noon: Bash scripting 1

noon-1pm: Lunch (provided)

1pm-2pm: Bash scripting 2

Thursday [recording]

10am-11:15am: Bash Scripting 3

11:15am-noon: Hands-on with HPC 1

noon-1pm: Lunch (provided)

1pm-2pm: Hands-on with HPC 2

Friday

10am-11am: Github Basics

11am-11:45am: Latex and Overleaf

11:45am-noon: post-workshop survey

End!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay if I have next to no coding/programming knowledge?

It is perfectly fine if you have no prior coding/programming experience.

Do we have to pay anything to attend this workshop?

No, the workshop is free.

Would it be possible to join only 1 or 2 days of the workshop?

The workshops are interrelated, so if you miss one you might not be able to follow. We will record the sessions and send you the links, so you can watch them and catch up with the rest of the group.

Will I need to have a machine running Linux?

No, you will not. However, if you have a Linux machine that may make some things easier for you.

Will I have to download any software beforehand?

You should not need any software installed beforehand.

Would it be possible to still receive the notes from the workshop even if we cannot attend the Zoom?

Yes, we will provide posts on the COMPASS website (soon to go live) with whatever notes we have.

Will this be a watch and learn experience, or will there be practice work given out to test what we've learned?

It will be both watch and learn and hands-on experience.

Does the type of computer matter? Especially as someone planning on doing research in this field, is there a particular computer that is best?

No, it does not. What you will need is a computer that can connect to the World Wide Web and can have a web browser. Therefore, no particular computer is better than another.

Can I attend part of the workshop over Zoom and the rest in person?

Yes, you can.

Is it okay if I miss part of a session for my move-in day?

Yes, it is okay. We will record the workshops and send them over email so you can catch up on things you have missed.

Will there be certifications?

No certifications will be given for your participation. Moreover, these workshops are only introductory, and we are not authorized to provide any kind of certification.