CMU-Q hosted 18 Qatari high school students for the week-long Winter Institute: Discovering Computer Science. The outreach program, in its third year, introduces students to basic computational skills, the types of subjects they would study in university, and the careers that are possible with an education in computer science.

Sarah Badar, a grade 11 student at Al Bayan Education Complex for Girls, said: “Before signing up for the program, I only understood the concept of computer science. The in-depth introduction to the field and the practical coding skills we learned made realize that computer science is something I really enjoy and it would be a suitable career path for me.”

During the week, the Winter Institute students took classes from CMU-Q professors, and met with computer science students to learn more about their experience as undergraduates. To cap off the week, student teams programmed a robot to navigate on its own through a maze.

Addressing the high schoolers during the awards ceremony, Damian Dourado, director of pre-college programs at CMU-Q, said: “We commend you for working hard over the past week. The program introduced you to things a lot of students don’t do until they start university. It has been a pleasure guiding you through the program, and we are delighted that you learned about campus life and met some of our students, alumni and professors.”

Learn more about CMU-Q’s workshops for secondary students.