EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University is gearing up for Bits & Bytes - a camp to educate middle school girls on careers and teaching in computer science. The all-day, week-long camp will be held on Eastern’s campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26 to June 30. 

The camp is staffed by EMU Women in Computer Science (WICS) club members and led by a faculty member. Bits & Bytes aims to facilitate a near-peer mentoring approach that has shown to motivate girls to comfortably navigate an otherwise difficult or unfamiliar concept in computer science and technology.

“Girls get to explore computing in a friendly and supportive environment,” said Krish Narayanan, computer science professor at Eastern. “The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for girls to explore technology and interact with staff who are knowledgeable to answer their questions about the field.”

Narayanan started Bits & Bytes as a summer computing camp for her middle school daughter and her friends, in her basement in 2012. Since then, it has expanded yearly before debuting at EMU in 2017. The camp has continued to serve girls in and around Washtenaw County interested in learning more about computer science. 

Camp participants are expected to engage in hands-on learning activities by being introduced to computing and technology from theoretical concepts to applied projects. Through the use of educational software and robots, coding will also be introduced to girls at the camp. Participants can explore developing games, creating mobile apps, flying drones, and making robots perform tasks. 

At the conclusion of the camp, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a hackathon and career discovery event. 

The camp has been supported by many sponsors over the years. The National Center for Women in Technology, EMU Women in Philanthropy, and Michigan Space Grant Consortium all have contributed to making the camp happen.  

“Year after year, we have seen girls get excited to be a part of the camp and ask for more opportunities for such learning,” says Narayanan. “These programs provide an excellent opportunity to learn about a topic that does not get taught at schools or other after-school activities.”

For more information, contact Krish Narayanan at knarayana@emich.edu for more information.

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.