High school students are invited to participate in a highly experiential course teaching key concepts of engineering entrepreneurship focused on the theme of the “Internet of Things”. Students will learn how to think like an entrepreneur, develop a commercialization plan for an invention of your own design, and gain hands-on skills in developing electronic and digital prototypes. Topics covered include entrepreneurial team dynamics, technology and strategic assessments, creativity and business model development, communication to investors and technology managers, and technology plan development.
Students will spend four weeks at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where they will develop core skills in collegiate environments. Program activities may include field visits to the Viterbi Startup Garage Incubator in the heart of Silicon Beach and the USC Center for Advanced Manufacturing, as well as interview sessions with real entrepreneurs. The course culminates in a final “Demo Day” presentation.
This program was previously called the Summer Commercialization and Innovation High School Institute (SCIHI).
Details about housing and cost are available on USC Summer Programs.
Key Dates and Deadlines
Overview
4-Week Credit Program
June 16 – July 13, 2019
Monday through Friday,
9:00am – 4:30pm
Topics of Study:
- Ideation
- Customer Discovery
- Electronic and Digital Prototyping
- 3D Printing
- Pitch Decks for Technical Products
- Lean Canvas Business Model
Instructors
Rosemary Rohde, PhD, was born in sunny Miami, Florida. She moved to LA and graduated from UCLA on a full scholarship. Dr. Rose studied chemistry with Jim Heath at Caltech and received her PhD in 2009. She was a co-founder and senior scientist of Indi Molecular, a biotech company that designed artificial antibodies for medical diagnostics. After working on that project for six years, now she teaches and develops science curricula for H-bar Tutoring, which she co-founded and where she currently serves as CEO; and Ad Astra School, where she is the Founding Science Director, Chair of Admissions, and serves on the Administrative Team.
Dr. Rose is an entrepreneur and educator at heart. From age 13 she and her mother co-ran a furniture company with interior and floral decorating; their new company will sell unique, handmade jewelry. Dr. Rose is looking forward to working with a motivated group of high students this summer at USC interested in entrepreneurship.
Elvio Sadun grew up in San Marino, CA, where he graduated from SMHS before attending MIT to study Physics and Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering. Following college, Elvio received his JD from the University of Minnesota where he specialized in patent law. He moved back to Los Angeles and works as a software developer with the area’s movie studios and remains passionate about all things engineering. Elvio enjoys sharing his love for science both formally and informally, having taught students in several different enrichment programs as well as test prep classes for Kaplan.
How To Apply
Apply for the Technology Innovation Experience on the USC Summer Programs site.
Applications are due on Friday, April 26, 2019, at 11:59 pm PST.