Stratosphere

Do you want to do something interesting over the summer but have no plans? Would you like to learn something new or pick up a new hobby? If so, Stratosphere is the right choice for you!

Stratosphere is a new online summer event hosted by members of the UR Splash team. Every Saturday of June, we will be offering online classes designed and taught by UR undergraduates on a variety of different topics. These classes are completely free of charge, and are open to all high school students, including rising 9th graders and graduating seniors. If you are a high school student looking for something to do this summer, we encourage you to check out our class offerings here (or in the schedule below) and to register for the ones you find interesting.

Student registration is now closed. Registered students can still view their profile here.

Program Details

Who: High school students. Rising 9th graders and graduating seniors are eligible.

What: Take hour-long classes taught by undergrads. A complete list of classes offered can be found at our catalog.

When: Every Saturday of June (June 6, 13, 20, and 27). The schedule of classes for the program is listed below.

Where: All classes will be held over Zoom. Zoom links will be sent to registered students a few days before classes start. Be sure to read the note on Zoom accounts below.

How: Registration for Stratosphere 2020 is closed. Registered students should send in signed consent forms (see below) as soon as possible. Zoom links (and possibly other class materials) will be sent by email to registered students before classes begin.

Cost: The program is completely free of charge!

Stratosphere 2020 Schedule

The following is the class schedule for Stratosphere 2020. The schedule only contains class titles. We strongly encourage you to check out descriptions of the classes on our catalog.

• Session 1: June 6th
  • 1:00 to 2:00 pm: Infinity
  • 2:10 to 3:10 pm: Japanese: Instant Ramen Edition
  • 3:20 to 4:20 pm: Flattening the Curve: What Does It Mean?
• Session 2: June 13th
  • 11:am to 12:30pm: Juneteenth: Black Lives, Post Slavery (Invited Talk; please register here if interested)
  • 1:00 to 2:00 pm: Herps 101
  • 2:10 to 3:10 pm: Better, Faster, Stronger: An Intro to Algorithmic Analysis
  • 3:20 to 4:20 pm: Sparrow's Kitchen
• Session 3: June 20th
  • 11:00 am to noon: How to Code in ANY Programming Language!
  • 1:00 to 2:00 pm: From the Naturals to the Reals: A Curious Construction
  • 2:10 to 3:10 pm: Introduction to Indian Culture Through Reading Hindi and Sanskrit
  • 3:20 to 4:20 pm: Gene Therapy and Cancer Treatment
• Session 4: June 27th
  • 11:00 am to noon: An Introduction to Neuroprosthetics
  • 1:00 to 2:00 pm: Digital Citizenship & Literacy
  • 2:10 to 3:10 pm: The Art of Asking "Why?"
  • 3:20 to 4:20 pm: Chemistry at the Movies

All times are given in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4:00).

Waiver and Release of Liability

Once you have registered for Stratosphere, it is important that you (or a parent or legal guardian as applicable) sign and send in the waiver form for this event. The form can be found as a fillable PDF here. If you are having trouble accessing or using the PDF, the form can also be found as a Google Doc here, which can be downloaded in a few other formats.

Signed forms should be sent to rochestersplash@gmail.com. Be sure to include your (the student's) name as it appears on your profile in the email subject and body. If possible, please send the email with the subject line "Stratosphere Form: YOUR NAME". Note that we will not be able to allow you to enter class if your waiver has not been received, so please send in your forms as soon as possible!

A Note on Zoom Accounts

If you were provided with a Zoom account through your high school, we recommend using that account. If you are creating a new Zoom account for the purposes of this program, we strongly recommend reviewing Zoom's terms of service and making sure that you are in compliance with them. Zoom might have age restrictions on account creation in certain countries, and we do not condone the creation of accounts against terms of service. If you need to create an account but cannot do so due to age restrictions, you may participate in the program with a Zoom account belonging to a parent or legal guardian. We (the organizers) will not be liable for any breaches of Zoom's terms of service. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Alternate Zoom Names

We understand that in some cases (for example if you are using a parent's Zoom account), your name on Zoom might not be the same as your name on your profile. If this is the case for you, it is important that you report any other zoom names you might use via this form. We will not be able to let you into class unless your Zoom name matches the name on your profile or a name reported using the form by 9 AM on the day of the class. Please report any alternate Zoom names as soon as possible.

Accommodations and Other Assistance

We understand that especially in these times students might need accommodations or other assistance to get the most out of the event. If you feel that you might need accommodations, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will try our best to help.

*This program is not affiliated with the University of Rochester.