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Program Description

SFU Invent the Future is Canada’s first and only three-week summer enrichment program focused on bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) expertise, community, and mentorship to trans and cisgender women, non-binary and Two Spirit students in Grade 9-12.

During this program, scholars from across Canada will explore the world of AI through team projects and connect with mentors and industry experts in a supportive yet challenging environment.

Program Date: July 10th to July 28th, 2023

Please note, accepted students will complete a pre-program Python workshop from July 4th to 7th. The learning materials will be delivered online synchronously and asynchronously. 

Program Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm PST, with after hours office hours and social events (details TBD)

Delivery: Online with remote support

Application Due Date: 

• Early bird admission deadline: February 20, 2023 @ 11:59pm PST
• General admission deadline: March 27, 2023 @ 11:59pm PST
• Extended admission deadline: May 29, 2023 @ 11:59pm PST

Program Fee: $500, paid upon being admitted into the program. If you are seeking a financial bursary, a separate form will be sent to you after acceptance. 

Program website: www.sfu.ca/fas/invent-the-future

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Student and Parent/Guardian Information

The Invent the Future program is intended for trans and cisgender women, non-binary and Two Spirit students in Grade 9-12. 

Do you identify as one or more of aforementioned identities?: 

Yes

If you need clarification for this question, please contact Eva at sacoord@sfu.ca.

Student's preferred name (if any):

Student's year of birth: 

Student's phone number: 

Address: 

Street number, street name, apartment/suite #, if applicable

City: 

Province: 

BC, ON, AB, etc.

Postal code: 

Have you attended this program before?: 

Yes No

First and last name of your parent/guardian: 

What is the relationship between the student and this adult?: 

e.g., mother, legal guardian, etc.

Parent/guardian's email address: 

Parent/guardian's phone number: 

I certify that I have informed this adult of my application and understand that they will be asked to complete a permission form should I be accepted into the program.

Answer: 

• Yes

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Student's Education Information

Student's current grade: 

9 10 11 12

Name of current school: 

Transcript:

• Enter all your course grades for Grade 9 onwards in the following format: Course name: Grade
• Example: Biology 11: xx%
• For courses you are currently taking, enter IP (for In Progress) as the grade.
• Use a new line for each course.
• Either percentage or letter grades are acceptable (whichever format is used by your school's transcript).

We might ask for an official transcript to verify your grades if you are accepted into the program.

Courses and grades: 

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Extracurricular Activities

Enter up to 5 extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, volunteering) you have participated in over the past 3 years, each box has a maximum of 400 characters.

Use the format:

• Activity Name
• Organization
• Start Date: MM/YYYY
• End Date: MM/YYYY (or Present)
• Describe your role

Extracurricular activity 1: 

Extracurricular activity 2:

Extracurricular activity 3:

Extracurricular activity 4:

Extracurricular activity 5:

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Work Experience (if applicable)

Enter up to 3 jobs you have had in the past 3 years if any. Each box has a maximum of 400 characters.

Use the format:

• Activity Name
• Organization
• Start Date: MM/YYYY
• End Date: MM/YYYY (or Present)
• Describe your role

Work experience 1:

Work experience 2:

Work experience 3:

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Essay Questions

Each essay is limited to a maximum of 2000 characters (about 300 words).

Essay 1: Why do you want to be an AI Scholar in the Invent the Future program?

Essay 2: Describe a positive experience you had with teamwork. What made the experience positive? What did you learn from your experience?

Essay 3: Describe a negative experience you had with teamwork. How did you handle the situation? What did you learn from your experience?

Please choose one of the topics below:

Essay 4: Describe a problem you would like to solve using AI. Explain how you identify the problem and its significance to you and how you think AI could be used to solve this problem.

Essay 5: Describe a problem you have solved using AI. Explain how you identify the problem and its significance to you and how you used AI to solve this problem.

Essay 1: 

Essay 2: 

Essay 3: 

Essay 4:

You only need to answer either Essay 4 or Essay 5.

Essay 5:

You only need to answer either Essay 4 or Essay 5.

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Coding experience

Please rate your coding experience in Python. Your answer to this question will not impact your admission to the program. Rather, it will help us assign you to a team for the group project component of the program.

Coding experience in Python: 

Extremely experienced Very experienced Somewhat experienced No experience

Past Project(s)

If you have any projects or past work around AI or relevant topics you want to share with us, please attach or provide the link below. This is not mandatory.

Past project (attachment):

Past project (URL):

Pitch a group project

A key component of this program is participating in a group project. If you have AI-focused project idea(s), please feel free to let us know in the space below. If there is an open source data set related to the project you are interested in, please also include a link to that data set. For example, Kaggle is a great resource for open source data sets for AI-focused projects. We encourage you to pitch your project idea(s) and will try our best to integrate them in the program. However, please note that we might not be able to include everyone's project ideas due to time and resource constraints.

Project idea(s) - Optional:

Describe your project idea(s) in the space above. Please note that this is optional.

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Laptop Lending

SFU APSC Outreach is committed to creating an accessible experience for all scholars. We will take all reasonable action to accommodate the special needs of participants so long as it does not compromise the health and safety of other participants, staff, or come at an unreasonable financial cost to the program.

If you do not have access to a laptop to participate in the program, we will lend you one for the duration of the program. If you require additional support beyond the capabilities of our facilities and staff, we will work with you to assess your ability to participate.

Please check below to indicate whether you need to borrow a laptop from us if you are accepted into the program.

Do you need to borrow a laptop from SFU APSC Outreach?:

• Yes, I plan on borrowing a laptop from SFU APSC Outreach if I am accepted into the program.

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CIFAR Inclusive AI Scholarship Program

To lower barriers to participation of Black and Indigenous students, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) will cover the full registration fee (i.e., $500) of self-identified Black and Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) trans and cisgender women, non-binary and Two Spirit students who are accepted to the SFU Invent the Future program.

If you are eligible for this scholarship, please fill out the questions below. Please note that eligibility of this scholarship also requires students to confirm their participation upon acceptance to the program by the end of May 22, 2023 (11:59 pm PST).

Which of the following ethnic and/or racial categories describe how you self-identify?

Ethnic/racial background: 

• Black
• First Nations
• Inuit
• Métis

Please confirm your eligibility of this scholarship.:

• Yes, I am eligible for the CIFAR Inclusive AI Scholarship.

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Financial Bursary

SFU APSC Outreach strives to provide accessible education to youth by eliminating financial barriers. We can offer partial or full financial bursaries to those who are not eligible for the CIFAR Inclusive AI Scholarship. Please check below if you will be applying for financial bursaries if you are accepted into the program. Once you are accepted as a scholar, we will send you an additional form to fill out to receive the bursary.

*Please note, applicants are accepted into the program based on their merit and interest in AI. Applying for financial bursary will not impact an applicant's acceptance to the program.

Do you need financial support from SFU?:

• Yes, I plan on applying for financial bursary if I am accepted into the program.

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Additional questions/comments:

If you have any questions or comments, please include them in the space above.

What's Next?

Thank you for your interest in the 2023 SFU Invent the Future program! We will review your application carefully and announce our decision by March 13 (for early-bird applications) or in May (for general applications and those who submitted by the extended deadline).

If you have any questions, please contact Eva at sacoord@sfu.ca. Thank you for taking the time to submit your application! 

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