Xilinx: WORTH

Program Overview

In Spring 2023, 30 Mines undergraduate students can participate in a fun experience that will allow students to explore the field of computer engineering (CompE) and compete for awards and potentially a $2,500 scholarship (to be provided to five finalists who choose to major or minor in CompE). Undergraduates must have successfully completed CSCI 101 and/or CSCI 102, or fulfilled equivalent requirements. Participants will be supplied with a Xilinx PYNQ boards and attend three, free, 2-hour evening workshops from 5:00PM-7:00PM (MT) where they will learn to use Xilinx PYNQ boards, programming in Python. The workshops can be attended in person or virtually. The purpose of this event is to encourage women to investigate whether a computer engineering career is for them!

 What you will do

Participants will attend the workshops on February 16 and 23, and then complete a project of their choosing by April 20, 2023; you are encouraged to work in small teams, with up to 4 students per team. You will:

1. identify a technological problem or challenge and imagine a PYNQ board solution,
2. define a plan to achieve the solution using collaborative agile methodology, and
3. consider how the solution might benefit women, focusing on developing a female-centered solution.

Teams will then complete their projects and submit them to the industry panel by April 20. The panel of industry representatives will evaluate all completed team projects and provide awards to top projects. Participants who decide to major or minor in Computer Engineering will also be eligible to participate in a competition for scholarships.