Splash Biography

Between school, work, and your own personal life, the amount of stuff you need to get done can sometimes seem overwhelming. Learning how to better organize your life and execute on your goals can lead to better grades, more fulfilling accomplishments, and even more free time to just have fun. This class will teach advanced productivity techniques and patterns such as Inbox Zero, Getting Things Done (GTD), and our own personal methods developed over years of effort. By applying these techniques, as well as modifying them to suit your own style, you will find yourself doing more and stressing out less than ever before.

This discussion-based course will be focused around Apple, Inc, one of the world's most valuable companies and cherished brands. Do you own and Mac, iPod, iPhone, or iPad? Apple has released hit product after hit product, but what's next? We will discuss the company's past, present, and especially its future in an open format. Any and all questions you may have about Apple will be answered.

Apple, Inc. did not become the world's most valuable company by selling poor-quality products. From iPods to iPhones, iPads to Macs, Apple products are designed to perfection in order to provide the best possible customer experience. Its no wonder then that Apple products have rated #1 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index for eight straight years in a row. In this class you will learn about good product design using Apple products as examples. Comparisons will also be made with competing, non-Apple products in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in Apple's design approach.

Computer programming is fast becoming a fundamental skill in the information age we live in. Despite popular perception, however, it's not very difficult for anyone curious enough to learn. In this class you will learn what exactly programming is, the basics of how it works, and the benefits of this knowledge in today's world. This course is designed not just for future engineers but for anyone with an interest in science and technology, with no prior knowledge of programming required.

Few rivalries have ever been as polarizing as PC versus Mac. The recent surge in Mac popularity in the 21st century has caused the debate to only get more heated. This class will be run by two instructors: one an avid Mac user, the other a PC fan. Students will be divided into two groups representing their own opinions. Each group will debate the issue of which system is better over a range of different categories. The course will end with a final class vote to decide on a winning side.

Imagine a future where robots exist in everyday life: walking on sidewalks, serving you breakfast, and competing in sports on TV. That future is very close, and in many ways it's already here. In this course we will focus on behavioral artificial intelligence, specifically how machines can be made to move around in realistic ways. Participants will be shown a variety of AI examples from actual robots to virtual simulations. Emphasis will be placed on the general ideas behind AI behavior, as well as more in-depth analysis about how certain techniques actually work. There are no prerequisites for the course.