Coding Boot Camp Showcases Capstone Projects
The next generation of coders revealed their mobile applications and web sites at Project Demo Day, the capstone event of Columbia Engineering’s inaugural Coding Boot Camp. Held in Mudd Hall in late November, Demo Day consisted of speed rounds of student project presentations, discussions on program topics, and opportunities to network with experienced industry professionals.
Samim Yaquby, a freelance marketing consultant, demonstrates his new coding skills at inaugural Project Demo Day
Over 20 projects were on display at the event, ranging from a chat bot to video games to a wide assortment of mobile apps, including one that matches yoga students with yoga instructors. One of the projects, Clarifeye, is a mobile app that helps the visually impaired navigate urban destinations, with features that assist purchases via camera phone and connect app users through voice activated technology.
The boot camp is administered by Columbia Video Network (CVN), the University’s top ranked online engineering degree program. Soulaymane Kachani, who oversees CVN as Columbia's vice provost for teaching and learning and the senior vice dean at Columbia Engineering, was on hand to welcome boot camp participants.
Among them was Cefi Menda, a Duke University graduate and entrepreneur. The boot camp, which is geared toward working professionals, graduates its first cohort of 59 students this month. “I love that it was six months,” Meda said. “I was able to practice a lot of software tools and plan to build more startups in the future.” Ultimately, Cefi hopes to open up an incubator to help non-technical entrepreneurs like his former self and share the knowledge he learned at Columbia.
Kenneth Postigo designed Convolutionary, a dictionary of convolutions that is aimed at “helping engineers that have trouble visualizing the concept.” Convolutions are used by engineers in image processing, digital data processing, and electrical engineering. Postigo’s goal for the Coding Boot Camp was to move from electrical engineering to a career in software development.
The Columbia Engineering Coding Boot Camp is designed to deliver a dynamic learning experience and equip students with the core skills needed for a career in web development and technology. Over the course of 24 weeks of evening and weekend sessions, students are immersed in an intensive program that covers fundamentals, as well as real-world applications. Students benefit from a wide range of career services during the program preparing them for the next stage of their career.
Dean Soulaymane Kachani welcomed students and industry professionals to the first ever Project Demo Day held in Mudd Hall.
Coding boot camp students presented their mobile applications and websites to visiting industry representatives and explained which coding language they used.
Coding boot camp students presented their mobile applications and websites to visiting industry representatives and explained which coding language they used.
Students represent a wide range of professional backgrounds and worked in teams to come up with an idea, build their project, and sharpen their pitch presentation.
Students represent a wide range of professional backgrounds and worked in teams to come up with an idea, build their project, and sharpen their pitch presentation.