Upper School Intersession 2025

What do self-driving cars, Alexa, iPhone's face recognition technology, and ChatGPT have in common? They are driven by modern advances in artificial intelligence. Whether you’re interested in law, healthcare, art, or economics, AI is poised to transform every discipline and industry in the future. AI is already all around us today, and by the end of the program, students will understand the underlying concepts and motivations behind technology such as computer vision, natural language processing, and neural networks.
 
In this course, we will explore the foundations of machine learning and explore different applications of machine learning models. In the first half of the course, students learn AI’s core technologies including applications, foundational concepts, and programming tools through live lectures and coding labs. Students will not only learn about different types of machine learning models but also apply those models to real data sets. In the second half of the course, students will complete an instructor-led group project applying AI to the discipline of their choice (e.g., music, healthcare, astrophysics, finance, etc.), utilizing the programming skills they developed in the first half.

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Course Structure

Machine Learning Talks
Learn about machine learning algorithms and techniques in a uniquely interactive, engaging format, before you apply that knowledge in live coding labs.

Hands-On Python Coding
Develop valuable skills in Python, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in our hands-on coding labs, using cutting-edge research to solve real-world problems like breast cancer diagnosis, building self-driving cars, and more.

Project-Based Learning
In our AI for Social Good project, students will be able to apply their newly acquired talents in a collaborative, challenging environment, applying AI to a domain they’re passionate about (e.g., music, healthcare, astrophysics, finance, etc.). Students can use these projects in their résumés and college applications.

An examination of the founding and expansion of Islam. We will explore a number of topics: the pre-Islamic environment in Arabia and the Near East; the biography of the Prophet Muhammad; the first Muslim community in Medina; the theological foundations of Islam; the era of the four rightly-guided caliphs; the Umayyad period and the Abbasid Empire. In addition, the course weighs in on key themes related to philosophy, culture, sectarianism, law, gender rights, and statecraft.

I will talk about why there is often a shift which states are "swing states" over time, as well as how politicians choose certain topics & themes to focus on in their campaigns based on what is politically viable. Example questions include: How did Barack Obama carry several states that are now considered strongly Republican? Aside from purely just changes in public opinion, why do political parties shift their political stances over time? This session will be taught in a non-partisan fashion and is intended to teach students about the salience of political issues and how campaigning works from a calculated standpoint.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK - aka North Korea) government has made extensive investments into offensive cyber security capabilities. What separates the DPRK from other top tier countries in the cyber space is their full embrace of financially motivated crime in addition to more classic state activities like espionage and covert operations / disruption. In this session we’ll spend time talking through the various branches of DPRK cyber activities including crypto/bitcoin attacks, attacks targeting security researchers, the billion dollar raid targeting the Bangladeshi National Bank, and recent efforts to plant DPRK operatives under stolen identities in western countries as regular remote IT workers.

I will talk about why there is often a shift which states are "swing states" over time, as well as how politicians choose certain topics & themes to focus on in their campaigns based on what is politically viable. Example questions include: How did Barack Obama carry several states that are now considered strongly Republican? Aside from purely just changes in public opinion, why do political parties shift their political stances over time? This session will be taught in a non-partisan fashion and is intended to teach students about the salience of political issues and how campaigning works from a calculated standpoint.

The climate crisis does not affect all people equally. In this session, we will cover how climate emergencies and extremes magnify pre-existing vulnerabilities, increasing migration and expanding health disparities. We will define three types of climate migrants who are arriving in the United States and evaluate the health risks that they face before, during, and after their migrations.

Structural inequities and racism create significan health impacts on migrants in the United States, including asylum seekers, short-term authorized workers like farmworkers, and unauthorized residents. In this session, we will evaluate some of the social structures that have produced and maintain modern social inequities as well as health disparities. Students will learn to assess the structural processes that are at play for migrant populations, how these processes affect their health, and efforts in the US to reduce these health barriers.

This class teaches students the Arabic alphabet, daily expressions and basic grammar while employing Arabic music and video clips to expose students to the diverse culture(s) of the Arab world. No previous knowledge necessary.

The Global Justice Center is a feminist human rights organization started by the late reproductive rights advocate Janet Benshoof. GJC’s mandate is to leverage international law to advance gender equality. Toward that end, GJC focuses on two main areas: advancing reproductive autonomy as an international human right and ensuring justice for mass atrocities involving sexual and gender-based crimes. Learn how Global Justice Center conducts this crucial work, including through innovative legal analysis, advocacy with governments, and press work. Signature campaigns--including to achieve a global convention on crimes against humanity, pierce pervasive impunity for widespread sexual and gender based crimes in Myanmar, and for access to safe abortion is a fundamental right--will be discussed.

In this session, students will be able to explore the basics of thoughtful charitable giving and the impact of philanthropy on social issues. Through interactive discussion and a case study, participants will learn how to identify key social challenges, evaluate nonprofit organizations through due diligence, and consider how individual giving can make a meaningful difference. By the end of this session, students will gain an understanding of strategic philanthropy and practical insights into making a positive impact in their communities.

Learn from activists across disciplines, from political leadership to social justice, as they reflect on their decades of experience and their perspectives on the future of social equity. If you’re interested in learning about grassroots organizing, community activism, or a career in public service, this panel is for you! Our speakers will include the executive director of Women’s Building SF, founder of FundHer Valerie McGinty, a local director of Public Allies (former collaborators with Michelle Obama), and other E&I leaders!

Through this session, you will:
- Hear why the Peace Corps is often described as “the toughest job you’ll ever love,” along with the challenges and unique experiences associated with this role.
- Discover the power of community empowerment and entrepreneurship through the firsthand experiences of a former Peace Corps Volunteer.
- Learn about microfinance programs and initiatives that support small businesses in Panama.
- Explore the significance of Panamanian indigenous crafts in preserving cultural heritage. Beautiful crafts created by artisans from the Ngobe-Bugle, Kuna Yala, and Embera communities will be showcased, and Anne will discuss how these crafts reflect the country’s rich culture and creativity.
- Understand the impact of learning a foreign language on building connections, fostering trust and becoming a unique candidate for work. 

This session is for anyone interested in global citizenship, cultural exchange, unique crafts and community-based entrepreneurship. Let’s explore how we can empower communities and celebrate diversity together!

This session will modestly attempt to explain some of the forces that shape today's world through the study of maps. We will likely focus on 20th century and recent conflicts and look into their geography for answers to why these conflicts took place.