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In order to ensure that all NYU Paris (NYUP) students were beginning their math and computer studies with a similar foundation in the disciplines, NYUP Site Director Alfred Galichon, and professor of Economics and Mathematics at NYU in New York, oversaw the creation of a pre-semester “Science Bootcamp.”

“We really felt there was a need to level the playing field, and to make sure everybody – whether from the Abu Dhabi, New York, or Shanghai campuses – hits the ground running,” said Galichon.

Designed and taught by NYUP lecturers, Joachim Lebovits (Math) and Augustin Cosse (Computer Science), NYUP held its inaugural Science Bootcamp at the start of the Spring semester, outside of regular class hours. Enabling students to quickly find their footing, said Lebovits, “we wanted to make sure that everyone, whatever their background, is given the opportunity to acquire the necessary tools to get a good start in the actual course, instead of losing time catching up on some basic notions.” And after finding their footing, students were “able to more fully enjoy their semester from the get-go,” he said.

The development of the non-credit program was also underpinned by the premise that math and computer science are intrinsically linked, said Lebovits. “There can be no programming without algorithms, and a relatively complex calculation might benefit from some degree of coding. Unfortunately, a blackboard and a piece of chalk are not always enough anymore,” he said.

 “At the very least,” said Lebovits, “it serves as a refresher for the students already familiar with them. For some, it may be also a good way to test their interest in the field.” For instance, a Math major can become better acquainted with coding and may go on to delve more deeply into programming languages. “In any case, it will give them the means to look forward to their courses with confidence, in a maybe more relaxed atmosphere than when the semester has actually started. Indeed, students are encouraged to carry out group projects, which gives them the opportunity to meet their fellow students more easily than in a regular class.” Lebovits says he believes the camp also benefits the lecturers and teaching staff: “Since the math and computer science courses are taught jointly by two or three professors, it helps the students view us as a team, rather than a set of individuals.”

In addition to bolstering students’ academic grounding, the program also demonstrates the importance of transferable skills. For example,“the ‘Python programming’ session also gives students the opportunity to test their knowledge on some interview questions from the tech industry.” The idea was to develop a curriculum that would prepare students for future challenges, explained Cosse, “be it with their classes or future job interviews.”

Students may arrive in Paris with different academic backgrounds and come to the classroom with different tools at their disposal, and may also have unique histories with math or computer science, and students’ academic and career plans vary widely. (Lebovits notes that “last semester one of my students in Linear Algebra wanted to become an architect, while another intended to do research in Mathematics.) But regardless of their future plans, “both will benefit from this ability to use programming tools,” he said.  What the students all share, both Cosse and Lebovits remarked, is a strong motivation to deepen their skill set – and this brought them to bootcamp outside of regular class hours and on weekends. 

While the bootcamp was designed at the outset to be classroom-based, Lebovits pointed out that it would translate easily into a distance learning environment. “The light and interactive format would be very well suited to a remote version and thus to our current situation. Considering the unprecedented changes that have taken place due to COVID-19, I think that we are increasingly going to need to create new ways of teaching to be able to adapt to student’s needs, whatever their background and regardless of their location.”

More information about the course can be found on Cosse’s website here.