Dates and Schedule
ASCEND will begin in late-June and conclude by early-August. It will include both synchronous and asynchronous elements; content videos and modules will be available for consumption at a student’s own pace, but will be supplemented by pre-arranged, real-time discussions with coaches and other students via video conferencing platforms. ASCEND students can expect to devote approximately 10 hours a week to the program while it is underway but should feel comfortable registering for the program while pursuing other responsibilities such as summer jobs, research, and athletic competitions.
Sample Week
Every module in ASCEND will be different, depending on the content taught and your relationship with your small group and coaches, but you should expect to do the following over the course of each week:
- Watch short, content-based videos created by Professor Jim Rolf
- Complete short online quizzes/problem sets to assess your understanding of the videos
- Communicate with your team and coach as a group
- Discuss concepts with your peers
- Communicate with your coach one-on-one (as needed)
- Work on challenging problems involving math in physics, economics, biology, chemistry, etc. with your peers and coaches
- Have informal chats with Duke STEM faculty
Although some elements–such as the videos and quizzes–will be regular features and can be completed at your own individual pace, you and your teammates will be responsible for creating your own meeting schedule and team culture and can communicate whenever and as frequently as the group decides.
Academic Year Support
The entire ASCEND community–participants, coaches, and affiliated faculty–will be invited to a Celebration Dinner in early September.
