Cluster 7: H4O: Hacking for Oceans
Week 4
Friday
Our second and final lake test was very successful, as many of the USV teams were able to test out the modifications they'd worked on over the week like water guns and mini-boats. Although the data and science teams faced issues, they were able to collect valuable data in the last hour of our testing!
Once we returned from our lake field trip, it was time for COSMOS Carnival Night! There were many activities, such as potato-sack racing, darts, and pie-ing RAs. We were also treated to delicious pizza and root beer floats.
Saturday
We were finally able to enjoy a whole day of inside time and trips! Aside from mealtimes, Cluster 7 was able to explore Price Center, Yogurtworld, Target, and the UCSD Bookstore with their friends for the whole day.
Sunday
Sunday night was the much-anticipated COSMOS dance! Luckily, we caught the beautiful sunset from Canyon Vista, and everyone was able to take pictures with their friends and cluster!
After the sun set, we enjoyed the refreshing mocktails and danced to our favorite songs!
At the end of the dance, they announced our cluster royalty: Cynthia and Akhil!
Tired from dancing and having fun all night, we returned to our dorms to rest and prepare for the bittersweetness of our final week at COSMOS.
Monday
The last day of the month and things are starting to wrap up here in Cluster 7 headquarters. Final presentations and projects were announced and we got working. Most of the groups were already finished with their actual projects and so they were given the chance to create a final task for the teams to work on.
Later on in the day we were directed to the COSMOS talent show, one that was awesome in all ofits time and that it displayed all of the talent that the students here at COSMOS have. From our cluster there were two people that joined: Cynthia Liu and Sophia Deng. They participated in the dance-off and got top 4 out of 13 clusters. They popped off, ate and left NO CRUMBS!!!!!
Neel, Will, and Elias participated in the hot dog eating contest. They tried their best and represented Cluster 7 well.
Hamish then gave a motivation speech to help our hot dog chompers digest the way-too-many-hot dogs they consumed.
Tuesday
WAKE UP, ITS DA FIRST OF THE MONTH! Tuesday hits cluster 7 with a lot of work. This day was full of work as you can see in the picture to the left. Every team was busy working on their final projects and presentations. The science teams continued to code and USV teams worked on their individual projects. To mention two of these projects, USV 1 was working on object detection using the software of arduino and USV 4 worked on the creation of a water gun, that with the right controls would be able to move on its own and shoot from a distance.
August looks promising as it marks the beginning of school for many, but unfortunally the ending of our program, one that we all love so dearly.
Wednesday
Work continues in our cluster as the clock continues to click and the days pass flying by. The science buoy now is equipped with thrusters and it can move on its own (not tested due to time contraints). The teams were given a template to start on their respective posters and presentations that would presented on Friday. Every team then, with the said instructions got to work...
... and like the day was gone.
Thursday - Last lab day :(
Tis a sad, sad day. COSMOS is finally coming to a close, and that means saying goodbye to our friends, boats, and copious amounts of 3D printers that we had access to every day. We spent the day finishing up our projects and presentations and preparing for the showcase on Friday.
Then came time to disassemble everything. Four weeks of hard work, all to be ripped apart and recycled for next year's students. The buoys and USV's we have worked on for the past four weeks were all dismembered, whether by careful seperation or the violent slam of a hammer.
Although our devices were now gone, we left the lab with so much more knowledge than we came in with. We have wrangled with crusty jumper cables, survived the soldering iron, and conquered Lake Miramar.
Goodbye D:
As we leave the Design and Innovation Building one final time, let us remember all the good times we had: screaming over radios, collecting insane pH values (-33...), and creating a turret water gun. We will miss the spicy soldering room, machine shops, and the lovely 3D printers (sorry UCSD makerspace for taking over them). Though we may never be together in one group again, let alone spend this much time together, I hope our memories will permeate through the tests of time. We have hacked Miramar lake; the world is not prepared for what we will hack next.
Love y'all, the future is bright for all of us <3
CLUSTER 7 H4-EVER!
COSInterviews
Hello parents and family!
Today as it is the last full day of our program, I, Jesus Parra, one of the newsletter writers, delivers a special section where I have gathered some of my fellow clustermates and asked them a few questions. This is me to the right :)
The first interviewee in the list goes by the name of Tamoghna (Nag) Ediga. FYI the questions will be placed among the answers for reference to avoid any confusions.
How would you rate your stay at ucsd cosmos?
I would rate my stay at UCSD COSMOS a perfect 10/10! The food was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the RA's and my peers, making it an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend UCSD COSMOS to anyone looking for a fantastic summer program.
If you could say one thing your cluster did that you liked who would that be?
I absolutely loved the lake days with my cluster, especially the opportunity to test our devices and kayak together with friends. It was a unique and enjoyable experience that brought us closer as a group while allowing us to apply our skills in a real-world setting.
Would you come back to UCSD COSMOS if you were given the chance?
Absolutely, I would eagerly come back to COSMOS if given the chance. The experience was so enriching and rewarding that I would love to go through it again. If I were to choose a new cluster, I would opt for one related to AI, as the field is rapidly advancing and holds immense potential for the future. Exploring AI in-depth would allow me to stay at the forefront of this exciting and impactful technology.
What is your favorite activity so far and why?
My favorite activity thus far has been the field trip to the zoo, specifically the gondola ride we took. It was an incredible experience that provided a breathtaking view of the entire park. The gondola ride allowed us to see the zoo from a unique perspective, and it was a memorable way to bond with my fellow participants while enjoying the beauty of nature and wildlife.
Our second interviewee goes by the name of Akhilesh Basetty
How would you rate your stay at UCSD COSMOS?
around a 7 or 8. like everyone else i expected to have more freedom in the residential life than we did, but i still had fun with the freedoms we were given in the residential life. i didn’t know what the cluster would have in store for us but i was pleasantly surprised in the freedom we were given with designing our boats.
If you could say one thing your Cluster did and you liked what would that be?
I really enjoyed building a water gun turret. after we finished building our main boat project, we had the freedom to do almost whatever we wanted. the project i took on with the help of a friend allowed us to challenge our skills motivated my our own curiosity.
Would you come back to UCSD COSMOS if you were given the chance?
Yes. there were some things i didn’t like but overall my experience was a positive one
What was your favorite activity so far and why?
Playing basketball almost everyday was the most fun i had here. it kept me active and allowed me to meet a lot of cool people.
Our third interviewee goes by the name of Cynthia Liu
How would you rate your stay at UCSD COSMOS?
I would give it a solid 8/10. All the activities have been really fun, but the food could be better. I especially loved attending my cluster because I hope to work in a robotics-related in the future.
If you could say one thing your Cluster did and you liked what would that be?
One thing about my cluster that I liked was that is was very hands-on. Aside from microcontrollers and sensors, practically everything was made and programmed from scratch.
Would you come back to UCSD COSMOS if you were given the chance?
I would love to come back as a cluster assistant and help out during the day! I do miss sleeping in on weekends though.
What was your favorite activity so far and why?
My favorite activity was the lake trip. On our final lake trip, Tavisha and I reprogrammed the buoy on the shaky dock in the lake and got the buoy to work in the last minute. When we're walking back to the base station, Dr. J was playing We Are The Champions from his phone; definitely a core memory moment.
Our fourth interviewee goes by the name of Gema Gonzales
How would you rate your stay at UCSD COSMOS?
10/10. UCSD is a beautiful campus with gorgeous weather. The overall community atmosphere is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
If you could say one thing your Cluster did and you liked what would that be?
I LOVED how hands on this cluster was. We were given the opportunity to explore and work out challenges with the support of our teaching staff. I am extremely grateful for the problem solving skills that I learned during COSMOS.
Would you come back to UCSD COSMOS if you were given the chance?
I wish I could! The four weeks flew by and I will hold the memories I’ve made here very close to my heart.
What was your favorite activity so far and why?
I always looked forward to any of the art related programs, whether it was pottery, paint or crocheting.
NEWSLETTER SPOTLIGHT
WRITERS: Cynthia LIU, Jesus PARRA, Gema GONZALEZ, Ananya AGGRAWAL
Photographers: Sophia DENG, Louis LU, Akhil BASETTY, Harjyot KAUR, Poorvi SHARMA