Supporting Participation and Advancing Real-World Knowledge in Math and Data Science (SPARK-MDS) is a summer camp which takes place June 7-12th, 2026 at UNL where students have the opportunity to learn more about the mathematical principles behind data science and machine learning.
SPARK-MDS camp is taught by the Department of Mathematics at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With the support of UNL faculty and graduate and undergraduate students, students will grow abilities and interest in mathematics and learn to analyze complex data. All students entering grades 10-12 who have an interest in data-science and mathematics are encouraged to apply!
Through this experience, students will gain hands-on skills with machine learning and use it to find patterns and make predictions. SPARK-MDS camp starts with the basics, explaining how data is represented mathematically, to eventually exploring how complex data sets can be compressed while preserving key features. They will engage in interactive lectures, coding, and projects to better visualize how mathematical tools and algorithms can reveal the dataset's "shape" and breakdown complex relationships.
Deadlines and cost approximations!
Registration opens in mid-February
Early Tuition Rate by mid-April: ~$625
Regular Tuition Rate by early May: ~$675
Late Tuition Rate by mid-May: ~$725
There will be two Eva Winter scholarships, containing $500 each, and other scholarships available for travel and registration!
Visit their website to learn more about SPARK-MDS and registration!