DEEP Summer Academy

DEEP Summer Academy is for high school students interested in learning about cutting-edge graduate-level research.

Applications Closed

Updates regarding 2024 programming coming soon. Please join our mailing list for updates on future programs and registration times.

When

Next season: July 8 – August 2, 2024
* See below for detailed schedule

Where

U of T’s St George Campus

Who

Grades 9–12

Program Fee

Domestic students: $600 per week*
International students: $950 per week*
(*2023 prices)

Program Highlights

Gain hands-on experience working with real tools and equipment when exploring the knowledge frontier in STEM.
A collaborative and supportive learning environment, where attendees will work alongside other like-minded students and are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, and think creatively.
Led by graduate research students who have extensive experience in the STEM-fields, and are passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.
Empowering students to see themselves as future STEM leaders and innovators.
A fun and exciting atmosphere that encourages students to explore their passions, try new things, and build lasting friendships with others who share their interests.

Full Description

Organized by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, DEEP offers a diverse range of pre-university engineering and science courses.

The Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP) is designed for highly motivated high school students with an aptitude for science and math. DEEP provides students from around the world with the opportunity for advanced study in a variety of engineering, technology, business, and science disciplines.

Since its inception in 2003, DEEP has brought together over 10,000 like-minded students to explore some of the most innovative topics in engineering and science today—taught by some of our faculty’s top alumni, PhD candidates, and Master’s and undergraduate students. The program is designed to expose bright young minds to concepts usually presented in the upper years of an undergraduate degree or in graduate school.

Get a head start on exploring your options for a university degree and career. Complement your current academic studies with this unique engineering experience.

Program Details

Dates & Detailed Schedule

How to Qualify and Apply

Fees & Bursaries

Residence

Dates & Detailed Schedule

Summer 2024 Dates

July 8 - 12, 2024

July 15 - 19, 2024

July 22 - 26, 2024

July 29 - Aug 2, 2024

Schedule

Monday - Friday – 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM ET

How to Qualify and Apply

Grades

DEEP 2024 will be offered to students in Grades 9-12 (2023/2024 academic year.)

Creating an Active Account

If this is your first time registering or applying to one of our programs, you will be prompted to create an Active account as you register.

Please note that it is not possible to create an account before the registration date.

How To Apply

Step #1: When ready to begin, please click on the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of this page.

DEEP Applications are collected through Active.

- Attach supplementary documents: A recent report card or unofficial transcript showing the most recent or final grades from in-progress or completed science and math courses.
- A statement of interest (a short essay explaining why you want to attend DEEP).

Incomplete applications will not be evaluated. Application fees are non-refundable.

Step #2: Wait to hear the results of your application.

Applicants can expect to learn the outcome of their application approximately two weeks from submission of application form, transcript/report card, and statement of interest.

Students who have been admitted into the program will receive instructions for next steps including course selection and registration.

Course selection for admitted students:

Read the course descriptions to inform your course selections. Please note: only one course can be taken each week.

Registration for each course is only secured when you have completed the online course-registration form, and made the $50 per-course, non-refundable deposit.

Course eligibility is calculated based on the most recent grade completed in the 2023-2024 school year.

The deadline for payment of outstanding balances is 10 days prior to the start of each course. Any unpaid registrations will be released on this date.

Waitlist

If you see that a course is waitlisted on the registration page, that means there are no available spaces. If a space opens up in the course, those on the waitlist will be notified immediately in the order that they registered.

Fees & Bursaries

Cost (Summer 2023)

Domestic students: $600/week

International students: $950/week

A $100 discount will be applied after registration to any student who registers for all four weeks.

Cancellation Policy

DEEP application fees are non-refundable.

A refund or a credit, less a $120 administrative fee is available for cancellation requests received by 11:59 PM ET on the Monday before the session start date. No refunds or credits will be issued after this point. Please note that this charge is to cover administrative processing fees. Thank you for your understanding! For more details regarding cancellation deadlines, please refer to your confirmation email once you have completed the registration process.

Your health and the health of our community are important to us. In light of circumstances around assessing symptoms, refund requests for programs that are received after the cancellation deadline will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Bursaries

Bursaries are available to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons who demonstrate financial need. See the application form find out more about our bursary application process and to apply.

Residence

We look forward to bringing back residence in 2024.

More information available soon.

Questions?

Do you have questions about DEEP?

2023 Course Offerings

Grade 11/12 Program Offerings

Seeing a World of Data — Offered July 10–14, 2023

Gene Therapy and Genetic Techniques — Offered July 17–21, 2023

This course will introduce students to topics in genetics, cloning and gene therapy, and genetic engineering. Students will gain valuable hands-on experience with techniques used in genetics, cell and molecular biology through labs involving DNA extraction, agarose gel electrophoresis, bioinformatics, and bacterial transformation with green fluorescent protein (GFP). In addition, they will learn about the practical uses of these techniques in various industries and the ethical issues surrounding gene therapy. Students will learn to think critically and gain an appreciation for the successes and challenges in gene therapy.

Offered July 17 - 21, 2023

Wind Engineering and Building Performance: Designing Sustainable Structures for Human Comfort and Wellbeing —Offered July 17–July 21, 2023

ONLY AVAILABLE FOR GRADES 10-12

Welcome to the Wind Engineering and Building Performance course, a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between climate, wind loading, and structural design, along with the impact of buildings on human wellbeing. Through the lens of a structural engineer, students will gain valuable insights into how wind loads influence infrastructure design. Simultaneously, students will investigate the effects of buildings on occupant wellbeing and environmental sustainability. By delving into the mechanisms of wind loads on structures and the significance of considering such loads during design, students will develop a deep understanding of engineering tools employed to study aerodynamic effects. Additionally, students will explore the Alan G. Davenport Wind Loading Chain and define design criteria for tall buildings. Furthermore, students will examine building science fundamentals, occupant wellbeing, indoor air pollutants, and effective measures to enhance indoor conditions. Through case studies, modelling, and hands-on activities, students will discover how engineers and building scientists work towards creating greener, healthier, and more sustainable buildings that prioritize human comfort and overall wellbeing. Join us on this transformative journey to become a proficient designer of sustainable structures, while improving the lives of those who inhabit them.

Course Offered July 17–July 21, 2023

Building Blocks: Foundation of Civil Engineering — Offered July 24–28, 2023

Civil engineering is crucial helping in shape the world we live in. The course is designed to introduce students to the basics of this field, focusing on building a solid foundation on construction and structural design. Through hands-on activities and field trips, students will be able to gain practical experience in designing and constructing different types of structures using various building materials. The course will also cover important topics, such as the environmental impacts of large projects, practical applications when working in industry, and principles of construction management.

Offered July 24 - 28, 2023

Cracking the Code — Offered July 31–August 4, 2023

Maintaining one's privacy has become increasingly difficult in the modern world. For thousands of years, cryptography has played a major role in our civilization. From the early Caesar cipher to modern crypto-currencies, cryptography has helped secure our information and protect our privacy. This course is an introduction to the world of cryptography. Students will gain hands-on experience with various cryptographic ciphers and learn the “do's” and “don't”s when creating secure messaging schemes. Students will also learn the fundamentals of crypto-currencies and will create and mine their own blockchains. The importance of privacy, and methods for maintaining one's privacy online will also be discussed.

Course Offered July 31–August 4, 2023

Grade 9/10 Program Offerings

The Magic of Electricity — Offered July 10–14, 2023

The average person has zero idea as to how their smartphone works. It might as well be magic. This course aims to bring that understanding up from 0% to 1%. We will begin from first principles by seeing how fundamental physics gives rise to electricity and thereby electrical engineering. From there, we will learn about the most basic circuit building blocks: the resistor, capacitor, and inductor, and how to analyze schematics. Next, the diode will be introduced and we will use it in combination with what we learned previously to build useful and functional circuits such as the voltage rectifier and filters. Finally, we will be learn about transistors, arguably the most important invention of the past 100 years, and how they are used specifically in communication systems.

Offered July 10–14, 2023

Computer Vision and Data Analytics — Offered July 17–21, 2023

How exactly, does a computer "see"? In this class, students will learn how to develop computer imaging models using Python — the world's fastest growing, major programming language. These automatic image interpretation models solve real life problems, for example, identifying wound types to create a more efficient medical care dispatch system and powering autonomous vehicle. Computers can also handle large database that our brain cannot process. By using MATLAB, users can find the trends in any data, and by extension, predict the future! Students who are interested in solving problems on a computer and saving the world and should not pass up this opportunity!

Offered July 17 - 21, 2023

Wind Engineering and Building Performance: Designing Sustainable Structures for Human Comfort and Wellbeing—Offered July 17–July 21, 2023

Course Offered July 17–July 21, 2023

Cracking the Code — Offered July 24–28, 2023

Offered July 24 - 28, 2023

An Introduction to Electromagnetic Theory: From Speakers to MRI Scanners and Superconductors — Offered July 31–August 4, 2023

This course will build an intuition of electromagnetic theory and superconductors. To begin the week, students will dive in to the basics of circuitry elements, and then later, students will get to build a speaker from scratch--all with the goal of gaining an understanding of the applications of electromagnetic waves. Students will also conduct experiments with superconductors and learn about MRI machines and RF communication. If you want to understand the applications of the physics you learned in school, you will not want to miss this course!

Course Offered July 31–August 4, 2023

Registration is Closed

Registration for the 2023 season is now closed. Updates for the 2024 season are coming soon. Please join our mailing list for updates on future programs and registration times.

DEEP Summer Academy

Applications Closed

When

Where

Who

Program Fee

Program Highlights

Full Description

Program Details

Summer 2024 Dates

Schedule

Grades

Creating an Active Account

How To Apply

Step #1: When ready to begin, please click on the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of this page.

Step #2: Wait to hear the results of your application.

Waitlist

Cost (Summer 2023)

Cancellation Policy

Bursaries

Questions?

2023 Course Offerings

Grade 11/12 Program Offerings

Grade 9/10 Program Offerings

Registration is Closed

Related Programs

CREATE: Engineering Design Challenges

Blueprint

CREATE Weekends