Bioinformatics and Technology Laboratory - Bat Lab

Bioinformatics and Technology Laboratory - Bat Lab Home of the BatKnights...

🤖 STEM4NE1 Mentoring Clinic Starts This Friday! 🚀We are excited to begin our 2026–27 STEM4NE1 Mentoring Clinic this comi...
09/21/2026

🤖 STEM4NE1 Mentoring Clinic Starts This Friday! 🚀

We are excited to begin our 2026–27 STEM4NE1 Mentoring Clinic this coming Friday, September 25, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. at Concordia University Chicago!..

And we are starting with something our students love — ROBOTICS!..

This Friday, participants will work together to:

🤖 Build robots
🛠️ Test and improve their designs
🏁 Take part in a friendly robotics competition
💡 Practice problem-solving, teamwork, and creative thinking

But robotics is only the beginning...

Throughout this semester and the next, our students will explore programming languages, databases, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, problem-solving, and other areas of computer science and STEM...

Why programming languages?.. Because learning to program is not simply about memorizing commands... Programming teaches students how to think logically, break complex problems into smaller pieces, develop algorithms, test ideas, troubleshoot, and create solutions... As students learn more than one programming language, they begin to understand the deeper concepts behind computing and become more adaptable problem-solvers...

We will also introduce database languages and database concepts, because nearly every modern application — from websites and mobile apps to hospitals, businesses, universities, and AI systems — depends on data... Students need to understand how information is stored, organized, searched, retrieved, and used responsibly...

Our goal is to move students beyond simply using technology and help them become young people who can understand it, build it, program it, question it, and improve it...

Build → Program → Test → Troubleshoot → Improve → Create

Most importantly, we want students to learn that when something does not work the first time, that is not failure — it is an opportunity to think, redesign, and try again...

📅 Friday, September 25, 2026
⏰ 4:30–6:00 p.m.
📍 Concordia University Chicago

Come build, compete, learn, and grow with STEM4NE1!..

We are excited to be back with our senior participants and very grateful for our continued partnership with Oak Park Township and River Forest Township!..

With SAROJA Mentors Ava Wirata (Head), Rene Mendez, Devin Mathew, Phat Tu, Connor Bleazard, Said Morales, Nagajayamadhu praveen Mahadeva, and Justin Ocampo...

Cultivating Today, the Innovators of Tomorrow...

STEM4NE1 SAROJA Returns Tomorrow — Senior-Adapted Robotics in Action!..Tomorrow, our STEM4NE1 SAROJA — Senior-Adapted Ro...
09/17/2026

STEM4NE1 SAROJA Returns Tomorrow — Senior-Adapted Robotics in Action!..

Tomorrow, our STEM4NE1 SAROJA — Senior-Adapted Robotics & Joint Activities team will return to the Oak Park Senior Center for our next hands-on robotics session!..

This time, we will be introducing our new Sprinter Robotics Lab!..

One of the important lessons we have learned through SAROJA is that robotics activities designed for younger students do not always translate well for older adults... Some parts may be too small, some assembly steps may require too much fine-motor coordination, and instructions may move too quickly!..

So instead of simply reusing our youth robotics labs, we have been designing, testing, and refining robotics activities specifically for senior learners!..

For the Sprinter Lab, we created:

1) larger, clearer visual instructions
2) simplified step-by-step assembly
3) checkpoints after each stage
4) troubleshooting guidance
5) opportunities for seniors to build alongside CUC student mentors
6) a final experiment where participants observe how the robot responds to obstacles

The Sprinter uses a distance sensor!.. When it detects something in front of it, the robot will back up, turn, and move in a new direction!..

But the real goal is not just to build the robot!..

We want participants to:

Build → Test → Observe → Ask Questions → Experiment → Understand

That is what SAROJA is about!..

It is about making robotics and technology more accessible, welcoming, and engaging for older adults while creating an intergenerational learning experience where CUC students and seniors learn together!..

Tomorrow's session is another step in a larger goal: to continue developing and refining senior-adapted robotics labs that can eventually be shared with other senior centers and community programs!..

We are excited to be back with our senior participants and very grateful for our continued partnership with Oak Park Township and River Forest Township!..

This lab was designed by Ava Wirata!..
With SAROJA Mentors Ava Korkitcharoenkul (Head), Rene Mendez, Devin Mathew, Phat Tu, Connor Bleazard, Said Morales, Nagajayamadhu praveen Mahadeva, and Justin Ocampo...

STEM4NE1: Building a pathway for STEM learning across generations!..

08/29/2026

CRISP 2026 — Lena & Lilia Demonstrate their first robot...

One of the things we wanted our campers to do at CRISP 2026 — the CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program was not simply to build a robot, but to be able to stand in front of others, demonstrate what they created, explain what they did, and answer questions about their work...

In this video, Lena and Lilia demonstrate their first robot, one of the robots they worked on during camp... CRISP 2026 — Lena & Lilia Demonstrate Their Robot...

One of the things we wanted our campers to do at CRISP 2026 — the CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program was not simply to build a robot, but to be able to stand in front of others, demonstrate what they created, explain what they did, and answer questions about their work...

In this video, Lena and Lilia demonstrate their first robot, one of the robots they worked on during camp...

They spent several days working through the process — identifying the parts, following the design, assembling the robot, programming it, testing its movements and functions, troubleshooting problems, and making adjustments until they could get it working...

Then came another important part of the learning process:

Explain it. Demonstrate it. Answer questions about it...

Being able to build something is an accomplishment. Being able to understand it well enough to explain it to someone else takes learning to another level...

During their demonstration, Lena and Lilia showed their first robot in action and talked about their experience building the robot... They also responded to questions about what they had done, what was challenging, and what they learned through the process...

This is exactly what we want to encourage through STEM4NE1...

We do not want our campers to simply follow instructions and say, “I finished it...” We want them to ask:

How does it work?..
Why does it work?..
What did I have difficulty with?..
What did I do when something didn't work?..
How could I modify it?..
How could I make it better?..
And can I explain what I learned to someone else?..

That last step is important...

When students have to demonstrate their work, they begin to take ownership of what they created... They develop communication skills, confidence, technical understanding, and the ability to think about their own learning...

And sometimes the younger campers surprise us the most!.. 😊

Very proud of Lena and Lilia, showing us their first robot, and sharing what they accomplished during CRISP 2026...

This is what hands-on STEM education should look like:

Build → Program → Test → Troubleshoot → Improve → Demonstrate → Explain

Not just learning how to build a robot — but learning how to think, communicate, and become confident in what you can create...

Cultivating Today, the Innovators of Tomorrow...

More CRISP 2026 demonstrations, competition videos, photos, and Awards Ceremony highlights will continue to be posted...

08/23/2026

CRISP 2026 — Robot Drag Racing: Build. Program. Test. Rethink. Redesign. Race Again...

One of our favorite activities during CRISP 2026 — the CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program was our Robot Drag Racing Competition...

This video features Bee and Lina vs. Jack and Elise...

But the real purpose of this activity was never simply to find out whose robot was fastest...

The campers started from scratch... They built their robots, programmed them, tested them, and then raced them... After each test and each race, they had to look carefully at what happened...

Did the robot travel straight?..
Was it fast enough?..
Was the design stable?..
Were the wheels, weight, gearing, or programming affecting its performance?..
What could they change before the next race?..

Then came the most important part:

Think → Modify → Test → Analyze → Redesign → Try Again...

That is what we want our campers to understand...

Learning is not complete simply because someone explains something to you, you follow a tutorial, or you successfully build a robot once... Real learning happens when you can take what you know, apply it, discover that something does not work as expected, figure out why, change your approach, and make it better...

Sometimes a robot loses a race... Sometimes it turns when it should go straight... Sometimes a design that looked perfect does not perform the way you expected...

That is not the end of learning...

That is where learning really begins...

Engineering and computer science are built around this process... We do not expect the first design, first program, or first solution to be perfect... We experiment, observe, question, debug, redesign, and improve...

And every time the campers raced, they had another opportunity to ask:

“What can we do differently to make it better?..”

That mindset is far more important than winning one race...

Through activities like this, we want our young people to develop more than robotics and programming skills... We want them to develop curiosity, resilience, critical thinking, confidence, and the willingness to keep improving when something does not work the first time...

Congratulations to Bee, Lina, Jack, and Elise for putting their designs on the starting line and accepting the challenge!..

At STEM4NE1, we don't just want students to build robots...

We want them to learn how to think like engineers...

Build it... Program it... Test it... Question it... Redesign it... Improve it.. Then race again..

08/19/2026

CRISP 2026 — From Building to Programming to Demonstrating!...

One of the most important parts of CRISP 2026 — the CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program is that our campers do much more than simply put a robot together...

They learn the entire process...

In these videos, some of our campers are demonstrating robots they worked on during the week and explaining what they accomplished... They began by identifying and organizing the robot components, followed the building instructions, assembled the robot as a team, connected the motors and sensors, and then moved on to programming and testing their creation...

And, as every engineer quickly discovers, the robot does not always work exactly as expected the first time!..

That is where some of the most valuable learning happens. The campers had to test, troubleshoot, make adjustments, try again, and learn from their mistakes until they could get their robots to perform the intended tasks...

Throughout CRISP, the students learned to:

• Build and understand robotic systems
• Work with motors, sensors, and other components
• Program their robots using block-based coding and explore programming concepts
• Test and troubleshoot their designs
• Work collaboratively and help one another solve problems
• Explain and demonstrate what they built
• Develop confidence through persistence and hands-on learning

The goal of STEM4NE1 is not simply to tell young people about computer science, engineering, robotics, and technology... We want them to experience it for themselves — build it, program it, break it, fix it, improve it, and proudly demonstrate what they accomplished...

That is how curiosity begins to become knowledge, and knowledge begins to become innovation...

Very proud of what our CRISP 2026 campers accomplished!..

Cultivating Today, the Innovators of Tomorrow...

More photos and videos from the camp activities, robot demonstrations, competitions, and Awards Ceremony will continue to be posted...

We are grateful for the support of Oak Park Township, River Forest Township, and Concordia University Chicago, whose partnership helps make this experience possible...

With Camp Counselors Ava Wirata (Head), Daniel Pattie, Ryan Hanson-Taruc, Prajan Shrestha, Saranya Chotsiri, Rene Mendez and Justin Ocampo...

CRISP 2026 Highlights — Part 2!..Here is the second collection of photos from CRISP 2026 that was featured in the slides...
08/16/2026

CRISP 2026 Highlights — Part 2!..

Here is the second collection of photos from CRISP 2026 that was featured in the slideshow during our Awards Ceremony at Concordia University Chicago...

These pictures capture even more of what made this year’s CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program (CRISP 2026) so special — campers building and programming robots, testing their ideas, troubleshooting when things did not work as expected, collaborating with teammates, learning from our camp counselors, and simply enjoying the experience of creating something together...

Throughout the week, our campers were challenged not only to learn robotics and coding, but also to develop persistence, teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and confidence. Those qualities were just as important as the robots they built and the competitions they participated in...

It was wonderful to watch our campers grow throughout the week and see their excitement as their robots began to move, respond, race, compete, and accomplish the tasks they had worked so hard on...

These photos are still only part of the CRISP 2026 story... More pictures and videos from the camp activities, robot demonstrations, drag racing and sumo competitions, and our Awards Ceremony will be posted in the coming days...

We are grateful for the support of Oak Park Township, River Forest Township, and Concordia University Chicago, whose partnership helps make this experience possible...

With Camp Counselors Ava Wirata (Head), Daniel Pattie, Ryan Hanson-Taruc, Prajan Shrestha, Saranya Chotsiri, Rene Mendez and Justin Ocampo...

CRISP 2026 — Celebrating a Great Week of Robotics, Coding, Competition, and Learning!..What a wonderful week with our 20...
08/09/2026

CRISP 2026 — Celebrating a Great Week of Robotics, Coding, Competition, and Learning!..

What a wonderful week with our 2026 CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program (CRISP 2026) campers through the STEM4NE1 Program Initiative at Concordia University Chicago...

The photos were part of the slideshow shown during our Awards Ceremony, celebrating the campers, counselors, teamwork, creativity, persistence, and everything accomplished throughout the week...

Our campers spent the week building and programming robots, working through challenges, learning from one another, and participating in competitions including drag racing and sumo robotics. Just as important, they learned how to keep trying when something did not work the first time — an essential part of engineering, computer science, and innovation...

I am very proud of all of our campers and grateful to our camp counselors, families, volunteers, supporters, and everyone who helped make CRISP 2026 possible...

This is only a small collection of photos from the week. More pictures and videos from the camp activities, competitions, and Awards Ceremony will be posted soon...

Cultivating Today, the Innovators of Tomorrow.

We are grateful for the support of Oak Park Township, River Forest Township, and Concordia University Chicago, whose partnership helps make this experience possible...

With Camp Counselors Ava Wirata (Head), Daniel Pattie, Ryan Hanson-Taruc, Prajan Shrestha, Saranya Chotsiri, Rene Mendez and Justin Ocampo...

🤖 CRISP 2026 — Day 1 Highlights! 🤖What an exciting first day at the STEM4NE1 CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program ...
08/05/2026

🤖 CRISP 2026 — Day 1 Highlights! 🤖

What an exciting first day at the STEM4NE1 CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program (CRISP 2026)!...

Our campers jumped right into the world of robotics by exploring the LEGO Robot Inventor kits, identifying and organizing components, following technical instructions, and beginning their first robot builds... It was wonderful to see their curiosity, concentration, creativity, and determination throughout the day...

Students worked together, shared ideas, helped one another solve problems, and learned that engineering often involves trying, adjusting, and trying again... Our camp counselors were also actively guiding and encouraging the campers while allowing them to think independently and take ownership of their projects...

This is only Day 1, and our young innovators are already doing amazing work... We are excited to see their robots, programming skills, teamwork, and confidence grow throughout the week!..

Cultivating today, the innovators of tomorrow!..

We are grateful for the support of Oak Park Township, River Forest Township, and Concordia University Chicago, whose partnership helps make this experience possible...

With Camp Counselors Ava Wirata (Head), Daniel Pattie, Ryan Hanson-Taruc, Prajan Shrestha, Saranya Chotsiri, Rene Mendez and Justin Ocampo...

STEM4NE1 Robotics Camp 2026 is underway!...It was a joy spending time with this wonderful group of CRISP 2026 campers......
08/04/2026

STEM4NE1 Robotics Camp 2026 is underway!...

It was a joy spending time with this wonderful group of CRISP 2026 campers... We're excited for a great week of robotics, coding, creativity, teamwork, and fun through the STEM4NE1 CUC Robotics and Innovation Summer Program at Concordia University Chicago...

We are looking forward to seeing what these young innovators will build, program, and learn together!...

With Camp Counselors Wirata Korkitcharoenkul (Head), Daniel Pattie, Ryan Hanson-Taruc, Prajan Shrestha, Saranya Chotsiri, Rene Mendez and Justin Ocampo...

Thank you for our sponsors Oak Park Township, River Forest Township and Concordia University Chicago

BatKnights forged in discipline, crowned in achievement, destined for greatness...The BatKnight 7, Class of 2026, Classy...
05/15/2026

BatKnights forged in discipline, crowned in achievement, destined for greatness...

The BatKnight 7, Class of 2026, Classy all the time... Proud moment for our 7 BatKnights who graduated this spring 2026 at Concordia University Chicago...

These students did far more than complete coursework... As part of their Capstone journey, they designed, implemented, tested, and presented software applications in a variety of fields, demonstrating not only technical skill, but also creativity, professionalism, teamwork, and perseverance...

Their work was developed using an Agile-Scrum methodology, giving them experience in iterative development, planning, collaboration, refinement, testing, and presentation — the same kind of structured workflow used in industry... They also presented their projects at symposiums, where they shared their ideas, defended their designs, and represented our program with excellence...

One of the proud traditions of this journey is their Capstone book, our BatLegends Volume, which captures their projects, growth, and legacy as a graduating BatKnights class... It stands as a testament to their hard work and to the spirit of innovation they brought to our Computer Science program...

To recruiters and industry professionals: these graduates have worked on real project design, software implementation, teamwork, presentations, documentation, and Agile-based development... They are not only graduating with knowledge — they are graduating with experience, resilience, and the ability to contribute...

I am very proud of each of these BatKnights and excited to see the impact they will make in the world...

Congratulations, BatKnights... The journey continues...

Once a BatKnight, always a BatKnight... The Bat Never Sleeps...

With Adrian Corral, Anthony Espino, Matias Zegarra, Juan Moresco, Alexander Lechowicz, Muhammad Ayan Hafeez, Tomas Mireles, and Brandon Montford

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