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BYTES
BYTES (Build Your Technical Expertise in Science) is a 4-year interdisciplinary learning community for College of Science students at Purdue. It brings together students from every major in CoS and teaches them all the important skills that will prepare them to thrive in a global workforce.
Through courses, activities, mentorship opportunities, connections with industry partners, and networking with alums, students learn to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams, form community with many different kinds of students in their living residential spaces and across Purdue’s campus, are supported by dedicated peers and staff in CoS, and develop the critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that are top of the list of desirable competencies from employers.
First-year students will live together in one of our residential halls and take part in SCI 195, a yearlong course designed especially for them, covering topics from how all science majors can help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to AI literacy. They will have a peer mentor who will be a resource throughout their transition to Purdue and many opportunities for social interaction, fun activities, and community building. For a whole week in the fall, they will participate in Lab Crawl – an exploration of different labs across Purdue, where they will meet the professor and graduate students running the lab and learn about the research done there as well as about opportunities to get involved in it.
From sophomore year on, BYTES students will explore research and internship opportunities with our industry partners, develop mentoring and networking relationships with alums, and increase the range and depth of their interpersonal and intercultural expertise both within and outside the classroom.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit the BYTES Website or email: Giselle Salina-Bender at gsalina@purdue.edu
“BYTES is not a program focused exclusively on any particular scientific subject, research, industry, networking, communication, collaboration, nor resume-building skills. Rather, it is an accumulation of golden kernels of experiences in all the above areas that, as a whole, form the foundations of a student well-prepared to set a course through the sea of opportunities present at Purdue and beyond. I cannot recommend it more.” Andre, CS major, class of 2029
“The BYTES Community is made for people like me: passionate about science and want guidance about what real life skills are needed to accomplish career goals.” Ali, biology major, class of 2029
Eligibility
- All first-year students in the College of Science are welcome to apply.
Residential Component
- Students will indicate interest in learning communities (LCs) and apply during their housing application process. Students will be informed of the status of their LC application in mid-May.
- Roommate selection will occur after LC decisions have been made. If admitted to an LC, students will need to match with other student(s) admitted to the same LC. If not selected for an LC, the student's original housing preferences will be considered during general housing placement and the student will be able to roommate match with other general housing students.
- The location of learning community housing will be determined based on the incoming class size and the needs of the learning community.
- For specific question regarding learning communities, email learningcommunities@purdue.edu.
- For housing questions, visit (https://www.housing.purdue.edu/) or email housing@purdue.edu.
Duration
Full Academic Year
- 4-year learning community. Commitment for the full first year is required (including to residential cohort and yearlong SCI 19500 course).
Associated Courses and Information
Fall:
SCI 19500 (1 credit) - College of Science BYTES Seminar
Spring:
SCI 19500 (1 credit) - College of Science BYTES Seminar
Every fee eligible student involved with a learning community (LC) at Purdue will be assessed the $200 LC fee to their university account. These funds support activities and travel, signature LC events, housing assignments and/or course registration and instructor stipends.
Events and Activities Included:
- Lab Crawls Signature Event (Fall Semester): week-long opportunity to visit research labs across CoS majors and interact with faculty, PIs, and graduate students on research projects.
- BYTES Tank Awards: Collaborative project presentations on solutions to global scientific problems
- Connections with other Learning Communities in the College of Science (SILC and WISP) for social gatherings, alum panels, and career preparation workshops
- Dedicated 1-1 peer mentoring and direct support from CoS staff
- Trip to Indianapolis campus and 16-Tech Region and Marketplace
- Residential cohort for the first year & mentorship connections with alums and industry partnership projects in upper years
- Interdisciplinary connections across the CoS curriculum
Information above is subject to change. If you are placed in the LC, the associated courses will be on your schedule prior to you registering for the rest of your courses.
