Officially, Orbital is now called “CP2106: Independent Software Development Project”, which is a 4 modular credit (MC) project module taken over the summer and graded on a Completed Satisfactorily/Completed Unsatisfactorily (CS/CU) basis.

We would like to thank everyone who have taken part in and contributed to our programme, as well as our sponsor Google, who has been very supportive to the programme. Without you all, the programme would not have been a success in the past few years.

[Summary: Visit Skylab (http://nusskylab-dev.comp.nus.edu.sg/) to register your interest for Orbital 2017.]

You may now register your interest to join Orbital 2017. After registering, you’ll be placed on the email list for the summer programme that we will use to keep in contact with you and you’ll be assigned an advisor who will give you more details on the summer course as it progresses. Just visit Skylab (http://nusskylab-dev.comp.nus.edu.sg/) to register yourself (and a teammate if you already know whom you want to work with) using your NUSNET ID.

For instructions in navigating the registration process, watch the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A6bojZuMdM.

We know you are wondering about some questions, so here are some answers that may help you clear your doubts:

Q1) Is there any obligation by filling out this registration form?
Answer: Nope, it just allows us to know who you are and to establish contact with you. You can decide not to participate in Orbital even after you register, with no risk to yourself.

Q2) After I fill in the registration form, am I “officially” in?
Answer: If you are a current Year 1 SoC student, yes! Congratulations, you’re done! (Yezzz! High five!) If you belong to other faculty, are doing a minor, are in a different year than year 1, or external to NUS, you will be placed on a list for vacancies that will be approved from time to time. Unfortunately, we can’t exactly tell you when you’ll know when you’ll be allowed to join, but we will endeavour to start turning away students once vacancies are filled in short order, so you can make alternative plans.

Q3) Is there a deadline for filling out this registration form?
Answer: Yes. You can register as late as the end of Reading Week, 23 April 2017. However, the sooner the better for the administrative staff, as we can better estimate the interest from all of you potential first year SoC students. Since there’s no risk (see Q1), why don’t you register? (hint, hint)

[Summary: If you are interested in attending the Azure workshop (2pm) and/or Orbital briefing (4pm) next Wednesday (8 March) at SR1 (COM1-02-06), please register @ http://goo.gl/Ay82bk]

We have organized a two-part event for you next Wednesday (8 March) afternoon!

We’re here at Googleplex SG to negotiate great sponsorship of Orbital 2017! Thanks, Google!

Happy holidays!

Are you free this Saturday (4 Feb) morning for a workshop about Git? It is the most popular tool for project collaborations.

You will need it not only for Orbital, but also many other modules and projects in future. It is really “One stone, Many birds”!

For more details, please refer to the poster below.

Happy holidays!

We have received a few questions about the programme so we would like to answer them here for your information:

Q1. When does the registration start?

Registration starts in early March. We will make an announcement here once the system is ready.

Q2. I am not an SoC student, may I still register for Orbital?

Yes. Although this program mainly caters for year one SoC student, we do have quota for any NUS students. Please go ahead to register when registration starts.

Q3. Are there any fees for taking part in the programme?

No. Although you are to work on your project during summer, the module credits will be given to you next semester, as if you are taking the module then. Therefore, you do not need to pay any fees for the summer.

Q4. Can the module credits be counted towards something other than unrestricted electives (UE)?

No, unfortunately. However, in the past, many students took Orbital for the experience even though they did not need the module credit.

We will be coming to your lecture next week (Week 2) to give you a brief introduction of what Orbital is about and answer your questions about the programme!

The current schedule of the roadshows is as follows:

[Summary: Go to http://doodle.com/poll/gttk42i2iedrfmh3 to fill in your slot availability if you want to interview for 2017 Orbital staff]

There will be another round of interviews for Orbital staff at the beginning of the new semester.

If you are interested in helping out in Orbital 2017 as an advisor and/or a tutor, please use the Doodle poll above to sign up for an interview.

For the details of the positions, please refer to the previous post.

[Summary: Go to http://doodle.com/poll/gttk42i2iedrfmh3 to fill in your slot availability if you want to interview for 2017 Orbital staff]

Congratulations again to all of the Orbital 2016 graduates.  It’s now your turn to go beyond Earth orbit and be a part of the team to help the next 2017 Orbital cohort accomplish their project goals.

We are currently starting our recruitment drive for Advisers and Tutors, the two roles that you as Orbital alumni are eminently qualified for:

– Advisers act as peer assessors and cheerleaders for teams taking Orbital — you all had the experience of being under their wing this past summer.  Here’s your chance to shine and contribute back to your juniors.

– Tutors act as the primary instructor for a mission control session or a Liftoff session.  This means you are in control of teaching a particular subject for about an hour.  If you wanted to level up on public speaking and technical tutorials, this is your opportunity. You don’t have to be an expert to teach — anyone can do it if they’re committed, and you can always answer the tough questions offline.

We are going to be holding interviews primarily at the beginning of the vacation and the new semester. If you wish to be interviewed for either / both positions, please visit the Doodle form and sign up for an interview slot. If you are interested but unable to make it for the slots given in the Doodle form, please contact me directly via email (zhaojin@nus.edu.sg) to arrange for an interview.

Look forward to hearing from you!

– Jin (Orbital Coordinator)

FAQ

– I’m going on NOC, can I participate?

– I’m planning to take a full-time internship, can I participate?

– I’m not going to be around SG this coming summer, can I participate?

The answer to these three questions is all the same: Yes for advisers, please apply.  You may know that some advisers were not local during your cohort as well.  The job can be done entirely remotely from NUS.  That said, applicants who are local and who do physically participate in the activities will generally bond better with their teams (unsurprisingly).

– How much money can I expect to earn as a staff member?

The monetary remuneration for doing either job is small, but the bragging rights and the additional job you can list on your CV/resume will hopefully make it worthwhile (aside from the intrinsic goodness of helping your fellow SoCian!).