Curtin recently hosted another successful Gen-AI Bootcamp, bringing together autistic young people to explore one of the fastest-growing technologies shaping future careers.

Participants aged 13 to 18 rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on hackathon, creating everything from a Minecraft-style endangered animals information program to a thoughtfully designed emergency response planner.

The four-day program also featured a media visit from ABC News facilitated by the Corporate Communications (Media) team, engaging sessions with industry speakers and a crowd favourite – Reachy the robot.

Thank you to Alex Jenkins (Chair and Founder, Curtin AI in Research Group and Director, WA Data Science Innovation Hub) for leading AI-powered app development sessions and to Daniel Adams (Research Officer, Curtin HIVE) for sharing how AI is applied in his work, including an interactive Gaussian splat activity.

A big thank you to Beth Cusack (Program Coordinator, Research Office), the Gen-AI Bootcamp team and the dedicated mentors and partners who made the experience possible, with a special acknowledgement to Ellie Glen from Art Jam WA for creating a dedicated wellbeing space for participants.

Delivered in partnership with the WA Data Science Innovation Hub, Curtin Autism Research Group and The Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance, the initiative is made possible with funding from the Australian Government Department of Social Services. The next bootcamp heads to Geraldton this July. Check out the ABC News feature below.