Coding, Learning, and Application Building Lab

Welcome to COLLAB: at the Crossroads of Learning and Software Development!

VISION

To make unstructured and hands-on learning a cornerstone of software development education.

MISSION

To foster an environment where students build software independently, learning hands-on under minimal supervision.

GOAL

To enable students to use modern technology stacks, meeting industry standards to enhance their employability.

OBJECTIVE

To support a dozen students each term in developing software projects that qualify as academic credit and practical experience.

Why COLLAB?

At Johns Hopkins University, students have the opportunity to engage in Independent Academic Work (which is currently being rebranded as Customized Academic Learning!), which can be applied toward credit requirements for degree programs within the Whiting School of Engineering, among other divisions, with certain stipulations. Typically, these independent projects take the form of research or design ventures.

Recognizing a gap in opportunities specifically geared toward software development, we established COLLAB to provide students with hands-on project experiences in this field. Our goal is to provide an alternative to traditional research with practical, real-world software development projects, enhancing both learning and employability.

What We Do

At COLLAB, our approach to education is distinctly project-based and unstructured, designed to mirror the dynamic challenges of the software industry. We provide a unique learning environment where students can delve into hands-on software development, gaining practical experience while working on software projects. Our setup allows students to earn academic credits while gaining experience in a setting that resembles a software industry internship.

In our lab, each project is a chance to experiment and innovate. The outcome might be a widely used application or a disposable prototype that enhances a student's learning journey. We encourage students to take the lead, exploring fresh ideas and technologies. This freedom nurtures creativity and problem-solving abilities, preparing students with the skills and confidence required for success in technology-driven careers.

How It Works

Joining as a Student Participant

At COLLAB, our primary audience is undergraduate computer science students at Johns Hopkins University, but our doors are also open to graduate students, students from other departments, and occasionally, students from other universities and even high schoolers.

Participation Options:

  • Academic Credit: Students typically work in small teams on software projects to earn Independent Academic Work credit.
  • Paid Opportunities: Depending on the project's funding, some roles may offer hourly pay.
  • Volunteer Experience: For those looking to gain experience without academic credit or compensation, volunteering on projects is also an option.

Project Involvement:

  • Bring Your Own Idea: You are welcome to propose your own project that aligns with COLLAB's goals.
  • Join Existing Projects: We regularly post new project opportunities on the Slack channel of the Software Engineering Club at JHU, which collaborates closely with COLLAB.
  • Timing: While most projects kick off at the start of each semester, we welcome new initiatives or joiners at any point in the academic year.

Selection Process:

  • Criteria: Selection is generally based on the necessary skills, relevant experience, motivation, and availability.
  • Low-Barrier Entry: We strive to make software development accessible, prioritizing high motivation, good time management, and responsibility over extensive experience.

Work Structure:

  • Remote and Flexible: Work is primarily remote, allowing students to manage their schedules effectively, though we do schedule occasional in-person meetings on campus.
  • Sprint Cycles: To maintain momentum and manage workload effectively, we operate on two-week sprint cycles, focusing on intensive development followed by periods of rest and review, aligned with academic schedules to minimize burnout.

Support and Growth:

  • Mentorship: While the focus at COLLAB is on independent work, we provide essential support to ensure success. Participants new to software development can receive guidance and mentorship from more experienced peers or faculty.
  • Leadership Opportunities: As participants advance, opportunities arise to assume leadership roles within project teams, fostering further personal and professional growth.

Who We Are

The lab operates under the mentorship of Dr. Ali Madooei.

We are always looking for new members to join COLLAB. If you are interested, please contact Prof. Madooei at madooei@jhu.edu

Click to see the list of students (sorted alphabetically by first name) who have been part of the lab.
  1. Abdelrahman Ahmed Hamimi
  2. Akhil Deo
  3. Alex Bruce Schachne
  4. Alex Torres
  5. Alexandra Rae Augur
  6. Allan Raposo
  7. Allen Li Shen
  8. Ameya Ashish Dehade
  9. Andreas Wolfgang Jaramillo
  10. Aprina Wang
  11. Arjun U Chavan
  12. Aryaman Anand Shodhan
  13. Astrid Jiang
  14. Brendan Joseph Lee
  15. Bridget Diane Carr
  16. Caitlyn Mae Bernhard
  17. Calvin Yeh
  18. Carolyn A Tung
  19. Cathy Huang
  20. Chinat Chiang Yu
  21. Chloe Michaela Donelan
  22. Chris Frederick Wilhelm
  23. Daniel Joseph Drozdov
  24. David Jiang
  25. David Yi Lu
  26. Donovan H Morgan
  27. Drew Paul Amunategui
  28. Edward Liao Wang
  29. Ege Seyithanoglu
  30. Elaine He
  31. Elaine Zhao
  32. Elena Kote
  33. Elva Shang
  34. Erica Young Hwang
  35. Erika Kailin Flickinger
  36. Ethan C Waldman
  37. Fabrice Ingabire
  38. Fan Peng
  39. Feilian Huang
  40. Francis Christopher Durso
  41. George Steve Paragioudakis
  42. Henry Magnus Deutsch
  43. Hongyi Duan
  44. Hussein Fuaad Mahmoud Mohamed
  45. JJ Yujing Yang
  46. Jack Walters
  47. Jacky Wang
  48. Jake Christian Rasmussen
  49. Jam Suarez Navarro
  50. James Song Wang
  51. Jamie Abigail Stelnik
  52. Jeff Cui
  53. Jerome Augustin Francis
  54. Jessie Luo
  55. Jianwei Chen
  56. Jiarui Chen
  57. John Andrew D'cruz
  58. Jonathan He
  59. Jonathan Liu
  60. Jonathan Miranda
  61. Jonathan Young
  62. Jonathon Ruben Negron
  63. Josephine Deng
  64. Josh Alexander Nakka
  65. Justin Gunho Nam
  66. Kayla Laufer
  67. Kevin Liu
  68. Kevin Luo Xu
  69. Kiron Deb
  70. Logan R Falzarano
  71. Mark Thomas Faust
  72. Mark Tiavises
  73. Matt Liu
  74. Matthew Thomas Flynn
  75. Michael Kim
  76. Michelle Wang
  77. Minseo Park
  78. Miseok Kim
  79. Muxi Lyu
  80. Nicolas Liu
  81. Oriel Savir
  82. PengXi Li
  83. Peter Vladimirov Penev
  84. Qifan Sun
  85. Qinyuan Wu
  86. Richard Casey Kim
  87. Robert Zhang
  88. Rosa Gao
  89. Samuel Kwame Atefah
  90. Sean Pak
  91. Sharon Ge
  92. Stella Huo
  93. Tade Daniel Ogunmodede
  94. Taiming Shi
  95. Tammy Li
  96. Tanisha Tarin
  97. Tanner Scott Gladson
  98. Tarik Can Yildirim
  99. Terry Qu
  100. Thomas Li
  101. Tsige Alpha Solomon
  102. Varun Harish
  103. Vivian Liu
  104. Xiangyu Shen
  105. Xinan Shafwan Rahman
  106. Yisehak Yesuf Ebrahim
  107. Yoohyuk Chang
  108. Youssef Izellalen
  109. Zeyn Schweyk