Parallel Optimization for Robotics: An Undergraduate Introduction to GPU Parallel Programming and Numerical Optimization Research

While parallel programming, particularly on graphics processing units (GPUs), and numerical optimization hold immense potential to tackle real-world computational challenges across disciplines, their inherent complexity and technical demands often act as daunting barriers to entry. This, unfortunately, limits accessibility and diversity within these crucial areas of computer science. To combat this challenge and ignite excitement among undergraduate learners, we developed an application-driven course, harnessing robotics as a lens to demystify the intricacies of these topics making them tangible and engaging. Our course's prerequisites are limited to the required undergraduate introductory core curriculum, opening doors for a wider range of students. Our course also features a large final-project component to connect theoretical learning to applied practice. In our first offering of the course we attracted 27 students without prior experience in these topics and found that an overwhelming majority of the students felt that they learned both technical and soft skills such that they felt prepared for future study in these fields.