UCI Engineering’s OAI Expands Summer Programs, Partnerships and Reach
September 21, 2026 - From watching dolphins in the ocean to building robots and rockets, aspiring scientists and engineers explored STEM through a robust summer of programming led by the Stacey Nicholas Office of Outreach, Access and Inclusion (OAI) at UC Irvine’s Samueli School of Engineering.
This summer marked a significant expansion of OAI’s programming. Six outreach programs across seven sessions served 207 middle school, high school and community college students, including two new high school academies created through partnerships with the Achievement Institute of STEM Scholars (AISS) and the Ocean Institute. OAI also hosted two transition programs for incoming engineering students: OAI Summer Bridge for 67 incoming freshmen and transfer students and the Rising Doctoral Institute (RDI) for 12 first-year doctoral students. In all, 286 students participated in OAI programs this summer.
“Seeing our summer portfolio grow, both in the number of students we reach and in the depth of experiences we can offer, has been incredibly rewarding,” said Analía Rao, executive director of OAI. “Expanding pathways into engineering takes all of us, and I’m deeply grateful to our OAI team, faculty, community partners and funders for making these experiences possible for so many students.”
Summer Outreach
The UCI-Crystal Cove Environmental Engineering Summer Institute (EESI)
At Crystal Cove State Beach, high school students learned about beach erosion, clean energy and water, environmental engineering, and robotics. Now in its third year, the UCI-Crystal Cove Environmental Engineering Summer Institute, offered in partnership with the Crystal Cove Conservancy, welcomed 20 students for a week of learning at Crystal Cove and UCI. To culminate the week, students presented solutions to one of the five grand challenges in environmental engineering for the 21st century.
“Every day was like a new adventure,” said Julianne Dinh, a Santiago High School senior. “I learned how beach waves worked and why sand moves the way it does. I liked that there’s actually lots of physics and math related to it.”
MESA LEAF Camp
Back on the UCI campus, OAI’s MESA College Preparation Program hosted a one-week residential MESA LEAF camp for 40 MESA high school students from programs affiliated with Imperial Valley College, San Diego State, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside. Participants learned about robotics, computer-aided design, coding, and programming while experiencing college life on the UCI campus. Participants worked in teams to design, build, and code an autonomous robot using Arduino, incorporating a 3D-printed element into their designs.
FABcamp
Now in its 14th year and supported by the Broadcom Foundation, OAI’s MESA College Preparation Program hosted two sessions of FABcamp for middle school students. Fifty-three students participated across the two week-long sessions, exploring fabrication and prototyping technologies, fundamental coding principles and computer programming projects. Students also met with UCI engineering faculty and undergraduate students to hear about the various engineering majors and learn more about college and STEM opportunities.
UCI OAI/AISS STEM Summer Academy
This year, OAI partnered with the Achievement Institute of STEM Scholars (AISS) to launch the inaugural UCI OAI/AISS STEM Summer Academy. The two-week academy brought 40 rising high school juniors and seniors to UCI for an immersive STEM and college experience.
Students participated in interactive lab tours in stem cell biology, immunology, clean energy, robotics, the UCI Makerspace, and the materials science metal processing facilities. Workshops spanned artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, biomedical engineering, game design, wearable robotics, structures for planetary exploration, astronomy, and nuclear science.
The academy extended beyond technical experiences, with faculty talks, college admissions and financial aid sessions, and panels with current UCI students and STEM professionals.
"Our partnership with UCI's Stacey Nicholas Office of Outreach, Access and Inclusion continues to create transformative opportunities for our scholars," said Debbie Wells, executive director of the Achievement Institute for STEM Scholars. "This academy gives students the chance to learn directly from leading researchers and educators while envisioning themselves as future scientists, engineers, innovators, and leaders."
Marine Science and Engineering Academy (M-SEA)
OAI expanded its community partnerships again in August, joining with the Ocean Institute in Dana Point to launch the inaugural Marine Science and Engineering Academy (M-SEA), with the generous support of the Nicholas Endowment. The week-long program brought 24 students from nine Orange County high schools to UCI and the Ocean Institute.
Students explored the intersection of engineering and marine science through experiences in coastal engineering, advanced materials, robotics, ocean acidification, marine ecosystems and more. They also ventured out on the ocean aboard the Ocean Institute’s floating research lab, where they observed marine life and experienced field-based marine science firsthand.
Summer Rocketry Program
OAI’s Summer Rocketry Program welcomed 30 community college students for a week of hands-on aerospace engineering. Students built, personalized and launched their own rockets, with the opportunity to receive national certification from the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) after successfully constructing, launching and recovering their rockets.
Students also toured UCI Engineering laboratories and learned about the university’s student rocketry program, giving them a closer look at engineering opportunities available after transferring to a four-year university.
OAI Summer Inreach
Just as outreach extends OAI’s work beyond UCI, “inreach” turns that focus inward to recently admitted and current UCI Engineering students, with efforts designed to support their academic success, retention, and sense of belonging. This summer, OAI’s inreach included two distinct transition programs: OAI Summer Bridge for incoming undergraduate students and the Rising Doctoral Institute (RDI) for incoming Ph.D. students.
OAI Summer Bridge
The OAI Summer Bridge Program welcomed 67 incoming freshmen and transfer students for a week focused on preparing for their transition to UCI Engineering.
Students participated in workshops and team-based activities, learned about academic and campus resources, and began building connections with their peers and the UCI Engineering community. Faculty members shared their backgrounds, research and academic journeys, along with advice for navigating the first year at UCI, while current engineering students offered perspectives on campus life, student organizations and project teams, and ways to get involved.
Rising Doctoral Institute (RDI)
OAI concluded its summer programming Sept. 15–16 with the Rising Doctoral Institute (RDI), a two-day NSF-funded program for 12 incoming first-year engineering Ph.D. students. RDI supports students as they transition into doctoral study, build community, connect with peers and resources, and prepare for a successful start to graduate school. Workshops and conversations with faculty, current doctoral students and staff introduce participants to the doctoral experience and help them begin developing relationships and a network of support at UCI.
The RDI community continues beyond the two-day institute through opportunities for students to reconnect, support one another, celebrate accomplishments and remain engaged with OAI throughout the academic year.
Established in 2014, the Stacey Nicholas Office of Outreach, Access and Inclusion (OAI) in the Samueli School of Engineering advances inclusive excellence by expanding access to engineering and supporting the academic success, retention and graduation of undergraduate and graduate engineering students.
This summer’s growth reflects that mission in action. Through new programs, expanding partnerships and continued investment in established initiatives, OAI is broadening opportunities for students to experience engineering while strengthening the support and community available to those who come to call UCI Engineering home.
- Natalie Tso
