Electrical Engineering Postdoctoral Researcher Wins Best Paper Award

May 12, 2026 - Efraín Méndez-Flores, a UC Irvine electrical engineering and computer sciences postdoctoral researcher, was awarded a Best Paper Award along with his collaborators at the IEEE World Engineering Education Conference (EDUNINE 2026) held in Mexico City in March.

The paper, titled “Jean Luc: An Animatronic Robot for Challenge-Based Learning and STEAM Outreach,” showcases the redesign of an animatronic robot named Jean Luc, initially created by local theater and story development company Apples and Oranges Arts. UCI engineering  undergraduate students worked on the robot’s mechanical, electrical and software systems under the mentorship of Méndez-Flores. They helped improve the robot’s reliability, battery life, control electronics, mechanical systems and interactive stage features. Jean-Luc was used during live public performances as part of the STEAM outreach experience at the Discovery Cube in Santa Ana.  

Méndez-Flores credits former UCI Engineering Dean Magnus Egerstedt for inspiring these types of hands-on, multidisciplinary projects that help students develop not only technical skills, but also leadership, adaptability, communication and real-world problem-solving abilities. And he thanks UCI computer sciences alumnus Tim Kashani, co-founder of Apples and Oranges for providing students with the opportunity.  

“With this project, students were able to have artistic and educational impact and experience the collaboration, iteration and challenges commonly found in professional engineering projects while also contributing to STEAM outreach in the community,” said Méndez-Flores.

– Grace Hefner