UCI Summer STEM Camps with Franklin Academy

The Academic Innovation unit at University of California, Irvine, Samueli School of Engineering in partnership with Franklin Academy hosts a 2-week summer camp for high school students. Working in classrooms and university facilities, students learn skills across the broad spectrum of engineering and computer science including CAD, basic fabrication, electrical circuitry, microcontrollers, and programming. Supervised and taught by experienced faculty/staff and graduate student mentors, the program takes participants through projects tailored for an introduction to hands-on project design and implementation. Students will join one of two projects: an Autonomous Rover or Lab-on-a-Chip. 

Skills Students Learn:

  • Technical Knowledge: CAD Design, Circuitry, Sensors, Programming
  • Software used: Onshape and Arduino IDE
  • Advanced Manufacturing: 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
  • Engineering Design Process: Design, Build, Test, Repeat
  • Project Management: Budgeting and creating a project timeline

Professional Development Workshops and Tours:

  • Project Management/Resume Workshop
  • Machine Learning/AI Workshop
  • How to apply to UC Workshop
  • Engineering Career Path Workshop
  • Engineering Research Seminar
  • Undergrad Panel Discussion
  • Presentation/Poster Skills Seminar
  • Industry Speaker
  • Campus Tour
  • Lab Tours from various Engineering Departments
  • Advanced Manufacturing Facility Tour
  • Research Center Facility Tour

Autonomous Rover:

Students will design, build, and test an autonomous rover that can traverse along a track by following a line, then recognize and retrieve a specific object at the end of the track. The rover will perform autonomous driving, IR sensing and color recognition.

Lab-on-a-Chip:

Students will design, build and test a portable microfluidic device that can detect the concentration of a fluorescein solution, which is a method used to detect dry eye disease. Students will fabricate a PDMS microfluidic chip and calibrate the system using known concentrations of fluorescein dye. Then, an unknown concentration will be given to validate the device system.

 

Students apply directly through Franklin Academy.