The objective of the outreach programs in the School of Biological
Sciences is to build on existing relationships with K-12 schools
and other institutions of higher education, to prepare prospective
students for the educational opportunities offered by the School.
Faculty, teachers and administrators are encouraged to visit the
comprehensive plan developed by UC
Outreach.
The School of Biological Sciences offers the following outreach
programs:
The Science Fair is an initiative lead by Dr. David M. Gardiner,
Researcher and Dr. Susan V. Bryant, Professor and Dean. The objective
is to link UCI research scientists, staff and students, high-school
teachers and local education leaders, to create an integrated science
fair program at Costa Mesa and Estancia High Schools (Costa Mesa,
CA). High school students participate in a series of workshops covering
science as a way of knowing, skills for knowledge acquisition and
utilization, scientific methodology, critical thinking, and analytical
reasoning. They also participate in new programs that encourage
active research participation through field trips to UCI laboratories
and an oceanographic cruise. These programs also provide professional
development opportunities for high school teachers. Finally, students
are required to complete an independent research project that will
be presented at a poster session. Selected participants have the
opportunity to proceed to the county and state science fairs. Criteria
for evaluating research projects are be based on the guidelines
of the Orange County Science and Engineering Fair. In addition,
high school teachers share their knowledge of state standards in
science with UCI participants in the development of the workshops
and field trips. For additional information contact Dr. David Gardiner
(dmgardin@uci.edu).
The ESER program is designed to enhance the high school biological science
curriculum. The main goal is to increase the number of UC-eligible
students from target schools in Los Angeles and Orange County.
This year-long program, offered to high school teachers, is launched
with an intensive two-week workshop held in the summer with follow-up
meetings during the school year. Through lab activities, field
trips, lectures and interactions with UC Irvine scientists, the
teachers learn about important issues in ecological literature,
local ecology, how to set up ecological experiments and how to analyze
these experiments using elementary statistics. The program culminates
with a symposium held at UCI in May during which the teachers' students
present their results through talks or posters. For additional information
contact Dr. Lidia Yoshida (lyoshida@uci.edu)
COSMOS
is a residential experience for academically talented high school
students in grades 9-12. Its mission is to motivate the most creative
minds of the new generation of prospective scientists, engineers,
and mathematicians, to actively participate in the business and
higher educational sectors of the State of California. The curriculum
in Biology
is lead by Dr. Michael Leon, Professor and Associate Dean. Need-based
scholarships are be available. For additional information contact
COSMOS
The California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)
offers a summer residential program that prepares underrepresented
incoming freshmen for the transition from high school to UCI. The
program emphasizes the development of critical thinking and concentrates
on courses that are critical for the student's career. Students
enroll in university level courses and receive UCI academic credit.
CAMP is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Participants
receive financial support to cover tuition, fees, room and board.
For additional information contact Kika Friend (kfriend@uci.edu)
The Minority
Science Programs in the School of Biological Sciences offer
a research apprenticeships program for underrepresented minority
community college students. The Orange County Bridges to Baccalaureate
(OC
Bridges) is funded by the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), to advance the careers of minority community college students
interested in pursuing a biomedical career. OC Bridges provide research
training through workshops in modern laboratory techniques, seminars
and research conducted under the direction of UCI faculty. Participants
receive financial support as a full time employment during the summer
and part time during the school year. For additional information
contact Dr. Jan West (jewest@uci.edu).
Share what you know with Junior High and High School students by
joining BOSS (Biology Outreach for Science Scholars). Join an enthusiastic
group of students that design experiments to compliment a teacher's
science curriculum in order to make science a fun learning experience.
BOSS students have participated in four Orange County intermediate
and high schools in four different topic areas. For more information
about this program, please contact Cindy Eddleman (cheddlem@uci.edu) or Susana Canett Sandoval
(scsandov@uci.edu)
The Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) links Southern California
agencies whose goals are to increase academic success in younger
students. School districts, parents, community colleges, and the
UCI community join forces through CFEP programs to increase the
number of students who are eligible for admission to the University
of California. More complete information can be found at http://www.cfep.uci.edu/
