Under the guidance of professors and students at the University of California, Irvine, seven St. Margaret’s students spent this summer working on science and engineering projects and research in an intense college environment.

St. Margaret’s has worked with the UCI Samueli School of Engineering for 13 summers, matching engineering and science students with UCI faculty members in a research area that aligns with their interests. The Tartans spend at least six weeks at UCI, gaining experience and knowledge alongside college professors while also receiving college credit for their work.

The program is coordinated by St. Margaret’s STEM Fellow and Science Department Chair Jennifer Ross-Viola. Interested students write an application essay in the spring and receive a teacher recommendation.

“This is a chance for students to get a hands-on experience to see what it’s like to be a science or engineering major in college,” Dr. Ross-Viola said. “There’s nothing better than getting a ‘sneak peek’ at your future to solidify your interest in it. After this experience, students know that they can do the work and that it’s valuable work to do. They also know that the skills they are learning in their classes are directly applicable to the research they are pursuing.”

This year, students worked on a variety of projects. St. Margaret’s seniors James Whiting and Jada Thomas joined UCI’s HyperXite team, a 54-person project group run by undergraduate students that entered SpaceX’s Hyperloop Pod competition to create high-speed transportation technology solutions. Jada and James worked with several teams within the group, including manufacturing, electrical and magnetic braking. They created parts on an engineering design software called SolidWorks, built a test track for the pod and designed a passenger seat for the pod made of acrylic.

The UCI HyperXite team presented their product at the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition in August.

“It was an amazing opportunity to learn about a university-level project group,” James said. “I learned a lot about the factors needed to keep a large-scale project group running and growing. I also learned a lot about engineering design through the computer program we used and through working on the pod itself.

“It was definitely a unique experience that I valued and would not hesitate to do again.”

Other projects Tartans took on include the effect of nanobubbles on soil permeability, brain tumor cells in vitro, and building an autonomous drone with Raspberry Pi.

The internship culminated last week, with the seven students presenting their findings and reflecting on their experiences to faculty, administration, students and parents during a reception at UCI.

Here are the Tartans who worked at UCI this summer, and their projects:

Michael (Bryce) Victor, working with Professor David Reinkensmeyer: “Researching Efficient Ways to Retrain Hand Movements to Recovering Stroke Patients”

Louisa Miller, working with Professor Jim Earthman: “The Effect of Nanobubbles on Soil Permeability”

Bryant Villamil, working with Assistant Professor Michelle Digman: “Brain Tumor Cells in Vitro”

Emily Suh, working with Professor David Reinkensmeyer: “Building an Autonomous Drone With Raspberry Pi”

Madeleine Hughes, working with Adjunct Professor Gregory Brewer: “Measuring Axon Growth Through Micro Tunnels Among Distinct Hippocampal Subregion Networks”

James Whiting and Jada Thomas, working with Professor Roger Rangel: “HyperXite”