Upper School Students Conduct College-Level Research Through Partnership With UC-Irvine

Seven Upper School students with an interest in STEAM fields had a valuable first-hand look at a college research environment this summer, as they worked with top minds in engineering, computer science, chemistry, robotics and more at the University of California, Irvine.

The partnership between St. Margaret’s and UCI Samueli School of Engineering is now in its 20th year, and seven students participated this summer. Coordinated by Upper School science teacher Jennifer Ross-Viola, Upper School engineering and science students are matched with UCI faculty members in a research area that aligns with their interest. Students spent several weeks at UCI this summer working on their projects alongside professors and graduate students in college labs.

 

The students presented their work at a showcase event recently at UCI, attended by parents, family, friends, UCI faculty and members of St. Margaret’s professional community including Head of School Dr. Jeneen Graham, science department chair Edmund Herlihy, and Director of Annual Giving Stephanie Hoback.

 

“As a school, we are so fortunate to have this ongoing relationship with UC Irvine,” Dr. Ross-Viola said. “The faculty there is world-class and it’s an amazing opportunity for our students to experience what real-world research is like.”

 

Here are the Tartans who took part in a summer internship:

 

Project: “Practical Thumb Robot Prototype” with Professor David Reinkensmeyer.

Project: “Finger Robot Clinical Trial and EEG Study” with Professor David Reinkensmeyer.

Project: “Mutated Propionaldehyde Dehydrogenase (PduP)’s Activity on Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)” with Associate Professor Han Li.

Project: “Machine Learning Analyzation in FPGA Performances using HLS” with Assistant Professor Sitao Huang.

Project: “CARB Mobility Equity,” with Assistant Professor, Michael Hyland.

Project: “Observing Aggregates of HTT Oligomers in Huntington’s Disease” with Associate Professor Michelle Digman.