Announcements
Mentoring & Tutoring Program
Mentors & tutors are available to assist with time-management, guidance / tutoring to help you navigate your academic experience, and campus life. The winter Mentor & Tutor Schedule may be accessed here.
Cal NERDS
Cal NERDS is hosting their Cal NERDS Intro to Python Coding virtual weekend boot camps for late February and March. These are for undergraduate and graduate students who have NO CODING EXPERIENCE but are interested in learning the basics.
CAMP Updates
CAMP 2025 Statewide Symposium
This year’s CAMP Statewide Symposium was held at the Beckman Center in Irvine, where undergraduate students presented their research from 9 different UC campuses. Special congratulations to Joshua Bravo and David Martinez for receiving Honorable Mentions!
Faculty Spotlight
Meet Dr. Star Lee!
Dr. Star Lee is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology at the School of Biological Sciences. She strongly believes that undergraduate research is a key part of student success, not just for learning lab techniques, but for gaining professional skills like communication and teamwork. Outside of work, Dr. Lee is passionate about exploring new foods, and at times she uses food as an icebreaker to engage with her students.
In what capacity do you work at UC Irvine?
I am an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology at the School of Biological Sciences. As a teaching faculty member, most of my job is dedicated to teaching courses. I teach a variety of courses, including an upper-division developmental and cell biology lab course, a scientific writing course, and a general education science course.
How did you become involved with the CAMP program?
I started working on the research aspect of the CAMP Statewide Program. I am involved in a research project that looks into how the CAMP Statewide Program supports students. It is primarily about understanding the experiences of CAMP students and how the program supports them in their academic journey. I do not interact directly with CAMP students as a faculty research mentor, but my role is more behind the scenes, focusing on the research side of things. It is a bit difficult to describe because with programs like CAMP, people are often interested in how they benefit students or participants. One way to answer that question is through a research project that looks at the impact and experiences of the participants. And so for me, it is looking at the experiences of CAMP students.
What is your educational philosophy?
I hope people get the education they want and that they are able to gain the skills they desire or learn about the field they are interested in. I want them to understand that everyone is capable of succeeding, but the journey to success might look different for each person.
I think that is what makes this question so hard because education is such an individualized and personalized journey. It is a process we all embark on in our own ways. The journey itself is a learning experience; the content, the skills, all of it. Figuring out what you want to learn about, what your interests are, and what you want to do with those skills are part of your education and training. Sometimes, we do not recognize these things as part of our education, but they are.
I, also, think education does not necessarily have to happen only in the classroom. Our experiences inside and outside of the classroom contribute to our education. Learning how to navigate society and its constraints is part of how we learn to succeed, whatever success might mean for an individual. For someone, their education does not have to happen strictly through degrees or in classrooms. It is about how you learn, how you apply what you have learned, and how you adapt to the limitations that may be placed on you.
Why do you believe undergraduate research is an important component of the student experience?
I love this question because it is so important. I encourage students in all my classes to get involved in research if they are not already because they can gain so many skills that students are not always aware of. And I am not talking about laboratory or wet lab skills in the context of STEM; it is more about being part of a professional group. Your lab group is a professional group and learning how to be a professional while you are still a student means you are gaining skills that could be applied to your future career.
The main purpose is not about getting a letter of recommendation, though that is often why students enter labs. It is about helping students understand that they will learn many things in a research setting that they cannot learn in the classroom. That is part of their education and part of their journey. If you do not learn how to communicate with your supervisor, no matter what your next step is, that could be a big downfall. And that is why practicing these types of skills in a setting is really valuable.
You also get to practice how to work as a team. Because students often work in groups in classes, they sometimes struggle with group dynamics. It can be challenging. Some students feel like they do all the work, while others do none. These dynamics can be difficult to navigate. But in a professional setting, you still must figure it out, even though no one’s grade depends on it. You still need to find a way to make it work. So, how do we navigate these work relationships? It is a hard skill to learn, and I tell my students this all the time.
What advice would you give students that may be afraid to communicate with faculty?
Sometimes students are given the advice to go to office hours so that faculty can write a letter of recommendation for them, but instead of focusing on that, I suggest thinking of office hours as an easy way to start a conversation. You could ask a faculty member questions like, “How did you decide on your major when you were an undergrad?” or “How did you decide to go to grad school?” or “How did you become a faculty member?” This is what is called an informational interview in the professional world, and I think it is something students can do with their faculty members. Even if you do not have any questions about the content of their course, it is a way to practice talking to faculty.
Sometimes students email me just to say, “I would like to talk to you about careers in general,” and I am happy to have such conversations. I will tell them about my journey, how I got to where I am. The reason this is so helpful is because when you talk to different faculty members, you will realize that no one’s journey is the same. The more people you talk to, the more you realize everyone has taken their own individual path to get to where they are. But as undergrads, especially as you are approaching graduation, you often feel like there is a strict plan that you must follow. And there is a lot of pressure and stress to stick to that plan. But I will tell you, your education and career journey is personal and unique.
What do you do for fun?
I like to travel. I think experiencing different cultures and trying new foods is one of my favorite things. I love to eat, so I enjoy trying foods I have not tried before. For me, traveling is all about eating good food. That would definitely be at the top of what I like to do for fun, though I do not get to do it as much as I would like.
If I see a Netflix show about food, I will think, “Oh, I should go there and eat that. That looks amazing!” So, yeah, I just love learning about food and eating it. That is what I do for fun. I also like talking to people, asking, “What is your favorite place to eat around here? What kind of food do you like?” It is a common icebreaker I use with my students to learn more about places around here that I may not have yet discovered.
What is your favorite movie and why?
So, this is a tough one because I have not watched a movie in a long time. I mainly watch Korean dramas, mostly on Netflix.
I do not have a favorite, per se, but I think the most recent one I watched and really enjoyed was Queen of Tears. It is a very solid Korean drama. The reason I watch Korean dramas, though, to be honest, is because it is a way for me to practice my Korean.
What is your favorite song and why?
I do not listen to music other than instrumental. To be fair, I do not think I like music that much. I have never been really into music, even as a kid. I have never been to a concert. Honestly, I would rather spend that money on good food.
What advice would you give students with respect to successfully navigating their STEM degree program?
Students must take an active role in their education. That can be challenging because it means approaching faculty, asking questions when they do not understand something, and asking for help if they are going through a tough time. Especially in STEM degrees, there are going to be courses that are challenging and frustrating. Learning how to navigate that frustration might mean asking for help, seeking out different types of resources, or changing your study strategy from what you used in high school.
I am mainly speaking about courses here, but it also goes back to taking an active role in finding a research position if that is going to help you. The responsibility is on the student because no one is going to come to you and say, “Hey, I see you are struggling with this course. Let us talk about it.” Especially in the larger courses. If a faculty member has 300-400 students, it is unlikely they are going to recognize that you are struggling. So, you have got to recognize that you are struggling and change something about your approach. You may need to ask for help or adjust your study strategies.
You must be your own advocate.
Student Spotlight
Meet Christine Oladapo!
Christine Oladapo is a sophomore at UC Irvine majoring in Computer Science with a research interest in online safety and evaluating the effectiveness of current measures in protecting individuals’ safety. She has been an active member of CAMP since her first year and is now an Administrative Assistant for the CAMP office. Christine has a passion for community, serving on the publicity committee for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and as secretary for Black in Tech (BIT), a club she helped co-found to create a safe space for others in STEM.
How long have you been involved with CAMP and what are some of the services you have utilized?
I have been involved with CAMP since coming into my first year at UCI. I participated in CSSA (CAMP Summer Science Academy) during the summer, and one of the most helpful CAMP services I have utilized is their book loan program. It was especially useful when I took my lower division math courses in the fall and winter quarters.
Are you part of any clubs? If so, which ones? Why is it important for you to get involved?
I am a part of the publicity committee for NSBE, which is the National Society of Black Engineers. I also serve as secretary for BIT (Black in Tech), a club I helped co-found. It is important for me to get involved because in STEM it can often feel isolating, but being a part of a community outside of class reminds me I am not alone. And it is also a way for me to help others find a safe space.
What do you do for fun?
I love spending time with friends when I get the chance. Maybe people would not say this is fun, but I enjoy running. It is a stress reliever for me. It really helps me clear my mind. And I do love a good binge-watch session on Netflix.
What is your favorite food?
Street tacos. They are so good. I love how flavorful they are. It hits every time.
Favorite movie? Why?
Mean Girls, because it is a classic. It always provides a nice laugh no matter how many times I have seen it.
Favorite song? Why?
My favorite song is Normal Girl by SZA. It is a song that resonates deeply with me because the lyrics talk about wanting to fit in and be accepted, which is something I feel a lot of people can relate to at different points in their lives.
What advice would you give your fellow CAMP scholars about successfully navigating higher education?
Some advice I would give my fellow CAMP scholars to successfully navigate higher education is to not be afraid to put yourself out there. It is really easy to feel like you are not as qualified as everyone else, but the worst case is you apply or you put yourself out there and they say no.
Mentor Way
CAMP Doctoral Student Mentorship
Office Hours: Fridays, for 1 hour at the CAMP Office
A bit about Jordan James Bond, UCI Doctoral Student:
I am a first-generation college graduate. My successful collegiate journey is one that can be described by self-made, unconventional, and determination. I am evidence that if there is a will then there is a way; however, I aspire to pave the path for those who come after me. I am a student whose life experience outweighs their academic growth, often resulting in having to learn to navigate imposter syndrome. I am a molecular biologist with a dash of biochemist working toward a doctorate degree in Biology under the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with research that focuses on documenting molecular mechanisms of anticipatory biology.
Interested in scheduling a meeting to discuss your academic goals and navigating college with Jordan?
Please reach out to Leonora Peña at ldwillia@uci.edu to schedule a 1-hour session.
Graduate Fellowships/Assistantships/Scholarships
Research Opportunities
University of Georgia NSF Funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
The NSF Funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Georgia provides an intensive, hands-on summer research opportunity for undergraduate students in genomics, proteomics, computational biology, metabolomics, cellular and molecular biology, and systems biology. This program invites participants to join research teams, develop independent projects, and gain valuable exposure to cutting-edge scientific work.
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
UCSF Pre-Health Undergraduate Program
Join The UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Training Program offers a summer clinical research training program for up to 40 underrepresented minority undergraduate students who are planning to attend dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation therapy, pharmacology or other professional schools after graduation, and who have an interest in a career in clinical research.
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR)
The UCLA Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) offer upper division undergraduate students with outstanding academic potential the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research projects. The tentative dates for SPUR 2025 are June 23 to August 19 (8-week programs) and June 23 to August 29 (10-week programs).
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is a research fellowship for UCI undergraduate students. It is aimed at students with some prior research experience who plan to continue an intensive, faculty mentored research experience over the summer. The fellowships are typically for 10 weeks, with a commitment of 20 hours per week. However, the total time commitment is flexible and should be appropriate for the proposed project. The award amounts are flexible and dependent on student need and the time commitment of the project. They are capped at $3,000, with an average award of $1,500.
Application Deadline: April 4, 2025
National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program
This program is for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science research. The program provides scholarship recipients up to $20,000 per academic year for tuition, educational, and reasonable living expenses. Scholarships are awarded for one year and can be renewed for up to four years. For every year of scholarship support, scholars commit to two paid service obligations in the NIH Intramural Research Program.
Final Deadline: March 26, 2025
REU Finder
REUFinder.com is a quick and easy way for students to find research opportunities. The site is divided into pages that list REU opportunities by year (freshmen, sophomore, junior and seniors as well as specific populations such as community college, international students, and undocumented students). REU Finder seeks to minimize extensive google searches to make it easy for students to identify programs that might be a good fit for.
NSF-Funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates
The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. The search page is meant to help scholars search for an REU site throughout the country.
Click here to learn more.
Pathways to Science Summer Research Tool
Deadlines are fast approaching for paid summer research programs! PathwaysToScience.org has a searchable database of 700+ summer research programs in all STEM disciplines. These are all FULLY FUNDED opportunities including programs sponsored by NSF, NASA, NIH, etc. We also have a selection of resources to help you strengthen your applications. Please contact The Institute for Broadening Participation Senior Advisor, Liv Detrick, at ldetrick@ibparticipation.org for assistance in finding a program that is a good fit for you.
Click here to find research programs and learn more.
Scholarships
Aysen Tunca Memorial Scholarship
The Aysen Tunca Memorial Scholarship is offering a $2,500 award to a female undergraduate student majoring in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, math). This scholarship honors Aysen Tunca, who overcame significant obstacles in her early life to complete her education. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, in their sophomore or junior year of college, and members of the SPS national organization.
Deadline: March 15, 2025
PG&E Employee Resource Group and Engineering Network Group Scholarship
PG&E Employee Resource Group and Engineering Network Group Scholarships have various scholarships for continuing undergraduate students including the PG&E Black Employee Resource Group and the PG&E Latino Employee Resource Group Scholarships. These scholarships are meant to inspire students to achieve their full potential at all levels within the community. They emphasize leadership development, quality service, youth achievement and appreciation for cultural diversity.
Application Deadline: March 22, 2025
The ACS Scholars Program awards renewable scholarships to undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups in the chemical sciences, majoring in chemistry-related disciplines, and intending to pursue chemistry-related careers. Selected recipients are awarded up to $5,000 per academic year.
Application Deadline: March 23, 2025
CBCF The Tracking Foundation Multi-Year Scholarship Program
The Tracking Foundation Scholarship Program awards academically talented and highly motivated African American or Black students pursuing an undergraduate degree in all discipline areas. This scholarship is renewed on a yearly basis up to 4 years, upon meeting the renewal requirements.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Selected recipients will receive a merit-based scholarship ranging in amounts from $500 to $5,000 or a non-merit based scholarship ranging from $500 – $1,000, listing in the GMiS Scholars press release, and transportation support to the annual GMiS Conference, where scholars are presented with their scholarship by the sponsor.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Internship Opportunities
NextGen STEM Fellowship, Inc. is a non-profit, organization that promotes diversity and equality in STEM undergraduate education. NextGen programs focus on student persistence, skill acquisition, and degree completion.
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
JPL Year-Round Internship Program
The JPL Year-Round Internship Program offers part-time and full-time internship opportunities at JPL during the academic year as well as summers to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering or Mathematics. The JPL Summer Internship Program is a 10-week full-time internship where students are paired with a mentor and work to complete a designated project while contributing to NASA and JPL missions and science.
Summer Application Deadline: March 14, 2025
The Port of Los Angeles Student Engineer Program
Throughout the year, the Port of Los Angeles employs college engineering majors as student engineers or architecture majors as student architects. Student engineers or architects may assist in the design and construction of major Port and LA Waterfront projects.
Application Deadline: Year – Round
SCE Internships – Electrical, Mechanical, and Computer Science Majors
Become a summer intern at Southern California Edison (SCE) and build a better tomorrow. In this 12-week internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience with meaningful work while developing your skills and building your network. SCE big believers that diversity leads to innovation, creativity, and collaboration. As a summer intern, your work will help power our planet, reduce carbon emissions and create cleaner air for everyone.
Application Deadline: Rolling
Fellowship Opportunities
Marine energy technologies convert the energy of waves, tides, and river and ocean currents into electricity and have the potential to provide millions of Americans with locally sourced, clean, and reliable energy. The WPTO funded Marine Energy Fellowship: Graduate Student Track will strengthen those efforts by preparing post-graduates for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers in marine energy important to WPTO by providing opportunities at industry organizations, DOE laboratories, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), nonprofits, and other DOE/WPTO-approved facilities.
Application Deadline: March 7, 2025
Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellows
Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellows are significantly accomplished leaders with proven track records of innovation and achievement, along with 20+ years of recognized senior, executive-level leadership over their primary career.
Application Deadline Second Selection: March 31, 2025
Montana Space Grant Consortium
Each year, Montana Space Grant Consortium offers graduate fellowships of $11,000 plus in-state tuition up to six credits for one semester. Montana State University Students will receive a one-semester full tuition waiver for in-state or out-of-state tuition, thanks to the support of the Graduate School.
Application Deadline: Saturday, April 1, 2025
STEM Student Org. Corner
American Medical Women’s Association Undergraduate Division (AMWAUCI)
Biomedical Engineering Society
MAES Latinos in Science and Engineering
Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS)
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Pre-Veterinary and Animal Wellness Association (PAWA)
Public Health Association (PHA)
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Women in Information and Computer Sciences (WICS)
Did You Know…
Did you know that the UCI Department of Chemistry offers FREE peer tutoring via Zoom to students taking General Chemistry courses such as Chem 1A or Chem 1B. The department also has another set of peer tutors that can assist with Organic Chemistry (Chem 51B). It is important to utilize these resources as they are meant to help you be successful in the course! The Department of Physics also has free tutoring for Physics 2, 7 series, and 3 series. The tutors are the teaching assistants (TAs) for the courses. Additionally, the Department of Mathematics also has TAs and graduate students offering free virtual tutoring for Math 1A/1B and Math 2A/2B.
Upcoming Events
UCI School of Biological Sciences – Developmental and Cell Biology Seminar: Dr. Xin Jin
Thursday, March 6, 2025
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Natural Sciences II, Room 4201
Join Dr. Xin Jin, Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Scripps Research, for a seminar on scalable investigation of gene function and organ-wide action with in vivo Perturb-seq. Dr. Jin will discuss the challenges in analyzing gene function across diverse cell types in vivo and how his research leverages AAV technology to expand the resolution and scale of in vivo CRISPR screens. This talk will explore innovative approaches to studying neurodegenerative diseases and aging, offering new insights into gene function and therapeutic strategies.
UCI Henry Samueli School of Engineering -MSE 298 SEMINAR: What One Material Can Do
Thursday, March 13, 2025
2:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.
McDonnell Douglas Engineering Auditorium (MDEA)
Join Dr. Junqiao Wu, Professor and Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UC Berkeley, for a seminar on the remarkable properties of vanadium dioxide. Dr. Wu will discuss its metal-insulator phase transition at 67°C and how its unique electrical and optical properties have led to groundbreaking discoveries in correlated electron behavior. This talk will explore applications ranging from thermal radiation regulation to neural plasticity simulation, offering insights into the future of functional and electronic materials.
UCI School of Biological Sciences-Cell Biology Seminar: Dr. Karen Schindler
Thursday, March 13, 2025
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Natural Sciences II, Room 4201
Join Dr. Karen Schindler, Professor at Rutgers University, for a seminar on the genetic contributions to aneuploidy in eggs. Dr. Schindler will discuss the mechanisms that regulate chromosome segregation in eggs and the genetic mutations that lead to extreme egg aneuploidy in humans. This talk will explore the role of aneuploidy in early miscarriage and reproductive health, providing new insights into the genetic factors that impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
UCI School of Information & Computer Sciences: Data Integration Via Analysis of Subspaces (DIVAS)
Friday, March 14, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Donald Bren Hall, 2011
Join Dr. J.S. Marron, Professor at the University of North Carolina, as he explains how DIVAS may be used to help integrate disparate data types into a single data analysis.
UCI School of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Adventures in Drug Hunting
Monday, March 17, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sue Gross Auditorium
Join Dr. Wendy B. Young, Senior Advisor at Google Ventures and a biotech executive with over 30 years of experience, for an insightful seminar on “Adventures in Drug Hunting.” Dr. Young will share her journey through small molecule drug discovery and development, highlighting breakthroughs in oncology, immunology, and neurological diseases. She will also discuss unmet medical needs in women’s health and the role of science in driving meaningful change.
UCI School of Biological Sciences- Dean’s Distinguished Lecture: Using Neuroscience to Transform Our Understanding of Depression
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
4:00PM
UCI Student Center
Join Dr. Fan Yang, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean in the School of Basic Medical Sciences at Zhejiang University, for a seminar on the rational design of novel modulators to TRP ion channels for analgesia. Dr. Yang will discuss how TRP ion channels, essential for thermo-reception and nociception, are activated by temperature and various pain-inducing compounds. Utilizing a range of biophysical techniques, including patch-clamp recordings, cryo-EM, and computational modeling, Dr. Yang will explain the mechanisms behind TRP channel activation and modulation by compounds binding to specific “hot spots.”
UCI School of Pharmaceutical Sciences – From mechanistic insights to drug discovery: the power of computation
Monday, March 24, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sue Gross Auditorium
Join Dr. Marco De Vivo, Associate Director of the Italian Institute of Technology and Principal Investigator of the Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery laboratory. This seminar will cover how understanding the molecular mechanism of the NKCC1 transporter could provide a strategy for drug discovery with the goal of treating neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. De Vivo will also discuss the laboratory’s progress in developing compounds which could regulate RNA splicing, a process which may lead to novel treatment methods for congenital diseases and cancer.
UCI School of Medicine – CHOC and UCI Distinguished Lecture Series
Monday, March 26, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Zoom
Join Dr. Andrew F. Beck, an Attending Physician in the Division of General & Community Pediatrics and the Division of Hospital Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s and the Director of Population Health/Health Equity Research and Innovation at the Office of Population Health and the Michael Fisher Child Health Equity Center. Dr. Beck will discuss strategies to engage pediatric populations while encourage collaboration between researchers, community members, and other interested parties.