BEAM School Year

New

January 2021 (12-16 weeks)

University Certificate & HS Credit for Advanced Lab Research

UCI x GATI's Online Lab Research Program (BEAM 2.0)  for High School Students Interested in the Fields of Science, Tech, Engineering & Medicine! 

University-Level Online STEM Research 

UCI x GATI offers an enriching experience for gifted high school students to pursue their passion and interests in the ever-expanding fields of Biology, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Medicine (BEAM).

 

Students will learn about current research of distinguished faculty at UCI under the guidance of a lab mentor. They will be grouped in a cohort with other gifted high school students from all over the world. 

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  • Learn from lectures about up-to-date research, cutting-edge technology, real-world applications in the interdisciplinary fields of BEAM such as mechanical / biomedical engineering, neurobiology, 

  • Learn about a specific research topic that you are matched with. Work with your research project group and conduct research under the guidance of research mentors and faculty. 

  • Organize research findings and write a paper. 

 

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How BEAM School Year Works

01/

Online Lectures [Self-Paced]

Learn from lectures about up-to-date research, cutting-edge technology, real-world applications in the interdisciplinary fields of BEAM. Topics include:  

  • Mechanical / Chemical Engineering

  • Biomedical Engineering 

  • Anatomy and Neurobiology

  • Neurology and Neurological Surgery

  • Physics & Chemistry

02/

Weekly Research Group Meetings [Live]

Learn about a specific research topic that you are matched with (See topics below). Work with your research project group and conduct research under the guidance of lab mentors and faculty. 

03/

Innovation Mentorship 

Explore different ways to apply STEM interests and skills to "innovation." Engage with the ANTrepreneur (UCI's Entrepreneurship Center) mentors as well as  startups that are launched by STEM-focused students in the fields of BEAM, and ideate your own startup.

BEAM Faculty for Spring 2021

Yama Akbari

Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurological Surgery

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Dr.  Akbari's research revolves around investigating mechanisms underlying consciousness, coma, and global stroke with a focus on cardiac arrest (CA) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  His lab is the first cardiac arrest and resuscitation lab at UC Irvine, incorporating a combination of basic science, translational, and clinical research aspects. 

David Reinkensmeyer

Professor at the Anatomy and Neurobiology & Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

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Dr. Reinkensmeyer's research activities focus on movement control, neuro-rehabilitation and robotics. One of his group's objectives is to develop physically interacting, mechatronic devices ("rehabilitators") to help the nervous system recover movement ability after neurologic injuries such as stroke or spinal cord injury. His group also is working to understand the adaptive control processes that enable motor learning throughout the life span.

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Sample Project Outline

Akbari's Lab

* Analyze statistical evidence showing that an earlier onset of the spreading depolarization (SD) in the brain after cardiac arrest can help improve rats’ neurological outcome after resuscitation.

* Further explore the heart and brain connection underlying spreading depolarization.

* Examine associations between variables of heart and brain activity both prior to and following the onset of spreading depolarization. 

  • Session 1 –  Intro to Akbari Lab

  • Session 2 –  Cardiac Arrest and Optical Imaging

  • Session 3 –  Planning an Experiment: Literature Search and Hypothesis

  • Session 4 –  Planning an Experiment: Experimental Design

  • Session 5 – Intro to Matlab

  • Session 6 – Matlab: Data Analysis

  • Session 7 –  Intro to Statistics

  • Session 8 – How to Present Scientific Work

  • Session 9 - Writing an Academic Paper

  • Session 10 - Presentation & Feedback

 Reinkensmeyer's Lab

* Complete a series of activities leading to the design and development of a wearable gaming controller using a kit of mechatronics parts. 

* Experiment with modifying the gaming controller so that it can be used by people with different forms of motor impairment, such as paralysis from spinal cord injury.

* Investigate the process of motor learning in the context of learning to use the novel gaming controller. 

  • Session 1 – Project Introduction

  • Session 2 – Lab - Arduino Basis

  • Session 3 – Solidworks Tutorial

  • Session 4 – Lab - IMU Introduction

  • Session 5 – Lab - IMU Controller

  • Session 6 – Presentation - Mount Design

  • Session 7 – Lab - Matlab-Arduino Interface

  • Session 8 – Existing SCI Tech

  • Session 9 - Writing an Academic Paper

  • Session 10 - Presentation & Feedback