Outreach

Community Events

The Bioinspired Robotics and Design Lab is an active member of the San Diego community, and as such we believe in making a positive impact. This positive impact is achieved through collaboration with various programs throughout San Diego for the promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education. The promotion of STEM education is an important part of building a stronger community and also in inspiring the next generation of researchers.

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Family Academic Programs Science and Technology Series 

This day-long event introduced CTY Students and their families to research underway at UC San Diego related to the topic of biologically inspired robots.

Presentation for "Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants"

We presented on  Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Biomimicry for the educational outreach program, Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants. We were excited to talk with students from across North America through this virtual classroom setting to promote their interest in ocean exploration and bioinspired technologies.  

http://www.exploringbytheseat.com/lesson/jessica-sandoval-rov-pilot-biomimicry/ 

Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Stem Career Conference

We presented a hands-on workshop highlighting our research interests at the AWIS San Diego Stem Career Conference. We worked with high school students to assemble and program robotic flowers actuated using shape memory alloys. The goal of this one day conference is to inspire, connect, and guide high school women interested in STEM careers. 

http://www.awissd.org/index.php 

Ocean Discovery Institute

In collaboration with the Ocean Discovery Institute, we have presented to fifth grade classes about STEM and our research at UC San Diego. We have also worked with the students to design, build, and drive remotely operated vehicles. The Ocean Discovery Institute is an organization that provides access to ocean science and STEM education for students from undeserved urban communities. 

http://oceandiscoveryinstitute.org 

San Diego Maker Faire

The Maker Faire is a gathering of people fascinated with learning about new technology, and a place where people showcase their hobbies, experiments, and other projects. We were excited to host a booth and demonstrate some of our research at the 2016 Maker Faire. 

http://sandiego.makerfaire.com

UrbanLife Robotics Program 

Urban Life is a Christian organization that provides numerous programs for at risk youth in San Diego; one of these programs centers around students interested in engineering and robotics. We hosted these students for a tour of our lab and demonstrations about our work in robotics. For more information on this the Urban Life program, please visit:

https://www.urbanlifesd.org/

Undergraduate Research Programs 

The BRDL has had the pleasure of working with many talented undergraduate students from all majors to encourage and promote higher education beyond a Bachelor’s Degree.  Many undergraduate students have been able to explore higher education through research in the lab made possible by scholarships programs at UC San Diego. For more information on the research scholarships available through UC San Diego please see: https://students.ucsd.edu/finances/financial-aid/types/scholarships/urs/index.html

California Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Research Program

The California Louis Stokes Alliance tor Minority Participation (CAMP) in Science, Engineering and Mathematics program at UC San Diego provides support and advancement opportunities to students defined as underrepresented by the National Science Foundation (African American, Mexican American, Latino/Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Native Pacific Islander) who are seeking bachelor's degrees in chemistry, physics, cognitive science, biology, other sciences, mathematics, engineering and technology. The CAMP Summer Research scholarship provides students with the opportunity to work as research assistants on projects supervised by a faculty mentor, and develop the skills to write and present their work at the Undergraduate Research Conference. For more information on this particular scholarship program please visit: https://students.ucsd.edu/sponsor/camp/activities.html#CAMP-Summer-Research-Program

Summer Training Academy for Research Success (STARS)

The Summer Training Academy for Research Success (STARS) is an eight-week research academy for undergraduate and graduate students. At the end of the program, students present their research at the UC San Diego Summer Research Conference. STARS offers students a rigorous research opportunity with UC San Diego faculty, transfer and graduate school preparation workshops, and educational, cultural and social activities. For more information on this scholarship program please visit: http://grad.ucsd.edu/degrees/summer-researches/stars/index.html

Institute for Mexican Abroad (IME) Becas Program

The IME Becas is a program of the government of Mexico that seeks to help expand educational opportunities for people of Mexican origin from a low income background. The program seeks to facilitate development of Mexicans in the US, in order to be better members of society. IME Becas does this by providing funding to educational institutions with programs for students interested in higher education. For more information on this scholarship program please visit: http://becas.ime.gob.mx/