Outreach at AIChE at UC Irvine aims at engaging STEM activities, with a focus on chemical engineering, to inspire and empower K–12 students, cultivate curiosity and enthusiasm in the discipline, and lay a solid foundation for the future generation of engineers at UCI and beyond. 

AIChE at UCI participated in Antgineering during ESC's (Engineering Student Council) Engineering Week! Antgineering is great way to expose middle and high school students to what engineering is all about! AIChE at UCI used this chance to demonstrate the fundamentals of a battery, one of the key focuses of chemical engineering research here at UCI! Students will also have the opportunity to dive deep into the research aspect of engineering through designated lab tours of some of the many design projects UCI has to offer.

AIChE volunteered with Dreams For Schools to prepare kits for making slingshot cars. Dreams For Schools is a nonprofit program dedicated to expanding education access to STEM and introducing STEM subjects in an accessible way to low-income students and communities.

In October 2024, the Outreach Coordinators and board members of AIChE went to Orange Coast College for their annual Girl Scout Stem Expo. This program is a chance for Girl Scouts across Orange County to participate in hands-on activities with STEM themes or applications. The initiative is part of an effort to bring more girls into STEM and other related fields. 

In May 2024, the Outreach Coordinators of AIChE and various Engineering Student Organizations hosted IGNITE at UC Irvine. Students from middle and high schools came to our campus for a day to take part in interactive lab tours, hands-on workshops, faculty information sessions, and social gatherings with current UCI students.

The program effectively sparked an interest in STEM among underrepresented students and provided them and their families with useful information on engineering majors, professional careers, and college admissions. IGNITE was a step toward a STEM future that is more diverse and inclusive. 

Please fill out our Outreach Volunteer Interest Form to receive email updates on any upcoming volunteering/outreach opportunities hosted by AIChE at UCI!