K-12 Outreach

Empowering Future Innovators

The ICS Office of Outreach, Access, and Inclusion (OAI) at UC Irvine is committed to broadening access to computing education within the K-12 ecosystem. We recognize the pivotal role that early exposure to computing plays in shaping future opportunities, and as such, OAI actively engages with local schools, community organizations, and educational partners to offer a diverse range of programs and initiatives.

These initiatives include interactive workshops, hands-on summer camps, and mentorship programs, all designed to foster a passion for information and computer science among students from various backgrounds. Our efforts are particularly focused on reaching underrepresented groups, with the goal of cultivating a diverse and inclusive future in the tech sector.

Accessing STEM in Higher Education is a half-day annual conference at UC Irvine, to empower disabled high school students in Orange County by providing knowledge about college disability services, exposure to assistive technologies, connections with inspiring role models and mentors, and collaborative support networks, all aimed at fostering success in STEM careers.

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In collaboration with the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT), the Aspirations in Computing (AiC) program honors 9th-12th grade students who identify as women, genderqueer, or non-binary for their computing or tech related achievements and interests. AiC encourages students to pursue their passions and connects them to resources and a community of like-minded peers. Our AiC recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, and persistence in the face of barriers to access.

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The ICS Summer Academy (ICSSA) provides local high school students with opportunities to explore new cutting edge areas of ICS while immersing themselves in a collegiate environment. Students receive instructions and mentorship from ICS faculty, undergrad and graduate students to tackle real-world issues in the areas of AI/ML, data science, cryptography and software engineering.