Education/Outreach
Over the past five years, Water UCI has orchestrated a number of outreach activities targeting K-12, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, water industry professionals, and the public. The centerpiece of Water UCI’s education and community outreach effort is the Middle School Challenge (MSC) Program. MSC is a four-week educational program for middle school students and UCI graduate students. UCI students prepare lectures on water sustainability topics and teach middle school students during a one-day seminar series. The participating middle school students then develop, with the help of UCI student mentors, innovative water solutions ranging from viral videos to policy prescriptions to new technologies.
Water UCI also organizes a monthly colloquium series featuring experts in various water science, technology and policy areas, including government officials, industry experts and academics. These are typically well attended (100+ attendees) by students, faculty, water professionals and members of the public.
Our center is also home to an internship program, workforce development programs, an international student exchange program and produces a number of workshops and events for academics, students, water professionals, regulators and the public. Click below to learn more about our education and outreach programs.
March 2025
Water UCI collaborated with Moreno Valley College’s TRIO program to deliver an interactive and informative presentation to their students. This presentation is a part of Water UCI’s dedication to outreach and education for younger audiences. Through education and exposure, we are able to connect directly with younger audiences to share opportunities for water-related careers, research, and innovation. One main component of this event included the creation of an ArcGIS Storymap which was used as an example for TRIO’s students to demonstrate how U.S. census data can be compiled into map layers and utilized for narrative purposes.
This storymap titled “Water Inequity in California” focuses on a few key concepts: the intersection between water abundance/accessibility, water contamination data, and race and income demographics.
If you are interested in coordinating a Water UCI presentation for your high school please contact Water UCI’s Director Dr. David Feldman, Associate Director Dr. Changdeok Gim, and Communication Director Kayla Villon.
