Academic Preparation

Please click on one of the links below to find out about programs, services, and a wealth of resources designed to support student success, improve student performance, and motivate students toward a college-preparatory course of study.

ARTS

ARTS AND LECTURES: UCSB’s Arts & Lectures Department’s special events bring insightful thinkers, renowned literary figures, scholars, world leaders, social commentators, and visual artists to Santa Barbara. Tickets to Arts & Lectures events are affordable, and some events are free. Student and subscriber discounts are offered. Arts and Lectures, (805) 893-3535.

UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM: The UCSB Art Museum offers guided visits of its special exhibits and permanent collections to students of all levels. The Museum also provides a special elementary school program that combines an exhibition tour with an in-class art project taught by one of UCSB's ArtsBridge Scholars. University Art Museum: (805) 893-4320.
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LANGUAGE ARTS

ACADEMIC WRITING PROJECT: UCSB Writing Program lecturers visit high school classrooms weekly to consult with teachers on academic writing assignments, co-teach lessons, and present workshops on the writing skills necessary for success at the university. Ilene Miele, (805) 893-3788, miele@writing.ucsb.edu.

YOUNG WRITER'S CAMP: Sponsored by the South Coast Writing Project, this summer camp offers children entering grades 2 through 9 a unique opportunity to develop their creative abilities, improve the quality of their stories/poems, and learn special writing techniques. Some scholarships available. (805) 893-5899. E-mail: youngwriters@education.ucsb.edu.
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MATH/ECONOMICS

ACADEMIC SENATE CENTER FOR FACULTY OUTREACH: Composed of faculty members from various academic departments, the Academic Senate offers outreach programs to secondary teachers and their schools. UCSB faculty members present disciplinary forums, guide research experiences, and participate in teacher development programs. Marisela Marquez (805) 893-2204; marisela.marquez@senate.ucsb.edu.

ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OUTREACH: Members of the Economics Department visit local schools and offer presentations about economic principles, the accounting profession, and the importance of honest reporting. (805) 893-7970.

MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT (MESA): Pre-college program that identifies and assists academic and career preparation of educationally underserved students to get college education. Academic advising and monitoring of students at junior and senior high schools. PSAT and SAT preparation workshops.
MESA Programs include:
ROBOCHALLENGE activities: participating classroom teachers from UCSB feeder schools work with students to create Robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS and ROBOLAB robotics kits. Brad Paden (805) 893-8165 paden@engineering.ucsb.edu.
WOMEN IN ENGINEERING PROGRAM: Pre-K-14 outreach to prepare young women, their families and teachers for successful math and science experiences and engineering career preparation. Classroom and UCSB campus activities. Phyllis Brady (805) 893-8333, pbrady@engineering.ucsb.edu.

UC LINKS: The University-Community Consortium for the Educational Enhancement of California’s Youth projects include an after school computer club known as Club Proteo located at the Goleta Boys and Girls Club and a site known as the Parents, Children and Computers Project (IV-PCCP) at Isla Vista School in the community of Isla Vista. Betsy Brenner: (805) 893-7118, betsy@education.ucsb.edu. http://www.uclinks.org/ and http://www.ucsbngbgc.com
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SCIENCE

APPRENTICE RESEARCHERS AT IQUEST (ARQ): Summer apprentice program for high school students and science teachers to do hands-on scientific investigations in research environment. Wendy Ibsen: (805) 893-8527; wendy@iquest.ucsb.edu.

CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT OUTREACH PROGRAM: Organized through the American Chemical Society (ACS) Chemistry Club at UCSB, the goal of this program is to promote chemistry awareness, to furnish information on career and educational opportunities, and to provide community service. Petra Van Koppen: (805) 893-5512, petra@chem.ucsb.edu.

COMMUNITY SCIENCE CENTER: Demonstrations and experiments done in mini-science museum. Guided tours by appointment. Helen Hansma: (805) 893-5990; hhansma@physics.ucsb.edu.

EXPANDING PATHWAYS TO SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (EPSEM): EPSEM seeks to inspire and nurture students toward pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through a multi-tiered, articulated academic mentorship. This program targets talented and motivated students who, under typical circumstances, would not be matriculating to the University of California immediately after high school. Ofelia Aguirre, (805) 893-7472, aguirre@cnsi.ucsb.edu.

GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES K-14 OUTREACH: Educators, researchers, and graduate students from the Geological Sciences Department offer presentations to local schools. Topics include volcanoes, earthquakes, and fossils. Local students engage in discussions about energy issues, view slides of planets, and take field trips to the Geological Science's extensive Bancroft Mineral Collection. Chuck Anderson: (805) 893-4616, Anderson@geology.ucsb.edu.

INSTITUTE FOR QUANTUM ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (iQUEST): Research unit that focuses on the fundamental properties of complex systems such as superfluid helium, liquid crystals, magnetic nanostructures and semicondoctor superlattices and quantum wells. Improves science education in local schools by promoting interaction between undergraduates, high school students, science teachers, and iQuest researchers.

KIDS DO ECOLOGY: The National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) has joined with Los Marineros, an education program of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, to create the Kids Do Ecology program. Scientists from NCEAS and UCSB work with fifth grade students and their teachers to provide direct experience with the process of scientific investigation, from hypothesis formation to experimental design, data analysis, and presentation. The program maintains a website that synthesizes data collected during Los Marineros field trips. The Kids Do Ecology website is accessed by students and teachers globally as well as locally. ational Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, (805) 892-2500.

MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE – JASON PROJECT INSERVICE PROGRAM: Remote-controlled submersible vessel used to explore marine environment takes students and teachers on electronic field trips to remote sites. Jason teachers participate in workshops given by UCSB scientists. Includes visits to Marine Science Laboratory, UCSB Library, and Natural Reserves. Marine Science Institute: (805) 893-3765.

MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT (MESA): Pre-college program that identifies and assists academic and career preparation of educationally underserved students to get college education. Academic advising and monitoring of students at junior and senior high schools. PSAT and SAT preparation workshops.
MESA Programs include:
ROBOCHALLENGE activities: participating classroom teachers from UCSB feeder schools work with students to create Robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS and ROBOLAB robotics kits. Brad Paden (805) 893-8165 paden@engineering.ucsb.edu.
WOMEN IN ENGINEERING PROGRAM: Pre-K-14 outreach to prepare young women, their families and teachers for successful math and science experiences and engineering career preparation. Classroom and UCSB campus activities. Phyllis Brady (805) 893-8333, pbrady@engineering.ucsb.edu.

PHYSICS CIRCUS: A group of enthusiastic UCSB Physics Department graduate and undergraduate students take a collection of demonstration experiments from the Physics Learning Center on the road to local schools and present an action packed learning experience. Shawn Pfeil: (805) 893-7868; shawn@physics.ucsb.edu.

PHYSICS LEARNING CENTER: Offers hands-on experience to local students exploring principles of electricity, conservation of momentum, flow of fluids. Open daily for field trips. Rich Harding: (805) 893-5990;
harding@rot.physics.ucsb.edu.

QUESTBOARDS: Hands-on activity boards used for investigating circuits, magnets, fiber optics, and lasers. Boards loaned and are accompanied by curriculum material and available teacher workshops on electricity and magnetism. Wendy Ibsen: (805) 893-8527; wendy@iquest.ucsb.edu.

REMOTE ACCESS ASTRONOMY PROJECT (RAAP): RAAP is a small astronomical observatory within the UCSB Physics Department. Its goal is to motivate careers in science and technology by offering exciting hands-on opportunities for students to make their own astronomical observations. Physics Department: (805) 893-5990.

RESEARCH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: This innovative summer program allows pre-college students in grades 10-12 to participate in ongoing laboratory and field-based, cutting edge research in the social, physical, and biological sciences. The student researchers learn to write a scientific paper and present their research at a public symposium at the end of the term. Contact: Summer Sessions, (805) 893-8950.

SCIENCELINE: An internet link and website for students and teachers who want to send questions to UCSB researchers. Graduate students and faculty in science and engineering respond within a week. Sponsored by the NSF Materials Research Laboratory. Martina Michenfelder (805) 893-7928; martina@mrl.ucsb.edu;

SEDGWICK RESERVE: A special program for 5th and 6th grade students, "Kids in Nature," combines hands-on activities in ecology at the UCSB Museum of Systematics and Ecology with visits to the reserve for experiences in botany, habitat restoration, sketching, photography, and computer technology. Natural Reserve System Public Education Programs: (805) 893-4127.

TOUCH TANKS: The touch tank area in the Marine Laboratory gives visiting groups a hands-on introduction to marine life. During the last week of every quarter, students lead tours of the facility, and share information about sea stars, decorator crabs, sand sharks and other marine animals that live off the Santa Barbara coast. Marine Science Institute: (805) 893-3765.

SOCIAL STUDIES

CENTER FOR BLACK STUDIES: The Center for Black Studies provides a forum for research and dialogue about the African Diaspora in the U.S. and around the globe. The Center sponsors many community and education programs. (805) 893-3914.

CENTER FOR CHICANO STUDIES: The Center seeks to develop faculty research initiatives in Chicana/o Studies and participate in the recruitment and retention of Chicano/a faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students, as well as the Chicana/o community. (805) 893-3895.
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MULTIPLE SUBJECTS

ACADEMIC WRITING PROJECT: UCSB Writing Program lecturers visit high school classrooms weekly to consult with teachers on academic writing assignments, co-teach lessons, and present workshops on the writing skills necessary for success at the university. Heather Horn: (805) 893-2002; horn@writing.ucsb.edu.

COLLEGE OF CREATIVE STUDIES – YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM: This program is designed to bring bright, highly motivated, secondary school-aged students on to the UCSB campus for advanced and accelerated study. (805) 893-3759.

COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES CATALOGUE: This annual publication contains a list of Letters and Science programs, presentations, and field trips that UCSB faculty and graduate students offer to local K-12 schools. Identify campus programs of interest and request assistance to schedule the events through the UCSB L&S Academic Research Office. Anthony Cadenas, Academic Outreach Coordinator: (805) 893-7970, outreach@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

EARLY ACADEMIC OUTREACH PROGRAM (EAO): EAOP services over 9,000 students in 36 middle/junior high schools and 31 senior high schools throughout Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura County school districts. Early outreach services and academic programs include an overview of California higher education, financial aid workshops, academic advisement, campus tours, study skills, test preparation, tutorial services, special research projects, summer programs and academies, and parent conferences and institutes. Britt Ortiz (805) 893-7260; ortiz-ba@sa.ucsb.edu.
EAO Programs include:
STUDENT CONFERENCES: The Junior High Conferences brings over 900 EAOP middle school students from Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties to participate in academic tours of campus, applied projects and activities, cultural performances, panel discussions and a knowledge bowl competition. EAOP Youth and Leadership Conferences take place in the spring and bring together EAOP eligible high school students from Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties for leadership and motivational workshops. Students will participate in college preparation activities and academic tours of the campus. UC PREP is hosted for Seniors applying to the UC system and juniors that are UC eligible or participants of the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program. Students meet with UC Reps and discuss their UC admissions options, receive personal statement workshop, financial aid information, Test Prep workshop, campus tour, and a personalized college fair and UC overview. Lia Garcia Holland (805) 893-8233; garcia-l@sa.ucsb.edu.
PARENT CONFERENCES AND SERVICES: EAOP targets parents and develops their skills so they can assist with their child’s college preparation and academic achievement process. College Making It Happen targets the parents of 8th grade EAOP students and provides them with information about financial aid, the four systems of higher Education in California, and the UC/CSU Admissions Requirements. For Migrant Ed Parents workshops are provided in Spanish and focus on how to create a learning environment in the home, understanding the adolescent and the four systems of higher education. At the REACH Summit, families receive academic based preparation and increased awareness about UC preparation. Parent Institutes are provided at some Partnership schools as are parent nights and courses. Contact: Britt Ortiz (805) 893-7260; ortiz-ba@sa.ucsb.edu
UPWARD BOUND: Assists educationally disadvantaged students that are eligible and or demonstrate strong interest and potential for successfully completing high school and obtaining a college education. Through tutoring assistance, college and career planning, parent workshops, educational field trips and a summer residential programs, Upward Bound provides academic support and opportunity. Joanne Madison: (805) 893-3515; madison-j@sa.ucsb.edu.

ENGAGING LATINO COMMUNITIES FOR EDUCATION (ENLACE Y AVANCE PROGRAM): ENLACE works to increase access to higher education for Latino students in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The project involves over seventy partnerships between colleges, K-12 schools, community-based organizations, businesses, and governments. Claudia Martinez (805) 893-5248; claudia.martinez@chicano.ucsb.edu.

GEVIRTZ GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION – GEVIRTZ RESEARCH CENTER: Established by former United States Ambassador Don Gevirtz and his wife Marilyn, the Gevirtz Research Center strives to improve the public school system through intensive research and mutually beneficial partnerships. Working closely with the Santa Barbara School District, researchers identify and analyze effective learning methods. Vishna Herrity (805) 893-7905; vishna@education.ucsb.edu.

STUDENT-INITIATED OUTREACH PROGRAMS: Registered UCSB student organizations do various outreach projects for students in K-12 schools including overnight campus visits, college days, classes, workshops, and festivals. De Acker: (805) 893-3778, acker-d@sa.ucsb.edu.

UC COLLEGE PREP INITIATIVE (UCCP): UCCP assists high school students in becoming competitively eligible for college by offering online Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses and online AP exam preparation free of charge. Lourdes Guerro: (866) 4UC-PREP, uccp@uccp.org.

UCSB ADMISSIONS: The Admissions Office advises students on their post-application and admissions status and provides services to prospective freshman and transfer students. The Admissions Office also operates the UCSB Visitor's Center, which provides more than 30,000 guests each year with information sessions and tours. Outreach Services: (805) 893-2485, appinfo@sa.ucsb.edu; Visitor Center: (805) 893-2487.

UCSB SPEAKERS BUREAU: The UCSB Speakers Bureau is a community outreach program that provides a means for faculty and professional staff to share their knowledge, discuss contemporary and historical issues, nurture support for specific programs, and assist in the recruitment of top students. Faculty and staff deliver lectures, musical performances, and dramatic readings. Office of Community Relations, (805) 893-4388.

UCSB SUMMER SESSIONS: Pre-college enrichment programs for students completing grades 10, 11, and 12. Offers college credit with over 80 classes from which to choose and a Special Research Mentorship Program in Humanities, Physical, Social, and Natural Sciences. UCSB Summer Sessions: (805) 893-2377, w.jankowski@summersessions.ucsb.edu.
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