Important Dates to Remember
Program Dates: April 28 – May 21, 2026
Tuesdays and Thursdays each week, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM over Zoom
About the UCSD Junior Research Academy
Students in grade 8 and 9 are invited to join us for our new UCSD Junior Research Academy. If you are interested in learning more about one of your school subjects or perhaps an extracurricular interest that you have, then this program is for you! Taught by UCSD junior and senior undergraduate students over the course of four weeks over Zoom, this program will give students the opportunity to select a subject that they wish to study further. Our goal is to inspire students to think about the future and perhaps be inspired to pursue an area of interest in high school, college and beyond.
Program Highlights
- UCSD undergraduate instructors with junior and senior standing
- Four week course with eight one hour sessions
- Small class size of eight students
Read About our Spring Courses
This spring, UCSD brings you four different topics that are of interest to many students around the county. Think that you might be interested in engineering but you are not quite sure? Do you love math and would like to gain further skills? Have you heard of data science and wonder what it is? Why not spend four weeks with us and learn about one of these topics? You may be inspired to pursue your interest further!
Courses:
Building Tomorrow: Your First Steps Into Engineering
Together we will explore the world of engineering through real-world stories, historic engineering challenges, and collaborative discussion. Over these four weeks, students will learn how engineers use their creativity and problem-solving to design everything from bridges to smartphones. Each session will blend examples from engineering history with interactive activities where students will work together to solve challenges of their own. By the end of the program, each student will present a one minute “Lightning Talk” on an engineering topic or project of their choice. No prior experience needed, just curiosity and eagerness to learn.
About the Instructor
This class will be taught by Tamer Aryan, a junior at UC San Diego majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Tamer brings previous volunteer experience leading STEM presentations and working with middle school students. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys snowboarding and working on personal engineering projects.
Discover Data Science: The Cool Cousin of Computer Science
In this course, students will explore how data can be used to understand and explain the world around them. They will learn how to recognize patterns, create clear and engaging visualizations, and turn data into meaningful stories. Across the sessions, students will gain hands-on experience working with data, developing intuition for how to transform raw information into insights through an inductive process. Using real-world examples ranging from everyday topics to rigorous environmental data, students will build skills in interpreting graphs, formulating thoughtful research questions, and communicating their ideas effectively and ethically.
About the Instructor
My name is Dylan! I’m an undergraduate data science student at UC San Diego, where I study and rsearch coral reef ecosystems using data. Inspired by the natural world and the patterns in it, my work integrates science, storytelling, and computation to bring data to life. When I’m not immersed in datasets, you’ll often find me running or hiking, drawn to the same natural patterns that spark my curiosity and fuel my work.
Foundations of Algebra and Problem Solving
Students in this 8th–9th grade math class will build a strong foundation in core algebraic & problem-solving skills while gaining confidence in applying math to real-world situations. Through these eight sessions, students will explore topics like linear equations and inequalities, graphing, functions, systems of equations, and an intro to exponents and polynomials. The main goals of the class are to strengthen conceptual understanding and encourage students to explain their reasoning clearly. Sessions.
About the Instructor
Hello, I’m Maryam! I am excited to be teaching your students math. Classes will take place online on Tuesdays and Thursdays from ——. We will be covering basic algebra and geometry concepts. Students are encouraged to participate and ask questions. Pencils and paper are required for students to work out problems on the side.
This is a great opportunity for students needing more support in math, or wanting extra enrichment! As classes go on, content will be tailored to students’ needs.
—————————–– Confident math skills
Introduction to Nanoengineering: Building the Tiny World of Tomorrow
Ever wonder how a smartwatch actually knows you’re running or how a robotic arm can move from thought alone? This four-week course is a deep dive into the engineering behind bio-wearable technology. Students get a practical, ground-level look at how these systems really work.
We’ll be learning about microcontrollers like the ESP32, along with electronic sensors to capture human movement and biological signals. The curriculum covers biomechanics, which is essentially looking at how the body functions as a mechanical system. We use that foundation to make real hardware and software decisions. By the end, students will have learnt the fundamentals for how to make and code their own biometric tracking systems. They’ll leave the class with an introsp
ection into biomedical engineering.
About the Instructo
Shaakti Balakumar is a NanoEngineering student at UC San Diego with a focus on technology that interacts with the human body. His background in competitive robotics served as an early foundation for how he approaches technical problems. Since then, he has worked on everything from smart eyewear to muscle-activity monitors. In the classroom, Shaakti teaches students to dissect a problem before they start building a solution. He pushes for functional prototypes rather than stopping at a concept. His experience across different wearable platforms gives him a practical lens that is usually hard to find outside of the industry.
Program Fee
Application Fee: Free
Registration Fee: $ 125.00
Partial scholarships are offered based
on financial need and funding availability.
Guidance and Answers at Your Fingertips
Ange Mason of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (amason@ucsd.edu, 858 534-5064) is available to provide guidance and answer any questions you might have. Just ask!
