Encountering the Possibilities

July 13, 2010 / By Anna Lynn Spitzer

UROP Director Said Shokair captures the audiences attention.

In 2008, a U.S. Department of Education progress report cited California African-American 8th grade math proficiency scores in the bottom 18% nationwide. In an effort to turn that statistic around, parents, educators and business leaders in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley have banned together to create a program for young black men because they are the most at risk on every academic, social and economic index.

The Council of African American Parents and Legacy Roundtable Summer Mathematics Academy targets youth who have a math propensity, with a goal of getting them through high school calculus and into college.  As part of their summer experience, program participants spend a day at UC Irvine. Their visit is coordinated by UCI’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) which chose Calit2 as the backdrop for this year’s field trip.

“This group of students is on track to become STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) majors and given Calit2’s multidisciplinary emphasis, particularly in these areas, we were excited to have the students see the institute,” explained Shawn Hill, CFEP program coordinator.

Calit2 Assistant Director Stu Ross explains how ingenuity and teamwork made the various Hiperwalls possible.

The participants learned from Stu Ross, Calit2’s assistant director for research development, about what it takes to innovate, integrate and ignite project solutions. Ross emphasized that it requires a multidisciplinary team approach. He took the group to the building’s visualization lab to see the various Hiperwalls under development.

“This started out as one guy’s idea on paper, but required a team to build the first Hiperwall which lead to another and another and now they have spun out a company,” said Ross. “Their work requires mathematical and computing expertise as well as business savvy.”

In Calit2’s seminar room, the group heard from other inspirational speakers including a panel of UCI African American graduate students who gave personal accounts of their collegiate experiences, as well as Anthony James, professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, and Said Shokair, director of the undergraduate research opportunities program.

A panel of UCI graduate students share their experiences.

“Whatever you do in life don’t be a robot and never give up on yourself,” implored Shokair whose message apparently resonated so strongly with one young man that he printed the statement in big bold letters across his notebook, underlining it for emphasis.

“I think it’s fair to say that all of these words of encouragement will stay with these students for years to come,” added Hill. “It is amazing what a difference a person can make in just one short encounter.”