About
The Qualcomm Institute is a multidisciplinary research unit at the University of California, San Diego. It is the UCSD division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), created by the State of California in December 2000 (along with its sister division of Calit2 at UC Irvine). Researchers from more than two-dozen different UCSD departments come together to study and develop new technology to address needs and issues in our economy and society.
The Qualcomm Institute represents an experimental university research environment of the future to fuel innovation. The institute:
- Builds horizontal links among departments to foster multidisciplinary studies;
- Creates research teams consisting of members who can be located anywhere because of the Internet;
- Supports involvement by faculty, students, industry, government, and community partners;
- Enables prototyping in Calit2 "living laboratories"; and
- Provides technical professionals as the bridge between academia and industry.
In 2001, Calit2 launched its Summer Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at UCSD. To date, more than 300 undergrads have participated in the program, which provides opportunities to perform hands-on, full-time research under the guidance of a UCSD faculty advisor over a 10-week period. The student can either assist in an ongoing research project or propose a new project.
In 2013, Calit2’s Qualcomm Institute, in collaboration with CREATE, launched the High School Summer Scholars Program at UCSD. The inaugural program reached out to three partner high schools in San Diego County serving students from underserved communities – Gompers Preparatory Academy, UC San Diego Preuss School, and Lincoln High School – and the schools put forward students to participate in full-time research projects at UCSD. In addition to working with UCSD faculty advisors, High School Summer Scholars also work with mentors from the Summer Undergraduate Scholars program.
Both undergraduate and high school students are required to attend weekly seminars to learn more about applying to college or graduate school, how to write about research, how to make a Powerpoint presentation, how to build a resume, how to find a job, and other topics. All participants get the opportunity to practice making presentations about their projects, ahead of the final Research Poster Session, which takes place in September (when the program formally ends and students are awarded their certificates.
All high school students participating in the summer program of the Qualcomm Institute must be aware of what is expected of them over the summer and beyond. To learn more, go to the GUIDELINES + EXPECTATIONS section of this website. To read more about the summer program for undergraduates, click here.
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