1. Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
Academic
Information Session
Neha Rawal
Associate Director, ICS Student Affairs

2. Computers and technology are everywhere
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3. Interdisciplinary Education Biological & Physical Sciences: Modeling
Medicine: Imaging
Humanities: Data Mining
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Biological & Physical Sciences: Modeling
Art, Education, &
Social Ecology

4. Only School of Computing in the UC
The Bren School of ICS is the only computing-focused school in the University of California’s 10-campus system.
The School’s independence (as opposed to being a department within an engineering school) enables us to take the broadest possible scope (and depth) of computer science and information technology studies.
The establishment of ICS as a small, independent department 40 years ago reflects UCI’s vision that the computing discipline would expand beyond the boundaries of engineering or mathematics.
ICS was re-named as a School in 2003, and in honor of philanthropist Donald Bren for his $20 million gift to help the School recruit highly distinguished faculty.
Three departments (Computer Science, Informatics, Statistics) drive and direct the School’s broad range of instructional and research efforts. *
UCIRVINE
UCIrvine

5. Quick Facts about ICS
Founded in 1968 as Department of Information and Computer Science
Established in 2002 as an independent school
Only computing-focused school in UC system
Three departments:
Computer Science
Informatics
Statistics

6. Corporate Connections

7. Curricular Diversity 6 Majors
Business Information Management (with The Paul Merage School of Business)
Computer Game Science
Computer Science
Computer Science and Engineering (with The Henry Samueli School of Engineering)
Informatics
Software Engineering
6 Minors (some major and minor combinations are restricted)
Bioinformatics
Digital Information Systems
Health Informatics
Information and Computer Science
Statistics

8. Curricular Diversity UCI offers choices galore!
80 majors and 66 minors to date
Freshmen 1-unit seminars (limited to 15 students), such as:
Sports & Statistics (ICS Dean Hal Stern, instructor),
DIY Electonics (Prof. Ian Harris, instructor),
Games for Learning, (Prof. Mark Warschauer, instructor)
Big Bang Theory
UTeach Program seminars: Where Students Become the Teacher, topics include:
How 2 Solve Puzzlers (ICS Peer Advisor Igii Enverga, student instructor, and Bren Professor Mike Goodrich, faculty advisor),
Science & Craft of Coffee,
Harry Potter Muggle Culture
Education Abroad Program

9. Project-Based Learning
Bachelors of Science degrees
Some majors have two quarter to one-year long senior-design project courses
CGS, CSE, INF, SE
Other majors allow students to select their project courses from an extensive list of options CS

10. Research Opportunities
Student-initiated research
Bren:ICS Honors Program
UCI Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
Provides guidance, funding and faculty mentor
Campus programs that provide a stipend and summer housing, such as:
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Information Technology (SURF-IT)

11. Faculty Excellence & Accessibility
All ICS faculty teach both undergraduate and graduate courses.
ICS faculty are involved in undergraduate recruitment, workshops about grad school, mentoring and research.
The size of our undergraduate student body (~850) means that most students will experience upper-division courses that are sized to allow for more opportunity for faculty/student interactions.
Bren ICS faculty want to see our students succeed.
PICTURED ABOVE:
Ian Harris working in the lab with his students, conducting research on software security
Elaheh Bozorgzadeh (faculty panel; talking to undergraduates about how to successfully apply for grad school)
Padhraic Smyth (chatting with students over lunch at Grad Visit Day)
Commencement

12. Committed to Student Success
Engaged and accessible faculty
Weekly office hours by faculty and course TAs
Associate Dean hosts weekly drop-in hours
Academic counseling staff
Help students find most efficient way to meet all their academic goals
Inform students about programs/opportunities that enhance learning and build their resume
Guide students to appropriate campus resources
Learning & Academic Resource Center (LARC)
FREE workshops/tutoring & fee-based tutoring
Math, Physics, and Chemistry Departments
FREE drop-in tutoring
ICS Tutoring
Peer to peer (fee based)
The undergraduate experience is structured to encourage student success:
Faculty and Teaching Assistants hold weekly office hours.
The academic advising relationship begins before students start their first quarter, and continues up to graduation.
Bren:ICS mandated new student orientation sessions are designed to ensure that students are able to enroll in major related courses their first quarter with relative ease.
Small group tutoring for some courses is available through UCI’s Learning Assistance Resource Center.
The math, physics, and chemistry departments host free tutoring centers for all UCI students.
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Andre van der Hoek, holds weekly office hours and is available to hear students’ comments, concerns, and feedback about their specific experiences or about the School in general.

13. Building a Diverse Community
The CS/IT discipline appreciates, seeks out and is made stronger by diversity – diversity of experiences and perspectives, and in gender and ethnicity.
The Bren School works to attract and retain a diverse student population to help us continue to expand the boundaries of the discipline.
Pictured here are two organizations that encourage diversity in the student body, and help support our outreach and retention efforts.
WICS’ mission is to encourage women to complete their college degree in information and computer sciences and to pursue a successful career in the field by providing support and networking to help them achieve these goals. Note for Hal: WICS members are pictured with Prof. Judy Olson
The SAGE Scholars program is an program that places students in high-tech internships for which they receive not only financial support but also significant mentoring and community. Many of the students are the first in their families to attend college. Note for Hal: SAGE Scholars *may* be pictured with Prof. Debra Richardson.
ALSO PICTURED ABOVE:
Gillian Hayes (Girls Inc and WICS project; taken at Orange Coast College; teaching young girls about engineering)
Bill Tomlinson (EcoRaft demo; an interactive installation designed to help children learn about restoration ecology)
Each of you, as prospective students, are positioned to add your unique talents, interests and strengths to our student body. We believe that our commitment to diversity makes for a welcoming and inclusive community for all our students, and establishes a strong “home base” from which our students can experience the larger UCI community.
Women in Information and Computer Sciences (WICS)
SAGE Scholars
WICS/Girls Inc.
EcoRaft Demo

14. Student Life
Bren Brawl: Friendly competition among student gamers
Bren:ICS students at UCI
Leadership Conference
ICS/Blizzard Alumni Night
Bren ICS supports a student body that is engaged in the larger UCI campus community, and is inclusive, supportive and enriching. Students are actively guided and nurtured by their professors, fellow students, alumni, and staff in various departments across the campus.
Students get regular communication from academic counselors about other ways to enrich their learning through education abroad, research, leadership, work experience, company info nights, and community service.
The School facilitates faculty, alumni, and peer networking opportunities.
An active student body provides multiple leadership and involvement opportunities.
Student Showcase participants
ICS Student Council members at ICS/Boeing Alumni Night

15. Questions? Get prompt responses and different perspectives:
Academic counselors/peer advisors:
(M-F 8-5)
Faculty:
Tony Givargis
Associate Dean for Student Affairs