Engineering Offers the Latest in State-of-the-Art Research Centers, Facilities, and Institutes

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering is at the forefront of engineering education and innovative technological research and development. Home to five academic departments, and affiliated with more than a dozen research centers and state-of-the-art experimental facilities, the School generates the latest in scientific research.

The Samueli School is equipped with an excellent computational infrastructure, and occupies more than 210,000 square feet. It offers numerous research centers, institutes and facilities including: the Center for Aerospace Research and Education, the Center for Computer Modeling in Engineering, the Center for Embedded Computer Systems, the Center for Hydrology and Remote Sensing, the Center for Pervasive Communications and Computing, the Facility for RF Design and Characterization, the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility, the Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, the Materials Characterization Center, the National Fuel Cell Research Center, the Personal Power Systems Research Center, the Spray and Droplet Science and Technology Research Center, the Structural Engineering Testing Hall, and the UCI Combustion Laboratory.  

The School’s faculty is also active in the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, the Biotechnology Resource Facility, the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Institute of Transportation Studies, the Networked Systems Center, and the Urban Water Research Center.  In addition, the School is an integral part of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, one of four Institutes for Science and Innovation within the University of California.

RESEARCH CENTERS, FACILITIES, INSTITUTES AND LABORATORIES

The Advanced Power and Energy Program provides education, research and development, beta testing, and demonstration to bring new energy technologies to market. Research is supported by the National Fuel Cell Research Center, the UCI Combustion Laboratory and the Beta Testing and Demonstration Laboratories (DTTF).

The National Fuel Cell Research Center is the first of its kind in the nation; this center provides a forum for fuel cell technology research, development and industry-scale demonstration.

The UCI Combustion Laboratory supports research and development of continuous combustion technology, including gas turbines, boilers, furnaces and related technologies.

The Beckman Laser Institute, a 37,000 sq. ft. facility, is dedicated exclusively to developing the full potential of lasers and related photonic systems for biomedical applications. The BLI is a division in the Department of Surgery in the School of Medicine and an important unit in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

The Biotechnology Resource Facility, which is part of the School of Biological Sciences, is a resource center that helps researchers to further understand proteins and their functions using the latest scientific techniques. Some key techniques used include mass spectrometry, modification & fragmentation, separation and purification, and sequencing.

The California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, a two-campus multidisciplinary research institute, integrates UCI and UCSD faculty expertise with industry insight. Calit2 seeks innovative information technology approaches that will benefit society and ignite economic development in a wide range of areas, including the environment, transportation, emergency management, healthcare, global economics, education and entertainment.

The Center for Aerospace Research and Education is dedicated to the development of innovative computational methods to address mechanical and aerospace engineering problems.

The Center for Computer Modeling in Engineering was developed to bring researchers together to cultivate stronger multidisciplinary programs for the advancement of computational modeling capabilities.

The Center for Embedded Computer Systems focuses on the emerging theory and technology of embedded systems. The center emphasizes research and development of automotive, medical and communications applications.

The Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing was developed to improve hydrologic prediction through development and refinement of hydrologic models and use of advanced observations, particularly from remote sensing sources.

The Center for Pervasive Communications and Computing, supported by a gift from Broadcom Corp. and Conexant Systems Inc., this center conducts research and development in broadband communications technology.

The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 39 facilities nationwide to attain this special status and recognition, and the only such facility in Orange County.  The Center is affiliated with UC Irvine's School of Medicine and designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.

The Facility for RF Design and Characterization is a multidisciplinary facility for the characterization and measurement of high-frequency systems ranging from the front-end to the antenna.

The Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility is a world class facility dedicated to the research and development of technology for integrated micro and nanosystems through research, education and outreach.

The Institute of Transportation Studies was established to foster research, education and training in the field of transportation. Research encompasses transportation networks, traffic engineering and intelligent transportation, and includes faculty and students from The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, the School of Social Sciences, the School of Social Ecology, the Graduate School of Management, and the Department of Information and Computer Science.

The Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics is a national research resource center for biomedical fluorescence spectroscopy, which provides a state-of-the-art laboratory for fluorescence measurements with technical assistance to visiting scientists: local, national, and international.

The Nanomaterials Characterization and Fabrication Facility is a university-wide user facility that includes advanced microscopy, polymer materials characterization, and micro- and nano-fabrication, offerering state-of-the-art instrumentation for BioMEMs and the analysis of material structure, composition, defects, surface and phase transition. These instruments include SEM, TEM, FIB, AFM, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, DSC, porosimeter and nanoimprinter, as well as specimen preparation equipment.  

The Networked Systems Center, which is affiliated with The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, fosters and supports large-scale collaborative research projects in networked systems. Focus areas encompass the physical layer up to the applications layer, including performance analysis, multimedia, real-time systems, middleware and security.

The Personal Power Systems Research Center, which is affiliated with the School of Biological Sciences, was organized by scientists and engineers from many disciplines to explore the potential portable power sources needed to energize the next generation of autonomous devices; novel approaches from small fuel cells to miniature engines are investigated.

The Spray and Droplet Science and Technology Research Center created to foster research in the development of sprays and droplets, and to transfer technology to industry. Emphasis is on developing sprays that will reduce costs, minimize environmental impact, increase yield and improve quality.

The Structural Engineering Testing Hall is 80 ft. by 50 ft., and houses a reaction floor 70 ft. by 50 ft. on plan, a reaction wall 60 ft. long by 22 ft. high, an overhead traveling crane, and a MTS dynamic load system.

The Urban Water Research Center currently brings together faculty from social ecology, engineering and physical sciences to advance understanding of the urban water environment and to help promote health, improve efficient use of water resources, and protect the environment.  Research is contributed by civil and environmental engineering, earth system sciences, ecology and evolutionary biology, environmental health, science, and policy, environmental toxicology, and planning, policy, and design.