November 2025: The UC Irvine Engineering+ Equation

November 2025

Message from Dean Egerstedt

This academic year, UC Irvine is reaching an important milestone. It is celebrating its 60th birthday and as engineering was one of the founding programs, and the only school at UCI that has remained unabridged since its founding, we are also celebrating our Diamond Jubilee. But by the time-scales of universities, this pretty much makes us a teenager. And this is one reason why I like being part of the Samueli School of Engineering. We are still young, hungry, and a bit scrappy. The joke is that UCI stands for Under Construction Indefinitely. But to me, that is actually a badge of honor. We are not done yet, and we keep innovating in our classrooms and labs. It is a lot of fun being dean at such a forward-looking academic enterprise.

Best,

Magnus Egerstedt, Ph.D.

Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering

Samueli School Engineering Students Build a WWI Biplane

The sometimes tedious, and always difficult work of building a full-scale replica of a World War I Marine Corps biplane, the Curtiss JN-4, “Jenny" has been taken on by the students of the UC Irvine Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

UC Irvine Hosts the 2025 MAES Leadership Academy

Organized by the MAES National Board in partnership with UCI engineering, this year’s Academy brought together 66 student leaders for three days of inspiration, professional development and community under the theme “One Dream, One Familia.”

The Lab Beat Features Cutting-edge Engineering Research

The Samueli School has launched a new podcast called The Lab Beat. Podcaster Natalie Tso visits cutting-edge labs and speaks with professors and researchers about their discoveries, innovations and inspirations.

Sniffing Out Danger

In the heart of UC Irvine’s engineering complex, scientists are working on a device that appeals to the senses: an electronic nose capable of detecting explosives, narcotics, dangerous chemicals and more – down to individual molecules.

Vehicle-to-Home Charging Technology Launches for the Mass Market

Six homes in Menifee, California, have been successfully outfitted with the ability to tap energy from an electric vehicle (EV) to power home loads during both grid-tied and islanded (off-grid) conditions.

Designing Materials for Next-generation Propulsion Systems

The ability to reliably order groceries or takeout, receive rapid package deliveries, check the weather forecast or navigate with GPS is all part of the United States’ expanding satellite and space economy. The continued growth of this economy depends on advances in propulsion technologies.

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