Dean of UCLA Physical Sciences Miguel Garcia-Garibay (front row, center) with EYU executive board members. Photo Credit: Gillian McMahon On Sunday, Nov. 8, UCLA’s Exploring Your Universe (EYU) returned for its 18th year with its most ambitious program yet. More than 17,400 people registered for the free event, which featured a record 85 interactive science booths, 18 talks by scientists and researchers, and hundreds of student volunteers eager to share their enthusiasm for science with the community.
For families who filled UCLA’s Court of Sciences and surrounding buildings, the day was a chance to conduct experiments, meet scientists and discover that science isn’t confined to laboratories or textbooks.
“When we first started Exploring Your Universe 18 years ago, we could hardly have imagined it would become what it is today,” said Miguel García-Garibay, senior dean of the UCLA College and dean of physical sciences. “Its growth speaks to the tremendous curiosity and enthusiasm for science that exists throughout Los Angeles. It also speaks to the commitment of our students and faculty, who believe that the discoveries we make at UCLA should be shared with the entire community.”
Some 600 volunteers introduced visitors to subjects ranging from astronomy and planetary science to chemistry, physics and mathematics. Alongside the hands-on booths, visitors attended planetarium shows, explored UCLA research facilities and participated in DIYNamics, an interactive science demonstration that brings the audience directly into the action.
As a science educator, I am truly grateful for opportunities like this. Hearing the organizers share personal stories of hard work and perseverance was especially inspiring for my students and I sincerely appreciate UCLA and EYU for making this possible and for helping to cover the cost to our students.
– Verdugo Hills High School science teacher Lusine Daduryan
As EYU has grown, so has its effort to reach students who might otherwise have limited opportunities to visit a university campus.
This year, EYU’s school bus program brought approximately 300 middle and high school students from six Los Angeles-area schools to UCLA, more than double last year’s number. The program provides transportation for students from underserved communities, giving them an opportunity to explore campus and interact directly with UCLA scientists.
“As a science educator, I am truly grateful for opportunities like this,” said Verdugo Hills High School science teacher Lusine Daduryan. “Hearing the organizers share personal stories of hard work and perseverance was especially inspiring for my students and I sincerely appreciate UCLA and EYU for making this possible and for helping to cover the cost to our students.”
For Megan Grace Li, a doctoral candidate in UCLA’s Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences and president of Exploring Your Universe, expanding that access has been a defining priority.
Li, who studies the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, first joined EYU as a new graduate student looking for a sense of community. She began by managing the event’s social media presence before taking on leadership roles overseeing volunteers, coordinating booths and helping guide its expansion.
In 2023, when Li served as volunteer coordinator, EYU had 312 volunteers. Today, that number has nearly doubled. The number of booths has grown from 70 in 2024 to a record 85 this year.
During her remarks at Sunday’s event, Li recalled feeling overwhelmed and out of place when she first arrived at UCLA. Volunteering at EYU changed that.
“For the first time since arriving at UCLA, I didn’t feel so small anymore,” Li said. “I felt like I belonged. I belonged at the info booth, at EYU, at UCLA. I was exactly where I was meant to be.”
That experience inspired her commitment to helping others find their own place in science. Under her leadership, EYU has expanded its programming and outreach while remaining a student-led celebration of scientific discovery. This year marks her final term as president.
EYU board members surprised president Megan Li, center, with a special thank you message delivered during the science presentations. Photo Credit: Danny Ying
Among the day’s highlights was the presentation of the 2026 Science and Education Pioneer Award to Neil Garg, UCLA’s Distinguished Kenneth N. Trueblood Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
An internationally recognized organic chemist, Garg has developed innovative approaches to science education, including interactive learning tools used in more than 175 countries, The Organic Coloring Book series and Chem Kids, an outreach program introducing young students to chemistry. Garg also presented a family-friendly lecture, “Organic Chemistry in the Movies,” as part of the day’s programming.
The event’s continued growth is made possible through the support of donors, faculty, staff and student volunteers who contribute their time, resources and expertise.
At a special donor brunch, supporters gathered to celebrate EYU’s impact and the importance of investing in science education and public outreach.
“EYU is a fantastic civic engagement event for UCLA that meets a timely need to educate the community at large about the impact the university makes,” said supporters Tim and Trish McDonald. “Every time we walk through the exhibits or attend a talk there is a phenomenal interplay between students passionately describing their work and the youngsters whose curiosity fuels such interesting questions. You can’t help but feel optimistic about the future!”
For UCLA’s Division of Physical Sciences, EYU has become a powerful expression of the university’s public mission, sharing the excitement of research and discovery with thousands of Angelenos each year.
For Li, who has spent five years helping build the event, its greatest success may be measured not in record registrations or expanding programs, but in the young people who leave campus seeing science, and their own futures, differently.
“It’s bittersweet to be leaving, but I know that EYU is best in the hands of UCLA’s graduate students, and at this time next year I won’t be one anymore,” Li said. “But I know that I’ll be back at EYU. Someday, hopefully, with children of my own, I will get to show them all of the things I built here with my friends and tell them how amazing it was to get to lead Exploring Your Universe.”