Larry Lim

Larry Lim, director of pre-college programs at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, has been at USC since 1979, trying to excite young students about science and engineering. Two most significant programs Lim runs are MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) and Mission Science.

MESA serves more than 1500 middle school and high school students in 23 schools in greater Los Angeles. The Mission Science program, begun in 1996, now has workshop sites at nine schools: Vermont Avenue, Norwood Street, 32nd Street, Weemes, Foshay and Budlong around the University Park campus; and Murchison Street, Sheridan Street, and Griffin Avenue elementary schools in the Health Sciences campus neighborhood.

The "boat" Lim is holding is an example of a Mission Science project. Students glued, wired and constructed this project that combines concepts of electricity, magnetism, and Newton's Third Law.

• Center for Engineering Diversity, USC Viterbi School of Engineering
• MESA, USC Viterbi School of Engineering
• Mission Science, USC Viterbi School of Engineering