The Chancellor’s Summer 2023 Update showcases how UCLA students, staff, and faculty embody the True Bruin principles of respect, excellence, and service. In this edition, the Chancellor pays tribute to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law advancing LGBTQ+ rights through its research and carrying on its late founder and UCLA alumnus Chuck Williams’ legacy. Additionally, the update highlights that the new UCLA South Bay campus will host the launch of a new student leadership academy and that UCLA will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Black Greek life on campus.
UCLA Extension is teaming up with the Central City Association of Los Angeles (CCA) to encourage faculty, staff, and students to take 24 Metro trips by 2024. This initiative supports the #GoMetroPledge campaign to promote public transportation growth in downtown LA. UCLA's recent acquisition of the Trust Building in downtown LA demonstrates the university’s commitment to education and partnership with the community. UCLA’s support of this pledge contributes to CCA's efforts to improve rail connections throughout the LA region and boost visitation and economic activity in downtown LA.
A new partnership between the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies and the American Council on Education will strengthen the capacity of the Higher Education Research Institute, an interdisciplinary research center based at UCLA.
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a UCLA alumnus, recently became the majority leader of the California State Assembly. In an interview with the Daily Bruin, he shared his thoughts on his new position and how his time at UCLA influenced his path towards politics.
The Semel Healthy Campus Initiative, launched in 2013 to promote a culture of preventive health and well-being on campus, is an effective model that all the UC campuses have now replicated. Additionally, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine cited the initiative in a consensus study report as a collective impact model that works to prevent mental health and substance abuse problems on a university campus.
Akshay Sreekumar worked for Apple after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in electrical engineering and computer science. However, he was drawn to pursue a different challenge and enrolled in the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fellows Program given his interest in climate change. His project focused on examining the idea of offering fareless transit in Los Angeles County.
Using an advanced modeling system that considered massive demographic data, Sreekumar and the team concluded that while fareless transit can be a very powerful means of empowering communities by giving them access to mobility and reducing their economic burden, it actually doesn’t have a huge impact on environmental metrics.
Noah Mamet, a former U.S. Ambassador to Argentina and a long-term entrepreneur and business consultant from California, received a B.A. in political science from UCLA in 1992. This year, President Biden appointed Mamet to the U.S. Presidential Advisory Committee on the Arts. Established in 1958, this council serves as an advisory body to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Its members act as "arts ambassadors" to enhance the center's impact and influence throughout the United States.
UC President Michael Drake and UC Regent Merhawi Tesfai (a UCLA graduate student) joined U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and other officials for a day of action. Hear from higher education leaders about reimagining admissions, building affordable college pipelines, and creating inclusive campuses.
The Women's World Cup currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand is underscoring the fact that women athletes are more susceptible to knee injuries compared to men. This is a pressing issue as some of the top players in women's soccer, including those from the U.S. team, are unable to participate due to injuries. Orthopedic surgeon David McAllister, MD, who serves as the head team physician for UCLA Athletics and Chief of the UCLA Health Sports Medicine Service, stated that this problem has gained significant attention and highlights an ongoing concern in sports.
A recent study conducted by UCLA psychologists found that consumers frequently misremember whether a product is labeled as "scientifically studied" or "scientifically proven." The researchers conducted an experiment with both college students and older adults to determine if they could accurately recall which claim was made in an advertisement for a dietary supplement. Shockingly, only 26% of subjects correctly remembered which phrase was used. This highlights the importance of being vigilant when evaluating claims made by advertisers and always fact-checking before making a purchase.
A study led by UCLA revealed that the challenges faced by mothers during their childhood or pregnancy can impact the gut microbiome of their 2-year-old children. While it was previously known that prenatal stress affects microbiomes in rodents throughout adulthood, the duration of its effects on humans remained unknown. These alterations in the microorganism community are likely one of the ways in which hardship influences a child's socioemotional development.
