Chancellor Block's recent winter update highlights the exciting news that UCLA has acquired the former Westside Pavilion mall and will transform it into the UCLA Research Park. This aligns with the university's new strategic plan which has five focus areas that aim to deepen engagement with Los Angeles, expand the university's reach as a global institution, enhance research and creative activities, elevate teaching quality, and become a more effective institution.
The latest edition of UCLA Magazine highlights the UCLA White Mountain Research Center, where scientists from around the world gather to address vexing issues ranging from understanding blood chemistry to saving the planet. The Winter edition also features a tribute to the legacy of former UCLA Chancellor Charles Young as well as articles on the mystery of the Florentine Codex, the newly renovated Nimoy Theater, and many more.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has granted $1.3 million to a UCLA-led project that seeks to develop connections between culture, creativity, and technological innovation. UCLA launched a hub that will coordinate and fund activities across the country that explore ways to connect regional innovation with culture, enhance U.S. competitiveness, and strengthen workforce development. Organizations from industry, government, academia, and the non-profit sector are invited to submit proposals for workshop funding through this call for proposals
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The UCLA School of Law recently announced the launch of the Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits. The center's primary objective is to bring together scholars, practitioners, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders to research and educate law students and experts in the field. With donations totaling over $11.7 million from UCLA Law alumnus Lowell Milken, the center will focus on training the next generation of nonprofit lawyers, developing scholarship, and organizing events and courses in tax law, governance, compliance, and other relevant areas.
On January 8, the UCLA Alumni Association and UCLA Government and Community Relations hosted an Alumni Town Hall event "Bruins in Office." The virtual event featured two distinguished guests, Shirley Nash Weber ’70, M.A. ’71, Ph.D. ’75, California Secretary of State and Monica Sanchez, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’12, member of the Pico Rivera City Council. The discussion was moderated by Cinthia N. Flores ‘10, a current UCLA Alumni Association board director. The town hall highlighted each elected officials' path to office and the importance of public service and civic engagement.
Learn about notable achievements over the past 12 years as the Westwood Village Improvement Association works with UCLA and other partners to enhance the vibrancy of the community.
Fifteen finalists submitted their ambitious ideas to eliminate health disparities in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. The proposals include training Watts residents as citizen scientists, supporting the rights of Black expectant parents, and providing mental health lessons for Asian youth in the San Gabriel Valley. Launched in 2022, the Health Equity Challenge is sponsored by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, The MolinaCares Accord, and the California Health Care Foundation. It invites UCLA graduate students to propose innovative projects that address health disparities and will make financial awards to refine and implement selected finalist proposals.
UCLA scholars and civic partners are working together to find effective and fair solutions to environmental challenges. In 2023, LCI helped decision-makers by suggesting policies, programs, and investments. Examples include creating the first national roadmap for assessing water system equity and compliance with drinking water quality standards and helping the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power transition to 100% clean energy sources in an equitable manner. Additionally, LCI conducted several studies, policy briefs, and visuals to improve governance approaches to extreme heat and promote heat equity.
Kent Wong, longtime leader of the UCLA Labor Center, received the John Allen Buggs Leadership Award on January 16. The Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission recognized Wong for his advocacy and leadership in human relations. Under Wong’s direction, the UCLA Labor Center grew from a staff of 3 to 40 members and gained national and international recognition. Wong currently serves as project director for labor and community partnerships at the Labor Center and also teaches labor studies and Asian American studies at UCLA.
The University of California is an essential anchor of our state, consistently contributing to the well-being of Californians through education, research, healthcare services, and agricultural expertise. Moreover, UC plays a significant role in driving economic growth, providing employment opportunities, and contributing taxes to the state and federal revenue streams. Explore a new interactive website that features how UC contributes substantially to the vibrancy and strength of California's economy and its societal impacts.
UCLA Health is transforming a former community medical center in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles into a state-of-the art behavioral health campus with 119 inpatient acute care psychiatric beds, including 36 for children and adolescents. Demand for inpatient psychiatric beds in Los Angeles County has long exceeded capacity, and the need for more is urgent. With an expected completion date of 2026, the hospital will include a dedicated care area for crisis stabilization services. The project includes a separate but concurrent plan to seismically upgrade, improve infrastructure, and build new clinic spaces for the licensed behavioral health outpatient and partial hospital (day) programs that will relocate from Westwood. The
vacated neuropsychiatric hospital space on the Westwood campus will be renovated to expand capacity for UCLA Health to provide specialized medical and surgical care to pediatric and adult patients.
