UCLA admissions yields greater diversity and more California residents

UCLA's recent admissions for fall 2024 reflect greater diversity and more opportunity for California residents. The university offered admission to 8,795 first-year California residents, a 2.5% increase over last year, demonstrating UCLA's commitment to broadening access and opportunity for in-state students across California. Additionally, the number of admitted first-year underrepresented students grew, marking a three-decade high. Furthermore, the proportion of admitted California Community College students from underrepresented groups grew to 36%. These outcomes align with UCLA's commitment to expanding access for low-income and first-generation students.

Related: UC sets new record with largest, most diverse class of California students for fall 2024 | Los Angeles Times

Gene Block and the transformation of UCLA into a global university

As Gene Block leaves the chancellorship, peers, scholars and others are weighing in on his active and consequential tenure. During his 17 years at UCLA’s helm, Block strengthened the university’s global reputation and institutional ties. He actively forged connections and expanded UCLA's international research partnerships, alumni networks, and opportunities for international education. Under his leadership, UCLA grew from a respected national institution to a major player on the global stage, with active academic exchange agreements with nearly three dozen nations and ongoing research and service projects in 142 countries. These efforts not only advanced the greater good and enhanced the university's international reputation, but also prepared UCLA students with a global mindset for success in an increasingly interconnected world. UCLA owes a great appreciation to Chancellor Block and recognizes his contributions to the university, to Los Angeles, to California, to academia – and to the world.

Darnell Hunt begins his tenure as UCLA’s interim chancellor

Darnell Hunt became interim chancellor of UCLA on August 1, succeeding outgoing Chancellor Gene Block. In his message to the campus community, Hunt articulated his priorities, which include rebuilding connections among Bruins and promoting engagement across lines of difference, as well as strengthening internal policies related to safety, belonging, and free expression. He also emphasized his commitment to upholding UCLA's legacy and advancing its mission in education, research, and public service. Hunt's appointment comes as the university prepares for the arrival of its next chancellor, Julio Frenk, in January of 2025.

UCLA officially joins the Big Ten Conference

UCLA has officially joined the Big Ten Conference, significantly shifting the college sports landscape. The move offers new competitive opportunities and a broader national media platform for UCLA student-athletes. With games televised on major networks such as CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as on the Big Ten Network's streaming service, this transition will enhance the university’s athletic program and support UCLA's student-athletes.

Alumni gift creates access to ‘news we all can use’

UCLA's 50-year-old collection of historical visual and audio media, comprising analog recordings of television and public affairs news programming, will soon be fully accessible thanks to a $2.3-million pledge from alumnus Irv Drasnin and his wife, Xiaoyan Zhao Drasnin. This extensive collection, which includes more than 100,000 tapes and 400,000 news programs, will be digitized and indexed over the next three years. This visionary act of generosity will create the largest searchable news archive in the country, benefiting researchers and the general public. The archive’s treasures include recordings of famous speakers in visits to UCLA, including Martin Luther King Jr., J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Mae West.

Cooling buildings, saving energy

Researchers at UCLA have developed an affordable and scalable method to cool buildings in the summer and heat them in the winter. The study, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, details a new approach to manipulate the movement of radiant heat through common building materials to optimize thermal management. By coating walls and windows with materials that can better manage heat movement, the researchers have demonstrated that the buildings can stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This passive approach has the potential to save energy, reduce reliance on air conditioners and heaters, and yield untapped energy savings. Furthermore, the researchers believe that this approach can have a significant impact on low-income communities with limited access to cooling and heating systems around the globe, many of which have witnessed increased casualties due to extreme weather events.

‘This is about hope’: climate solutions for California

Led by UCLA professor Glen MacDonald and San Diego State University professor Janet Franklin, more than three dozen researchers examined the interconnected effects of climate change on a range of issues facing California and reported its findings in a special issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists examined how challenges to environmental and economic sustainability posed by climate change can exacerbate existing crises; for example, the lack of affordable housing in urban areas leads to development in adjacent wildlands which results in increased damages from wildfires. Given that California has the largest population, largest economy, and third-largest landmass in the nation, the proposed solutions could be applied globally. The researchers offer an array of observations and proposals, all of which are united by a clear call: action is needed now.

Public health risks and solutions to adapt to climate change

In a related study, UCLA public health professor Michael Jerrett and his colleagues analyzed the most severe climate-driven public health risks in California and suggested various solutions. The proposed adaptations include increasing greenery and implementing cool pavement to reduce urban heat, using prescribed burns to minimize wildfires and the resulting smoke-related deaths, and transitioning to zero-emission solar, wind, and geothermal energy. The study highlights the multiple benefits for public health and the environment: decreased flooding, increased longevity, and improved mental health. Jerrett emphasized the importance of decision-makers understanding these options and choosing them to address climate change effectively. The study was part of a special issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences focused on California sustainability and climate change.

Related: Wildfire smoke can bring ‘lingering symptoms for months’ | UCLA Newsroom

UCLA comet discoverer turns her eye toward Earth’s neighbors

Over the span of almost 11 years, NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, also known as Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, conducted a comprehensive survey, capturing 27 million infrared images and identifying 215 near-Earth objects, including the notable NEOWISE comet of 2020 and the first-known Trojan asteroid. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be decommissioning the spacecraft, with an anticipated burn-up in the atmosphere by the end of the year. Amy Mainzer, a planetary scientist at UCLA, who led the NEOWISE project, discussed the project, its findings, and her next assignment, NEO Surveyor.

Entertainment Symposium embraces optimism despite industry challenges

The 48th annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium hosted by the Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology & Sports Law convened more than 500 industry executives to explore the future of entertainment. "Back to Business: Hollywood’s Dynamic Landscape," emphasized the impact of rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer behaviors. Discussions highlighted the influence of AI in entertainment, the rise of streaming, the enduring appeal of theatrical distribution, and the ethical considerations of AI adoption in the industry. Despite challenges such as revenue loss due to inflation and shifts in consumer behavior, the symposium fostered an atmosphere of cautious optimism, with panelists expressing confidence in the industry's resilience and potential for growth. The event addressed the vital role of human connection in storytelling, embraced the transformative nature of sports content and branded storytelling, and engaged in thought-provoking conversations about the ethical and legal implications of leveraging AI in entertainment.

California’s clean vehicle transition is not so equitable (yet)

California has set a goal to stop the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, and to achieve this, it aims to increase the adoption of electric vehicles through clean-vehicle incentive programs. However, a report from the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation found that only about 15% of the nearly $2 billion distributed through six programs has reached households in disadvantaged communities. Clean-vehicle adoption rates are persistently low in rural areas, the urban core of Los Angeles, and lower-income communities. To address these disparities, the report recommends increasing funding for targeted electric vehicle equity programs, improving vehicle financing options, increasing the availability of used clean vehicles for incentives, expanding charging infrastructure in disadvantaged communities, and reprioritizing state platforms to deliver financial savings.

The future of cars

Jiaqi Ma and Bolei Zhou from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have received a 2-year, $1.5-million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build an open-source ecosystem, DriveX, that simulates how automated vehicles will operate in intelligent transportation systems. This project aims to connect researchers in academia, industry, and government agencies to work collectively on safer and more sustainable integration of automated vehicles. The grant is part of the NSF’s initiative to support open-source ecosystems, and aligns with UCLA's research on autonomy in transportation.

ENGAGEMENT

Free concert series at Westwood Library

1246 Glendon Avenue
June 2024 through
December 2024

UCLA Arts and UCLA Film & Television Archive: PST Art and Science Collide

Various galleries
Summer 2024 through
Spring 2025

HireUC alumni career fair

Riverside Convention Center
Thursday, August. 22
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

California Health Interview Survey data user training

Virtual
August 27
1 to 2 p.m.

EmPower Hour: Fostering civic engagement and dialogue in a time of political polarization

The Maxwell House
Thursday, September 12
6 p.m.

UCLA HEALTH

UCLA health provides free hospital-grade breast pumps to WIC moms with babies in NICU

A new UCLA Health program distributes a free hospital-grade breast pump for breastfeeding patients enrolled in the federally funded Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. This program aims to alleviate the stress and financial burden of obtaining high-quality pumps for mothers separated from their babies for extended periods. The program has already helped around 20 patients, and expects to expand access to all breastfeeding moms with babies in the NICU.

UCLA Health initiates clinical trials for personalized cancer vaccine targeting aggressive brain tumors in young patients

Researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have launched a pioneering clinical trial for a cancer vaccine that targets a highly aggressive brain tumor found in young adults and adolescents. The vaccine, developed at UCLA, aims to activate the patient's dendritic cells to target genetic mutations in these tumors, potentially improving survival rates and advancing our understanding of the immune system's response to primary brain cancers. Funded by grants from the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health, this novel approach offers hope for treating this challenging form of pediatric brain cancer and may lead to a new standard of care in the future.

UCLA IN THE NEWS

UCLA's Juan Matute on Los Angeles' transit expansion for 2028 Olympics | Dwell

SoCal history: Black women as a force in politics | LAist

American West sees driest 22-year period in 1,200 years | Los Angeles Times

UCLA researchers continue Aliso Canyon study | Los Angeles Daily News

How older athletes transformed women’s gymnastics | National Public Radio

Where American guns are trafficked across Southern border | Newsweek

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