Blueprint: The Political Climate
The Fall 2025 issue of UCLA’s Blueprint magazine, now available online, and in print next week, explores the critical issues surrounding climate change and the challenges researchers face amid shifting political landscapes. This issue presents compelling research and insights, featuring contributions from scientists and policymakers confronting these challenges. As human activity continues to warm the planet, the urgency for policies supported by science and research has never been greater.
FEATURES INCLUDE:
Looking to the oceans for answers
UCLA professor Gaurav Sant is identifying new approaches to capture carbon and exploring more efficient ways of making concrete, a major contributor to emissions. His work holds great promise.
Fire and recovery
A UCLA-based commission examined the January fires and challenges for rebuilding. Its recommendations have been praised, but they also have run into politics.
The importance – and inequities – of shade
Shade matters. It cools neighborhoods without using electricity. And it comes from trees and buildings. But it’s not evenly distributed, and one result is that wealthier areas get more of its benefits.
Keeping the faith
In an exclusive interview with Blueprint, California’s senior U.S. senator, Alex Padilla, exhorts researchers to stay true to their mission despite the distractions of politics. A portion of that interview, in which Padilla talks about his summer encounter with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, is available as an audio file.
How big a deal is California’s Proposition 50?
California’s Proposition 50 on the November 4 ballot lets the legislature redraw congressional districts for 2026–2030 elections. The state’s official and nonpartisan voter guide says that the measure is a legislative constitutional amendment that “authorizes temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas’ partisan redistricting.” Rick Hasen, a voting rights expert with UCLA Law, dives into the nitty-gritty to explain what Proposition 50 does and what’s at stake.
Chancellor Julio Frenk's message about Veterans Day
In the lead up to Veterans Day, Chancellor Frenk shares his gratitude to UCLA's Veteran community for their service, sacrifice, and strength. His message emphasizes UCLA's ongoing commitment to supporting Veterans through various initiatives, including the Veteran Resource Center, the Veterans Legal Clinic, and the Veteran Success Academy. These programs offer essential resources such as career development, legal assistance, and wellness support, ensuring that Veteran students, staff, faculty, and alumni receive the help they need to excel at UCLA and beyond.
Telescope hack provides a sharper view of the universe
A UCLA-led team of astronomers has successfully used a new imaging technique with a photonic lantern on a single telescope to capture the most detailed view yet of the star beta Canis Minoris. The method splits light into different channels to reconstruct high-resolution images, allowing scientists to observe smaller and more distant objects in space. The breakthrough enhances our ability to study fine details of astronomical objects without needing to link multiple telescopes, opening new avenues for discoveries about the universe.
How this contraption at UCLA sent the first DM
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the birth of the internet 56 years ago at UCLA in a PBS SoCal Lost L.A. interview. Host Nathan Masters visits UCLA's Special Collections to meet internet pioneer Professor Leonard Kleinrock. During their conversation, Kleinrock reveals the one document that corroborates the date and time that “LO” was sent from UCLA to Stanford Research Institute. It is that moment that marks the launch of a new era in communications and computer science.
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Science and storytelling: UCLA women scientists speak out
Bruin alumna Bridgid Coulter Cheadle hosted an engaging panel discussion featuring Tracy Johnson (dean of UCLA Life Sciences) and Gina Poe (director of the UCLA Brain Research Institute), as part of the inaugural event series “Breaking Barriers: Conversations on Leading Change in Science, Advocacy and Storytelling.” The panelists discussed the importance of connectivity, diversity, and empathy in science, arguing that everyone possesses an innate scientific curiosity. They urged attendees to advocate for the power of storytelling and scientific activism as tools to build community and resilience. And they implored attendees to share their experiences and contributions in the hope that those stories enhance public trust in science and higher education.
NIH grant to study homelessness strategies in L.A. County
A team from UCLA and USC has received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to evaluate encampment resolution programs across Los Angeles County, which has the nation’s largest unsheltered homeless population estimated to be about 47,000 people. The project, “Health and Housing Impacts of Unsheltered Homeless Encampment Resolution Programs,” tracks 400 program participants in the city and county of L.A. to measure lasting improvements in housing stability and health compared to standard practices. Researchers contrast supportive interventions, which connect people to interim and permanent housing, with encampment cleanups and sweeps. Results will guide evidence-based policies for addressing homelessness.
Eaton Fire disrupted education, created instability for foster youth
The Eaton Fire significantly disrupted the education and stability of children and youth in the foster care system across Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre, affecting 225 individuals, most of whom were school-aged. One in six of these young people had to relocate outside the area, averaging a move of 16 miles, which compounded existing educational challenges, including school closures and limited access to support services. The fire hindered the graduation and college preparation plans of high school seniors and strained teachers and others who sought to help young people even as their own homes and workplaces burned. The UCLA Pritzker Center conducted research, the results of which underscore the urgent need for long-term educational rights and targeted services to support these
vulnerable populations in recovering from such disasters. The report’s findings were presented at a meeting in Altadena, where an overflow crowd received the results in a center surrounded by vivid evidence of the destructive fire. Please find the brief, recording, and press release posted to the
UCLA Pritzker Center website.
UCLA, community partners help Altadena fire recovery through free soil testing
UCLA researchers are partnering with local groups to test soil in areas affected by the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires, addressing concerns about contamination from heavy metals, including lead. The initiative employs soil testing events, workshops, and remediation projects providing residents with accessible options such as compost and mulch amendments. By involving community members, the project promotes equitable access to healthy soils and tackles local environmental issues.
Remote sensing reveals extent of Aliso Canyon methane plumes
A UCLA-led research team used satellite and airborne images, along with ground sensor data, to track methane plumes from the Aliso Canyon gas blowout that occurred between October 2015 and February 2016. They discovered that these plumes spread more than 6 miles into the nearby Porter Ranch neighborhood and confirmed emissions of nearly 100,000 metric tons of methane, an amount equal to 20% of California's annual methane emissions. This study helps assess the health impacts of the blowout and demonstrate the usefulness of leveraging remote sensing data.
Is bipartisanship dead? The challenges and benefits of working through political divides
On October 14, the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, in partnership with the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, hosted a panel discussion titled Is Bipartisanship Dead?
featuring former Congress members Jane Harman and David Dreier. They examined the challenges of political polarization in the U.S., with Harman highlighting the importance of collaboration across party lines to tackle national issues, and Dreier referencing James Madison's philosophy of a “clash of ideas” leading to resolutions. UCLA’s Jim Newton moderated the discussion where, among other thoughts, the panelists identified negative political advertising and social media as contributors to declining civility and encouraged young people to engage in public service and in-person interactions to promote constructive dialogue and problem-solving in politics.
ICE arrests of Latinos skyrocket in Trump’s second term
A new report from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ Center for Neighborhood Knowledge reveals a significant rise in immigration enforcement targeting Latino communities during the first six months of President Trump’s second administration. The analysis shows that Latino arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surged, with an average of 558 arrests per day in Trump’s initial hundred days, compared to 276 before his presidency. Arrests focused heavily on individuals from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela, and were unevenly distributed nationally, with the highest numbers coming from Texas and Florida. The research, produced in partnership with the Unseen initiative, suggests that enforcement efforts are politically and demographically
directed, rather than based solely on criminal behavior.
UC Regents’ Lecture: Calling for ‘radical collaboration’
On October 8, global strategist and BeyGOOD Foundation leader Ivy McGregor delivered a UC Regents’ Lecture at UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute, urging students and faculty to dismantle silos and embrace “radical collaboration.” She introduced her Four-Square framework, uniting nonprofits, corporations, philanthropy, and entrepreneurs to confront wealth inequality, poverty, and workforce upheaval. McGregor challenged attendees to host “issue escape tables” (cross-sector dialogues over meals) to transform ideas into action. McGregor’s address marked the beginning of a visiting residency at UCLA during which she will attend other convenings and conversations with faculty and students designed to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration.
We are pleased to introduce Grant Kerr, who joined UCLA Government and Community Relations as a federal relations senior director in late October. Grant is based in Washington, DC, and brings a wealth of experience in federal policy and advocacy. In this role, he will help shape the university’s engagement with Congress and federal agencies to advance UCLA’s mission of education, research, and public service.
UCLA Pritzker Center
November 20
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please RSVP by November 13
UCLA Health
Analysis finds alarming rise in severe diverticulitis among younger Americans
A study led by researchers from UCLA and Vanderbilt University analyzed more than 5.2 million hospitalizations and found a significant rise in severe diverticulitis cases among Americans under 50, with complicated cases increasing from 18.5% to 28.2% between 2005 and 2020. Traditionally viewed as an older person's disease, this condition, which causes pouches in the colon and can lead to serious complications, is now affecting younger individuals more frequently. Despite having better survival rates and shorter hospital stays, younger patients are more likely to need invasive treatments. Researchers stress the need for further investigation into why this trend is occurring, and suggest that it may be linked to dietary changes, obesity, or other environmental factors.
Leading oncologists treat overseas patients
UCLA Health has partnered with Guam Regional Medical City to provide remote cancer care, specifically for breast and lung cancer patients on the U.S. island territory in the Western Pacific. This collaboration allows UCLA oncologists to guide treatment, overcoming local challenges and bringing advanced diagnostics and therapies to Guam. The initiative, which began in 2023, has shown promise in enhancing patient care and may expand to other regions globally. UCLA Health doctors and local practitioners work together to improve access to specialized oncology services for the island's residents.
One-product-fits-all immunotherapy for breast cancer
UCLA scientists have developed a new CAR-NKT cell therapy that effectively fights late-stage triple-negative breast cancer and shows potential to also treat ovarian, pancreatic, and lung cancers. Unlike current personalized treatments that are costly and take weeks to manufacture, this therapy can be mass-produced from donated blood stem cells and stored for about $5,000 per dose, making it a more accessible option. The engineered immune cells attack tumors through multiple mechanisms, successfully destroying cancer cells in tested samples while also targeting protective immunosuppressive cells.
Discover how UCLA's students, staff, and faculty are enhancing the well-being of Greater Los Angeles through UCLA Community Partnerships.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
The UCLA School of Law Veterans Legal Clinicworks to address the legal needs of Veterans, particularly those accessing services at the West LA VA Medical Center. This clinic provides legal assistance regarding Veterans’ disability benefits, quality-of-life citations and traffic violations, criminal record clearing, and landlord-tenant issues. By expanding staffing, increasing outreach and launching new training programs in wills and advanced health care directives, the program has assisted thousands of Veterans in securing millions of dollars in benefits.
