Author: Sean Collins

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WISE Designated as Third Place Sponsor of UCI’s 2025 Grad Slam Event

Irvine, Calif. – The University of California, Irvine will host its 11th annual Grad Slam competition at the UCI Verano 8 Community Center on March 13th. WISE: Women Investing in Security and Education, is the Third Place sponsor for this event.

Part of UCI’s Graduate Division, Grad Slam is a systemwide competition that showcases and awards the best three-minute research presentations by graduate scholars. The competition not only highlights the excellence, importance, and relevance of UCI graduate scholars and their research, but it’s also designed to increase graduate students’ communication skills. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with WISE for the first time,” said Jaymi Smith, Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Education at UC Irvine. “Since we are two institutions that pride ourselves on equal access education for all, I can’t think of a better partnership.”

WISE is focused on educating women and girls from all backgrounds on investing and personal finance. Proficiency in financial management expands life and career options, and provides the opportunity to reach financial security.

“We’re proud to partner with UCI Graduate Division and this prestigious event,” said WISE CEO Angela Dailey. “We believe in the power of financial education for women, and couldn’t think of a better brand to tie our name to.” 

Started in 1997, WISE has grown into a national organization, reaching thousands of women and girls each year through workshops, events, and partnerships with nonprofits. From young girls learning about cash flow to college students inspired by top female leaders, to women learning about investing and personal finance, WISE continues to help women take control of their finances and unlock their potential.

WISE believes in the power of knowledge and community to create lasting impact. Our philosophy of “She Can Be, What She Can See”, expands experience and knowledge for  women of ages and assists with building a brighter , more secure future for them and their families.

Grad Slam winners receive cash prizes up to $6,500 and a competitive resume line. 

Presentation clarity and effectiveness for a general university audience is strongly considered in the judging process. 

Thank you to all our sponsors: NIWC Pacific, Leonid Capital, Cie, Pfizer, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Club, UC Irvine Charlie Dunlap School of Biological Sciences, UCI Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education, UC Irvine School of Social Sciences, UC Irvine Student Housing, UCI – OC Alliance, UC Irvine Foundation, and UCI School of Social Ecology

For more information on the event, please contact Raslyn Rendon at rrendon@uci.edu. 

About the University of California, Irvine
Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

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Leonid Capital Partners Credited as First Place Sponsor of UCI’s 2025 Grad Slam Event

Irvine, Calif. – The University of California, Irvine will host its 11th annual Grad Slam competition inside the Verano 8 Community Center on March 13th. Leonid Capital Partners has been tabbed as the First Place sponsor for this event.

Part of UCI’s Graduate Division, Grad Slam is a systemwide competition that showcases and awards the best three-minute research presentations by graduate scholars. The competition not only highlights the excellence, importance, and relevance of UCI graduate scholars and their research, but it’s also designed to increase graduate students’ communication skills. 

Leonid Capital Partners is a trusted private credit firm investing vital capital into companies with government contracts. The firm provides tailored financing solutions, including term loans, lines of credit, and acquisition financing, to support businesses as they scale and fulfill critical government initiatives.

“We’re so excited to continue our partnership with Leonid,” said Jaymi Smith, Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Education at UC Irvine. “This group has supported UCI’s graduate scholars for years now and we can’t thank them enough.” We’re so proud to call them this year’s Grad Slam First Place Sponsor.

Co-Founder Christopher Lay is a proud UCI alum, earning his PhD in Neurobiology in 2011 and is a member of UCI Graduate Division’s Dean’s Leadership Council. In addition, Lay’s background includes professional practice in the healthcare, financial services, technology, and specialty finance industries, as well as significant experience operating in Private Equity and Hedge Fund investment environments.

“UCI will always have a special place in my heart and this event symbolizes some of the best parts of graduate education.” Lay said. “Grad Slam and UCI continue to promote and train the future leaders and innovators of our world. I couldn’t be happier to support this worthwhile event.”

Grad Slam winners receive cash prizes up to $6,500 and a competitive resume line. 

Presentation clarity and effectiveness for a general university audience is strongly considered in the judging process. 

Thank you to all our sponsors: NIWC Pacific, Cie, WISE, Pfizer, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Club, UC Irvine Charlie Dunlap School of Biological Sciences, UCI Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education, UC Irvine School of Social Sciences, UC Irvine Student Housing, UCI – OC Alliance, UC Irvine Foundation, and UCI School of Social Ecology.

For more information on the event, please contact Raslyn Rendon at rrendon@uci.edu. 

About the University of California, Irvine
Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

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Cie Named Second Place Sponsor of UCI’s 2025 Grad Slam Event

Irvine, Calif. – The University of California, Irvine will host its 11th annual Grad Slam competition inside the Verano 8 Community Center on March 13th. Cie Digital Labs has been named the Second Place sponsor for this event.

Part of UCI’s Graduate Division, Grad Slam is a systemwide competition that showcases and awards the best three-minute research presentations by graduate scholars. The competition not only highlights the excellence, importance, and relevance of UCI graduate scholars and their research, but it’s also designed to increase graduate students’ communication skills. 

“We’re so grateful for our continued partnership with Cie,” said Jaymi Smith, Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Education at UC Irvine. “Cie and Anderee have been dedicated partners of UCI for many years now. They align perfectly with our mission at UCI and we’re proud to have them back once again.

Cie is a venture studio that serves as an innovation lab for internally generated ideas and as an accelerator for bold entrepreneurs who want to transform disruptive ideas into thriving ventures. It will be the Second Place Sponsor of the event. In addition, founder and CEO Anderee Berengian will serve as a judge. 

“I’ve been proud to work with UCI Graduate Division and this event for several years now,” said Berengian. “Having served as a judge before, I’ve been able to get a first-hand look at some of these impressive scholars and their innovative ideas through the years. I’m truly proud to support these scholars and this worthwhile event.”

With more than 20 years of experience steering corporate and product strategy, Berengian is an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, and investor passionate about driving progress through digital innovation. At Cie, Berengian is responsible for building a world-class execution-focused team and growing Cie’s digital transformation ideas into sustainable, profitable companies.

Grad Slam winners receive cash prizes up to $6,500 and a competitive resume line. 

Presentation clarity and effectiveness for a general university audience is strongly considered in the judging process. 

Thank you to all our sponsors: NIWC Pacific, Leonid Capital, WISE, Pfizer, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Club, UC Irvine Charlie Dunlap School of Biological Sciences, UCI Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education, UC Irvine School of Social Sciences, UC Irvine Student Housing, UCI – OC Alliance, UC Irvine Foundation, and UCI School of Social Ecology

For more information on the event, please contact Raslyn Rendon at rrendon@uci.edu. 

About the University of California, Irvine
Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

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Associate Dean Imada Elected to Membership in the American Antiquarian Society

Adria Imada teaches Medical Humanities class in the Anteater Learning Pavillion photo: Steve Zylius/UCI

IRVINE, Calif. – Adria L. Imada, associate dean of the UC Irvine Graduate Division, has been elected to membership in the American Antiquarian Society (AAS), a 212-year-old national research library and community of learners dedicated to discovering and sharing a deeper understanding of the American past. Imada joins a distinguished roster of more than 1,100 members from forty-eight states, the District of Columbia, and five other countries. Elected for their achievement in academic or public life, AAS members range from scholars, collectors, and librarians to artists, writers, and history enthusiasts.  Since the Society’s founding in 1812, fourteen United States presidents, more than seventy-five Pulitzer Prize winners, scores of Bancroft Prize winners, many Guggenheim fellows, and several MacArthur Award winners have been elected to membership. 

Imada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She currently serves as a professor of History at UCI and also teaches in the inter-school Medical Humanities undergraduate and graduate program. An award-winning writer, Imada specializes in U.S., Pacific, Indigenous, and disability histories. She also has broad teaching interests in health equity and visual culture.

Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the American Antiquarian Society holds the world’s largest and most accessible collection of original printed, handwritten, and visual sources from before 1900 in what is now the United States. The library of over four million items includes books, pamphlets, broadsides, newspapers, periodicals, children’s literature, music, and graphic arts material. AAS connects people across the globe with these collections through its digital catalog and resources, online exhibitions, and virtual learning experiences. In addition, it supports dozens of researchers, artists, and writers each year with a variety of fellowship programs.  In 2013, President Obama presented the Society with the National Humanities Medal in a White House ceremony.

The American Antiquarian Society is located at 185 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA.  The library is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

The library is free and open to anyone with projects or interests related to the collections.  All are welcome to join its free public programs held throughout the year. To learn more, visit americanantiquarian.org.

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Women Investing in Security and Education: Tearing Down the Pink Wall

Tear Down Pink Wall
Click Here to Register

IRVINE, Calif. – In partnership with the UCI Division of Continuing Education, the UCI Graduate Division, and Women Investing in Security and Education (WISE), are hosting “Tearing Down the Pink Wall.” Some of the nation’s best and brightest in the investment industry will share how to succeed. WISE is an award-winning nonprofit organization, with a 25-year history of advancing financial empowerment for women. Since its launch in 2017, the “Tearing Down the Pink Wall” series has been dedicated to providing financial education, inspiring careers in financial services, and fostering discussion around career journeys.

This two-hour event, followed by a networking reception, will be moderated by Angela Dailey, WISE CEO and Managing Partner of DAI Partners, and Jonathan Treussard, Ph.D., WISE Board Member and Founder of Treussard Capital Management LLC. It will feature a panel of the brightest financial minds, including Judy Posnikoff, Ph.D., Partner at Martlet Asset Management, Candace Stack, Managing Director and Head of Client Management at PIMCO, and Zheng Sun, Ph.D., Professor of Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.

This event is sponsored by Pacific Life with a networking reception to follow with food and beverages sponsored by Simplify. It will be hosted at the UCI Division of Continuing Education, 510 E. Peltason Drive, Irvine, California, 92697. For questions, please contact Kathy Tam at 949-302-2473 or via email at kstam@uci.edu.

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Hultgren Family Study Room

Nan Wu Hultgren and her husband, Eric Hultgren, both PhDs, have formed strong and beautiful connection with UC Irvine. Nan earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in cellular and molecular biology from UC Irvine in 2018. While she was studying in Irvine, her and Eric both lived in campus grad housing for five years. They even had their first child during that five-year span. As a result of their experiences on campus, both Nan and Eric felt compelled to help current and future graduate students, including funding for childcare and other resources so that they may attend professional and academic conferences.

What compelled you to give back UC Irvine graduate and postdoctoral scholars?
Nan: We wanted to start an endowment to support student parents, especially graduate and postdocs or even earlier career scientists that are starting a family and child caring. We wanted to provide funding for parents to still be able to afford to go to conferences. I had my first child as a third-year grad student and the average age is increasing for grad students. Many people want to start a family or they are in the age range where this is happening. But, of course, there are a lot of challenges. It’s definitely not a traditional route many people take. Just from my personal experience, I felt like it would be nice to have more support both financially and having a community. Including accommodations and resources both personnel resources or facility-based resources. So that’s kind of why we wanted to wanted to do this.

And specifically naming the study room, we just liked the idea of having a quiet place for these grad students, parents or not, to be able to step away and be able to focus on whatever they wanted. Whether they want to finish their dissertation, prepare a publication or getting in a meeting where they’re not disturbed.

Eric: I could not improve on what Nan already said but I will add that one of my intentions in giving back is due to the fact that I was a beneficiary of financial aid when I was a student and I want to pay that forward. 

Why have you stayed so connected to UC Irvine and the Graduate Division as an alumna?
Nan: I just had an amazing experience as a graduate student at UC Irvine. I highly recommend it to anybody. I feel like, even though UCI might not be a big name like Stanford, Eric is actually a PhD from Stanford, and both of us have friends that are PhD from many other places, and it just seems to me that you UC Irvine is so dedicated to their students. They’re so student-centered and they try to do everything they can to help. They really care about student experience they’re not just using them as cheap laborers; they’re really want to nurture and support them for their own future development. I don’t think some of these big-name schools can say that, not even close. That’s why I really wanted to be part of this community, to help UCI continue to support all the current and future students in whatever aspects I can.

As I said, we had our first child when we were there. We took dance lessons there and that is how we found the instructor that coached us for our first dance at our wedding. We took our engagement photos in Aldrich Park. It’s a beautiful place with such great amenities both on campus and nearby off campus. Being a student, all the support that is available, that’s why we love the place.

Eric: The campus housing was really nice. As an affiliate, I also had access to the same amenities. I loved the Anteater Rec Center, it was fantastic. Probably my biggest regret from that time was not going there more (laughing). I missed it as soon as we left campus housing. 

Special Connection

“I just had an amazing experience as a graduate student at UC Irvine. I highly recommend it to anybody.” – Nan Wu Hultgren

How involved are you in the UC Irvine community?
I’m the Chapter President at ARCS Orange County and we work very closely with the Graduate Division.

I am on the Dean’s External Stakeholder Committee. I’ve been in this group of mostly alumni that try to support graduate students and UC Irvine as a whole.

One thing that is relatively new, is that I’m working with Dr. Feizal Waffarn and Dr. Adria Imada with the Pathway to the Professoriate initiative. We’ve been starting to do two things that we’ve been talking about, one, is to potentially use the ARCS Scholar maybe as part of the ambassador program to help with recruitment. The the other aspect was to use our ARCS platform as a way to let people know about the CSU Pre-Professor Program (UCI-PREPP) and California Community College Internship Program (CCCIP) programs that we are promoting. We just want as many people as possible to know about them and reap the benefits.

Also, I’ve been wanting to start this community and wanting to organize a weekly or biweekly get-together of all the student parents, just to exchange ideas and resources. I remember how I felt then and I how still feel now sometimes, when I just wanted to vent to somebody who would understand all the difficulties I’m going through. Or it would even be an opportunity to share with this group what resources the university has so that what might be an issue can be fixed with campus resources they may have been unaware of. I’m hoping that Interim Dean Jaymi Smith and I, with the information we get from this endowment fund, can form this community and add another level of support for each other

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Jaymi Lee Smith – Leading with Light

Interim Dean Jaymi Lee Smith
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Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon Named Katherine and Robert Phalen Fellow

Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon is a Ph.D. candidate in public health UC Irvine. His research interests lie in structural determinants of health, health injustices among minoritized populations, and Latiné marginalized communities.

The Katherine and Robert Phalen Endowment is intended to highlight and support doctoral students whose current laboratory research shows future promise for preventing, treating, or understanding human disease. Malagon has been named the 2024 recipient of this fellowship.

THANKFUL

This fellowship allows me to engage in meaningful work without worrying about the financial constraints that come with being first-generation/low-income.

Get To Know Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon

I am a first-generation/low-income second-year doctoral student in the University of California, Irvine Public Health program. I center my work on qualitative methodologies and community partnerships to work towards justice-oriented health and social outcomes for minoritized communities. Currently, I am working on projects looking at the impact of gun violence on farmworker well-being, ways to reduce workplace violence for farmworkers, the social outcomes of immigration trauma on Latiné immigrants, and the impact criminalization has on HIV preventative care for transgender Latinas. From 2021 to 2023, I was a graduate fellow for the UCLA Latino Politics and Policy Institute under the Research Department. My projects in the role ranged from issues on telehealth access among minoritized patients of color, especially low-income Latiné people, to a research study examining the impact COVID-19 had on small businesses operated by BIPOC individuals in California, Arizona, and Texas.

What this Fellowship Means To Me:

This fellowship allows me to engage in meaningful work without worrying about the financial constraints that come with being first-generation/low-income. The award enables me to continue my community-engaged work while simultaneously allowing me to pay educational expenses. Without support such as this award, students like me could not pursue meaningful educational endeavors.

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Grad Hooding Q&A – Laze Paper Prize Winner Mackenzie Christensen

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Grad Hooding Q&A – Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim

Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim is a research engineer and will graduate with a PhD in Computer Science on June 15 in the Bren Events Center. He will also be the student speaker during the Grad Hooding Ceremony.

His research is in Spatially Augmented Reality, which uses projectors to illuminate objects of any shape and size and completely transform their appearance. He has also been collaborating with plastic surgeons from UCI Health to apply his research in the surgeries by illuminating surgical sites using projectors. And last month, he successfully ran his system on a real patient in the OR. He was also the UC Irvine Grad Slam Champion of 2023. While his research technology transforms the appearance of objects, he looks back and reflects how much technology has transformed the world since he started at UCI.

What is your favorite memory at UCI?
“He’s going to win before he graduates.” Hearing Dean Gillian Hayes announce me as the winner of UCI Grad Slam 2023 has to be my favorite memory at UCI. It took me four attempts until I finally won. But winning that competition meant a lot more to me, beyond just professional growth or being the champion. To me, it created an important paradigm shift: failure is not a lack of success, but a learning opportunity. True failure is not trying when you have the chance.

What are your plans after graduation?
I will be joining Summit Technology Laboratory, a local startup company where I will continue working on my research. I will also continue collaborating with the plastic surgeons from UCI Health to improve and enhance the medical application of my research.

FAILURE

Failure is not a lack of success, but a learning opportunity. True failure is not trying when you have the chance. – Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I really want to start my own company at some point! That’s one of the many awesome things that UCI encourages its students to do. And I really want to advance the medical application of my research. I truly believe it has enormous potential to transform surgery across the world.
 
Who was your biggest influence at UCI?
My advisor, of course! Dr. Aditi Majumder. I feel very blessed to have had her as my advisor. Beyond just research and academics, she has been enormously supportive throughout my studies and has taught me many important life lessons, including that life will close many doors in your face, but with every door that is shut lies an opportunity to look for other open ones.
 
What do you know now that you wish you had known before coming to UCI?
The importance of networking! Having a good professional network can make a huge difference in our professional lives. Kudos to our Graduate Division that works really hard to help us students develop such a network!
 
What are your hobbies or interests?
I enjoy reading, baking, hiking and racket games like tennis, table tennis (ping pong) and badminton. I also enjoy teaching Computer Science and Programming, especially to kids.