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Dr. Feizal Waffarn Funds First Ever Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship

Irvine, Calif. – UCI emeritus Professor Dr. Feizal Waffarn will fund UCI’s first donor-sponsored diversity, equity, and inclusion Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, set to be awarded later this Spring with appointment to begin in the Summer.

The prestigious Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship is part of the University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, one of the most competitive in the country, with an award rate in the single digits. UCI Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellows are selected from a pool of applicants who identified faculty mentors at UC Irvine and are finalists for the University of California PPFP.

“As a migrant and a first-generation student, a fellowship such as this is very personal to me,” Dr. Feizal Waffarn said. “There were several challenges I had to overcome to get to get to where I am today in academia. If I can help do that for a promising scholar at UCI, that would be very fulfilling.”

The UCI Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program offers postdoctoral research fellowships and faculty mentoring to exceptional scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity at the University of California. These contributions may include public service addressing the needs of our increasingly diverse society, efforts to advance equitable access to higher education for women and minorities, as well as research focusing on underserved populations or understanding issues of racial or gender inequalities.

The program seeks applicants with the potential to bring to their academic careers the critical perspective that comes from their non-traditional educational background or understanding of the experiences of members of groups historically underrepresented in higher education.

“We are grateful that Dr. Waffarn has funded this crucial fellowship,” said Sharon Block, Associate Vice Provost for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. “UCI has been a leader in its support of the President’s and Chancellor’s postdoctoral fellowship program. More than three dozen former fellows have become faculty at UCI largely thanks to the program’s associated Hiring Incentive. Dr. Waffarn’s gift will expand opportunities for academic excellence at UCI and UC more broadly.”

Dr. Waffarn began his faculty appointment in the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine in 1980 and retired as the Chairman of Pediatrics in 2011. His research focuses on the effects of perinatal stress: effects on growth and outcomes of the fetus; global health initiatives in pediatrics, and non-invasive monitoring techniques. In addition, Dr. Waffarn also earned his M.B.A. from UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business.

In addition to his work with Graduate Division, Dr. Waffarn also serves on the Dean’s Cabinet in the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing and provides scholarship support for underrepresented minorities in honor of his late wife Dorothy Janice Waffarn.

“Dr. Waffarn has already made his impact felt on this campus in so many ways,” said Gillian Hayes, Vice Provost for Graduate Education. “We’re so grateful that he’s decided to partner with Graduate Division to fund a fellowship that will truly change a scholar’s life.”

Dr. Waffarn’s gift will fund this fellowship for two years, through the 2024-2025 academic year. Appointment of this fellow is expected July 1, 2023.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest 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 three 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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Edwards Lifesciences Named Championship Sponsor of UCI 2023 Grad Slam

Irvine, Calif. – Edwards Lifesciences will serve as the Championship Sponsor of the ninth annual UCI Grad Slam competition. As the first Championship Sponsor in the history of this prestigious competition, UCI thanks Edwards for its support of our graduate scholars. The event will take place at Edwards’ Irvine campus on March 9.

Edwards Lifesciences is a global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for structural heart disease, as well as critical care and surgical monitoring. Driven by a passion to help patients, the company collaborates with the world’s leading clinicians and researchers to address unmet healthcare needs, working to improve patient outcomes and enhance lives.

“We are so excited to partner with Edwards Lifesciences and couldn’t think of a more appropriate Championship Sponsor,” said Gillian Hayes, Vice Provost for Graduate Education. “Like our graduate students, Edwards is committed to making our world a better place and improving lives all around the world.”

Grad Slam is a systemwide competition that showcases and awards the best three-minute research presentations by graduate scholars. This in-person competition not only highlights the excellence, importance, and relevance of UCI graduate scholars and their research, but it is also designed to increase graduate students’ communication skills. In this competition, graduate students master the ability to effectively present their work with poise and confidence. It is also an opportunity to share accomplishments with the campus, friends of UCI, the local community, and the broader public.

There are still several sponsorship packages available, but they are going fast. Sponsorship opportunities include the ability to network with the graduate student competitors, UC Irvine stakeholders, as well as other industry and community partners. Most sponsorship levels include an invitation to our VIP reception held at the Edwards Lifesciences Irvine campus as well as reserved seating for the competition. Some sponsorship levels include a seat at the judges’ table for an up-close interaction with the amazing Grad Slam student finalists. For sponsorship inquires, contact Jennifer Ellinger at jolsenel@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.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

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Phonexa Named First Place Sponsor of UCI 2023 Grad Slam

Irvine, Calif. – The University of California Irvine will host its ninth annual Grad Slam competition at the Edwards Lifesciences campus on March 9. 

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 in-person 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. 

In the competition, graduate students master the ability to effectively present their work with poise and confidence. It’s also an opportunity to share accomplishments with the campus, friends of UCI, the local community, and the broader public.

Performance marketing automation platform Phonexa will be the First Place sponsor of the event, and Phonexa CEO Lilit Davtyan will serve as a judge. 

Davtyan is an award-winning executive who is a member of the Forbes Business Council and Chief, a private network designed specifically for female leaders.

“We’re so excited to partner with an industry-leading tech company like Phonexa and have them as our first place sponsor,” said Gillian Hayes, Vice Provost for Graduate Education at UC Irvine. “Phonexa’s ability to be a leader in its industry through constant dedication and innovation are values we try to instill in our graduate students. Lilit Davtyan represents a true success story of higher education and someone we know our graduate students can look up to.”

Grad Slam winners receive cash prizes up to $11,000 and a competitive resume line. 

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

“It’s an honor for me as well as Phonexa to participate in UC Irvine’s Grad Slam event. I’m looking forward to judging the competition, and I’m certain that we’ll be wowed by the contestants,” said Davtyan. “This is an amazing opportunity for graduate students, and I can’t wait to hear all about the world-class research that’s being done across the university from all of the exceptional scholars.” 

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. 

About Phonexa: Phonexa is a performance marketing automation software and all-in-one marketing solution for calls, leads, clicks, email, SMS, accounting, and more. The company powers direct advertisers and lead generators alike across all businesses and industries by optimizing inbound web and call campaigns, and outbound call, email, and SMS campaigns — all while having the ability to enhance the consumer journey along every step of the way. Complete with a suite of turnkey marketing products and solutions, Phonexa’s customizable tools are uniquely designed to maximize workflow efficiency and revenue. Phonexa has the scalability, tools, and partnerships to serve clients across industries, especially those with high consumer demand products and services. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles with additional offices in the United Kingdom and Ukraine. For more information, please visit www.Phonexa.com.

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Narke, Iyyhappan, Pattan and Sreerama Win Microsoft Imagine Cup Epic Challenge

Irvine, Calif. – UC Irvine Graduate Students Chidroop Iyyhappan, Lakshmi Vibhu Narke and Yogita Mallikarjun Pattan recently won the Microsoft Imagine Cup Epic Challenge 2023. Aditya Sreerama, a student at Duke, was also a member of the team.

Representing UCI, they were the only team in US region selected for this prestigious competition.

Their project Eupnea, is a complete package that provides Tuberculosis patients and healthcare providers with a low-cost solution to save lives and eradicate TB.

The 2023 Imagine Cup is all about global student innovators building together to make a difference with technology and developing their own skills along the way. Teams had the option of submitting their project to the Epic Challenge as an early step in their competition journey. The Epic Challenge is an opportunity for teams to receive preliminary feedback on their ideas from professional judges and have the chance to win a spot to directly advance to the World Finals round. 

To enter the challenge, teams submitted a 3-minute project pitch and proposal for an original technology solution developed in one of the 2023 Imagine Cup’s competition categories: Earth, Education, Health, or Lifestyle. Each Epic Challenge submission was judged, and a winner from each region was selected. These teams will each take home $1,000 to continue developing their projects, receive judge feedback, and advance to the Imagine Cup World Finals in May 2023!

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Arianna Long Named Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award Winner

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2022 — On Wednesday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced the inaugural recipients of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication, given by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Futures. Supported by Schmidt Futures, these prestigious awards recognize science journalists and research scientists who have developed creative, original work that addresses issues and advances in science, engineering, and/or medicine for the general public. Dr. Arianna Long, who achieved a doctoral degree in physics and astronomy as a Eugene Cota Robles Fellow and Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of California, Irvine, was one of the honorees. She was named Best Research Scientist.

A total of 24 awards were announced — 12 awards for best science communication by research scientists and 12 awards for science journalists, split among six categories. In each of the categories, one $40,000 top prize and three $20,000 awards will be given, totaling $600,000.

Long is currently a NASA Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She uses telescopes on the ground and in space to understand the birth and evolution of the most massive galaxies in the Universe. Dr. Long achieved her Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Mathematics from Towson University, MD, spent some time as a data analyst in the consulting industry, then returned to higher education to achieve her M.S. in Physics in the Cal State University, Los Angeles’s NASA Direct-STEM program.

In addition to her research, Dr. Long is a mentor and leader, having founded and led several mentoring programs to support marginalized scientists such as PACE (Physics & Astronomy Community Excellence) at University of California, Irvine and the Guerrilla Mentoring initiative at VanguardSTEM.

“This award reinforces the idea that scientists can and should work to effectively communicate complex topics to the public,” Long said. “As the first college graduate and PhD in my family, it’s important to me that our community sees value in making science accessible to people from all educational backgrounds.”

The winners will be honored during a recognition event and workshop on Nov. 11 and 12 in Washington, D.C.

“Congratulations to this year’s winners, who did a superb job communicating about complex issues related to science, engineering, and health in innovative ways that capture people’s attention and imagination,” said Leah H. Jamieson, selection committee chair and Ransburg Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Dean Emerita of Engineering at Purdue University. “The quality and diversity of topics of this year’s submissions were remarkable. The works created by the winners were sometimes alarming, sometimes lyrical, sometimes provocative, often inspiring, always engaging. Our committee feels privileged to have been part of this awards program in its inaugural year. We are delighted that the recognition accorded to winners will help advance careers in science communication while informing the public about these fields that play such important roles in our lives.”

“The exemplary work that these award winners are doing to accurately and engagingly communicate about science to the public has never been more important,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt.  “In an often complicated, murky, and distorted information environment, these superb communicators are shining a light on critical truths, facts, and evidence that people need to make informed decisions about their lives.”

“Scientists and journalists are both seekers and sharers of knowledge, but they speak what might as well be two languages — one for academics within a particular field, the other for consumers who are inundated with news,” said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Futures and president and co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute. “The communicators honored with these awards not only speak both languages but also bridge them, telling stories that capture the furthest reaches of human understanding in words that are clear and relevant for all audiences.”

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National Postdoc Appreciation Week Spotlights

Get to Know UCI Postdocs

2022 National Postdoc Appreciation Week - 13th Annual Celebration

Organizations from across the world participate by holding special events. In 2010, this week was officially recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives. Events will be held throughout the week and across the country to create awareness of postdocs.

Emma Mercedes Lessieur Contreras

Center for Translational Vision Research | Gavin Herbert Eye Institute | School of Medicine

Why did you choose to attend UCI as a postdoctoral scholar?
The interdisciplinary approach, facilities and core groups with cutting edge technology to conduct research.

What are you researching and why is it important to you?
Diabetic retinopathy, a long term complication of diabetes that leads to blindness. My research interphases between the immune system, extracellular vesicles and systems pharmacology to understand the etiopathology of the disease. I am also exploring different therapeutic platforms to prevent/treat this devastating condition, that commonly affects the Latinx community.

Describe one major personal or professional accomplishment during your time as a Postdoc.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, my research was classified as essential, and so I continue working on my projects with limited personnel. I feel so good about myself for advancing my research further while was supporting my husband at home, a first responder, and in parallel I was home schooling my children.

What are your interests outside of UCI? What do you like to do in your free time?
Travel with my family and explore the outdoors that Southern California has to offer.

When you think of a perfect meal, what comes to mind?
Chiles en Nogada, one of the most emblematic dishes of traditional Mexican cuisine, paired with a shot of good anejo tequila.

Aditya Singh

Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences
 
Why did you choose to attend UCI as a postdoctoral scholar
Neuroscience community at UCI is among the pioneers in multidisciplinary research, including some of my favorite scientists whom I have been following since my graduate school in India. The collaborative nature of research at UCI summons the best of different worlds. In addition to the stimulating research, I found great resources for professional skills development at UCI including GPS-STEM, NCFDD, Activate to Captivate, ICTS, and UCI-DCE. The UCI campus is majestic, located ideally in the City of Irvine, and facilitates a supportive environment and infrastructure for Postdocs with family.
 
What are you researching and why is it important to you?
I started working with Prof. Andre Obenaus in May 2022, and the primary goal in our lab is to decipher the process of neurovascular recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). As per the latest CDC report, over 600 hospitalizations and nearly 200 deaths across the country are TBI-related on a daily basis. I am currently investigating the longitudinal variations in the neurovascular hemodynamics, such as those due to blood-brain-barrier disruptions following TBI. With our collaborators at UCI-CNCM, we will be combining non-invasive in vivo imaging techniques of MRI and 2-photon microscopy with optogenetics, vessel painting, and cutting-edge neurovascular tracing approaches in both male and female wildtype and transgenic rodent models. In parallel, we would also monitor a range of behavioral repercussions of TBI including motor, exploratory, and social behaviors. Our goals include understanding the basic mechanisms and long-term consequences of TBI and developing translational therapeutic interventions for optimal recovery after injury.
 
Before I ventured into Neurotrauma research, I worked at Neurobiology and Behavior Department, UCI with Prof. Norbert Fortin between 2020-2022, where I established a novel wireless ephys setup for recording in vivo neural spikes and oscillations with behaving animals, learned to analyze neural data, and contributed to setting up a novel behavior task for investigating neural basis of sequence learning. During my first Postdoc with Prof. Mayank Mehta at Physics and Astronomy Department, UCLA between 2018-2020, I learned to build neural implants, perform implantation surgeries, and record in vivo ephys with rodents behaving in real-world and virtual reality environments to investigate multisensory integration of information during real-world and virtual navigation.

Describe one major personal or professional accomplishment during your time as a Postdoc.
During my adventurous journey as an international postdoc, I learned to balance multiple aspects of research, acquiring new skills, navigating the annual immigration process, and becoming a new dad. I have learnt new experimental and analytical skills ranging from rodent MRI and in vivo electrophysiology to Data Science and Machine Learning. As I have performed well in quarterly UCI-DCE courses since Fall 2021, I received the UCI-DCE scholarship to pursue more courses during Summer and Fall 2022. Currently, I am looking forward to completing my Neurotrauma projects where all my previous training is consolidating to address the crucial questions concerning brain health, which has been my dream to pursue since graduate school.

What are your interests outside of UCI? What do you like to do in your free time?
I love reading books, going on outdoor adventures and long walks with my family, and playing music. I enjoy camping in the wild, hiking, biking, and dancing with my loved ones. I also like watching stand up comedy acts and documentaries. In the spirit of saying yes to novel enriching experiences, last summer I wrote a stand-up comedy act with ScienceRiot to convey scientific ideas to public in a fun way and then flew to Colorado to perform for a live audience at the Oriental Theater in Denver, which is one of the best experiences of my life and I think it’s a great way to share the joys of sciencing with everyone around us.

When you think of a perfect meal, what comes to mind?
My favorite cuisine is from Northern India, especially the authentic Kashmiri cuisine with delicacies including, but not limited to, Hak, Tchaman, Nadru Yakhni, and Muj Chatin followed by a warm cup of Pink Noon Chai. I also relish homely cooked South Indian meals like hot Sambar with rice and steamy hot Dosas with fresh Coconut chutney. My special meals are about relishing flavors from all around the world with my wife. Our recent favorite is Spaghetti Verde with Biquinho red pearl peppers, Fungi Pizza splashed with Truffle oil, and a glass of Oaky Cabernet.

Beth Evans

Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine
 
Why did you choose to attend UCI as a postdoctoral scholar
I met my PI, Dr Medha Pathak, at a conference and was really excited by the work her lab did. They were working on the same protein as I was researching in my PhD, but with a neural development focus, rather than cardiovascular. It was fun to be able to learn a whole new area whilst keeping some familiarity. When I looked up UCI and saw it was in sunny California, a few minutes to the beach, it was a complete bonus! I remember being blown away by how big the campus was when I first joined.
 
What are you researching and why is it important to you?
I am researching how mechanical force sensing by brain cells affects neural development. Development of the brain is a very dynamic process in which cells experience distinct mechanical cues as they proliferate, migrate and differentiate into different cell types. If this process goes wrong, there can be developmental defects. Specifically we focus on a protein called PIEZO1 which senses many different mechanical forces experienced by cells and acts as a gate, allowing charged particles (ions) into the cell when it detects mechanical cues. These ions then prompt a series of downstream events affecting cell function. Personally, I’m fascinated to discover how events in brain development are carefully sensed by cells leading to an orchestrated series of steps to produce complex brain structure. I think this is an important area as development and many diseases of the brain including neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injury involve an altered mechanical environment or changes to how mechanical forces are communicated within cells. For the first time we have the tools to discover how this information is relayed to cells, influencing development and disease.

Describe one major personal or professional accomplishment during your time as a Postdoc.
I met my partner and got engaged since moving here – so that’s definitely my major accomplishment! It was also always on my bucket list to spend some time living in a different country. I moved from the UK in January 2020 just before the pandemic so am glad I was able to adapt despite the challenges.

What are your interests outside of UCI? What do you like to do in your free time?
I like trying out different breweries, places to eat, and exploring Southern CA by electric bike.

When you think of a perfect meal, what comes to mind?
New to me moving to CA- fish tacos and beer!

Alexander Catchings

English, School of Humanities
 
Why did you choose to attend UCI as a postdoctoral scholar?
I wanted to work on my current book project with the camaraderie and influence of my faculty sponsor, Prof. Theodore Martin, who also thinks about what constitutes our understanding of the “contemporary” moment in his own research.
 
What are you researching and why is it important to you?
My work considers how 21st century African American literary and cultural expression has been reshaped by the Internet—especially with the influence of Black Twitter, viral sociopolitical influencers, book Instagram pages, and a national spotlight on reading multiculturally. I’m always interested in what still manages to sustain people’s attention offline, and reading books still seems to open that possibility in a world that prioritizes efficiency elsewhere.

Describe one major personal or professional accomplishment during your time as a Postdoc.
I started my position in the summer, and I have been stunned and gratified by how quickly I was able to find community among the English faculty. Their collegiality, kindness, and intellectual dynamism has been remarkable and has energized my progress with my work.

What are your interests outside of UCI? What do you like to do in your free time?
I make music! I’m currently working on my second album, so I go to LA regularly to hang with musician friends and record.

When you think of a perfect meal, what comes to mind?
Ethiopian food—doro wot, injera, and tela.
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UCI takes first place in EPA Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students

The UCI cross-disciplinary graduate student team won first place in Phase 1 of the EPA’s Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students
The UCI cross-disciplinary graduate student team won first place in Phase 1 of the EPA’s Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students, in which they revealed the lead soil contamination threat in Santa Ana. (From left: Annika Hjelmstad, Ashley Green, David Bañuelas, Tim Schütz, Ariane Jong, and Alexis Guerra. Not pictured: Javier Garibay and Irene Martinez.) Lisa Kraemer

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 4, 2022 — A cross-disciplinary team of engineering, biological sciences, public health and anthropology graduate students from the University of California, Irvine took first place in Phase 1 of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students for their “Unearthing Lead: The Power of Historical Maps” entry, which reveals the dangerous levels of lead in soils in Santa Ana.

The EPA asked college students across the country to create a video “demonstrating innovative approaches to identify and characterize an environmental justice issue in a select community using data and publicly available tools” and were encouraged to collaborate with neighborhood groups to bring a local perspective of challenge they are facing. The UCI student team collaborated with faculty from the Program in Public Health and members of the Orange County Environmental Justice organization to create the video.

Unsafe lead concentrations in the soil is a primary concern of Santa Ana residents in urban, disadvantaged neighborhoods. The video shows how a mixed-model approach combining historical and statistical methods was used to determine that lead-based paint and leaded gasoline were the two main sources of lead contamination which disproportionately affected the city’s communities with lower socioeconomic status.

“This award is a recognition of the collaborative relationships our team built between OCEJ and UCI researchers. Moving forward, the video will help launch the next phase of communicating the research findings on the national level, with the possibility to inspire action in similarly impacted communities,” said Tim Schütz, anthropology Ph.D. candidate and videographer. “It also supports my dissertation research about the role of data and digital technology in environmental activism. As part of the award nomination, our team is planning to submit a peer-reviewed journal article that discusses the use of videos, podcasts and other creative media that help make lead soil contamination a matter of public concern.”

The team also included graduate students Annika Hjelmstad, Ariane Jong, Ashley Green and Irene Martinez, all in civil & environmental engineering; Javier Garibay, civil engineering; David Bañuelas, ecology & evolutionary biology; and Alexis Guerra, environmental health sciences. Schütz and Bañuelas were fellows in the UCI Newkirk Research Justice Shop. The video was produced as part of the year-long training program and practicum in community-based research.

“The video highlights how community-based organizations in the places most impacted by environmental injustices, such as OCEJ and GREEN-MPNA, who are featured in the video, are collaborating with UCI researchers to produce findings that will advance the understanding and mitigation of EJ problems by integrating community knowledge and techno-scientific knowledge in research practice,” said Connie McGuire, RJS director of community relationships and faculty advisor on the students’ EPA Video Challenge submission.

“It’s been such a privilege to work with such a dedicated and talented group of UCI students, faculty and community members on this important work relating to lead contamination in Santa Ana,” said faculty collaborator Shahir Masri, associate specialist of environmental and occupational health with the UCI Program in Public Health. “The team’s video will play a critical role in shedding a light on the environmental injustices facing Santa Ana residents, as well as those in other parts of the country and world to whom environmental inequities play a role in their everyday lives. The end goal, we hope, will be government-assisted remediation of the soil and access to resources to help prevent lead exposure in the community, particularly among the most vulnerable and socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.”

Jun Wu, professor of environmental and occupational health, and Alana LeBrón, assistant professor of public health, both with the UCI Program in Public Health, also served as faculty collaborators.

“Addressing environmental justice concerns is a core part of our work at EPA,” said Chris Frey, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This challenge empowered young people to bring attention to important environmental and public health issues. I look forward to seeing how students collaborate with communities to advance environmental justice in the second phase of this challenge.”

Awards of $20,000, $12,000 and $6,000 were awarded to the Phase 1 first, second and third place recipients, and the seven honorable mentions each received $1,000. A September launch is planned for Phase 2 of the competition, which will be open to all eligible Phase 1 applicants. Students will collaborate with their community partners to develop a strategy or proposal that demonstrates effective engagement and advocacy to address the environmental issues identified in Phase1.

About UCI’s Brilliant Future campaign: Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UCI. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UCI seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The Planned School of Population and Public Health plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more by visiting https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/school-of-population-and-public-health/.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest 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.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

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Carlene Chinn and Adviser Dr. Marcelo Wood Awarded Prestigious Gilliam Fellowship

Carlene Chinn and Dr. Marcelo Wood receive Gilliam Fellowship

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Carlene Chinn, a Fourth-year PhD candidate in UCI’s Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and adviser Dr. Marcelo Wood have been awarded the prestigious Gilliam Fellowship by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study. The pair is one of 51 student-adviser teams to receive the honor.

Each of the 51 elite scholars to receive the honor are conducting outstanding research in their respective scientific fields and are committed to building a more inclusive scientific ecosystem. Each student-adviser pair will receive an annual award totaling $53,000 for up to three years.

Chinn’s research is centered around two projects. The first involves changes to DNA methylation through aging, and whether these epigenetic changes can be used as significant markers in age-related cognitive impairments or a lack thereof. Her second project investigates the role of stress response pathways on long term memory in a sex-dependent manner. She hopes to continue working in a field where her efforts as a scientist can be translational and imperative to answering longstanding questions about neurobiology and behavior. 

“Being awarded as a 2022 Gilliam Fellow is a tremendous honor and opportunity,” Chinn said. “I am hoping this fellowship will allow for me to grow as a member of the scientific community into a scientist that helps to contribute to STEM exposure, inclusivity, and retention of future generations of scientists from traditionally underrepresented groups. Along with the help of my mentor Dr. Marcelo Wood, I aim to strengthen the access to research opportunities that young students receive through scientific communication and mentorship of my own students.”

The Gilliam Program invests in graduate students from populations historically excluded and underrepresented in science so that they are prepared to become scientific leaders.

“To support the development of these students as future scientific leaders, it’s crucial to provide high-quality mentoring, financial support, an inclusive lab environment, and a supportive community,” said David Asai, senior director for science education for the Gilliam program. “True change will not happen on campuses without the support and commitment of faculty and institutional leaders.”

HHMI recognizes that the advisers of Gilliam Fellows play an important role in helping the students realize their high potential. Since 2015, more than 200 Gilliam advisers have successfully completed a year-long course in culturally aware mentorship, developed and led by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER).

“I’m absolutely delighted and honored to be serving as Carlene’s mentor for this HHMI Gilliam Fellowship,” said Wood. “She is an exceptional researcher and colleague. This HHMI Gilliam Fellowship will allow us to develop our mentoring and leadership skills as well as help foster advances in diversity and inclusion here at UCI.”

Wood’s lab is focused on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms necessary for long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity, long-term memory, and drug-seeking behavior. We primarily focus on histone modifying and nucleosome remodeling mechanisms. These have been implicated in generating long-lasting changes in cell function that can ultimately give rise to long-term changes in behavior, and most of these enzymes are associated with human intellectual disability disorders.

Click here for more information on the prestigious Gilliam Fellowship program

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The Future is Ours

#IamUCI – Nikki Yamashiro

Q&A with Class of 2022 graduate Nikki Yamashiro, D.N.P.

by Laura Rico

Nikki Yamashiro’s passion for solving problems and helping others led her to pursue a career in nursing. Her path to UCI’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program started at Glendora’s Citrus College, where she trained to become a licensed vocational nurse, and Cal State Fullerton, where she earned a B.S. in nursing. Yamashiro’s clinical background includes work in home health, pediatrics and a men’s correctional facility. Still, she doubted her ability to gain admission into UCI’s highly competitive D.N.P. program and calls doing so “the biggest blessing of a lifetime.” Reaching the pinnacle of her profession led to self-reflection and a desire to be intentional about her goals: to diversify the nursing workforce and address racial health inequalities. Yamashiro recently partnered with longtime UCI supporter Dolores Grunigen to create an endowment for graduate nursing students who plan to work with underresourced populations. “I identify as a queer person, a mother and a person of Hispanic origin,” she says. “As a nurse, our job is to get underrepresented communities to trust us.” Her D.N.P. capstone project at UCI’s Student Health Center included increasing the availability of the HIV prevention drug PrEP and implementing a culturally competent sexual health history survey. Additionally, Yamashiro says, simple practices such as displaying a gay pride flag and asking patients their pronouns are small but important ways to better serve LGBTQ+ people.

What is your favorite memory at UCI?
My favorite memory at UCI would have to be building these lifelong friendships with my fellow clinicians. We have laughed together, cried together, experienced life and death together, have navigated a pandemic, and everything in between. One memory wouldn’t justify the family I have built during my journey here. Words can’t describe the gratitude I have for those who I am so lucky to be surrounded by and call not only my best friends but my colleagues.

What are your plans after graduation?
I’d like to sleep in with all my babies and take them somewhere with my wife to soak in all their joy, because it’s truly life-giving! I also want to study for boards ASAP. There is much work to be done!

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself working to impact the LGBTQIA community and expanding my experiences into the classroom to prepare the next generation of nurse practitioners.

ACCEPTANCE

I wish I knew how deserving I was of this role, that being authentically me is my greatest strength. I am the person I always searched for within my nursing journey. I wish for other underrepresented minorities this same experience in their journeys as healthcare providers. There is so much power in truly accepting yourself. – Nikki Yamashiro

Who was your biggest influence at UCI?
My biggest influence would have to be my two biggest mentors: Catherine Mireles (my mom), who has supported, encouraged and celebrated me every step of the way. She has been such a stellar example of the woman I aspire to be and the women I intend to raise. I couldn’t ask for a more understanding, ambitious, hard-working example of everything I want to emulate within my career. Secondly, Dr. Jeff Vu [nurse practitioner and associate director of the UCI Health Gender Diversity Program]. I cannot put into words the miracles I have witnessed within his patient appointments. There is not a moment where I don’t see his passion, love and drive to be impactful in the LGBTQIA community. He is not just a stellar clinician but a true lifeline for his patients. He has elevated the goal of what it means to be a great nurse practitioner. He is everything an NP should aspire to be. No rotation felt like work because of how welcoming he is. His mentorship is something I will carry and practice forever. I hope he knows the gratitude I have for all the work he has put into me.

What do you know now that you wish you had known before coming to UCI?
I wish I knew how deserving I was of this role, that being authentically me is my greatest strength. I am the person I always searched for within my nursing journey. I wish for other underrepresented minorities this same experience in their journeys as healthcare providers. There is so much power in truly accepting yourself.

What are your hobbies or interests?
My hobbies are my three children (Olivia, 6, and Emile and Elliette, 2). They are my greatest teachers and motivate me to be the best version of myself on a daily basis. I love cooking, and I’m a Rubik’s Cube fanatic. After NP boards, I plan on learning how to convert a VW bus engine into a fully electric motor.

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UCI Places 2nd in NSF Taking Action: COVID-19 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Challenge

Picture of students in front of a big anteater

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the winners of the Taking Action: COVID-19 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Challenge, with UCI finishing second in the STEM Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar category and claiming honorable mention status in the STEM Faculty category.

UCI was the only member of the University of California system to place and was awarded $15,000 for the second-place finish.

NSF awarded cash prizes to the winning institutions of higher education that identified actions they implemented or planned to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in STEM at their colleges and universities.

“This important challenge rewards institutions for their efforts to ensure that the pandemic will not reduce the already low participation and inclusion of diverse students and workers in STEM education and careers,” said Dr. Diana Elder, Division Director of NSF’s Division of Human Resource Development.

Winning challenge participants shared a number of interventions, such as launching a graduate student well-being program, providing accessible and free Wi-Fi connectivity on and near campus and shifting institutional policies to automatically grant tenure clock extensions to faculty.  

“Issues brought on by the pandemic or exacerbated by it really require all hands on deck,” said Dr. Sylvia Butterfield, Acting Assistant Director for NSF’s Education and Human Resources Directorate. “It was wonderful to see so many institutions across the country share their action plans to tackle the long-term impacts of the pandemic on DEI in STEM.”