Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative; brain formation discovery

May 17, 2023

Naked coral trees bloom red on Inner Ring Road. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

UCI to participate in Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative

Students pose behind table with banner that reads Hillel UC Irvine

UCI will become the first campus in the UC system to participate in Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative. Campus administrators will receive training and resources to create a positive environment for Jewish students. UCI also is the first campus in Orange County to participate in the program and only the third in the state to do so.

UCI researchers identify enzyme critical in brain formation

UCI researchers including Lisa Flanagan, a professor of neurology in UCI’s School of Medicine (above), have discovered that the MGAT5 glycosylation enzyme plays a crucial role in brain development. Published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, the study may contribute to new therapeutic purposes for neural stem cells. Researchers found that the enzyme significantly regulates aspects of brain development that are believed to be crucial to prevent the likelihood of future aberrant behavior patterns, including abnormal social interactions and repetitive actions.

LAist AirTalk segment highlights UCI Health’s planned all-electric medical campus

UCI Health’s first-of-its-kind all-electric medical campus is under construction and slated to be fully operational and running in 2025. LAist’s Larry Mantle spoke with Joe Brothman, director of facilities and general services at UCI Health, about this groundbreaking facility.

Lifestyle choices that lead to health and happiness

Did you know that lifestyle habits such as exercise, diet, sleep, mental practices and social interactions can modify your brain and nervous system in ways that support mental health and emotional wellbeing? Experts from across campus will be sharing insights into steps you can take to prioritize your physical and mental health and build psychological resiliency at the UCI Health & Wellbeing Day. Join us Saturday, May 20, in Biological Sciences III (BS3) room 1200 for activities and panel presentations from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., followed by a luncheon mixer until 4:00 p.m.

EVENTS

The 30th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
Friday, 11 a.m. (sponsored by Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program)

Joey Alexander
Friday, 8 p.m. (sponsored by Irvine Barclay Theatre)

Visit today.uci.edu to see and submit event listings. Events of general interest will be shared in UCI Digest two days before they occur.

#UCICONNECTED

UCI professor recognized by IEEE

G.P. Li, director of UCI’s California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, has been elected a 2023 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in recognition of his outstanding research achievements. Li, who has been on the UCI faculty for 34 years, is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science. The IEEE recognized Li for his “contributions to the bipolar device, circuit and technology in silicon and compound semiconductors.”

#UCIconnected spotlights student, alumni, faculty and staff photos, essays, shoutouts, hobbies, artwork, unusual office decorations, activities and more. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.

UCI IN THE NEWS

Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.

Sunil Verma, associate clinical professor and director of Voice and Swallowing Center, cited in The Washington Post

Can’t burp? You’re not alone.

The Washington Post, May 16
Cited: Sunil Verma, associate clinical professor and director of Voice and Swallowing Center

Brett Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering, cited in Los Angeles Times

After landslide, an Orange County beach town finds itself between a bluff and a hard place

Los Angeles Times, May 16, 2023
Cited: Brett Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering

Adriana Briscoe, professor of evolutionary biology, cited in NPR

Butterflies originated in North America after splitting from moths, new study suggests

NPR, May 16
Cited: Adriana Briscoe, professor of evolutionary biology

COVID-19 NOTIFICATION & HEALTH RESOURCES

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Daily COVID-19 symptom check

By coming to campus each day, students and employees are attesting they are free of COVID-19 symptoms and are not COVID-19 positive. If you currently have symptoms of COVID-19 or recently tested positive, do not come to campus, or if you currently live on campus stay in your residence, and follow instructions for reporting your case or assessing symptoms on the UCI Forward page. Close contacts to a COVID-19 case are not required to stay home or quarantine, but should follow guidance for close contact instructions for masking and testing on the UCI Forward page.

Potential workplace exposure

UCI provides this notification of a potential workplace COVID-19 exposure. Employees and subcontractors who were in these locations on the dates listed may have been exposed to the coronavirus. You may be entitled to various benefits under applicable federal and state laws and University-specific policies and agreements. The full notification is available on the UCI Forward site. If you have been identified as a close contact to a COVID-19 case, the UCI Contact Tracing Program will contact you and provide additional direction.

UCI Forward – information on campus status and operational updates

UCI Health COVID-19 Updates – important information related to UCI Health

Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services – assistance with COVID questions including vaccines and vaccine uploads or to report a case, available at contacttracing@uci.edu or 949-824-2300

Employee Experience Center – employee information on COVID benefits

For questions specific to your personal health situation, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider.