Humanities course uses VR tech; Musician beats cancer at UCI Health

Jan. 28, 2025

Shimmering sunlight highlights trees and blooming bougainvillea along Gateway Plaza. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

New humanities course combines VR tech with global culture studies

UC Irvine students don virtual reality headsets

Virtualizing Cultures (Cultures 3.0) is a new School of Humanities course that merges digital technology with cultural studies. Through hands-on virtual tours and interactive simulations, students explore cultural representation and identity formation beyond the boundaries of the classroom. “Virtual reality offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom learning and lived experiences of diverse cultural communities,” said Jung-Hsien Lin, director of the VR Lab for Global Languages & Cultures. “This course represents a culmination of these efforts, enabling students to engage in embodied, virtual exploration of global cultures in ways that traditional methods cannot achieve.”

Grammy award-winning rock musician beats cancer at UCI Health’s cancer center

Dr. Ali Mahtabifard with Jason Freese from Green Day

After 20 years of touring with Green Day, Jason Freese had to step away from his keyboard and saxophone last January to focus on beating lung cancer at the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Eight months later — after chemotherapy, gene therapy, surgery to remove half his left lung, then radiation — the musician was cancer free and contributing his backup vocals, keyboard and sax solos on the band's 2024 U.S. tour. "It was incredible getting back out and going, 'Okay, I did it, I conquered it," the 49-year-old Freese said on a recent visit to the cancer center to meet with his thoracic surgeon, Dr. Ali Mahtabifard, (shown above left with Freese). "I didn't let cancer beat me."

UC NEWS

UC President Drake addresses federal funding freeze

On Jan. 27, the federal Office of Management and Budget temporarily paused federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs. OMB issued additional guidance clarifying that the only programs subject to the pause are those related to the listed presidential executive orders, and that programs including federal student loans and Pell Grants would not be affected. In a statement today, President Drake said that UC leadership is “working diligently to clarify the potential impacts” of the funding pause. “During such challenging times, we remain committed to our students, staff, faculty, patients, and one another,” Drake said. “This is an uncertain time for many and while we don’t yet know what lies ahead, we remain steadfast in our values, our mission, and our commitment to caring for and supporting our entire community.”

#UCIconnected

Young Adult Court celebrates another successful graduation

Young Adult Court is a collaborative court for felony offenders between the ages of 18 and 25 created by Orange County Superior Court Judge Maria Hernandez; Elizabeth Cauffman, a professor of psychological science; Cauffman’s former postdoctoral student Zachary Rowan; several OC law enforcement agencies and the Orangewood Foundation. As shown in a new video of the Young Adult Court in action, one of its most consequential incentives is the reduction of a felony charge to a misdemeanor or the complete dismissal of the felony charge upon completion.

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