Academic Senate awards; Study warns of driverless vehicle danger

March 6, 2025

Anteater Time Machine: A group of women huddle on campus, circa early 1990s. (Photo courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries Archives)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Academic Senate awards honor distinguished faculty

Awardees included (from top left to right) Kyriacos Athanasiou, Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering; Wei Li, a professor of bioinformatics; Jun Wu, a professor of environmental & occupational health; Yanning Shen, an assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science; and Seunghyun Sim, an assistant professor of chemistry. Also recognized were (bottom left to right) Alessadra Pantano, a professor of mathematics; Christopher Miles, an assistant professor of mathematics; James A. Steintrager, a professor of English, comparative literature and European languages & studies; Farzin Zareian, a professor of civil & environmental engineering; and Elizabeth Peña, a professor of education.

At a March 5 event, the Academic Senate Distinguished Faculty Awards recognized Senate members who have achieved excellence through their activities in research, teaching, mentorship and service to the university and the community. Awardees included (from top left to right) Kyriacos Athanasiou, Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering; Wei Li, a professor of bioinformatics; Jun Wu, a professor of environmental & occupational health; Yanning Shen, an assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science; and Seunghyun Sim, an assistant professor of chemistry. Also recognized were (bottom left to right) Alessadra Pantano, a professor of mathematics; Christopher Miles, an assistant professor of mathematics; James A. Steintrager, a professor of English, comparative literature and European languages & studies; Farzin Zareian, a professor of civil & environmental engineering; and Elizabeth Peña, a professor of education. The event also featured remarks from Athanasiou, the recipient of the Distinguished Senior Faculty Award for Research. A complete list of this year’s recipients is available on the Academic Senate’s website.

Study highlights consumer driverless vehicle safety deficiencies

A bunch of stop signs sitting on the ground

A groundbreaking study by Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences researchers demonstrates that multicolored stickers applied to stop or speed limit signs on the roadside can make traffic signs undetectable to artificial intelligence algorithms in some autonomous vehicles while making nonexistent signs appear out of nowhere to others. “Waymo has been delivering more than 150,000 autonomous rides per week, and there are millions of Autopilot-equipped Tesla vehicles on the road, which demonstrates that autonomous vehicle technology is becoming an integral part of daily life in America and around the world,” said Alfred Chen, an assistant professor of computer science. “This fact spotlights the importance of security, since vulnerabilities in these systems, once exploited, can lead to safety hazards that become a matter of life and death.”

Thriving with chronic illness is possible, says UCI Health expert

Although 60% of Americans suffer from chronic illness, not all diseases are debilitating, UCI Health internist Dr. Israel De Alba recently told Yahoo Life. “Having a chronic illness is not the same experience for everyone. Some require minimal treatment and have a minor impact on daily activities. Others are very severe, expensive to care for and rapidly progress. Millions of people with chronic conditions can live a happy and productive life with the right care and support.”

UC NEWS

UC Spotlight highlights work of UCI Health strategy officer

Tatyana Popkova, UCI Health chief strategy officer and senior vice president of ambulatory services

This month’s UC Spotlight notes that Becker’s Hospital Review has named Tatyana Popkova, UCI Health chief strategy officer and senior vice president of ambulatory services, a chief strategy officer to know. She is currently also serving as the community volunteer chair of the 2025 Orange County Go Red for Women movement, which raises awareness of women’s heart health.

SAVE THE DATE

Commitment to Inclusive Excellence Town Hall

On Tuesday March 11, the Office of Inclusive Excellence will host an online town hall meeting from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. to discuss the evolving federal funding landscape and its impact on our shared commitment to inclusive excellence. Please register in advance for access to the meeting. The meeting will include an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and contribute suggestions for how we can navigate potential challenges together. To better address questions in the time allowed, UC Irvine community members are encouraged to submit questions in advance.

UCI Happiness Week

From March 10 to 14, a campus-wide celebration is dedicated to enhancing well-being and resilience just in time for finals. Led by the Division of Undergraduate Education and supported by over a dozen campus partners, UCI Happiness Week is your chance to recharge, connect and boost your mental and physical health through engaging activities, free snacks and meaningful moments of joy. Taking time to care for yourself — especially during high-stress periods — can improve focus, productivity, and overall success. Whether you stop by for a quick break or dive into the full experience, UCI Happiness Week is here to help you thrive.

Finding Light: Alzheimer’s Stories

Tuesday, 8 p.m. (sponsored by Claire Trevor School of the Arts and UCI MIND)

For more events, visit UC Irvine Today.

#UCIconnected

Celebrating influential women researchers

(top row, left to right): Katrine Whiteson, a Chancellor's Fellow and associate professor of molecular biology & biochemistry; Sunny Jiang, a Distinguished Professor of civil & environmental engineering an; and Joleah Lamb, an assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology. Also recognized are (bottom row, left to right) Karen Lincoln, a professor of environmental & occupational health; Aomawa Shields, an associate professor of physics & astronomy; Luiza Osorio Silva, an assistant professor of art history; and Roxane Cohen Silver, a Distinguished Professor of psychological science, medicine and public health.

In the past year, UC Irvine News has highlighted the research accomplishments of several exceptional women researchers on campus. In celebration of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting the contributions of (top row, left to right): Katrine Whiteson, a Chancellor's Fellow and associate professor of molecular biology & biochemistry; Sunny Jiang, a Distinguished Professor of civil & environmental engineering; and Joleah Lamb, an assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology. Also recognized are (bottom row, left to right) Karen Lincoln, a professor of environmental & occupational health; Aomawa Shields, an associate professor of physics & astronomy; Luiza Osorio Silva, an assistant professor of art history; and Roxane Cohen Silver, a Distinguished Professor of psychological science, medicine and public health.

#UCIconnected spotlights interesting updates from the UC Irvine community. #IamUCI spotlights profiles of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected or #IamUCI hashtags.