March 20, 2025

Anteater Time Machine: Students posing in 1994. (Photo courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries Archives)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Sustainability achievements and tips from UC Irvine

An academic first in Antarctica

Ratnakar Gadi, a graduate student in Earth system science, made history when he successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation earlier this year. He is the first to have done so at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, the world’s only zero-emission polar research facility in East Antarctica. In addition, “it may have been only the second time that [a dissertation defense] has happened on the continent of Antarctica, so it was a truly unique occasion,” said Gadi’s thesis advisor, Eric Rignot, Distinguished Professor of Earth system science. “It could not have been more fitting, because the work Dr. Gadi has been doing is helping us answer some of the most difficult questions we have about the impact of global climate change on sensitive polar regions.”

Urgent care or emergency room? How to choose

When accidents happen and you need medical attention, how do you decide between the emergency room and urgent care? Dr. Chris Fox, an emergency medicine physician with UCI Health, says, “In general, emergency rooms are for when you don’t know what’s going on or when you think you may have a serious condition.” A video on social media offers guidelines on which one to go to.

Fueled by a furious second-half rally at the Bren Events Center, the men’s basketball team won its round 1 game last night over Northern Colorado, 82-72 in the National Invitational Tournament. It was the first time the Anteaters hosted a NIT game and the first one they won since 1986. Next up, the team hosts Jacksonville State this Sunday at 6 p.m. The game will also be televised on ESPN+.

Incorporating nature therapy into K-12 education with Laguna Beach Unified School District

In a collaboration between UC Irvine and the community, the team behind the UCI Nature Wellness project and representatives from the Laguna Beach Unified School District met to discuss the project’s framework and potential strategies for bringing nature therapy to LBUSD students. The Nature Wellness project is a collaborative effort between the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, and School of Physical Sciences. Dr. Mahtab Jafari, professor, pharmaceutical sciences was joined by project co-principal investigators Benis Egoh, assistant professor, Earth system science, and Jessica Pratt, professor of teaching, ecology and evolutionary biology. The program is funded by a UC Irvine Equity in Mental Health grant.

UC NEWS

A message from UC President Michael Drake on the University of California’s Financial Outlook

As we face funding reductions at both the state and federal levels, the Chancellors and I are preparing for significant financial challenges ahead. I write to share several steps we are taking to protect the University and try to ensure its solid financial footing in the long term. UC Irvine Provost Hal Stern sent a follow up message to the campus community clarifying our local approach.

SAVE THE DATE

UCI Scholarly Values, AI and Teaching

March 21, 4 p.m. (co-sponsored by UC Irvine Year of Scholarly Values, Anteater Virtues, OVPTL and OIT)

For more events, visit UC Irvine Today.

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