Oct. 13, 2025








Peter the Anteater brings the Zot-ergy to the 2025 Irvine Global Village Festival. Scroll to see more photos from the festival. (Photo by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

A tale of two Nobels

Frederick Reines (left) and F. Sherwood "Sherry" Rowland









October 1995 marked a historic moment for UC Irvine. On a single day, Frederick Reines (left) and F. Sherwood "Sherry" Rowland – two founding faculty members – received Nobel Prizes for discoveries that fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe and the planet. Their groundbreaking work in particle physics and atmospheric chemistry didn’t just earn them the highest honor in science; it established UC Irvine as a powerhouse of scientific discovery and showed how curiosity-driven research can literally save the world.

The cost of cuts

The UC Irvine School of Education has partnered with the city of Santa Ana, Santa Ana Parks and Recreation, and the Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative to create interactive, culturally relevant learning environments in everyday public spaces like parks and bus stations via the Playful Learning Landscapes project.







Federal funding powers impactful education research at UC Irvine, advancing classrooms, supporting communities, directly influencing how students discover, how teachers teach and how populations thrive. Professors in the School of Education express concerns that the future of educational research is precarious due to instability within government institutions. The withdrawal of funding for educational research could lead to harmful cascading effects in both classrooms and communities.

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CIRM awards neuroscientist

Leslie Thompson









Leslie M. Thompson, the Donald Bren professor of psychiatry & human behavior and neurobiology & behavior, has been awarded more than $2 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to probe one of medicine’s most baffling mysteries: why Huntington’s disease devastates some brain cells while sparing others. “This project has the potential to better understand the disease and provide a new approach that can also lead to insights into other brain diseases,” Thompson said. The new award comes through CIRM’s Discovery Program, which supports early-stage regenerative research. #SpeakUp4Science

UC NEWS

10 tips on financial aid

University of California students









Those contemplating an application to the University of California should not allow cost concerns to be a deterrent. UC boasts one of the most robust financial aid programs in the country, with more than half of California undergraduates getting enough financial aid to cover their tuition. On this list, you will find 10 facts about the cost of a UC education that may surprise you.

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Julian F. Thayer receives lifetime achievement award

Julian F. Thayer, Distinguished Professor of psychology








Julian F. Thayer, Distinguished Professor of psychology, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Behavioral Medicine, recognizing nearly four decades of research into how stress and emotions impact the heart-brain connection. “Dr. Thayer is well known as a pioneering health psychologist whose groundbreaking work has reshaped our understanding of how stress and emotions impact the heart brain axis,” said Michael Hoyt, professor and chair of population health & disease prevention and ISBM president.

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Irvine Global Village Festival

UC Irvine and UCI Health sponsored at the annual Irvine Global Village Festival last Saturday at the Great Park and showcased all things UC Irvine.

Photos by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine

Provost Hal Stern speaks at the Irvine Global Village Festival
Anteater mascot balloon sits outside UC Irvine tent at the Irvine Global Village Festival
Children pose with the UC Irvine Spirit Squad
Festival goers attend UCI Health booth

#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.

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