Oct. 23, 2025

Anteater Time Machine: Students read newspapers in the library in 1975. (Photo courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries Archives)

UC IRVINE NEWS

NIH grant to study environmental impacts

The Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health has been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, to investigate how environmental exposure may contribute to rising rates of parental postpartum depression, and mental, emotional and behavioral disorders in children. Jun Wu, professor of environmental and occupational health, and her team will focus on Southern California families, examining how extreme heat, wildfire smoke and other environmental factors influence parental and child mental health. “By identifying risks and vulnerable periods, we can provide insights that help families and communities build resilience,” Wu said.

Protecting the brain

While tremendous relief comes from battling cancer into remission, survivors can also experience cognitive impairments caused by the disease and its treatments. School of Medicine researchers, An Do and Robert Krattli Jr. (above) led by Munjal Acharya, associate professor of anatomy & neurobiology (not pictured), have identified a targeted way to protect the brain from harmful side effects of cranial radiation therapy, preserving the quality of life for millions of brain cancer survivors. Funding from the National Institutes of Health, American Brain Tumor Association, Health & Environmental Sciences Institute and Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center helped support the work. #SpeakUp4Science

Researchers continue cosmic discovery

For decades, UC Irvine scientists have conducted groundbreaking research with support from NASA, but many are now wondering if that backing will continue. Despite the uncertainty, researchers are moving forward with their work on several NASA-funded projects. #SpeakUp4Science

UC NEWS

SpeechMatters podcast: Trump 2.0 - A Stress Test for the First Amendment

In this episode of the SpeechMatters podcast, constitutional law scholar Timothy Zick shares his thoughts on how President Trump’s second term is testing commitments to free expression and academic freedom.

SAVE THE DATE

UCI Symphony Orchestra Express

Oct. 31, 8 p.m. (sponsored by Claire Trevor School of the Arts)

Memory of the Future

Oct. 29, 8 p.m. (sponsored by Claire Trevor School of the Arts)

For more events, visit UC Irvine Today.

#UCIconnected

What defines a generation?

When Gen Z students walk into Annie McClanahan’s classroom, they encounter an unfamiliar subject: themselves. The professor of English’s “Generation X/Y/Z” course flips the traditional academic dynamic, asking students to study their own generation with the same critical rigor they’d apply to ancient historical periods or classical texts. The result is a course where TikToks become primary sources, romantic and sexual relationships warrant scholarly analysis, and students discover that understanding their generational identity means examining the economic pressures, cultural shifts and inherited anxieties that shape their worldview.

#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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