Nov. 13, 2025

Anteater Time Machine: It’s a clear day for the first flag-raising ceremony at UC Irvine, circa 1965. (Photo courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries Archives) Scroll to see photos from UC Irvine’s 2025 Veterans Day Ceremony.

UC IRVINE NEWS

The historian who won’t let Orange County hide its past

Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano returns to UC Irvine to teach students the county’s hidden histories, from indigenous villages to invisible labor. “If there is one person who has not only observed but also helped to make sense of Orange County’s transition to a ‘purple county,’ it would be Gustavo Arellano,” said Jon Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology.

Gift yourself a healthier, happier holiday season

Join the Healthy Holidays Challenge Nov. 17 – Dec. 14 to glide through the holidays healthier and happier. Whether you participate in the UC Snow Wonder Challenge, attend a webinar, increase your physical activity or try a healthy new recipe, the Healthy Holidays resources will motivate and inspire you. Registration for the Snow Wonder Challenge is open.

Experts examine American identity

As shifting demographics reshape the nation, and political polarization reaches historic highs, UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology and the Aspen Institute present “Tackling the Nation’s Identity Crisis,” the first in a new speaker series on how to manage in America when everything seems to be changing.

A feast of opportunity

The UCI Basic Needs Center, in partnership with the County of Orange Social Services Agency, continues to lead the way in student food security efforts through its highly successful CalFresh enrollment parties. This innovative collaboration is now serving as the foundation for a 10-county initiative encouraging other California colleges and universities to replicate UC Irvine’s model. “Seeing so many students gain access to CalFresh benefits through our enrollment parties has been incredibly rewarding,” said Andrea Mora, director of the UCI Basic Needs Center.

Honoring veterans through science

Saurabh Chatterjee, professor of environmental & occupational health and medicine, continues to unravel the biological mysteries of Gulf War syndrome – a chronic condition involving fatigue, joint pain, memory loss, diarrhea, headaches and skin rash – that has affected thousands of U.S. service members since the 1990-91 conflict. This fall, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognized Chatterjee’s decade of contributions with a five-year, nearly $1 million Research Career Scientist Award. The distinction honors a select group of investigators nationwide whose research has had a lasting impact on veterans’ health. #SpeakUp4Science

UC NEWS

UC’s student veterans find their next mission

Across the University of California’s 10 campuses, a community of students share a bond forged through military service. Some have traded uniforms for backpacks; others still wear both. Whether veterans or active duty servicemembers, these military-connected students bring a sense of discipline, purpose and camaraderie that shapes how they learn and lead at UC. UC Irvine students Harwood Garland, U.S. Navy veteran, and Amanda Lassiter, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, were specifically lauded for their service and stories.

SAVE THE DATE

Against Outer Space

Nov. 15, 2 p.m., multiple subsequent dates (sponsored by The Beall Family Foundation and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts)

International Education Week

Nov. 15-21 (sponsored by 9 departments and units, including the Global Engagement Office)

Go Abroad Fair

Nov. 17, 11 a.m. (sponsored by Study Abroad Center)

What Matters To Me And Why

Nov. 17, 12 p.m. (sponsored by Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion)

French Film Series - De Rouille Et D’os

Nov. 18, 6 p.m. (sponsored by the French Language Program and Department of European Languages & Studies)

For more events, visit UC Irvine Today.

#UCIconnected

The Anti-Cancer Challenge raises over $1.1 million for critical research

A record 4,600 participants joined the ninth annual UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge to support lifesaving research. The Oct. 11 event raised more than $1.1 million, bringing the total since the annual rally's founding in 2017 to $7.3 million for homegrown cancer research at the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer. “This is how we continue to advance treatments and improve outcomes for cancer patients here in Orange County and beyond,” said Richard A. Van Etten, founder of the Anti-Cancer Challenge and director of the cancer center.

UC Irvine Veterans Day Ceremony

The Veteran Services Center and Military Connected Community hosted the 2025 UC Irvine Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday and honored those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. (Photos by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

#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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