March 19, 2026

Anteater Time Machine: Stacks of books surround a student studying, circa 1975. (Photo courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries Archives)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Unsealing their fates

Across the country each spring, graduating medical students open envelopes revealing where they’ll continue their training through the National Resident Matching Program. But behind every reveal is a longer story, one shaped by family sacrifice, mentorship, community service and patients who helped teach the next generation of physicians what medicine truly means. Consequently, Match Day is both a celebration and a reflection of the deeply personal paths that led the students to this milestone. Here are some of their stories.

Campus basic needs support

How immigration-impacted college students access essential needs resources is the focus of two new studies from UC Irvine researchers. Combining quantitative and qualitative findings, the comprehensive work illuminates both the scale of basic needs insecurity and the lived experiences behind resource use. “Campus basic needs centers were created to ensure students don’t have to choose between staying enrolled and meeting fundamental needs like food and housing,” said Matthew Landry, co-author and assistant professor of population health and disease prevention. “Our study shows just how essential these centers have become for immigration-impacted students navigating financial strain alongside unique family and legal vulnerabilities.”

Critical security vulnerability

UC Irvine researchers have discovered a critical security vulnerability in autonomous target-tracking drones that could have far-reaching implications for public safety, border security and personal privacy. To demonstrate this, the researchers developed an attack technique called FlyTrap – a unique graphic-pattern umbrella that lures drones in to be captured or forced to crash. “Autonomous target tracking represents both tremendous potential and significant risk,” said Alfred Chen, co-author and assistant professor of computer science. “While law enforcement and security agencies are adopting this technology for border patrol and public safety, it’s also being misused by criminals for stalking and other malicious purposes. Our work is the first comprehensive security study of this widely deployed technology.” NASA and the National Science Foundation supported the work. #SpeakUp4Science

UC NEWS

UC Tech Leaders

UC Tech News has launched the UC Tech Leaders Q&A series – designed to spotlight the voices shaping technology across the UC system. Meet Valerie Jones, director of data and information management at UC Irvine.

SAVE THE DATE

An overflowing audience witnesses a recent UC Irvine Match Day.

Match Day

March 20, 8 a.m. (sponsored by School of Medicine)

Culinary Health Webinar Series: Protein Rebalanced

March 20, noon (sponsored by Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute)

Pilobolus: Other Worlds Collection

March 25, 8 p.m. (sponsored by Illuminations: The Chancellor's Arts & Culture Initiative)

For more events, visit UC Irvine Today.

#UCIconnected

Seedling Scholarship Endowment

An anonymous couple have donated over $39,000 to support student pharmacists in the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences via their Seedling Scholarship Endowment. “We selected the name to reflect our passion for gardening and the idea that students, much like seedlings, are in the early stages of their academic and professional development,” the donor said. “Just as a seedling requires care, guidance and the right environment to thrive, students benefit from support, mentorship and opportunities that nurture their growth. This reflects our intention for this scholarship endowment.” The Seedling Scholarship Endowment will support need-based scholarships for exceptional student pharmacists who are first-generation college students.

#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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