1985 - 1994
The campus marked the era with a National Medical of Science, a First Folio donation and a new chancellor.
Milestones
The period marked national recognition for Reines, the opening of the Beckman Laser Institute, Wilkening’s appointment and Bren’s gift advancing research.
1985
Frederick Reines, professor of physics, was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1983 for the “experimental discovery of the free neutrino and the elucidation of its properties and interactions.” The medal, the highest scientific honor bestowed by the U.S. government, was presented to Reines by President Ronald Reagan at a White House ceremony on Feb. 27, 1985.
1986
The Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic was established in 1986 by Michael W. Berns and Arnold O. Beckman, who provided the necessary funding. The Beckman Laser Institute is an interdisciplinary center for the development and application of optical technologies in biology and medicine. It’s one of five national Beckman institutes supported by the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation. At the building’s grand opening, Arnold Beckman “cut” the ribbon with a handheld laser.
1986
Patrick Hanratty ’77, referred to as the father of computer-aided design and manufacturing and founder and CEO of Manufacturing & Consulting Services, donated a 1623 copy of William Shakespeare’s First Folio to UCI in 1986. The book is one of the rarest items in the UCI Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives. With less than 250 copies in existence, it’s among the most treasured and valuable publications in the English language.
1988
Diving champion Greg Louganis ’81 took home gold medals in springboard and platform diving at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea – matching his 1984 Olympic performance. The feat marked the first time a competitor had swept both diving categories in consecutive Olympic Games.
1989
In an effort to launch UC Irvine as one of best research universities in the United States, Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren donated a total of $2.5 million to create the Bren Fellows Program in 1989. Francisco J. Ayala was named the first Bren Fellow and director of the program.
1993
Laurel L. Wilkening was appointed UC Irvine’s third chancellor on Jan. 15, 1993 – making her the third female chancellor in the history of the UC system. A celebrated planetary scientist, Wilkening served on various NASA committees in the 1990s. During her administration, UC Irvine received its first two Nobel Prizes, contributed more than $1 billion to the local economy each year, and completed 250,000 square feet of construction.
1994
UC Irvine’s Science Library, which opened in 1994, was designed by famous architects James Stirling and Michael Wilford in the postmodernist style. In 2010, it was renamed after Francisco J. Ayala in recognition of the world-renowned UC Irvine evolutionary biologist’s scientific achievements and contributions to the campus.
