Oct. 20 - Special Report: Climate Change, Asian American health inequities
Section 1
All aboard the UCI tour (or re-tour): Campus reps Jacqueline Ferrer and Brian Zeek familiarize new Anteaters (and re-familiarize Anteaters who have been away) with UCI landmarks. #UCIpride #ZotZotZot
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Special Report: California’s Climate Crisis and Solutions
UCI, which since its founding in 1965 has been home to the world’s leading researchers on the Earth’s environment, today launched the website California’s Climate Crisis and Solutions. Organized under headings “The Problem,” “Human Impact” and “Solutions,” the site tells the story of UCI researchers’ all-encompassing, cross-disciplinary approach to climate change studies through articles, photography, videos, audio recordings and informational graphics.
Monthly Message by Chancellor Howard Gillman
“What a difference a year makes!” writes Chancellor Gillman in his October message to the Anteater community. “We kicked off the academic year by celebrating a momentous day in our history, the return of our in-person convocation... Now our 38,000 students are learning in classrooms, living in dorms and apartments, and enjoying the rich, full campus experience they deserve.”
It’s ‘UCI Week’ on NPR’s ‘Academic Minute’
Continuing all week, National Public Radio's “Academic Minute” series features a UCI expert each day. Today features Brittany Morey, assistant professor of health, society and behavior, who studies ethnic health inequities, as she examines social determinants of disparities in cancer, sleep and overall health among Asian Americans.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Safety in the skies: UC’s drone management system
In the past five years, UC campus students and staff—from engineering students to agricultural researchers to facilities personnel—have flown more than 3,300 drone flights and logged over 2,100 flight hours in the skies above campuses and in the field. The safety of these flights and the collected statistics are made possible because of Risk and Safety Solutions’ Unmanned Aircraft Systems management software, known simply as “Drones.”
White House focuses on pediatricians and primary care offices to vaccinate kids
The Biden administration plans to make COVID-19 vaccines available to children ages 5 to 11 at more than 25,000 pediatric offices and primary care sites and at pharmacies and schools, should federal regulators approve. As a Food and Drug Administration decision on authorizing Pfizer’s vaccine for kids nears, public-health officials and pediatricians are sharing research with families to assure hesitant parents of the shot’s safety.
COVID memes are powerful coping mechanism, study finds
While a pandemic that has killed close to 5 million people across the world is no laughing matter, researchers found that humor can be a positive and healthy mechanism when it comes to dealing with these challenging times. Viewing memes helped lower stress levels and make people feel more confident in their ability to cope with the global health crisis, according to a study published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media.
WHO hires African startup to crack Moderna’s vaccine recipe
The World Health Organization has hired Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines as part of a $100 million plan to figure out how to make an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 that is as close as possible to the version produced by Moderna, which won’t share its recipe. The WHO chose the Moderna over the Pfizer vaccine because the former has repeatedly stated it will not enforce its intellectual property rights during the pandemic.
EVENTS
An evening of poetry by Pulitzer-winning author Tracy K. Smith, former U.S. Poet Laureate
Thursday, 5 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Illuminations)
POW Run
Friday, 7 a.m., through Saturday, 7 a.m. (sponsored by UCI Army ROTC; sign up for time to run with U.S. flag by emailing leahf@uci.edu)
2021 Staff Assembly Staff Appreciation Virtual Halloween Costume Contest
Friday, 8 a.m., through Monday, 5 p.m. (sponsored by Staff Assembly)
The Black Market Trust at Irvine Barclay Theatre
Friday, 8 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Illuminations)
Visit today.uci.edu to see and submit event listings. Events of general interest will be shared in UCI Digest two days before they occur.
UCI IN THE NEWS
Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.
Conservatives are happier than liberals. Discuss.
The New York Times, Oct. 20
Cites: Peter Ditto, professor of psychological science
Most kidnapping victims in Haiti are locals
Insider, Oct. 19
Cited: Amy Wilentz, professor of English
Interest is building in Delta-8 THC, but its scientific study is hampered by inconsistent rules
San Antonio Current, Oct. 20
Cited: Daniele Piomelli, professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the Institute for the Study of Cannabis
#UCICONNECTED
Dance! You are so beautiful.
Alltruism (“all true”) is a project supported by the Barnes & Noble Scholarship that aims to create connections through community, compassion and the creative arts. The initiative was part of The Alltruism Project, and more letters can be found on Instagram.
#UCIconnected spotlights student, alumni, faculty and staff photos, essays, shoutouts, hobbies, artwork, unusual office decorations, activities and more. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION AND RESOURCES
2 new campus cases
Two students tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.
Remember to upload your vaccine record
Potential workplace exposure
UCI provides this notification of a potential workplace COVID-19 exposure. Employees and subcontractors who were in these locations on the dates listed may have been exposed to the coronavirus. You may be entitled to various benefits under applicable federal and state laws and University-specific policies and agreements. The full notification is available on the UCI Forward site. If you have been identified as a close contact to a COVID-19 case, the UCI Contact Tracing Program will contact you and provide additional direction.
For COVID-19 questions
UCI Forward - information on campus status and operational updates
UCI Health COVID-19 Updates - important information related to UCI Health
UCI Coronavirus Response Center - available at covid19@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-9918
Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services - assistance with vaccines and vaccine uploads; available at contacttracing@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-2300
Program in Public Health chatline - answers to questions about COVID-19
For questions specific to your personal health situation, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider.