April 15 - Are we safe from spring fever? Lauds & Laurels
Section 1
Can you identify the location of this bench and pink trumpet tree? Photo by rosieonlinenow posted on Instagram/@ucirvine
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Spring fever is here. Are we safe?
In the latest UCI COVID Minute, Dr. Susan Huang, professor of infectious diseases and medical director of epidemiology & infection prevention for UCI Health, answers this question.
Besides being the 11th president of Cal State Dominguez Hills, Thomas Parham is a licensed psychologist with more than 40 years experience as a scholar and practitioner. Cal State Dominguez Hills photo
UCI to honor 23 distinguished Anteaters at Lauds & Laurels
The UCI Alumni Association will honor 23 accomplished individuals at the 2022 Lauds & Laurels ceremony on May 26, bestowing its highest honor, the Extraordinarius award, on Thomas Parham ’77, Ph.D., for his exemplary service, leadership and professional excellence. “Dr. P,” as he is affectionately known, served at UCI for 33 years, most recently as vice chancellor for student affairs. Today, Parham is president of Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Stephen Barker graces the cover of Claire Trevor School of the Arts’ Spring 2022 Season Connect magazine.
Endowment honors Stephen Barker’s legacy
From studying the science of movement to using technology to facilitate performances of musicians across continents, research and innovation elevate the arts at UCI. And so, in advance of Stephen Barker’s retirement as dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, friends and supporters are creating an endowment that will not only celebrate his legacy but also ensure future funding for interdisciplinary arts research that has been at the heart of Barker’s 35-year career here.
UCI Health awarded FACT accreditation for bone marrow transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy
The UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and its adult bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cell transplant program have received accreditation by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy for meeting the national standard of excellence in cellular therapy programs. Orange County’s only adult hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy program, which provides life-saving treatment for blood-based cancers, started less than two years ago.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Friday fun fact
Three! UC's three-year graduation rate is almost 7 percent, its highest ever.
UC President Michael Drake’s Earth Month message
“Although COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine dominate daily headlines, climate change remains critically important to us all. We recently released an article that outlines how UC research is helping California meet the challenges of the climate crisis. And, we're already walking the walk at all UC locations. The latest UC Sustainability Report showed our greenhouse gas emissions are now at 1990 levels — and declining. University of California Health recently received commendations for climate leadership, renewable energy and climate resilience. There is still a long journey ahead in our society's path to address climate change. But as we celebrate Earth Month throughout April, I hope you will join me in recommitting ourselves to continuing the forward progress we are forging, together, at the University of California.”
COVID-19 breathalyzer test wins FDA approval
The Food and Drug Administration announced it has granted emergency-use authorization to a COVID-19 breathalyzer test with the ability to provide diagnostic results in three minutes. Made by InspectIR Systems, the test is authorized for those 18 and older in settings where samples are both collected and analyzed, such as physician offices, hospitals or mobile testing sites.
White House on the lookout for BA.4 and BA.5
The U.S. government joins other nations and health organizations monitoring the two emerging omicron subvariants. Some scientists worry about BA.4 and BA.5 because of a single mutation that could make vaccines less effective against infection.
EVENTS
Cup of SOAR
Tuesday, 10 a.m. (sponsored by Student Outreach and Retention)
Lunch with Leadership: Frances Contreras, dean of the School of Education
Tuesday, noon (sponsored by Staff Assembly)
Indigenous Futures: Impacts of Land Grants
Tuesday, 1 p.m. (sponsored by Latinx Resource Center)
Behind Happy Faces
Tuesday, 6 p.m. (sponsored by Center for Student Wellness & Health Promotion)
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.
‘I’m an Epidemiologist - Here’s What You Should Know About the Omicron BA.2 Variant’
Well + Good, April 14
Cited: Bernadette M. Boden-Albala, director and founding dean, Program in Public Health
Should the CDC Change Its Close Contact Definition?
Verywell Health, April 14
Cited: David Souleles, director of the COVID-19 Response Team
What is a No-Fly Zone? And How Would It Change the War in Ukraine?
Reader’s Digest, April 14
Cited: Daniel R. Brunstetter, associate professor of political science
#UCICONNECTED
Big shoutout to our UCI engineering student organizations that, apart from making the dean look cool(-ish), create such a vibrant, connected, and creative environment for our students! @UCIStudentLife From Twitter/@UCIEngineerDean
#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.