UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

News for Faculty and Staff of the University of California, Riverside

Feb. 10, 2016

UCR shot put athlete Carl Nahigian snaps a photo of fellow athlete Cody Jordan, left, Andrew Tachias, track Coach

Nate Browne and former UCR track star Riverside Police Lt. Frank Assumma. Photo by Jeanette Marantos

Andrew Tachias credits part of his recovery to mental toughness he developed as a runner at UCR

It took some serious focus for Andrew Tachias to stay alive the night he and his partner, Riverside Police

Officer Michael Crain, were ambushed by rogue Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Dorner in 2013. But Tachias credits the mental toughness and discipline he learned as a student-athlete at UCR with helping him to survive the shooting, and push through his painful recovery to return to work last October.

That was one of the motivating factors behind the Riverside Police Officers’ Association’s decision to endow an athletic scholarship in Tachias’ name. Tachias competed on the Track & Field/Cross Country team when he attended UCR from 2006-2009, and dreamed of entering law enforcement.

The Andrew Tachias Riverside Police Officers’ Association Endowed Fund will honor his passions, by providing a scholarship to a Track & Field/Cross Country athlete with a serious interest in law enforcement, association president Det. Brian Smith said Feb. 3.

Riverside Police Honor Recovering Officer with Scholarship

By Bettye Mille

By Jeanette Marantos

Krysta Plato, Director of Development for UCR Athletics, said the minimum amount to create an endowed fund is $25,000. “With the RPOA’s generous gift, this fund has already surpassed that amount,” she said. “The university welcomes more donations to the fund.”

Smith said the association definitely plans to keep contributing to the fund in the future to help as many athletes as possible. “We’re hoping the community will help us grow the fund too,” Smith said, “especially alumni. This is good for UCR and good for the community.”

Tachias, 30, had been working with the association to develop the endowment at UCR, in part because so many Riverside Police officers are former UCR athletes, particularly in Track & Field/Cross Country.

The West Covina native didn’t know until recently, however, that the association planned to make the endowment in his name.

“It’s great, because I love this school,” Tachias said on Feb. 3, during a break in filming with a television news crew. “I loved the variety of classes UCR offered and the diversity of the population. I just felt very comfortable here.”

Tachias was recruited to UCR by then track coach Irv Ray in 2006, and worked closely with UCR’s present Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Nate Browne, who was a volunteer coach at the time.

“Andrew was always pushing the limits as an athlete and challenged everyone around him to get better,” Browne said.

The Tachias Endowed Fund is particularly important to UCR athletics because it was inspired by an alumnus who attended on scholarship and used his athletic training to work through challenges and achieve his goals,

said Athletic Director Tamica Smith-Jones.

“This is a testament to where access to higher education and talent in a sport can take you,” Smith-Jones said. “It’s taken him through tragedy and turned it into triumph, not just for an alumnus, but for the entire university, and we are grateful to him for allowing us to share in his story.”

Posing for photos on the UCR track, Tachias looked relaxed and fit talking to athletes and officers many of whom were UCR running alumni themselves, such as Lt. Frank Assumma, who helped set seven running records at UCR between 1980 and 1983, including five individual records that still stand.

Tachias ruefully remembered having a lot of injuries during his athletic career at UCR, but he said he also developed the skills he would need as a police officer, through classes and working for the campus police department while he was a student. He went to Inglewood Police Department first, and attended the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Academy before joining the Riverside Police Department in 2012, just two months before the Feb. 7, 2013, shooting that changed his life.

Crain, his partner and training officer, was killed in the attack and Tachias was shot multiple times in the arms, legs and back. He nearly died that night, but Tachias’ training kicked in when he needed it most. He made his first public appearance less than two months later, and started running again as part of his recovery. He still can’t patrol or use a gun and he says his body hurts every day. But he’s working again, and intent on getting better, no matter how challenging his recovery may be.

“There’s discipline and strict schedules you have to follow to be a college athlete, and when you train like that every day, it kind of becomes a habit,” he said. “You get used to pushing your body to the limit, and several times when I wanted to quit, I learned to just push through it. I don’t take things day by day; I have to take a longer view: ‘I’ll get over this hump and then tackle the next one.”

Why do we waste so much food, and why does it matter?Food waste expert Jonathan Bloom, author of ‘American Wasteland,’ to speak at UCR Feb. 16 and Palm

Desert Center Feb. 17

By Jeanette Marantos

Remember the good old days of early dorm life, when freshmen heaped their trays full from the dining hall smorgasbord and then ended up throwing huge portions of their bounty into the trash?

No more, at least not at UC Riverside, where trays have been eliminated in dining halls and plate sizes have shrunk, all part of the university’s efforts to significantly reduce food waste on campus.

Today, UCR recycles 100 percent of its cooking oils and composts more than 250 tons of discarded food, tumbling it dry in a giant dehydrator so it can feed the soil at the campus R Garden, said John Cook, UCR’s director of sustainability.

Those are just two of the many programs UCR has launched to reduce food waste on campus. It’s also raising awareness about the issue with speakers sponsored by the UC Global Food Initiative, such as food waste expert Jonathan Bloom, who is coming to UCR on Feb. 16 and UCR’s Palm Desert Center on Feb. 17 to discuss why we waste food, why it matters and what we can do about it. His talk is open to the public.

Bloom is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. Bloom began researching food waste in 2005 while volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he also learned about gleaning, the process of gathering crops left in the field after harvest.

This work led him to publish American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It) in 2010, which was the winner of the 2011 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the Food Matters category.

Bloom also launched the WastedFood.com blog, which highlights the problems – and solutions – around food waste. He is a graduate of both Wesleyan University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife, two sons and, he writes, many, many containers for leftovers. He serves on the Food Tank Advisory Board.

His talks on Feb. 16 and 17 will revolve around some sobering statistics: Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food produced for consumption, at an annual cost of more than $100 billion. At the same time, food prices and the number of Americans without enough to eat continues to rise.

Bloom will talk at UCR on Feb. 16 in the UCR Extension Center, 1200 University Avenue, in Conference Rooms D and E from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. He’ll also talk at UCR’s Palm Desert Center on Wednesday, Feb. 17, from 6 to 7 p.m., in an event co-sponsored by Hidden Harvest. Admission and parking are free at both events, but RSVPs are required for the Palm Desert event. RSVP here.

The topic is important for UCR, because the campus takes food waste very seriously, said Cheryl Garner, executive director of dining services.

For instance, she said, eliminating trays in the dining halls didn’t just reduce food waste and water costs, it also makes it harder for students to overeat. It’s no secret that many students gain weight when they are faced with an all-you-can-eat dining experience seven days a week, especially initially.

Without the trays, “they can still eat as many things as they want,” Garner said, “but if you make the plates

smaller and force them to walk the food item by item to their table, it substantially reduces the amount of food they try to eat, and the amount they waste. It’s that old adage – their eyes are sometimes bigger than their stomachs. But with a smaller portion they can decide if you like it and if they really want a second one before it is too late and it goes to waste.”

UCR has been donating uneaten food (from its kitchens) to Inland Harvest Food Bank for more than 20 years, and has composts the tea and coffee grounds from its various coffee shops on campus, Cook said. The dining restaurants on campus also use compostable plates, flatware, cups and straws. “If everything is compostable, you don’t have to worry about where you should throw it away,” he said.

UCR joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Food recovery Challenge in 2012, pledging to reduce its food waste by at least 5 percent every year. The campus was recognized by the EPA in December for reducing its food waste by 5.5 percent in 2014.

About UC Global Food Initiative: The University of California Global Food Initiative addresses one of the critical issues of our time: how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world population expected to reach eight billion by 2025. The initiative aligns the university’s research, outreach and operations in a sustained effort to develop, demonstrate and export solutions — throughout California, the United States and the world — for food security, health and sustainability. UC President Janet Napolitano, together with UC’s 10 chancellors, launched the UC Global Food Initiative in July 2014.

For additional information: Global Food Initiative: http://www.ucop.edu/global-food-initiative/

University of California, Riverside Palm Desert Center: www.palmdesert.ucr.edu

Jillian Michaels to Speak at UCR About Food and Fitness on Wednesday, Feb. 10The “Biggest Loser” coach will address healthy habits and motivation

By Kris Lovekin

Celebrity fitness guru Jillian Michaels will speak from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10 at UC Riverside’s Student Recreation Center at an event open to UCR students, staff and faculty. It is sponsored by the UC Global Food Initiative.

Michaels rose to fame as part of the team of coaches for the NBC reality TV show “The Biggest Loser,” which is now in its 15th season. Her books and DVDs are bestsellers. Previous books include “Master Your Metabolism” and “Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life.” Her most recent book is “Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss.”

“I’m excited to bring her to campus and grateful to partners at the Student Recreation Center who quickly found a room that seats 500 people,” said Cheryl Garner, executive director of UCR’s Dining Services. “I think she will be a big draw for our campus. She will be signing books and offering samples of “Slim Soul,” a new line of healthy foods.” Garner said many of UCR’s wellness resources will be on display at the event.

The event will fit in with the “Be Well” campaign for Student Affairs, said Assistant Vice Chancellor Susan Allen Ortega. The campaign is focused on raising awareness and facilitating action in developing lifelong health and wellness practices by UC Riverside students.

Julie Chobdee, who is the Wellness Program Coordinator for UCR faculty and staff, said this will be an

effective way to reach out to the entire campus community. “This event aligns nicely with our UCR Healthy Campus Initiative and supports our collaborative efforts to provide the education, tools, and environment so that our students, faculty, and staff have access to and choose healthier foods,” she said.

“Changing old habits doesn’t have to be hard,” she said. “It’s all about making your health and well-being a priority. I’m hoping the audience will see how easy it is to be healthy – no matter how busy they are with school, work, and personal life.”

Chobdee says no reservations are required. Admission is free, and the room holds 500 people, with standing room for more. She recommends arriving early.

The event is part of the UC Global Food Initiative. The overarching question of that initiative, which started in 2014, is how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world population expected to reach eight billion by 2025.

UC President Janet Napolitano and all of the system’s chancellors agreed to take on the challenge of leveraging the UC’s substantial resources in agriculture make sure research is translated into public policy. The initiative also asks each campus to leverage its own buying power to create new and healthy food options for all of those who eat on campus.

UC Riverside Student Selected as a Gates Cambridge ScholarConnor Richards first UCR student to be awarded prestigious scholarship

By Mojgan Sherkat

Connor Richards, a fourth-year physics major at UCR, has been awarded the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarships in the world.

“This is the most prestigious award for graduate study that any UCR undergraduate has ever won, and it is a great tribute to Connor that he has earned this distinction,” said Steven Brint, vice provost of undergraduate education.

Richards is one of about 40 American students who received the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and he is the first UC Riverside student to be granted the award. He will read for a Master of Advanced Study in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge. He said receiving the scholarship is a humbling honor, and represents a tremendous opportunity in terms of professional and personal growth.

“This award is really recognition of the work that UCR has put into preparing me over the last four years,” Richards explained. “I received support whenever and wherever it was required. I cannot begin to properly thank all of the departments and programs, and the people who have worked tirelessly to make this happen. But, I would be remiss if I did not specifically acknowledge Professor Owen Long, who has served as my research advisor since my freshman year, and Gladis Herrera-Berkowitz, with whom I have been working to prepare to apply for these awards since my freshman year.”

Richards has already received admission to top Ph.D. programs, including fellowship offers at Caltech and Cornell. He will attend Cambridge during the 2016-17 academic year, and hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental high-energy physics at Princeton in fall 2017.

Since coming to UCR, Richards has won the Strauss scholarship, a public service scholarship given to university students in California, and the Goldwater scholarship, which encourages outstanding students to

pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering and to foster excellence in those fields. He was named a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship, and spearheaded a project to mentor and encourage high school students interested in pursuing STEM careers. He is also active in the University Honors program and currently serves as president of the CNAS Science Ambassador program.

His latest accomplishment adds to the outstanding year of achievement for UCR undergraduates at the highest level, according to Brint. UCR undergraduates have won two Goldwater scholarships, three Strauss scholarships, three Coro fellowships, and three Howard Hughes Medical Institute Extraordinary Research Opportunities Scholarships. Several Fulbright finalists are still waiting to hear about their awards.

“Based on what I know, our record in the area of prestigious scholarships and awards is stronger than that of any UC campus. Connor and these other outstanding students make us all proud,” Brint explained.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program was established in October 2000, after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $210 million to the University of Cambridge – the largest single donation to a United Kingdom university. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants from all over the world who want to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge. Applicants are selected on the basis of showing intellectual ability, leadership potential, and a commitment to improving the lives of others.

UCR to Host Solar ConferenceEvent to explore how Inland Southern California communities can benefit from rapidly growing solar energy industry

By Sarah Nightingale

The spotlight will be on solar energy at a February conference hosted by the University of California, Riverside.

‘Opportunities for Solar: Ways Forward for Inland Southern California’ is set for 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the Bourns Technology Center, 1200 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, 92507.

Government and business leaders, utility providers, and the wider community are invited to learn more about the latest technologies and trends in solar energy from a variety of perspectives. Panel sessions will cover topics that include market-ready technologies, the emerging role of energy storage, economics and financing, and policies and incentives that apply to inland Southern California.

The keynote speaker will be Karen Douglas, commissioner at the California Energy Commission. Other speakers include John White, executive director at the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, and Brad Heaver, policy director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. A full agenda is available here.

UCR’s Alfredo Martinez-Morales, managing director of the Southern California Research Initiative for Solar Energy (SC-RISE) and one of the conference organizers, said the event will focus on increasing the accessibility of solar power as a clean, cost competitive, and renewable energy source.

“As the solar industry continues to grow and evolve, it is important for stakeholders to understand the challenges and opportunities for incorporating solar energy into their communities, including how the

marketplace works as well as local policies and initiatives in place,” Martinez-Morales said.

The conference is being hosted by three UCR centers: The College of Engineering’s Center for

Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), the Center for Sustainable Suburban Development, and the Southern California Research Initiative for Solar Energy. The 2016 conference builds on the success of the inaugural conference, which was held in 2014.

What Do John Wilkes Booth and Charles Dickens Have in Common?New play by UCR alumnus Richard Reed explores conspiracy theory behind Lincoln assassination during the

Riverside Dickens Festival Feb. 27-28

By Jeanette Marantos

John Wilkes Booth was killed before he could stand trial for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, but with a little dramatic license from UCR alumnus Richard Reed, the infamous actor-turned-assassin will finally see his day in court during the 2016 Riverside Dickens Festival Feb. 27-28.

“The Trial of John Wilkes Booth” is the third play written for the annual festival by Reed, a Riverside attorney and playwright. His other two plays, “The Trial of Jack the Ripper” and “The Trial of Lizzie Borden,” will also be performed during the festival’s 24th annual event in downtown Riverside.

What do three sensational 19th century crimes have to do with the famed British author Charles Dickens? They were all major events while Dickens was writing his best-selling works, Reed said, and part of the festival’s intent to tie the United States to the United Kingdom during the Victoria era.

“These worlds didn’t just exist in little pockets, they bled into each other,” Reed said. “There were lots of things going back and forth and lots of cultural awareness being exchanged between the two continents. I want people to understand that Dickens didn’t write into a vacuum. This was all part of the Victorian era, and we want people to see what it would be like in America when Dickens was alive and doing a couple of tours over here.”

In real life, Dickens did tour the United States twice, and met with U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton while President Lincoln’s successor, Andrew Johnson, was being impeached from office. Stanton reportedly told Dickens about a dream Lincoln had shortly before his assassination. In the dream, Lincoln was standing on the deck of a ship being pulled to a vague horizon. When he reported it to his cabinet the next morning, Lincoln thought the dream was a good omen, Reed said.

Alas, Lincoln would be dead a short time later, shot in the back of the head by Booth during a performance at the Ford Theater. There’s little question about Booth’s guilt, in real life or Reed’s play; the question Reed explores is who else conspired to kill the president.

There are lots of conspiracy theories about the Lincoln assassination, and indeed, four people were hung for conspiring to help Booth, including innkeeper Mary Surratt, the first woman to be executed by the U.S. government.

Some of the theories claim that Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, played a role in orchestrating Lincoln’s assassination, but Reed is more persuaded that the conspiracy came from within the Lincoln administration itself, directed by Stanton, the Secretary of War who often disagreed with the president’s policies.

As with his other plays, Reed looks carefully at who had the motive to commit the crimes. Lincoln wanted reconciliation after the war, Reed said, but Stanton wanted to see the South punished, Reed said, something he was ultimately able to orchestrate through his harsh Reconstruction policies.

“Reconstruction was more devastating on the South than the war was,” Reed said. “Lincoln knew the best hope for the country was to be reunited, and for Southerners to become Americans again, not subjugated people. Maybe Stanton had such hatred for the South he wanted to get rid of the one man who was standing in the way of his vengeance.”

By bringing Booth to trial, borrowing heavily from the proceedings of Mary Surratt’s actual trial, Reed explores some puzzling questions, such as why Booth went to visit Lincoln’s vice president the day before the assassination, and why another of the convicted conspirators, Michael O’Laughlin, tried to visit with Stanton that same night.

Again, as with his other plays, Reed doesn’t answer all the questions he raises. “We just raise them to let people decide for themselves,” he said. “But we want to raise these questions so people will talk about it, read about it and study the history for themselves.”

“The Trial of John Wilkes Booth” will be performed once each day of the festival in a tent outside the Riverside County Historic Courthouse at 3:30 p.m. The other two plays will be performed twice a day during the festival, in the courthouse, and due to their grisly nature, no one under 13 will be permitted. Admission to each play is $10. For performance times, go to the festival website here.

Long-time Dickens’ impersonator Paul Jacques, another UCR alumnus, will once again portray the author during the festival, giving lectures and even testifying during the fictitious Booth trial about Stanton’s recounting of Lincoln’s dream.

The festival will feature lots of other Victorian era notables, including Queen Victoria herself, as well as literary lectures by American authors Mark Twain (portrayed by Ken Stansbury) and Edgar Allen Poe (portrayed by Travis Wilson)

Three UCR people will be among the festival’s lecturers Jean Weiss, an assistant at the UCR library, will feature Victorian garden designs; English graduate student Mackenzie Gregg will discuss Dicken’s life and career in “Dickens 101” and English graduate student Lorenzo Servitje will discuss the career of Victorian physician John Snow.

Civil War buffs will be treated to a Civil War battle reenactment during the festival at 10th and Main streets, as well as an authentic, interactive Civil War field hospital and performances by The Armory Band, playing the overture from “Our American Cousin,” the play Lincoln was watching when he was shot. And President Lincoln himself, portrayed by actor Christopher Yates, will deliver his second inaugural address in redacted form.

“It’s a moving speech, and we want to bring that history in as much as we can,” Reed said. “These were very interesting times, and we want people to start thinking about how things were back then.”

Find out more details about the festival and a full breakdown of events at www.dickensfest.com.

Diversity Work Is Never Done, Panel SaysAbout 80 faculty, students and staff weighed on on priorities for choosing the new associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion

By Bettye Miller

UCR’s reputation as a national leader in advancing diversity and inclusivity in higher education is a point of pride for the campus, but improvements are needed in faculty recruitment and hiring, and in cultural

competencies, said students, faculty and staff who attended a forum on Feb. 3.

More than 80 members of the campus community attended the forum, which was convened by the search committee tasked with recruiting an internal candidate for the position of associate vice chancellor, diversity

and inclusion. Panelists were CHASS Dean Milagros Peña, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs James Sandoval, Middle Eastern Student Center Director Tina Aoun, Graduate Student Association Vice President Edgar Tellez Foster, student Regent-designate Marcela Ramirez, and Jennifer Vaughn-Blakely from The Group, a grassroots advocacy organization. Karthick Ramakrishnan, associate dean of the School of Public Policy, served as moderator.

A number of students and faculty advocated boosting the AVC position from half- to full-time if UCR is to effectively address campus community concerns about faculty and graduate student recruitment and retention, and creating a culture of respect and inclusion.

One fourth-year student said that campus diversity is important, “but we need to make people feel comfortable. We need to focus on inclusion.”

Sandoval said that Student Affairs staff continue to work to make students feel safe, adding that it can be difficult to balance the open exchange of ideas with making people feel safe. “I feel we have improved in the last five to seven years, but we have a lot of work to do,” he said. “Diversity is not just ethnic. It is across every component of our existence,” noting that issues of religious diversity, for example, have come to the forefront in recent years.

Ramirez said discussions among UC Regents are focusing on how to hold campuses accountable for responding to issues relating to diversity and inclusion as they arise, and for developing preventive initiatives.

“What does preventive training look like?” she asked. “This is why the chief diversity officer position is important. It should be a full-time position.”

Many of those attending the forum said the university needs to better in recruiting underrepresented faculty and graduate students, and in retaining them.

Peña said UCR is “taking the right steps” with campus forums aimed at creating processes that will significantly advance diversity and inclusiveness, including challenging discussions and training about what diversity brings to the campus. With regard to faculty recruitment, for example, where positions are advertised significantly affects the applicant pool, she said.

A diverse staff is important, too, said Carla Thornton, associate director of development for CHASS. “Even though we’re behind the scenes, we can be role models of success,” she said.

A number of participants cited the need for initiatives and training to improve cultural sensitivities and microagression. “The need for cultural sensitivity training is not just for faculty, but also for graduate and undergraduate students,” Tellez Foster said. “Sometimes these issues generate friction between graduate students and their advisors.

UCR is “a really complex place” in matters of identity, Ramirez said. “This is a learning lab for us to increase multicultural competence. We are special. We could do better. We’ve got to create a model of success.”

Bernd Magnus Memorial Conference Feb. 12-13Philosophy conference to explore issues in ethics, public policy and Nietzsche Studies

By Bettye Miller

The UC Riverside Department of Philosophy presents the Bernd Magnus Memorial Conference Feb. 12-13, an event that will explore issues in ethics and public policy, as well as topics related to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

The two-day conference begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, and is free and open to the public. Parking permits may be obtained at the kiosk on West Campus Drive at the University Avenue entrance to the campus. Lectures on Friday, Feb. 12, will be held in Humanities 1500. Events on Saturday, Feb. 13, will be held in College Building South 114.

Speakers include:

Friday, Feb. 12 – Ethics and Public Policy

1 p.m. – “The Concept of Brain Death: A Perspectivist Approach,” David Magnus, Thomas A. Raffin Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Ethics at Stanford University, and professor of pediatrics and director of the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics

3 p.m. – “A Progressive Path Through the Paris Climate Agreement,” Andrew Light, senior climate change advisor to the U.S. Department of State, and University Professor and director of the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University. Light attended the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference as part of the U.S. State Department Negotiating Team.

Saturday, Feb. 13 – Nietzsche-related topics

10 a.m. – “Redemption, Palliation, and Endurance: Three Modes of Self-Narration,” Joshua Landy, Andrew B. Hammond Professor in French Language, Literature and Civilization, professor of comparative literature and co-director of the Literature and Philosophy Initiative at Stanford University

1 p.m. – “Unfulfillable Ideals and Self-Consuming Concepts,” Kathleen Higgins, professor of philosophy at University of Texas at Austin

3:30 p.m. – “Nietzsche, Truth and ‘The Falsification Thesis’,” Alexander Nehamas, Edmund N. Carpenter II Class of 1943 Professor in the Humanities, professor of philosophy and professor of comparative literature at Princeton University

The conference is in honor of Bernd Magnus, a longtime member of the UCR Department of Philosophy who died in 2014. Magnus, a Holocaust survivor, was a leading scholar of Friedrich Nietzsche and an internationally recognized expert on 19th and 20th century European philosophy. He was also the founding director of UCR’s Center for Ideas and Society.

Co-sponsoring the event are the UCR Center for Ideas and Society and the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

New Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Program Launches in CaliforniaPartnership between UC Riverside’s School of Medicine and Dignity Health - St. Bernardine Medical Center

addresses shortage of cardiologists in inland Southern California

By Iqbal Pittalwala

The University of California, Riverside has announced the launch of a new cardiovascular fellowship pro-

gram, sponsored by the university’s School of Medicine and based at Dignity Health – St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, Calif. The three-year fellowship, which begins July 1, 2016, will provide accepted applicants a clinical learning environment and rigorous, comprehensive training in cardiovascular medicine.

Funded currently for three years, the program aims at training physicians to be competent and compas-

sionate practitioners in cardiovascular medicine. Fellows accepted in the program will learn also to exercise evidence-based practice. Areas of training to be covered in rotations include preventive cardiovascular medi-cine, echocardiography, vascular medicine, cardiac catheterization, heart failure, critical care cardiology and congenital heart disease.

“We have an acute shortage of cardiovascular clinicians in inland Southern California,” said Gerald Magu-

ire, MD, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, the chair of the psychiatry program and the interim desig-

nated institutional officer of graduate medical education at UC Riverside. “The School of Medicine’s goal is to train and recruit our very own doctors so they stay and practice in our area and contribute to the overall health of the community. This fellowship program is part of a long-term plan we have developed to meet this goal.”

Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, killing more than 600,000 people each year. Riverside and San Bernardino counties have some of the highest age-adjusted heart disease mortalities in California. One factor exacerbating the shortage of cardiologists in these counties is that their current genera-

tion of cardiologists is approaching retirement.

“The way we practice cardiology is changing as well,” explained Ramdas G. Pai, MD, the director of the cardiology fellowship program at St. Bernardine Medical Center, who will oversee the fellowship program. “Patients are older, with a multitude of problems. For many of these patients, a multidisciplinary approach is needed, oftentimes requiring more than one specialist per patient.”

As a result, Pai is delighted to be directing a new generation of cardiologists in an innovative program that will train graduates to practice competently in a multidisciplinary setting and maximize continuity of care.

“This fellowship program provides excellent clinical and investigational training by a committed faculty, and is aimed directly at addressing the shortage of cardiologists in inland Southern California,” said Pai, who also is a professor of medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Four fellows will be accepted into the program each year for three consecutive years. Once accepted into the program a fellow will train for three years. The program has been approved to accept 12 fellows in total.

While currently based at St. Bernardine Medical Center, the program eventually may include other UCR-affiliated institutions to provide greater diversity in training.

Applicants to the fellowship program need to be licensed or eligible for licensure in California by the start of the fellowship cycle.

“The mission of our School of Medicine includes having more medical specialty programs for our students,” Maguire said. “This new cardiovascular fellowship program addresses this goal. Without such fellowships,

many of the graduates we train could leave inland Southern California and not return to serve our region. We are looking now into a psychiatry partnership through one of the hospitals affiliated with our school.”

The UCR School of Medicine will graduate its first class of students in 2017. The mission of the school is to improve the health of the people of California and, especially, to serve inland Southern California by training a diverse workforce of physicians and by developing innovative research and health care delivery programs that will improve the health of the medically underserved in the region and become models to be emulated through-

out the state and nation.

Serving the health care needs of the people of the Inland Empire since 1931, Dignity Health – St. Bernar-

dine Medical Center is a 342-bed, nonprofit, tertiary acute care hospital. It offers a full continuum of services, from family care to heart surgery, treating an average of 72,000 individuals in the Emergency Department, delivering 2,100 babies and admitting more than 17,000 patients for treatment each year.

Five UCR Professors Among Most Influential Scientists in Their FieldsUniversity of California tops annual Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researchers list with 165 influential faculty

By Jeanette Marantos

Five UCR professors are among the 165 UC faculty named as the most influential scientists in their fields in 2015, a number unmatched by any other university in the world, according to an analysis by Thomson Reuters.

The UC system led the 2015 Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researchers list, which named more than 3,000 scientists from around the globe whose work was in the top 1 percent of most referenced research in academic journals from 2003 to 2013.

The purpose of the Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researchers List is to identify contemporary authors whose research has significantly influenced others in their field.

“Undeniably, Highly Cited Researchers have demonstrated that their work is central to current, ongoing research across the range of scholarly and scientific advancement and that they are the ones to watch,” Thomson Reuters said in its story about the rankings.

The UCR professors named in the UC’s Highly Cited Researchers list are:

• Julia Bailey-Serres, professor of genetics and geneticist

• Alexander Balandin, UC Presidential Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founding chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Program in BCOE and director of the Nano-Device Laboratory

• Wei Ren, professor of electrical and computer engineering

• Charles E. Wyman, distinguished professor of chemical and environmental engineering and the Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering

• Yadong Yin, professor of chemistry and principal investigator of the Yin Group, whose research is focused on properties and formation of nanostructures

City of Riverside Names Award for Carlos CortésUCR historian honored for lifetime commitment to inclusivity and diversity

By Bettye Miller

A new award created by the city of Riverside to recognize community members who are committed to inclusivity and diversity has been named for Carlos Cortés, UC Riverside professor emeritus of history.

Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey presented the inaugural Dr. Carlos E. Cortés Award for Championing Diversity and Inclusivity during the State of the City Address on Jan. 28.

“I’m delighted that the mayor is championing diversity and inclusion, and am deeply honored that the award will be in my name,” Cortés said. “It took me completely by surprise.”

Bailey said the award is named for Cortés because of his long commitment to inclusivity and diversity in both his professional career and in his civic leadership capacities. “You were the single most influential force in the shaping of the City of Riverside’s Inclusivity Statement, reason alone to name this award in your honor,” the mayor said in a letter to the historian. “Yet, anybody that has worked with you knows that your contributions are much greater than the Inclusivity Statement.”

Cortés is known internationally as a scholar of race and ethnicity, and has been writing and teaching on the topic for decades. In addition to his scholarly publications and work as a consultant to government agencies, universities and private businesses, Cortés also serves as the creative/cultural adviser for Nickelodeon’s award-winning “Dora the Explorer,” and its sequel, “Go, Diego, Go!,” – for which he received the 2009 NAACP Image Award.

He joined UC Riverside in 1968 as a professor of Latin American history, and retired from active teaching in 1994. Cortés remains an active scholar, writing and editing books, and lecturing throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia on the implications of diversity for education, government, private business, and the mass media.

Among his books are “Rose Hill: An Intermarriage before Its Time,” a memoir about growing up as the child of a Jewish mother and Mexican-American Catholic father, “The Children Are Watching: How the Media Teach about Diversity,” and “The Making – and Remaking – of a Multiculturalist.” He co-edited “Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia” (Sage, 2012), a four-volume encyclopedia that examines historical and contemporary issues of race and ethnicity in America.

Since 1990, Cortés has served on the summer faculty of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education, and since 1995 has served on the faculty of the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. He has received numerous awards, including the Inland Empire Hispanic Image Awards Educator of the Year, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education Award, UCR’s Distinguished Teaching Award and Faculty Public Service Award, the Distinguished California Humanist Award, the American Society for Training and Development’s National Multicultural Trainer of the Year Award, and the California Council for the Social Studies’ Hilda Taba Award.

Case Study of Adolescent SuicideUniversity of Memphis sociologist will talk about social group influences on suicide in Feb. 11 lecture

By Robert Parsons

Seth Abrutyn, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Memphis, will discuss how families, peers, and other social groups influence attitudes about suicide on Thursday, Feb. 11, at UC Riverside.

Abrutyn will discuss “The Case of Adolescent Suicide in a Cohesive Community” at a One Health Center seminar from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Humanities 1500. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, so reservations are requested. Parking permits may be obtained at the kiosk on West Campus Drive at the University Avenue entrance to the campus.

The sociology of suicide has evolved since French social psychologist Emile Durkheim published his 1897 monograph “Suicide.” Durkheim developed a theory of suicide that what is thought to be a highly individual act is actually socially patterned and has social, not only psychological, causes.

Abrutyn will examine how research is focused on fostering a new way of thinking about Durkheim’s theory of suicide, and will review a case study of a cohesive, suburban town with a serious adolescent suicide problem. He will explore how altruistic and fatalistic suicides, two types of suicide Durkheim articulated in the 19th century, can be re-imagined to improve our understanding of how social groups shape suicide in ways that help prevent suicides. Altruistic suicides are those that occur in societies where individual needs are considered less important than those of society; fatalistic suicides occur when a person’s life is so regulated as to be oppressive.

In the case study, Abrutyn said, “life in this highly integrated community, particularly for adolescents, is intensely regulated by the clearly defined local culture, which emphasizes academic achievement and perfectionism. The fear of failing to live up to community expectations is amplified by the cohesive social networks that facilitate the spread of information. This cultural-structural combination generates intense emotional reactions to the prospect of failure among adolescents and an unwillingness to seek psychological

help among both parents and youth.”

The event is presented by the School of Public Policy and co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology.

How L.A. Lost Its Economic MojoUrban planning scholar Michael Storper to discuss how declining fortunes of the Southland metropolis offers lessons for other regions in Feb. 24 seminar

By Bettye Miller

For much of the 20th century, the differences between the economies of San Francisco and Los Angeles – the first- and fourth-ranked metropolitan areas in the country in 1970 – were minor. Today, the 10-county Bay Area region remains No. 1 on the income scale. The five-county Los Angeles region, however, which includes the Inland Empire, has slid to No. 25.

Michael Storper, UCLA professor of urban planning, will discuss what changed in a lecture, “How and Why L.A. Lost Its Economic Mojo: Lessons for Other Southern California Regions,” on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is part of the ongoing Randall Lewis Seminar Series presented by the UC Riverside Center for Sustainable Development. The seminar will be held at the Alumni and Visitors Center, 3701 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside. It is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested as seating is limited and

may be made online or by calling (951) 827-7830.

In an October op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times, Storper described a series of missteps by Southern California’s business community and leadership that contributed to the region’s economic decline.

“Put simply,” he wrote, “Los Angeles’ business class, its movers and shakers, were too conservative, too backward-looking in their goals and their style to recognize and nurture what would become the new economy. To the world at large, Southern California seems like the least stodgy of metropolitan areas. But when it came to what counts now — a highly interconnected ‘ecosystem’ of entrepreneurs and investors, technologists and innovators — Los Angeles stumbled.”

Storper will share insights into the reason for L.A.’s decline and lessons learned that will benefit other regions as they work to grow their economies.

The urban planning scholar teaches in UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. He earned bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees from UC Berkeley, and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He was elected to the British Academy in 2012, and also received the Regional Studies Association’s award for overall achievement, the Sir Peter Hall Award, in the House of Commons in 2012. In 2014 Thomson Reuters named him one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.”

He holds concurrent appointments in Europe, where he is professor of economic sociology at the Institute of Political Studies (“Sciences Po”) in Paris and a member of its Center for the Sociology of Organizations, and is a professor of economic geography at the London School of Economics.

Storper’s research interests include economic geography, globalization, technology, regions, and economic development.

***

Established in 2003, the Center for Sustainable Suburban Development (CSSD) explores the social, economic, political and environmental impacts that population growth and movement has on cities and local

communities. Housed in the School of Public Policy, the center facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations in the community through its staff and affiliated faculty via research, joint conferences, workshops and public forums held at UCR and in the community.

The Randall Lewis Seminar Series is an ongoing program of the CSSD generously funded by Randall Lewis, executive vice president of Upland-based Lewis Operating Cos. The seminars focus on a wide range of regional sustainability topics such as air and water resources, infrastructure and transportation planning, affordable housing and the fiscal health of cities.

Two UCR graduate students tackle international development projectsThey are among 40 UC graduate students selected for US Agency for International Development fellowships

By Jeanette Marantos

UCR graduate student Eleinis Avila-Lovera hopes to build sweeter profits for cacao farmers in her native Venezuela. And South African Pedro Piqueras, a chemical and environmental engineering Ph.D. student at UCR’s Bourns College of Engineering, is intent on making safe air a basic human right.

The two are among approximately 40 graduate students from four University of California campuses –

Berkeley, Davis, Riverside and Santa Cruz – selected for U.S. Agency for International Development fellowships co-sponsored by the UC Global Food Initiative.

Piqueras will be characterizing aerosol emissions and their impacts on agriculture in South Africa, through the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Natural Resources and the Environment.

Last August, Piqueras was one of five students chosen from 400 applicants to launch a global campaign in the Millennium Health Prize category for his plan to make safe air a basic human right.

Piqueras launched his campaign at the 7th Annual Millennium Campus Conference, a program of the Mil-lennium Campus Network at the United Nations headquarters. It was attended by students and politicians from more than 50 nations. You can read more about his campaign here.

Biologist Avila-Lovera will return to Venezuela to resume work with the Universidad Central de Venezuela on cultivating cacao in an agroforestry system.

Her project aims to increase incomes for local farmers and diversify their operations by encouraging them to grow a less-common but higher quality cacao variety, Criollo, along with growing timber for wood, a mix that also can help maintain native plants and animals.

“You can see that the science you’re doing matters and can help people,” Avila-Lovera said. “We hope to help local farmers make decisions on plants they need to grow depending on the conditions of their farm.”

Graduate student fellows will spend two to six months helping partner organizations solve scientific, techno-

logical, organizational and business challenges.

USAID’s Global Development Lab launched the program a year ago with six universities, including UC Berke-

ley and UC Davis. The UC Global Food Initiative is co-sponsoring fellowships to help expand the program at UC Berkeley and to help UC Davis to extend its program to include fellowships at UC Riverside and UC Santa Cruz.

UC-USAID fellows will participate in projects in 20 countries on four continents. The UC Davis, UC Riverside and UC Santa Cruz fellows focus on agriculture and natural resources as part of the Research and Innovation Fel-lowship for Agriculture program. UC Berkeley fellows cover a broad array of international development areas as part of the Global Development Fellows program.

The Top: Nine Valentine’s Day Questions Answered by UCR ProfessorsTUCR professors explains Valentine’s Day through their expertise in science, business, gender studies, and

media and cultural studies

By Bethanie Le

Welcome to The Top!

Each issue, we present a list of UCR staff and faculty favorites — from walking spots to gardens to events. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, this week, we are featuring all things related to the most romantic holiday of the year. From the chemistry of chocolates to the business of Valentine’s Day, UCR professors share their research and observations about Feb. 14.

If you have something you’d like featured in The Top or an activity you’d like to share, email kris.lovekin@ucr.edu your suggestions!

1. How Much Do People Spend on Valentine’s Day?

Barry Mishra, professor of accounting, answers:

“In modern times, Valentine’s Day as the first major consumer holiday of the New Year has become a boon for the retailers and others. According to National Retail Foundation’s (NRF) survey, 54.8 percent of consumers will celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, spending on average $146.84, compared to $142.32 last year, marking an all-time high of a total of $19.7 billion this year.

Nearly half of these consumers will buy candy, making it the top gift. About 40 percent of them will spend money on experiential goods, such as a night out at a restaurant or tickets to a show. About $4.4 billion will be spent on jewelry items and $1.9 billion on flowers. Half of the consumers also will buy a greeting card, while an estimated $2 billion will be spent on apparel.

Last but not the least, Americans will spend $681 million to spoil their beloved pets with Valentine’s day delights. Of course, all this spending is likely to provide a fillip to our declining GDP, which is good news for the economy and the stock market.”

2. Why is Chocolate Associated with Love?

Cindy Larive, professor of chemistry and interim dean, says:

“What do you picture when you think about Valentine’s Day? How about a heart-shaped box of chocolates? The connection between love and chocolate has been around for decades and can be traced in part to the book ‘The Chemistry of Love’ by Dr. Michael Liebowitz.

The aphrodisiac properties of chocolate have been suggested to be linked to the chemical phenylethylamine (PEA), a chemical produced naturally in the brain and also present in relatively high concentrations in chocolate. In the brain, PEA leads to an elevated mood and feelings of pleasure. Therefore Liebowitz and others have suggested that PEA could have an aphrodisiac effect on the brain. However, when chocolate is eaten, the PEA it contains is rapidly metabolized or broken down, meaning that very little (if any) of the PEA consumed in chocolate reaches the brain. As a result, it is unlikely that the PEA in chocolate has a significant aphrodisiac effect.

PEA is not be the only potential source of chocolate’s mood enhancing properties. Caffeine and theobromine, well known stimulants present in chocolate, are just two of the more than 300 chemicals chocolate is known to contain.

Whatever the cause of chocolate’s mood enhancing effects, it is still a great choice as a Valentine’s Day gift – with or without the heart-shaped box.”

3. What is Valentine’s Day like in a Same-Sex Couple Perspective?

Alicia Arrizón, professor of gender and sexuality studies, responds:

“I have been in a relationship with my partner, Gina, for almost 21 years. For political reasons we were one of the 18,000 same-sex couples married in 2008 before Proposition 8 was passed. As a couple, we do recognize Valentine’s Day as a special occasion but don’t buy into its commercialism. We see Valentine’s Day as another day in our life: we may watch a movie or enjoy the company of friends or family but we don’t believe in the commercialization of romance. Generally, we do try not to take for granted our commitment and love to each other. We sustain that everyday should embody the spirit of Valentine’s Day.”

Michelle Bloom, professor of French and comparative literature, adds:

“Despite the major headway in gay rights as seen through gay marriage in France, dining out for same-sex

couples may still pose a challenge. One lesbian couple mentioned in my anecdotal survey has a romantic dinner at home (that’s an option other couples exercise as well, versus a restaurant outing) because it’s more comfortable for them than going to a ‘regular restaurant’ - so it’s home or a ‘gay friendly’ restaurant.”

4. What Happens to our Brain and our Heart When We’re in Love?

Gerald Maguire, chair and professor of psychiatry, said:

“There’s different phases of what can happen with the brain and the whole chemistry system of the body.

There’s the initial attraction and often times there will be an epinephrine or adrenaline rush. That is when we feel excitement or we can get a racing heart or sweaty palms. Then, if there is a sense of love and joy, that can be manifested through serotonin. This gives us a general sense of well-being and happiness. And then, if the interaction with the two individuals are positive, that can lead to a change in the reward system through the

chemical of dopamine.

All of this can be interplay with each other throughout the course of attachment, and if you pair that attachment with hugging or kissing or even sexual interaction, there could be a release of oxytocin, another chemical that is involved with bonding and attachment. It is with intimacy that oxytocin is released and that can lead to a further enhancement of bonding.”

5. How does France, a Country of Known for Romance, Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Michelle Bloom, professor of French and comparative literature, answers:

“Living up to their reputation for romance, the French do indeed pay their respects to Saint Valentine. The people I’ve talked to say that the French do so in traditional ways, with the tête-à-tête or one-on-one restaurant outing for couples is definitely the norm. Married or unmarried couples also gift chocolate and flowers. There are themed Valentine’s day events for singles as well.

The prestigious French Tea Salon, ‘Mariage Frères,’ founded in 1854, features Valentine’s-specific or oriented teas and gifts, for instance ‘Fall in Love’ and ‘Love Song’ teas sold in red and pink canisters, unlike the establishment’s signature black canisters.

One might say the French are generally romantic, so Valentine’s Day only heightens the typical.”

6. What Does Valentine’s Day Mean for Men? And What Does It Mean For Women?

Alicia Arrizón, professor of gender and sexuality studies, answers:

“For some heterosexual women, Valentine’s Day is essentially a holiday. Traditionalists may expect flowers and chocolates and even an engagement ring. Some are expecting to hear for the first time the ‘I love you’ declaration. While some women may just want respect and to be loved and desired not only in Valentine’s Day, there is a general perception that men --a boyfriend or husband-- are more reserved about expressing their feelings and often have problems when searching for the ‘perfect’ gift. I read recently that Valentine’s Day is for women what the Super Bowl is for men. Although this may sound sexist in essence, the analogy may help to differentiate how most heterosexual men and women approach Valentine’s Day. In this frame of reference, most heterosexual men and women comply with the commercialization of romance and the rules of heteronormativity.”

7. What is the History of Valentine’s Day?

Alicia Arrizón, professor of gender and sexuality studies, answers:

“Saint Valentine’s Day was first linked to romance and love when courtly love flourished in the Middle Ages. In Western cultures, it has become a celebration in which lovers must express their romantic love for each others.

I love one of the most popular stories associated with Valentine’s Day: the story of a priest named Valentine who in the name of love continued to perform wedding ceremonies during the Roman Empire when soldiers were not allowed to marry because the state alleged that marriage would affect the soldier’s ability to function in the army.

A different legend about Valentine’s Day is more violent and misogynistic. Historians have traced it to the ancient Pagan mid-February festival, Lupercalia, when Romans used to sacrifice their livestock and publicly whip women, believing it would increase a woman’s fertility.”

8. Is There a Physiological Reason Why the Heart is Associated with Love?

Gerald Maguire, chair and professor of psychiatry, said:

“I really think it can be related to the norepinephrine in the effects that one feels with the initial attraction with the racing heart and the feeling of the heart beating.

That’s why in old cartoons (I used to watch a lot of Bugs Bunny as a kid), when Pepé Le Pew, the skunk sees the attractive cat with the white stripe on her back, you can see his heart beating out of his chest.

So it’s almost like the physiological reaction of the heart racing is associated with the initial sensation of attraction. I think the heart is the easiest body part to measure the physiologic response of love.”

9. What Are Some Fun Movies to Watch for Valentine’s Day?

Derek Burrill, associate professor of media and cultural studies, shares his Valentine’s Day Hot Movie List:

• “The Notebook” (2004) – Skip the rest of the Sparks adaptations, this is the best

• Love Actually” (2003) - …is all around

• “In the Mood for Love” (2001)

• “War of the Roses” (1989) – This will make your divorce look like a picnic

• “Belle Époque” (1992) - For those who like a plethora of choices

• “Like Water for Chocolate” (1992)

• “Dirty Dancing” (1987) – Nobody puts this movie in a corner!

• “Amélie” (2001) – Maybe the most French film ever?

• “Ghost” (1990)

• “The Lunchbox” (2013) – Romantic and you get to see the fascinating dabbawala system in Mumbai

• “The Best Man” (1999)

• “Fatal Attraction” (1987) – For the happily single folks

• “I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok” (2006)

• “Looking” (2014-16)- The HBO series; shows how difficult it can be to find Mr. Right, but also how easy it is to settle for Mr. Right Now.

• “Shall We Dance” (1996) - The Japanese film — or the 1937 Astaire-Rogers film. Heck, even the Richard Gere/J-Lo remake.

“They’re all sweet and fun,” Burrill said.

Did You Know?There’s Still Time to Sign up for UCR’s Winter FarmShare

The 10-week program began Jan. 14, but UCR faculty, staff and students can participate for the final five weeks if they register by Feb. 18.

A full share, good for a family of four (or a couple of hungry vegetarians) includes five types of seasonal fruits, five types of seasonal vegetables and one herb. It costs $28 a week — about $140 for the final five weeks. Medium shares cost $18 a week, and include half counts on the fruits, and half counts on four of the veggies. Participants can pick up their produce every Thursday, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. at the Market at Glen Mor.

For more information or to sign up online, visit UCR’s FarmShare site, sponsoredby the UCR Wellness Program for Faculty and Staff, Dining Services, Sustainability and the UCR Global Food Initiative Committee. Or read more about the program at http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/34251. Questions about the program should be directed to Wellness Program Coordinator Julie Chobdee at extension 2-1488 or julie.chobdee@ucr.edu.

UCR Library Awarded $10,000 Grant to Participate in the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History Initiative

As part of the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History Initiative, the UCR Library is showcasing a host of events that include film screenings, presentations from UCR scholars, dramatic readings, and performances in order to familiarize the public with the people, places, history and contributions of Latino Americans in the United States.

The next event will be a lecture and workshop on the Latino American Studies Resources at UCR’s Tomás Rivera Library on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The lecture will be provided by Rhonda Neugebauer, UCR Library Latin American and Iberian studies bibliographer.

Who Says?UCR staff and faculty weigh in on the issues of the day via media outlets at home and abroad

“The science portrayed in comic books is fairly diverse. From the metals work that you see in Captain America’s shield and in Thor’s metal hammer and in Wolverine’s claws; to bio-inspired materials, like Spiderman’s web; to magnetic materials and energy materials as manipulated by Magneto.”

Suveen Mathaudhu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, on how stories behind famous comic

book characters can act as an aid in teaching science and engineering to the general public

CBS NEWS

“An earthquake could propagate to a different fault. And so this is a possibility that should be accounted for in models of seismic hazard, and it currently is not.”

Gareth Funning, associate professor of earth sciences, on his research that discovered that that

earthquakes on thrust faults can spread 10 times farther to a second nearby thrust fault than previously

thought

KPBS

“Fire is a very complex phenomenon. We don’t know why fire does what it does. In order to protect ourselves, we need to understand fire.”

Marko Princevac, associate professor of mechanical engineering, on the importance of research on fire

DISCOVERY CHANNEL CANADA

“You are, according to the FBI statistics, more likely to die from faulty furniture, than to be killed by a terrorist. You are more likely, in this country, to be shot by a toddler than killed by a terrorist. However, we cannot dismiss this fear by calling it irrational; we must recognize it and we must confront it.”

Reza Aslan, professor of creative writing, from his lecture entitled ‘Islam and ISIS’ at the University of

Notre Dame on the topics of religion and violent extremism

THE OBSERVER

“Carmen Galdames has always been very helpful to me when I was at the (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) herbarium. It is an honor for us to acknowledge her in this manner.”

Helen Kennedy, herbarium research associate, on the Calathea galdamesiana, a new ground-flowering plant in Panama that she co-founded and named after Carmen Galdames, the Smithsonian Tropical Research

Institute’s herbarium assistant

SMITHSONIAN

“Our work with Y. lipolytica is a good example of how the CRISPR-Cas9 system is facilitating research in organisms that are biologically interesting but historically difficult to work with.”

Ian Wheeldon, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, on his research adapting

the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system for use in a yeast strain that can produce useful lipids and polymers

SCIENCE DAILY

“In the case of the Asian-American population, it is predominantly foreign born. They haven’t had as much experience in the U.S. political system. There’s a lot that can be done by outreaching to them and doing voter education. Asian-Americans are about one in every 10 voters and in many of these ballot propositions, the margin of victory is much smaller than that.”

Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of political science and public policy, on California politics in relation

to Asian-American voters

NPR

Awards and Honors

David L. Ulin a PEN Award Finalist

Book critic David L. Ulin, who teaches in UCR’s Low Residency M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts in Palm Desert, has been named a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay for his book “Sidewalking: Coming to Terms with Los Angeles” (University of California Press, 2015).

The award, which comes with a $10,000 prize, is presented for a book of essays “that exemplifies the dignity and esteem that the essay form imparts to literature.” The winner will be named live at the 2016 PEN Literary Awards Ceremony on April 11 at The New School in New York City.

Scholar a Finalist for Prestigious Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award

Fred Moten, professor of English, is one of five finalists for the prestigious Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, which is presented by Claremont Graduate University.

The $100,000 award honors a poet at mid-career and provides resources “that allow the artist to continue working toward the pinnacle of their craft,” the university said in announcing the finalists on Jan. 26.

Moten was nominated for the award, which is in its 24th year, for “The Little Edges” (Wesleyan University Press, 2014). “The Little Edges” is a collection of poems written in what the poet calls “shaped prose” – “a way of arranging prose in rhythmic blocks, or sometimes shards, in the interest of audio-visual patterning,” according to the publisher of the collection.

Research and ScholarshipUncoding a Citrus Tree Killer

A team of scientists led by UCR’s Wenbo Ma, associate professor of plant pathology, has been awarded a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in an attempt to save the United States citrus industry from a disease that has already devastated the industry worldwide.

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease, is a bacterial plant disease fatal to citrus trees. The disease has devastated citrus trees in Asia, South America and Florida. More recently it has been found in Texas and California.

“This disease is getting more and more scary because we have no cure,” said Ma. “Once a tree is infested all a grower can do is watch it die.”

Ma and the other scientists will use the funding to study the disease at a molecular level to identify ways to stop it from killing citrus trees and develop varieties that are resistant to the disease. The project will be the first attempt to understand differences of HLB in different citrus growing areas.

Breakthrough in Generating Embryonic Cells That Are Critical for Human Health

Work done by a research team led by Martin Garcia-Castro, associate professor of biomedical sciences, reports of a robust, fast, simple and trackable model to generate neural crest cells. The proposed method can facilitate research in basic sciences and clinical applications alike.

“Our study provides a superb model to generate neural crest cells in just five days starting from human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent cells, using a simple and well-defined media with all ingredients known and accounted for,” said García-Castro, whose lab led the study published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Development. “Our cost-effective, efficient and fast protocol allows a better analysis of the relevant signals and molecules involved in the formation of these cells. Our results suggest that human neural crest cells can arise independently from – and prior to – the formation of mesoderm and neural ectoderm derivatives, both of which had been thought to be critical for neural crest formation.”

The study was supported by funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health as well as Connecticut Innovations, a funding source for companies in Connecticut.

Double Dose of Bad Earthquake News

Gareth Funning, associate professor of earth sciences, and a team of researchers has discovered that earthquake ruptures can jump much further than previously thought, a finding that could have severe implications on the Los Angeles area and other regions in the world.

The scientists found that an earthquake that initiates on one thrust fault can spread 10 times farther than previously thought to a second nearby thrust fault, vastly expanding the possible range of “earthquake doublets,” or double earthquakes.

That could mean in areas such as Los Angeles, where there are multiple thrust faults close to each other, an earthquake from one thrust fault could spread to another fault, creating twice as much devastation.

The paper is called “Limitations of rupture forecasting exposed by instantaneously triggered earthquake doublet” and was published online on Feb. 8 about the research in the journal Nature Geoscience.

New Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Program Launches in California

UCR has announced the launch of a new cardiovascular fellowship program, sponsored by the university’s School of Medicine and based at Dignity Health – St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, Calif. The three-year fellowship, which begins July 1, 2016, will provide accepted applicants a clinical learning environment and rigorous, comprehensive training in cardiovascular medicine.

Funded currently for three years, the program aims at training physicians to be competent and compassionate practitioners in cardiovascular medicine. Fellows accepted in the program will learn also to exercise evidence-based practice. Areas of training to be covered in rotations include preventive cardiovascular medicine, echocardiography, vascular medicine, cardiac catheterization, heart failure, critical care cardiology and congenital heart disease.

Four fellows will be accepted into the program each year for three consecutive years. Once accepted into the program a fellow will train for three years. The program has been approved to accept 12 fellows in total.