UCLA Newsroom: UCLA Newsroom

UCLA Theater Department presents 'A Mouthful of Birds'

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's department of theater presents "A Mouthful of Birds," Caryl Churchill and David Lan's 1986 play-with-dance about passion, madness and female violence, which draws on themes from Euripides "The Bacchae." Directed by second-year M.F.A. student Efrain Schunior, with choreography by graduate dance student Kingsley Irons, the UCLA production is part of the department's annual theatrical season showcasing the work of faculty and students.

UCLA presents annual entertainment design showcase

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The sixth annual Design Showcase West at UCLA, the only national entertainment design showcase on the West Coast, will feature the work of students graduating from the nation's top university design programs.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: SAG talks end with no deal

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Contract negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and Hollywood studios broke down Tuesday when the parties were unable to come to an agreement on DVD and Internet pay rates. The studios now begin talks with the smaller American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a move some SAG officials fear may undercut their union's bargaining power. Several UCLA faculty members have expertise on issues raised during negotiations.

Murray E. Jarvik, 84, professor and nicotine patch co-inventor

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dr. Murray E. Jarvik, emeritus professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at UCLA and co-inventor of the nicotine patch, died May 8 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. He was 84.

Laurence and Lori Fink give $10 million to endow UCLA Anderson finance center

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The UCLA Anderson School of Management has received a $10 million gift from Laurence D. Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock, and his wife, Lori W. Fink, to provide essential funding for the school’s center for finance, UCLA Anderson dean Judy Olian announced today.

UCLA Anderson presents annual entrepreneurs conference

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA Anderson School of Management will present its 23rd annual Entrepreneurs Conference (EAC 2008), the school's largest and highest-profile student-organized event. Featuring a variety of panels and workshops, EAC 2008 brings together M.B.A. students, entrepreneurs, financiers and business professionals to jumpstart ideas and explore emerging opportunities in entrepreneurship.

UCLA Festival 2008 celebrates student work in film and theater

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"UCLA Festival 2008: New Creative Work" is an eight-day celebration of the newest work by students from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. The festival begins Thursday, June 5, and runs through Thursday, June 12. More than 100 films will be screened at UCLA's James Bridges Theater and other locations throughout the week.

Conference explores new technologies for longer, healthier lives

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA Technology and Aging Conference will bring together academic and industry experts to highlight the latest medical and consumer technologies leading to longer, healthier lives.

UCLA conference to explore innovations in clean technology

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The second annual California Clean Innovation (CACI) conference gives clean technology enthusiasts of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore the latest innovations in the field.

Study uses music to explore the autistic brain's emotion processing

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In an innovative study led by Istvan Molnar-Szakacs, a researcher at the UCLA Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity, music will be used as a tool to explore the ability of children with autism spectrum disorders to identify emotions in musical excerpts and facial expressions.

Anna Deavere Smith delivers evocative lecture at UCLA

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrated actress, playwright and professor Anna Deavere Smith dazzled a UCLA audience Tuesday night with her spirited portrayals of Rev. Al Sharpton, author James Baldwin and former Texas Gov. Ann Richardson.

Does drug product placement on TV require new regulations?

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With more and more branded consumer products finding their way directly into popular television sitcoms and dramas, are prescription drugs soon to follow? Pharmaceutical product placement in TV shows is a very real possibility that warrants attention from the federal Food and Drug Administration and other policymakers, a new UCLA report argues.

U.S. ambassador urges students to engage in Middle East struggle

Tue, 06 May 2008 15:27:05 GMT

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Tuesday urged college students across the nation to become engaged in what he called the defining issue of the 21st century -- that is, the struggle between moderate and extremist Muslims over control of the Middle East.

Global warming will negatively impact tropical species

Mon, 05 May 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Global warming is likely to reduce the health of tropical species, scientists from UCLA and the University of Washington report in a study published May 6 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. At the same time, a little bit of warming may actually move certain organisms, particularly insects, in the high latitudes closer to their optimal temperature, the researchers say.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Cinco de Mayo

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cinco de Mayo, the commemoration of Mexico's victory over invading French troops in 1862, has grown into an annual celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. UCLA experts are available to discuss the cultural significance and history of the holiday.

U.S. ambassador to UN to give lecture on Middle East at UCLA

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will deliver the annual Bernard Brodie Distinguished Lecture on the Conditions of Peace, sponsored by the Burkle Center for International Relations at UCLA. The title of his talk is "The Challenges of the Broader Middle East."

UCLA faculty expert advisory: Holocaust Remembrance Day

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Holocaust Remembrance Day, marked this year on Thursday, May 1, is an occasion to remember the 6 million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. David Myers, director of UCLA's Center for Jewish Studies, is available to discuss the destruction and loss and the shadow the tragedy still casts over Jewish, American and world culture.

Stem cell researchers create heart, blood cells from skin cells

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Stem cell researchers at UCLA have grown functioning cardiac cells using mouse skin cells that had been reprogrammed into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells. The finding is the first to show that induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells — which don't involve the use of embryos or eggs — can be differentiated into the three types of cardiovascular cells needed to repair the heart and blood vessels.

3 UCLA professors elected to National Academy of Sciences

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fields Medal–winning mathematician Terence Tao is one of three UCLA professors elected Tuesday to the National Academy of Sciences for their excellence in original scientific research.

Actress, playwright Anna Deavere Smith to speak at UCLA

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Anna Deavere Smith, distinguished actress, playwright, author and New York University professor, will deliver the 2008 Bunche Chair Lecture, presented by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA. The annual event honors the memory of Bunche, the celebrated diplomat, intellectual, activist and UCLA alumnus.

UCLA Faculty Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Seven UCLA faculty members were elected Monday to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and independent policy-research centers.

Antidepressant found to alleviate IBS symtpoms in adolescents

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA have found that low-dose antidepressant therapy can significantly improve the overall quality of life for adolescents suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.

Statement on indictment of former Medical Center employee

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:50:25 GMT

"We are deeply troubled that a former employee may have illegally received payments from a news organization in exchange for providing personal medical information," begins Dr. David T. Feinberg, chief executive officer and interim vice chancellor of the UCLA Hospital System.

UCLA faculty expert advisory: lead poisoning in schools

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:05:30 GMT

Tests of water from drinking fountains at several Los Angeles Unified School District schools show elevated levels of lead, according to a report by KNBC-Channel 4. Hilary Godwin, professor and chair of the department of environmental health sciences at the UCLA School of Public Health, specializes in lead poisoning and its connection to developmental problems in children. She works to educate the public on methods to minimize exposure to lead. Contact Godwin at hgodwin@ucla.edu or call 310-794-9112.

UCLA School of Law launches $100 million endowment campaign

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA School of Law announced today that it has launched a campaign to raise $100 million to increase student scholarships, attract and retain faculty, and support centers and institutes that inform law and public policy.

What puts heart patients in the hospital? Study IDs common factors

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Nearly two out of three patients who end up in the hospital for heart failure suffer from at least one "precipitating factor," say researchers who examined data on some 49,000 heart failure patients collected during their...

UCLA to host candidate forum for L.A.'s 2nd Supervisorial District

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

UCLA Government and Community Relations, in partnership with the West LA Democratic Club, is sponsoring a candidate forum for the Los Angeles County 2nd Supervisorial District election. Candidates are Los Angeles City Council Member Bernard Parks and California state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Students to receive humanitarian award for community service

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Three UCLA students who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding commitment to public service will be honored May 7 with the 2008 UCLA Charles E. Young Humanitarian Award at a private ceremony for friends and family. The event will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles Young Grand Salon at UCLA's Kerckhoff Hall.

Lionel Richie to receive Gershwin Award at UCLA's Spring Sing

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Legendary singer, songwriter and producer Lionel Richie will receive the 21st annual George and Ira Gershwin Award for lifetime musical achievement at Spring Sing, UCLA's oldest and greatest musical tradition and student competition. Past recipients of the award include Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, James Taylor, Ella Fitzgerald and Natalie Cole.

Nanotech summit to explore issues of safety, regulation

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nanomaterials are now being used widely in a variety of industrial applications and consumer goods, and their popularity is growing. "The Future of Nanotechnology: A Legislative Summit" brings together stakeholders from industry, government, research institutes and environmental groups to discuss responsible ways to regulate nanotechnology and nanomaterials without stifling progress.

Seeds University Elementary School celebrates 125 years

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

At a time when only a handful of university laboratory schools remain in the United States, UCLA's innovative Corinne A. Seeds University Elementary School (UES) is still going strong. On May 2 and 3, members of the UES community will gather to celebrate the school's 125th anniversary.

Panel to address issues facing aging population in Los Angeles

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A panel of government and community leaders and UCLA faculty members will discuss issues affecting the aging population in Los Angeles. Questions to be addressed include: What is the current state of aging in Los Angeles and what are the politics of aging in the city?

Judge expands order to block harassment of researchers

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:00:00 GMT

UCLA won a preliminary injunction against extremists involved in a campaign of harassment directed at faculty and administrators who conduct or oversee research involving laboratory animals. The injunction extends and expands a temporary restraining order granted in February.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Race for the White House 2008

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:14:29 GMT

UCLA professors can bring considerable expertise to discussion of the 2008 presidential campaign. The following faculty experts may be available for media interviews.

Brain reacts to fairness as it does to money and chocolate

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The human brain responds to being treated fairly the same way it responds to winning money and eating chocolate, UCLA scientists report. Being treated fairly turns on the brain's reward circuitry.

Faculty–community partnerships to receive Rosenfield Prize

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Five partnerships, each involving a UCLA faculty member and a local nonprofit organization, will be honored with the 2008 Ann C. Rosenfield Community Partnership Prize at UCLA on April 22. The Rosenfield Prize recognizes innovative collaborations between faculty and regional nonprofits aimed at addressing critical issues affecting the community. This year's honorees have focused on issues involving the environment, health care, teen suicide prevention and theater. Each partnership will receive a $25,000 award.

High school students to test engineering, math skills at UCLA competition

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Los Angeles Metro MESA Day at UCLA is an annual event that gives local high school students an opportunity to apply their math and science learning to a series of challenging engineering design competitions. Contests include the designing of civil structures, mousetrap cars, catapults, balsawood gliders and Web pages. The event will also feature an engineering and technology fair.

Researcher, colleagues devise new method for protecting private data

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Companies and organizations that keep sensitive personal information on millions of Americans have become attractive targets for hackers in recent years, resulting in billions of dollars in losses for U.S. businesses and misery for countless consumers. But now Amit Sahai, an associate professor of computer science at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, and his colleagues have devised a new data-protection method they hope will put Internet criminals out of business.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Greenhouse gases

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:26:03 GMT

President Bush has announced plans for regulating the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are responsible for global warming. These scholars are experts on the issue.

Terence Tao to receive National Science Foundation's highest honor

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Terence Tao, the first mathematics professor in UCLA history to win the Fields Medal, will be awarded the National Science Foundation's prestigious 2008 Alan T. Waterman Award on May 6 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C.

Eating less fat may prevent prostate cancer, study shows

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Scientists with UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center and the UCLA Department of Urology have shown that lowering the intake of the type of fat common in the Western diet helps prevent prostate cancer in mice. The finding is the first of its kind in a mouse model that closely mimics human cancer, researchers said.

High school students to get close-up look at cutting-edge science

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

More than 180 Los Angeles high school students will visit UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) for a day of workshops and scientific demonstrations designed to introduce them to the burgeoning fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

UC sponsors bill to protect animal researchers from harassment

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:42:27 GMT

The California Animal Enterprise Protection Act (Assembly Bill 2296) is one in a series of steps intended to protect researchers from extremists who have placed Molotov cocktail-type devices near the homes of UCLA faculty, vandalized homes and made physical threats via phone and e-mail.

Admissions data show high academics for admitted students

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:00:00 GMT

UCLA, the most popular campus in the nation, with 55,397 freshman applicants, announced that it had admitted 12,579 prospective freshmen for fall 2008. Of these, 18.1 percent, or 2,164, were underrepresented minorities.

Chancellor Block's statement on breaches of patient privacy

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:38:10 GMT

On Friday, April 11, the California Department of Public Health cited the UCLA Health System for breaches of patient privacy that have been the subject of recent media reports. In a letter to University of California President Robert Dynes, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block expressed UCLA's regret over the incidents and outlined a series of steps being taken by UCLA Health Systems to help prevent such occurrences and to identify and punish individuals who violate that trust.

UCLA Department of Design|Media Arts announces spring 2008 events

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA Department of Design|Media Arts offers a variety of events for the public's enjoyment throughout the year, including public lectures, demonstrations and exhibitions.

UCLA students host annual 5K to benefit Mattel Children’s Hospital

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Actor Michael Chiklis, star of "The Shield" and "Fantastic Four," will host the ninth annual UCLA 5K Run/Walk to benefit the Child Life/Child Development Program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. This student-organized event includes a 5-kilometer run/walk through the UCLA campus, live music, a silent auction and more.

School of Dentistry celebrates expansion of Venice Dental Center

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The UCLA School of Dentistry will formally dedicate the new pediatric dentistry wing at the Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center, recognizing the project's donors for their longstanding generosity and celebrating the official launch of the new community-based pediatric dentistry residency training program.

UCLA faculty advisory: China and the Olympic torch fiasco

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Olympic torch relay has turned into an open forum for protests and criticism of the Chinese government's human rights abuses, specifically its recent crackdown on activists calling for Tibetan independence. Richard Baum, a UCLA professor of political science and expert on Chinese politics, is available to speak about how China might be reacting to the protests along the torch route and the ways in which the Olympics is affecting the Chinese government's policies and actions.

History professors Friedlander, Howe win Pulitzer prizes for books

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:30:00 GMT

Professors of history Saul Friedlander and Daniel Walker Howe were honored Monday with Pulitzer prizes for their latest important works. Friedlander's book is "The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945." Howe, an emeritus professor, won for "What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848."

Former Black Panther Elaine Brown to give Thurgood Marshall Lecture

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:14:14 GMT

UCLA alumna Elaine Brown, a former Black Panther leader and an advocate for radical reform of the criminal justice system, will deliver the 2008 Thurgood Marshall Lecture at UCLA on Thursday, April 17.