UC Irvine Medical Center CEO Terry A. Belmont will chair the 2010 March of Dimes, Orange County Division’s “March for Babies,” overseeing fundraising efforts for the Sunday, April 25 walk. The event supports efforts to combat premature birth, a condition affecting more than 500,000 babies in the U.S. annually and the No. 1 cause of newborn death. “UC Irvine Medical Center is Orange County’s only healthcare institution serving high-risk pregnant women and high-risk infants under one roof,” Belmont said. “Our partnership with the March of Dimes is a great community cause to rally behind: helping babies.” This year’s fundraising goal is $750,000. Walkers of all ages, including student, family and corporate teams, are encouraged to participate.   More »

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Zhihong Lin, physics & astronomy professor, time on a Cray XT - the fastest supercomputer in the world - located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The three-year award has an estimated value of $1 million the first year. Lin and colleagues will utilize the time to simulate and study energetic particle turbulence and transport in fusion plasmas. An understanding of these processes is essential for the eventual use of controlled fusion as an unlimited and nonpolluting energy source. The award is part of the DOE's Innovative & Novel Computational Impact on Theory & Experiment program.   More »

Michael Oren, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., will share his political and personal perspectives on American-Israeli relations in a free public lecture at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at the UCI Student Center, Pacific Ballrooms C & D. Oren is the author of "Six Days of War: June 1967 & the Making of the Modern Middle East" and "Power, Faith & Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present." He served as an adviser to Israel's delegation to the United Nations and as the government's director of interreligious affairs. He has testified before Congress and briefed the White House on Middle Eastern issues.   More »

Daniel Gajski, director of UCI's Center for Embedded Computer Systems, has won the 2010 European Design & Automation Association Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor distinguishes those who have made outstanding contributions to electronic design, automation and the testing of electronic systems. Gajski (pictured) has published more than 250 journal and conference papers; has edited, authored or co-authored seven books and numerous chapters; and has earned several best-paper awards and nominations. Says Susan Bryant, vice chancellor for research: "His establishment and leadership of the Center for Embedded Computer Systems reflects the world-class research being undertaken at UCI." Gajski will receive his award in March at the Design, Automation & Test conference in Germany.   More »

Henry Sobel, physics & astronomy professor, has been awarded the 2009 Bruno Pontecorvo Prize from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. Established in 1995, the prize is bestowed annually on a distinguished scientist for significant investigation in the field of elementary particle physics. Sobel was chosen for his work on neutrino oscillations. "The fact that a Russian scientific organization selected an American for this award is notable," says William Parker, physics & astronomy chair. Sobel (pictured) will receive the prize Feb. 19 during the 107th session of the JINR Scientific Council in Dubna.   More »

Clay Pandorf, a postdoctoral researcher in physiology & biophysics, has received a fellowship from the National Space Biomedical Research Institute to support his studies on the use of exercise to counteract muscle loss in the reduced gravity of space. NSBRI is a nonprofit scientific partnership with NASA committed to finding practical, validated and effective means of maintaining human health and performance during long spaceflights. One of only four newly named fellows, Pandorf (pictured) will get a $40,000 stipend and attend a summer institute in Houston that provides an introduction to the Johnson Space Center's research facilities and programs.   More »

Dr. Alberto Manetta, director of the UC Irvine School of Medicine's Office of Diversity & Community Engagement, has been appointed to the Health Professions Education Foundation board of trustees. The state-run entity helps improve access to healthcare in underserved areas of California by offering scholarships and loan repayments to aspiring and practicing health professionals dedicated to serving in those areas. Manetta is the founding director of UCI's PRIME-LC, the nation's first medical education program addressing the unique healthcare needs of the Latino community.   More »

To promote interdisciplinary research focused on improving human health, Dr. Ralph Clayman, dean of the School of Medicine, has established the annual Dean's Triumvirate Grant. The $50,000 award will aid novel collaborations among School of Medicine researchers and those in other UCI schools and programs. The initial grant will go to Assistant Professor Bernard Choi of the Beckman Laser Institute; Dr. Steven George, director of the Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology; and molecular biology & biochemistry Chair Christopher Hughes to support their blood vessel research project. Clayman (pictured) will award the grant at the annual Institute for Clinical & Translational Science celebration, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, in Hewitt Hall.   More »

This Saturday, the UC Irvine chapter of Physicians for Human Rights will host a "Flex Your Muscles for Haiti" fundraiser to benefit the disaster relief effort. Student groups are encouraged to participate in this arm-wrestling competition in teams of six and four. Each team will pay a registration fee, which will provide the bulk of proceeds. Solo competitors are also welcome. Registration is $15 per man and $10 for each woman. Spectators will be asked to donate $5. The competition is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. at the UCI Student Center, Pacific Ballroom D. Winners will get bragging rights and prizes donated by local businesses. All proceeds will be donated to Partners in Health, a nonprofit with 20 years of experience providing medical care in Haiti.   More »