July 7, 2025

Roses take bloom in front of Reines Hall. (Photos by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

UC Irvine ranks fourth in Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges

Students walking in front of Student Center

UC Irvine has been recognized as the fourth-best Best Value College among public schools in the latest Princeton Review rankings. This prestigious acknowledgment underscores the university’s commitment to providing exceptional education at an affordable cost for students from all backgrounds. The Princeton Review’s annual list of 50 Best Value Colleges evaluates institutions based on academic quality, affordability and career prospects for graduates.

Federal research impact website launches

a group of scientists working in a laboratory

UC Irvine’s research impact is reimagining what is possible, from developing new Alzheimer’s treatments to pioneering AI breakthroughs. But innovation does not happen in isolation. It requires collaboration, infrastructure and sustained support. With critical funding, researchers can continue to drive progress that matters to a shared future. Follow @UCIrvine on Instagram to see the rollout of the latest research impact highlights.

Workplace Violence Prevention Program annual survey open

UC Irvine is committed to ensuring a safe and supportive work environment for everyone on campus. To help enhance the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, your input is needed. Please participate in a brief survey to help identify areas for improvement and implement effective strategies to prevent workplace violence. Your feedback is crucial in making the UC Irvine workplace safer for all. As a token of appreciation, all participants will have the opportunity to be entered into a drawing to win one of four $50 gift cards. The Workplace Violence Prevention Program Annual Survey will be active through July 15. Your responses will be kept confidential and will only be used to improve our Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

LIFTED commencement ceremony

Scenes from the second LIFTED (Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Educational Degrees) graduation from inside the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.

Among UC Irvine’s 10,261 graduates from the class of 2025 is a unique cohort of 16 Anteaters who were awarded their bachelor’s degrees in sociology on June 18 at the second LIFTED (Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Educational Degrees) graduation from inside the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.

UC NEWS

Cuts to federal science spending will cost every American

Three people in blue lab coats work in a purple-lit facility with large, complex-looking equipment.

The Trump administration’s federal budget for the coming year calls for deep cuts – upwards of 50 percent in some cases – to the federal agencies that fund the majority of research at America’s universities. And as funding challenges grow, “U.S. scientists are being offered positions overseas, where universities in Europe and Asia have pledged stability and support,” said Chris Harrington, UC associate vice president for federal governmental relations. “So when these scientists’ work bears fruit in the years to come, it is Europe and Asia – and not the United States – that will benefit first and most.”

#IamUCI

Donald Blake receives NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal

NASA has awarded atmospheric chemist Donald Blake, Distinguished Professor of chemistry, an Exceptional Public Service Medal for his four decades of contributions to the federal agency’s tropospheric composition field campaigns and his commitment to the NASA Student Airborne Research Program.

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