Nov. 17, 2025

UC President James B. Milliken learns how to Zot with Vice Chancellor Willie Banks and student leaders during a visit to UC Irvine on Friday. (Photo by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Commuting without polluting

In 2018, UC Irvine became the first college in the nation to abandon its traditional biodiesel buses and transition to an all-electric fleet that moves students throughout campus. It’s all part of Transportation & Distribution Services’ commitment to environmental stewardship and a legal mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all vehicles traveling on and around the university. To help the campus community navigate sustainable transportation choices, T&DS provides resources like custom commute planning; myCommute, a personalized transportation portal; and a Pump2Plug program. Qualified employees who transition from gasoline to electric vehicles are eligible for complimentary Level 1 charging for three years. In addition, the campus offers discount pricing on an annual University Pass, which entitles holders to unlimited, reduced-cost rides on all OCTA buses.

Native American resource guide

UC Irvine Libraries hosts a variety of resources and research related to Native Americans and related topics. In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, the Libraries created a guide of available online resources, archival materials, media, e-books and audiobooks that document the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. While some materials are restricted only to those with a valid UCInetID, most are accessible to the public as part of UC Irvine Libraries' ongoing commitment to promoting learning and enhancing access.

UCI Health launches podcast

UCI Health has announced the launch of the Live Well with UCI Health podcast – a new way to receive insights from trusted experts. Each episode goes live every other Tuesday and features evidence-based knowledge, wellness tips, clinical breakthroughs and inspiring stories.

Improving human-AI decision-making

(Padhraic Smyth, left, and Mark Steyvers)

Padhraic Smyth, Distinguished Professor of computer science and Hasso Plattner Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence, and Mark Steyvers, professor and chair of cognitive sciences, have been awarded a four-year, $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for their project “Improving Human-AI Decision-Making Partnerships Through Shared Understanding.” The interdisciplinary study uses approaches such as Bayesian learning and cognitive modeling to analyze human-AI interaction. “The results from our research can lead to a better understanding of how AI can be used in a responsible manner across applications in areas such as medicine, education, science and business,” Smyth said. #SpeakUp4Science

UC NEWS

UC awards multicampus research grants

The University of California has, in partnership with UC-managed national laboratories, awarded $8 million in multicampus research grants to accelerate progress toward a future powered by abundant, stable, zero-carbon fusion energy. Penghui Cao, UC Irvine associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, was specifically lauded for his work on predictive discovery of radiation-resistant alloys for extreme fusion environments. In addition, UC Irvine is a partner in the Center for Fusion Energy’s project on materials and diagnostics for extreme conditions – to advance fusion materials discovery.

#IamUCI

Professor wins Stockholm Prize

Charis E. Kubrin, professor of criminology, law and society, has been awarded the Stockholm Prize in Criminology, widely regarded as the field’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Kubrin is being recognized for decades of research that consistently challenges the persistent societal myth that immigrants bring crime to their new countries. Her findings demonstrate that the opposite is true – immigrants have lower crime rates than native-born populations and may actually help reduce crime in their communities. She will be honored at a formal ceremony in Stockholm City Hall in June 2026.

#UCIconnected spotlights interesting updates from the UC Irvine community. #IamUCI spotlights profiles of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected or #IamUCI hashtags.

UC IRVINE NEWSMAKERS

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