May 12, 2026

Students cruise by vibrant bougainvillea blooms on the inner ring road. (Photo by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Increase in ‘political breakups'

The study from Department of Psychology Ph.D. student Mertcan Güngör, left, and Peter Ditto, professor of psychology, paints a picture of a country whose political divisions are spilling out of Washington and into everyday life.

America has always been divided over politics, but now it’s personal, according to a new study from UC Irvine researchers. The findings reveal a fractured nation as political divides shatter friendships, tear apart families and fuel a deepening hostility between everyday Americans. “Friendships may be uniquely vulnerable to political breakups as they are close enough to allow for political differences to surface while lacking the commitments and constraints that hold romantic and family relationships together,” said Mertcan Güngör, Ph.D. student in psychology. “It’s easier to cut a friend or acquaintance whose politics annoy you out of your life than it is your boyfriend or uncle.”

ASPIRE cohort

Why do Asian American women who have never smoked have an elevated risk of lung cancer? Why are more Asian American women developing breast cancer at a younger age? And why is cancer the leading cause of death for most Asian American groups? “We need to conduct more research to understand and reduce the health disparities that Asian Americans experience,” said Sunmin Lee, professor of hematology and oncology (above). To address this, Lee is recruiting 1,800 participants for the Asian American Prospective Research cohort, to study cancer risks in these communities. “You are making a difference in promoting the health of Asian Americans by participating in this study,” she added. The National Institutes of Health supported the work. #SpeakUp4Science

Alumni through the decades: 2000s

Helen J.S. Lee ‘03 (Ph.D. East Asian languages and literature), arrived at UC Irvine after earning a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s from Cornell University. When she learned that UC Irvine was launching a new doctoral program in East Asian Languages and Literature, she jumped at the chance to be part of the inaugural cohort. Today, she is a professor at Yonsei University in Seoul.

UC NEWS

Nurse educators are key to growing California’s nursing workforce

By bridging classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience, nurse educators equip future nurses with the clinical skills and the core elements of patient care – such as communication, compassion and trust – that they’ll need to provide high-quality care. UC is working to address the nursing faculty shortage and broader nursing workforce needs by preparing nurse educators across its four schools of nursing. At UC Irvine, Paola German (above) brings her experience as a trauma nurse and nurse practitioner into the classroom, teaching students how to educate patients and build trust.

#IamUCI

A world within reach

When Rocio Celeste Rivera, political science and international studies major (above), first imagined college, she saw it as a gateway – not only to a degree but to a wider world. That sense of possibility has guided her ever since. She has studied abroad five times, interned with the Irish Parliament, worked at the United Nations in Geneva and served in a U.S. Senate office. As one of this year’s School of Social Sciences commencement speakers, she is thinking carefully about what message she wants to leave behind. “I want to acknowledge the reality of what we’ve experienced, while also offering hope that we can still make an impact,” said Rivera. “It’s important to recognize the struggles we’ve overcome and the resilience we’ve built. Those are the things that will allow us to become change makers.”

#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.

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