July 6, 2026

Staff from Student Life & Leadership celebrated the recent World Cup games by sporting their favorite team jerseys. (Photo by Julie Song)

UC IRVINE NEWS

Kubrin accepts Stockholm Prize in Criminology

At a June 9 ceremony in the Stockholm City Hall, H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden presented Charis E. Kubrin, Chancellor’s Professor of criminology, law and society (above), the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology, an honor many consider criminology's equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Kubrin used the occasion to deliver a sweeping, data-driven argument that the link between immigration and crime is “a myth that the evidence has never supported,” she said. “Healthy democracies benefit from good social science and social science benefits from democratic freedoms. When democracies ignore the kind of evidence social science produces, it is at the people’s peril.”

Stop blaming the phone

The headlines say teenagers are in crisis – and their smartphones are to blame. Candice Odgers, Chancellor’s Professor of psychology and informatics, who has spent 25 years studying adolescent mental health, says the data tells a different story. In her recent TED Talk, Odgers challenges the panic head-on, arguing that teens are more resilient than we think and that the real threats to their well-being have nothing to do with screen time. “The story we are all told about teens being lost, worse off than ever, and that their brains are rapidly rotting because of their phones and social media does not match what we see in the data or what teens tell us about their lives,” said Odgers. “There is a massive gap.”

Celebrating Disability Pride Month

July marks Disability Pride Month. In recognition, the UC Irvine Libraries created a guide to its resources that document and elevate the voices and contributions of people with disabilities. The collection is wide-ranging with a focus on disability justice, lived experiences and the creative and intellectual work of the community.

Shakespeare with a twist

New Swan Shakespeare Festival will present the Bard through two uniquely American stories: a Depression-era “Romeo & Juliet” and a 1950s Southern California surf musical inspired by “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” The productions reflect what has become New Swan’s signature approach over the past 14 years – honoring Shakespeare’s language while finding fresh ways to connect classic tales with contemporary audiences. “These stories are so compelling,” said Eli Simon, founding artistic director of the festival. “They can be situated almost anywhere, but you’ve got to have good reasons for it.”

UC NEWS

UC sports legends who changed the world

Perhaps the greatest diver in American history, Greg Louganis competed in four Olympics, winning a silver in his first Games as a 16-year-old. He later enrolled at UC Irvine, where he dove competitively, then returned to the Olympics, where he became the only male diver ever to sweep diving events across two consecutive games.

#UCIconnected

Student Affairs’ year with ZotGPT

The Student Affairs AI Initiative – a year-long series of workshops, lunch-and-learns and conversations aimed at helping staff across the division understand what AI can do for them – has continued growing across campus, and there are more voices than ever to help educate and encourage the next group of curious adopters.

#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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