Dear Campus Community, 

As we say goodbye to another class of bright and talented Anteater students – now esteemed alumni – I am filled with immense pride and joy. Graduation is not just a ceremony marking the end of an academic journey; it is a celebration of perseverance, dedication, and the pursuit of knowledge.  

I want to acknowledge that for many of you over the last few years, you have had a tumultuous journey, with the most recent backdrop of trauma in the world and on many campuses across the country. You have faced and endured many challenges. Remember that you are here today as graduates because you have demonstrated deep resiliency. I believe that the foundation of your educational experience at UC Irvine Public Health provides you with the knowledge and skills to meet these challenges head on; and that your passion and ideals provide you with the agency to make an important impact in this world.

Next week on June 17th, nearly 450 graduates will be welcomed to the UCI alumni family. Our graduates carry with them our hopes and best wishes for a future filled with success and fulfillment.

A decade of dedication: A public servant’s journey

The public service workforce can alleviate the burden of student debt while fulfilling their commitment to public service through the Public Service Forgiveness Program, just as Theodore Gideonse did, allowing them to focus their skills and expertise where they are needed most.

Study connects exposure to air pollution and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy

Jun Wu and collaborators recently published their findings in PLOS Medicine revealing that exposure to PM2.5, particularly black carbon and organic matter, heightens the risk of severe hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. The communities most impacted and vulnerable are Hispanic and African American mothers and those who reside in low-income neighborhoods.

Study shows dietary changes can overcome weight loss plateau

Study published in Scientific Reports by Matthew Landry found that dietary changes rather than psychological factors are key to maintaining and continuing weight loss over 12 months and that new approaches to continued weight loss and maintenance are needed to move past a weight loss plateau.

Published findings in the Research Society on Marijuana's journal Cannabis by David Timberlake and doctoral student, Joshua Rhee investigate whether California storefronts and non-storefront cannabis retailers are adhering to online age-gating requirements, determining whether differences in website marketing practices exist.

Taking steps towards providing essential basic needs for college students

Matthew Landry serves as a corresponding author in a published call-to-action in the Journal of American College of Health, urging university administrators to mobilize resources and advocate for policies to combat food insecurity among college students and focus on the needs of vulnerable groups most susceptible to these issues.

MPH graduate turned researcher bridges data analytics and public health

Jaeeun “Jenny” Cho, MPH graduate with the Class of 2024, discusses her summer internship at CHOC’s Research Institute and how the PHIT program has benefited her career endeavors.

Researcher receive grant to identify needs of UC’s student immigrant population

Matthew Landry has been awarded a grant by the Center for Economic Justice and Action’s UC Essential Needs Consortium to study and improve access to essential needs services for undocumented and immigration-impacted Latinx students at UC campuses, leveraging data from the UC PromISE.

UCI Law and UCI Public Health Announce Scholarship Initiative and 3+3 Articulated Pathway.

Qualified recipients will receive $90,000 over three years at UCI Law and, if enrolled in the 3+3 pathway, could earn their Bachelors and J.D. degrees in six years, as opposed to the traditional seven.

Diving into Capiwaves
Tuesday, June 11 | 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Zoom

Join us for the unveiling of CAPIWAVES, a groundbreaking project examining mental well-being and COVID-19 economic impacts among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) in California.

Researchers from UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside partnered with NHPI community leaders to create the largest dataset on NHPI mental well-being and socioeconomic status. This webinar is open to all interested in NHPI data and health equity. Presenters include Brittany N. Morey, PhD, MPH, Ninez A. Ponce, PhD, MPP, Corina Penaia, MPH, Richard Calving Change, JD, MS, and Melenaite Fifta.