When Thomas Smith accepted the position of interim provost and executive vice chancellor, he had a simple goal: continue UC Riverside’s upward trajectory. Smith, who began his new role July 1 after five years as dean of the Graduate School of Education, was appointed by Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox to serve until next June or until a permanent provost...

UCR Dining Services has won a Spotlight Award from the UC Office of the President for its R’Safety Program. The program, which was rolled out at the campus’ cafes and dining halls over the past year, promotes workplace safety through increased employee engagement on safety issues and injury prevention, said Gustavo Plascencia, safety and...

UC Riverside’s newest and largest research facility has received its official LEED Platinum certification, signifying it meets the building industry’s highest energy-efficiency standards. The Multidisciplinary Research Building, or MRB, opened in January after three-and-a-half years of construction. The first group of researchers moved into the...

A public health practitioner who has worked extensively in education has been appointed as UC Riverside’s assistant vice chancellor for Health, Counseling & Wellness. Denise Woods-Bevly will join the campus Sept. 3. She is currently director of Student Wellness and the Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Office of the Chancellor...

UC Riverside welcomed Operation Purple Camp to campus this week, giving 94 military-connected kids a chance to experience college life and have some fun. The campers, who came from Southern California and beyond, took part in activities such as archery, rope climbing, and swimming during their week-long stay from July 14-18. UCR Recreation, which...

UC Riverside ranks high among public universities where graduates can expect a good return on their investment. CNBC placed the campus No. 12 on its list of the top 50 public universities that pay off the most. The list, released July 16, evaluated average tuition costs in relation to graduates’ future earnings. This is the first time CNBC has...

Louie Rodríguez likes to draw from a saying by Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire that it’s not just about “reading the word but reading the world” in his approach to education. “I’m a big champion for promoting education, not just in terms of one’s own human capital growth, but also how we can use our education to transform opportunities for...

Two UCR teaching assistants are the recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Award for the 2018-19 school year. The Teaching Assistant Development Program presented the awards in May to Elizabeth Hann, a teaching assistant in botany and plant sciences; and Alex Leung, a teaching assistant in psychology. The awards come with a $500 monetary prize...

Several dozen teaching assistants at UCR were honored with the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for the 2018-19 academic year. The winners, nominated by their respective departments, are honored “for being particularly dedicated and effective at engaging their students in disciplinary modes of inquiry,” according to the Graduate Division, which...

As an Army veteran, Jennifer Sayre knows that her two sons sometimes deal with issues — such as the deployment of a parent — that only other military families understand. That’s why she jumped at the chance to enroll her kids — aged 9 and 12 — in Operation Purple Camp when she learned UC Riverside will host it this year from July 14-18. She and her...

Two UC Riverside professors have been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government for scientists and engineers at the beginning stages of their careers. The White House announced July 3 that Suveen Mathaudhu, an associate professor in the materials science and...

Laila Lalami, a professor of creative writing at UC Riverside, sometimes describes herself as an “immigrant by chance.” Born and raised in Rabat, Morocco, she came to the United States in 1992 to pursue her education with plans to return home once she earned her graduate degree. But she ended up meeting her husband, an American, and stayed...

When Cynthia K. Larive joined UC Riverside as a bioanalytical chemistry professor in 2005, she had no aspirations of an administrative role. She was happy as a faculty member and busy with a productive lab. But when the time came that she felt she could be of service, Larive stepped up — first as a department chair and later as a divisional dean...

Silly pranks, romantic connections, and inspirational moments. For UC Riverside’s longest-serving employees, those are the memories that stand out during their decades-long careers. A group of about two dozen employees — with careers spanning 30 years or more — were honored at a June 10 luncheon at the Alumni and Visitors Center. At the suggestion...

UCR Staff Assembly presented awards to eight staff members at a June 12 reception at the chancellor’s residence as part of its annual recognition of exceptional employees. The Outstanding Staff Awards recognize campus staff “for their commitment to the university’s goals of higher education, research and service, and for making UC Riverside and...

One of UC Riverside’s oldest buildings is getting a makeover. Part of Pierce Hall has been fenced off since January as work takes place on a $60 million renovation that will replace old mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, expand restrooms on all floors, and update fire alarm systems. The project will also modernize the more than 114,000...

UC Riverside paid tribute to departing Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Cynthia K. Larive at a farewell reception June 10 at the Alumni and Visitors Center packed with well-wishers. Larive has been appointed as UC Santa Cruz chancellor effective July 1. At the reception, Larive was honored for her history with UC Riverside that began as a...

Eurosemillas S.A., a global leader in the commercialization of agriculture innovations, has signed a $5 million agreement with UC Riverside to expand a research and licensing partnership that has taken the campus’ citrus varieties to nearly 20 countries. The company, based in Cordoba, Spain, is UCR’s largest international licensee of the Tango...

From the top floor of UC Riverside’s Multidisciplinary Research Building, Jericho Ortanez can enjoy views of the Student Recreation Center next door, nearby city neighborhoods, and the region’s surrounding hills. The microbiology doctoral student is among approximately 150 faculty members, students, and employees who are the first to move into the...

UC Riverside is completing its transition to a new website content management system that will result in campus web pages with a consistent look and are easier to update. By June 30, websites on the Omni Update platform can no longer be edited or updated with new content. Acquia Cloud Site Factory, which uses the Drupal platform, is now the...