Monthly Archives: June 2022

Faculty and Staff Honored at Annual ICS Awards Celebration

June 29, 2022

On June 7, 2022, the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) resumed its annual ICS Awards Celebration luncheon, paused during the pandemic, as faculty and staff spent an afternoon reconnecting and socializing. Dean Marios Papaefthymiou welcomed new staff, announced the recipient of the Jim McKenzie Staff Leadership Award, presented the Dean’s Faculty Awards, and recognized a variety of faculty members for recent honors and accomplishments.

Continue reading

ICS Project Expo Strengthens Industry Engagement and Showcases Student Talent

June 27, 2022

More than 250 students from UCI’s Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) showcased their talent and mingled with industry professionals on June 1, 2022, at the Second Annual ICS Project Expo. Held in the new state-of-the-art Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB), the event was a culmination of months of hard work, offering the students the opportunity to present projects completed for undergraduate capstone courses in informatics, computer science and data science, as well as for the Butterworth Product Development Competition. Project sponsors and students alike look forward to this annual opportunity to highlight projects they’ve labored over throughout the year.

Continue reading

Xi Lu Awarded ICS Steckler Family Endowed Fellowship

June 14, 2022

Xi Lu has long, straight black hair and has a serious look on her face. Her red lipstick is in bright contrast with her pale pink blouse. She is outdoors, and greenery and blue flowers frame her face.

Informatics Ph.D. student Xi Lu of UCI’s Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) was awarded the ICS Steckler Family Endowed Fellowship for 2022-2023. The goal of this fellowship, which covers fees and tuition and includes a $10,000 quarterly stipend, is to support Ph.D. students who are committed to promoting the field of computing to women.

Continue reading

UCI Podcast: Jonathan Alexander takes his own advice

In this episode of the UCI Podcast, Chancellor’s Professor of English and informatics Jonathan Alexander talks about the genre of creative nonfiction and the role each book in The Creep Trilogy held on his personal journey, with a special focus on the latest installment, Dear Queer Self. He also shares advice for others who may find themselves on the outside looking in, and details why he finds Pride Month both aspirational and hopeful.

Read the full story on UCI News.

Gillian Hayes Elected to 2022 CRA Board of Directors 

June 7, 2022

Kleist Professor of Informatics Gillian Hayes, who also serves as vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate Division, is one of three new board of directors recently elected by Computer Research Association (CRA) members. Hayes will serve a three-year term starting July 1, 2022. The CRA Board of Directors is a distinguished group of leaders in computing research from academia and industry that provides the membership for various standing committees and leads CRA’s responses when issues affecting computing research arise unexpectedly. 

Read the full CRA announcement here

Pride Month: Supporting LGBTQ+ in Tech

June 3, 2022

Decorative image: “Happy LGBTQ pride month” text in circle rainbow flag with Electric Circuit Line Art around on dark background vector design.

An article published in Science Advances in June 2021, “Systemic Inequalities for LGBTQ Professionals in STEM,” outlines results from a study of 25,000 full-time employed STEM professionals, over a thousand of whom identify as LGBTQ. According to the findings, “LGBTQ STEM professionals were more likely to experience career limitations, harassment and professional devaluation than their non-LGBTQ peers. They also reported more frequent health difficulties and were more likely to intend to leave STEM.”

The article concludes that “STEM workplaces need to include LGBTQ status in their broad efforts toward diversity and inclusion, provide LGBTQ employees with opportunities to network and seek support … and ensure that LGBTQ persons have access to the full suite of formal and informal benefits enjoyed by their non-LGBTQ colleagues.”

Continue reading