UCLA Chancellor's Society

San Diego Chancellor's Society Event
2017-02-28 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | La Jolla, California
Under Construction: Understanding the Teenage Brain
During adolescence, the brain is primed to explore the world, seek out new friendships and romantic partners, and pursue independence from caregivers. Exactly how does this happen, and why? Dr. Galván will share her research on the adolescent brain and describe the neurodevelopmental changes that, when coupled with raging hormones, produce the emotional, passionate and inspiring individuals that characterize the teenage years. She will also discuss how her research has informed public policy in the domains of teenage driving, teenage sleep and juvenile justice.
About Dr. Galván
Adriana Galván, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology and faculty member of the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. She is also the Director of the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory and an executive member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at UCLA. The overall goal of her laboratory is to understand adolescent behavior by using neuroimaging methods to study the changing adolescent brain. Specifically, she examines the role of stress, sleep habits, puberty, and social relationships on adolescent risk-taking and decision making. Her work has been disseminated broadly in academic journals including The Journal of Neuroscience, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Neuron and funded by the National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation, The Jacobs Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience. Her research has been featured in several media outlets, in a TEDx talk on the adolescent brain and cited in U.S. Supreme Court cases regarding juvenile justice (Graham v. Florida, 2010; Miller v. Alabama, 2012). Dr. Galván received her B.A in Neuroscience from Barnard College, Columbia University (2001) and her Ph.D. from Cornell Medical School (2006). She conducted her postdoctoral research fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior. She is the recipient of the American Psychological Association Boyd McCandless Young Scholar Award, the Jacobs Foundation Young Scholar Award, a Network Scholar Award of The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience, and the William T. Grant Foundation Scholar Award.

Northern California Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2017-02-26 10:30 - 13:00 | San Francisco, California, CA
The Future of Storytelling: How Emerging Technologies Can Serve Expressive and Social Goals

How can storytellers and other artists not only respond to new technologies, but shape them? How can they capitalize on ever-faster advances to engage their audiences in new ways? Hear from Jeff Burke about how research at UCLA REMAP supported by Google, the National Science Foundation, and others, is pioneering new enriching cultural forms and empowering social situations through the thoughtful interweaving of engineering, the arts and community development.
About Jeff Burke:
Jeff Burke is assistant dean, technology and innovation at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT).
Burke is a three-time UCLA alumnus (B.S., M.S., Electrical Engineering; M.F.A., Film, Television and Digital Media) who has produced, managed, programmed and designed experimental performances, short films, new genre art installations and new facility construction internationally for more than 15 years. Burke has been a faculty member since 2001 and today, in addition to his role developing technology and innovation strategy at UCLA TFT, is co-PI and application team lead for the Named Data Networking project, a multi-campus effort supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and an international 25-member consortium to develop a future Internet architecture.
In 2004, Burke co-founded UCLA TFT’s Center for Research in Engineering, Media and Performance (REMAP), a collaboration with the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, which combines research, artistic production and community engagement. At REMAP, Burke’s research has been supported by the NSF and NEA, Intel, Cisco, Google, Trust for Mutual Understanding and the MacArthur Foundation, among others. From 2006-2012, he was area lead for participatory sensing at the NSF Center for Embedded Networked Sensing, helping to define a new application arena for mobile devices. In 2014, he received a three-year Google Focused Award on the “Future of Storytelling,” for work that will explore the intersection of storytelling and coding through research and production of original, interdisciplinary digital media works at UCLA TFT.

San Fernando Valley Chancellor's Society Event
2017-02-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Calabasas, California
An Inside Look: How Special Collections Impact the Future of Medicine and Life Sciences
The UCLA Library’s rich and diverse historical collections are created, managed, and promoted by a corps of curators with subject knowledge and expertise in rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and printed ephemera. Hear from award-winning curator Russell Johnson about a world-class historical medical and life science research collection is created. See and even touch a selection of some of the rare archives available at UCLA, such as original letters by Florence Nightingale, medicinal recipe manuscripts, and baby record books.
About Russell Johnson
Russell Johnson has been a librarian at the UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library for twenty years and curator for Library Special Collections’ History of Medicine & the Sciences division since 2009. He hails from Massachusetts but landed in Los Angeles 35 years ago, first to get an MA in Physiological Psychology (now Behavioral Neuroscience), then an MLS at UCLA’s School of Library and Information Sciences. As the only librarian/archivist in the International Society for the History of the Neurosciences, he hosted two of its meetings at UCLA, including one at the end of his presidency in 2007. Under his leadership, the UCLA Library built the largest historic baby book collection in the world with nearly 1800 baby record books. In 2009 Johnson was named Librarian of the Year by the Librarians Association of the University of California-Los Angeles (LAUC-LA).

UCLA Young Alumni Trivia Night
2017-02-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Westwood Village, California
UCLA Young Alumni Giving invites you to come back to Westwood and participate in rounds of UCLA trivia. Test your Bruin knowledge for a chance to win big with an opportunity to meet fellow UCLA young alumni.

Downtown and Central Los Angeles Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2017-02-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Los Angeles, California
Challenges of Urban Landscapes in 21st Century US Cities: The Role of Urban Design
Despite the flourishing of the urban design field over the last quarter of a century, many of the issues and problems haunting urban environments have not been resolved. New social forces and concerns have appeared that have important spatial and design implications on how we should design and build our cities. These forces range from intensifying globalization and immigration flows to increasing flows of population to urban areas and increasing automobile ownership. Concerns about climate change, terrorism in cities and the epidemic of obesity and sedentary lifestyles have also intensified. Professor Loukaitou-Sideris’s talk will trace the spatial implications of these issues and will also explore the role and potential of urban design in responding to them.
About Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris
Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris is Associate Provost for Academic Planning at UCLA, Associate Dean of the Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a Professor of Urban Planning. She holds a B.A. in architecture from the National Technical University of Athens, Master’s degrees in architecture and in urban planning, and a Ph.D. in urban planning, all from the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on the public environment of the city, its physical representation, social meaning and impact on residents. She has published more than 100 articles and chapters and has co-authored or co-edited five books: Urban Design Downtown: Poetics and Politics of Form; Jobs and Economic Development in Minority Communities; Sidewalks: Conflict and Negotiation over Public Space; Companion to Urban Design; and The Informal American City: Beyond Taco Trucks and Day Labor. Her research projects have been funded by the California Air Resources Board, Caltrans, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Mellon Foundation, Haynes Foundation, Gilbert Foundation, Archstone Foundation, and the Mineta Transportation Institute, while she is about to embark on a project on age-friendly cities funded by the AARP.
Professor Loukaitou-Sideris has served as a consultant to the Transportation Research Board, Federal Transit Administration, Southern California Association of Governments, South Bay Cities Council of Government, Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, Project for Public Spaces, Greek Ministry of Education, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, Dutch Technology Foundation STW, and as nominator for the MacArthur (“genius”) awards.

Northern California Chancellor's Society Event
2017-01-29 15:00 - 17:00 | San Francisco, California
The Convergence of Media Art and Mindfulness
How can art enhance, deepen, augment and transform the personal experience and understanding of self and others? Learn more about how lecturer and alumnus Jesse Fleming utilizes media, technology, and social practices to create a hybrid form of artistic-mindfulness practice that can exist as artistic gesture, expression, and a utilitarian instrument to explore, develop, and define self and self-transcendence.
About Jesse Fleming MFA ’16
Jesse Fleming is currently a Lecturer and MFA Alumni of the Design | Media Arts program at UCLA, with an undergraduate degree from the San Francisco Art Institute in New Genres, and a participant of multiple national and international artist residencies. He has over a decade of mindfulness training and practice with a teaching credential from UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center at The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, has led multiple Mindfulness groups, lectures, and presentations, and is a facilitator for mindfulness pioneer Shinzen Young.
Fleming has exhibited internationally in public spaces, non-profit galleries, commercial galleries, and art institutions including Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Borusan Contemporary of Istanbul Turkey, National Film Museum of Frankfurt Germany, San Francisco Symphony, Colburn School of Music Los Angeles, University of California at Los Angeles, Hammer Museum Los Angeles, Creative Time New York City, University of Austin Texas, and 356 Mission Road Los Angeles. His work is in the permanent collection of The Whitney Museum of American Art, Borusan Contemporary in Istanbul Turkey, and he was listed as one of the top ten artists of 2014 in Artforum Magazine. As a filmmaker in both New York and Los Angeles, Fleming has directed, edited, and shot numerous projects working with artists such as Sigur Ros, Lykke Li, Explosions In The Sky, David Lynch, Doug Aitken, Matthew Barney, Laura Owens, Cyprien Gaillard, Matthew Richie, Francesco Vezzoli, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, The Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Deborah Hay, and for institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art New York City, The Guggenheim New York City, The Getty Center, The Hammer Museum, and MOCA Los Angeles.

Chancellor's Society Young Alumni Circle Brunch
2017-01-29 10:00 - 11:30 | UCLA, California
By Invitation Only.

San Fernando Valley Chancellor's Society Event
2016-11-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Calabasas, California
The Teenage Mind: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Peer Relationships
Adolescence is a period of intense biological, cognitive and emotional changes that can confuse teenagers and adults alike. Hear from Dr. Juvonen about a key element to teenage development and hot topic of parent-teen discussions: friendship and peer relationships. Learn more about why close friendships are critical for healthy development, how peer influence works, and what motivates bullying.
About Dr. Jaana Juvonen
Dr. Jaana Juvonen received her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Finland. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Education at UCLA, where she began her research on peer relationships. Dr. Juvonen specializes in the study young teens’ relationships with their peers, and how these relationships are related to the development and adaptive functioning of youth.
Guided by a social-contextual perspective, she conceptualize schools and classrooms as ecological niches shaped by peer interactions and relationships. Much of recent research pertains to bullying. Dr. Juvonen have examined both the motives predicting bullying perpetration (dominance) and the social-cognitive mechanisms (self-blame) underlying the emotional plight of the targets of bullying. She also conducts research on peer groups norms and how they are related to adolescent behavior. Her current collaborative research follows a large, ethnically diverse sample of students from 26 middle schools to the end of high school, examining the effects of school ethnic diversity on friendship formation, social identity development, prejudice, mental health, and school success.
This event is invite only.

San Gabriel Valley Chancellor's Society Event
2016-11-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Altadena, California
The Spirit of UCLA: Exploring UCLA’s rich history through the University Archive
As UCLA approaches its 100th anniversary in 2019, the University Archive plays a central role in documenting and celebrating the university’s dynamic history. The University Archive preserves the contributions of countless Bruins and inspires today’s students to think about their roles in UCLA’s legacy. University Archivist Heather Briston shares how Library collections fuel leading-edge research and educational excellence at UCLA, and shows treasures from a new exhibit tracing the evolution of Bruin spirit.
About Heather Briston:
Heather Briston was appointed university archivist in the UCLA Library in 2014. Previously, she was the head of public services for UCLA Library Special Collections. Prior to coming to UCLA, she was the Richard and Mary Corrigan Solari University Historian and Archivist at the University of Oregon during 2001-11.
UCLA’s University Archives has systematically documented campus history, decision-making processes and cultural history since 1948. It collects permanent official university records of enduring value, in all formats, for historical, legal and other purposes. It also selectively acquires materials that document student life, campus life and the role of the university in the community and the papers of UCLA faculty who have had an exceptional impact on the university, their discipline and/or society.
As university archivist, Briston is responsible for the unit’s administration, curatorship, research and instructional services and scholarly communication activities, as well as for providing consultations, outreach and education to university units regarding their responsibilities for permanent records in all formats. Briston also works with departments and offices on campus to provide historical context for events, development and program growth.
This event is invite only.

Northern California Chancellor's Society Event
2016-11-06 11:00 - 13:00 | Calistoga, California
Popping the Cork on Geography and Intellectual Property: Can California Make Champagne?
Here in Napa Valley we have a long-standing and justly celebrated wine industry. But to many European winemakers, it is a crime that Napa wines can be called Champagne, Port, or Burgundy. Each of these terms refers to a place or region, but has long been used here in the U.S. to identify different types of wine.
The battle over protecting these place-names has consumed a lot of attention in Washington and Sacramento. Should California be able to call its sparkling wine Champagne? What about calling its cheese Parmesan? Professor Raustiala will explore the arguments for and against the legal protection of place-names and explains what is at stake for our system of food and agriculture.
About Professor Raustiala:
Kal Raustiala is professor at UCLA School of Law and the UCLA International Institute, where he teaches in the Program on Global Studies. Since 2007 he has served as director of the UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations. The Burkle Center is UCLA’s primary academic unit for interdisciplinary research on international affairs. From 2012-2015 he served as UCLA’s Associate Vice Provost for International Studies. A graduate of Duke University, Professor Raustiala holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego. In 2016 he was elected Vice President of the American Society of International Law.
Professor Raustiala has been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, Princeton University, the University of Chicago Law School, Melbourne University in Australia, and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 2016, he was the Yong Shook Lin Visiting Professor of Intellectual Property at the National University of Singapore. Prior to coming to UCLA he was a research fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program at the Brookings Institution, a Peccei Scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems, and an assistant professor of politics at Brandeis University. A life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Professor Raustiala has served on the editorial boards of International Organization and the American Journal of International Law and is a frequent media contributor whose writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the New Republic, the New Yorker, Wired, the International Herald Tribune and Le Monde.
This event is invite only.

Chancellor's Society South Bay Regional Event
2016-09-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Manhattan Beach, CA
The Evolution of Cars
Ever since Henry Ford’s Model T revolutionized how the world thought about mass transit, America has been captivated by automobiles. Hear from one of the lead authors on a recent study done by a UCLA-led team of researchers, which took a unique approach to explain the way in which technologies evolve in modern society. Borrowing a technique that biologists might use to study the evolution of plants or animals, the scientists plotted the “births” and “deaths” of every American-made car and truck model from 1896 to 2014.
About Erik Gjesfjeld
Erik Gjesfjeld is a post-doctoral Fellow at the Institute of Society and Genetics at UCLA. He earned is PhD from the University of Washington in 2014. Dr. Gjesfjeld received master’s degrees in Theoretical Archaeology and Field and Analytical Techniques in Archaeology, with distinction, at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. He received his bachelor’s degree in Archaeological Studies, cum laude, at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
RSVP is required for this event.
Invitees can RSVP at: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/southbay/

San Fernando Valley Chancellor's Society Event
2016-09-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Westlake Village, CA
Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural
In the midst of the tumultuous 2016 election season, we will hear from best-selling, award-winning author Ronald White about the speech Lincoln—our most eloquent president—called “his best effort”. After four years of unspeakable horror, on March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln did not offer the North the victory speech it yearned for, nor did he blame the South solely for the sin of slavery. Rather, in only 701 words, he offered a moral framework for peace and reconciliation. Dr. White will lead you through an examination of the speech in its historical context as well as how it can continue to speak to us today.
About Dr. Ronald White Jr. ’61
Dr. Ronald White the a celebrated author of A. Lincoln: A Biography (2009), a New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times bestseller. His Lincoln biography won a coveted 2009 Christopher Award which salutes books “that affirm the highest values of the human spirit.” Dr. White is also the author of Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural (2002), honored as a New York Times Notable Book of 2002, and a Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words (2005), a Los Angeles Times bestseller, a selection of the History Book Club and the Book-of-the-Month Club.
Dr. White is a graduate of UCLA and Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. in Religion and History from Princeton University. He has studied at Lincoln Theological College in England, and has been honored with a D. H. L. [Doctor of Humane Letters] from Whitworth University.
In addition to his publications, Dr. White has taught at UCLA, Princeton Theological Seminary, Whitworth University, Colorado College, Rider University, and San Francisco Theological Seminary. He has lectured at the White House and been interviewed on the PBS News Hour. He is a Fellow at the Huntington Library and a Senior Fellow of The Trinity Forum.
This event by invitation only.

West Los Angeles Chancellor's Society Salon
2016-08-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Los Angeles, California
Creating a Legacy of Impact
Scholarships can be truly transformative for students, especially those who rely on philanthropic support to help make the opportunity to attend UCLA a reality. Hear from Taneen Jafarkhani ’08, a past scholarship recipient, about how her experiences at UCLA helped her succeed at Berkeley Law and advance her professional and legal career.
About Taneen Jafarkhani ’08
Taneen Jafarkhani is currently the Head of HR at Inhance Digital, an interactive marketing agency that specializes in bringing complex science and technology to life. Taneen began her legal career as an Associate at Bingham McCutchen (now, Morgan Lewis). After her time at Bingham, Taneen went on served as General Counsel and Director of Human Resources for a national education advocacy start-up, where she drafted and lobbied for language now codified in federal law. She launched the legal and HR departments, led the company’s tax-exempt strategy, and served as a national legal expert on Parent Empowerment Laws. A Southern California native, Taneen received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and JD from Berkeley Law. Taneen is an active member of the State Bar of California.
This event is invite only.

Downtown Los Angeles Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-07-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Los Angeles, California
Financing the Future: The Economics of a Sustainable LA
Over the coming decades, environmental challenges could significantly disrupt the economy, human health, and quality of life in Los Angeles County. Professor DeShazo, an expert on economics, public finance, and organizational governance, will discuss the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge in the context of the financing alternatives and incentives to fund the individual and mass projects needed to make LA sustainable by 2050.
The Sustainable LA Grand Challenge is an ambitious research project through which UCLA has committed to developing a comprehensive plan by 2020 to transition Los Angeles by 2050 to fully sustainable. This means 100% renewable energy, 100% locally sourced water, and enhanced ecosystem and human health.
Visit the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge website to learn more about the initiative and to review the 5-Year Work Plan due in 2020.
About J.R. DeShazo
J.R. DeShazo is the Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation at the University of California at Los Angeles. He also is a Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Public Policy in the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, where he is an expert in economics, public finance, and organizational governance.
Dr. DeShazo holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Harvard University and a M.Sc. in Economics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
He was the Director of the Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at UCLA for 5 years (2004-2011). He was awarded Professor of the Year, Masters Program in Public Policy, UCLA in 2001, 2005, and 2007.
He received the Center for American Politics and Public Policy Fellowship at UCLA in 1999. He was a faculty associate at the Harvard Institute for International Development (1997-2000), where he was the Commencement Marshal at Harvard University in 1997, received the Harvard University Fellowship in 1992-1995, and was a Marshall Scholar Nominee in 1989.
Dr. DeShazo has published over 40 articles and has over 800 citations in Google Scholar. Dr. DeShazo’s recent research has focused on local public finance, regulatory reform, climate change policy, and solar energy policy. He advises the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Metropolitan Water District, and the Los Angeles Planning Department, among key agencies.

This event is invite only.

West Los Angeles UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-06-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Los Angeles, California
The Road to the White House: Who’s Winning and Why?
Who’s ahead and who’s behind in the race for the White House in 2016 — and more importantly why? Is what’s happening this year unusual or are there patterns at play that we’ve seen in past elections? Is this time really different — or does it just seem that way? These are some of the questions we will answer as we explore why so many first-time politicians have attracted so much attention in 2016 and what it all means for which party is likely to win in November.
About Lynn Vavreck
Lynn Vavreck is a professor of political science and communication studies at UCLA and a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times. She teaches courses on and writes about campaigns, elections, and public opinion. Professor Vavreck has published four books, including The Message Matters, which Stanley Greenberg called “required reading” for presidential candidates, and The Gamble, described by Nate Silver as the “definitive account” of the 2012 election. The National Science Foundation and the American Political Science Association have supported her research. Professor Vavreck has served on the advisory boards of the British and American National Election Studies and is the co-founder of the Cooperative Campaign Analysis Project. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House. In 2014, she hosted Hillary Clinton at UCLA’s Luskin Lecture on Thought Leadership and in 2015 she was named an inaugural Andrew F. Carnegie Fellow.
You can follow Lynn Vavreck on Twitter at @VAVRECK. She writes regularly for The Upshot at The New York Times (www.nytimes.com/upshot).
RSVP is required for this event.

UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Celebration
2016-06-06 18:30 - 20:30 | This event is invite only
As a valued member of the UCLA Fund Chancellor’s Society, please join Chancellor Gene Block and Mrs. Carol Block for an exclusive reception celebrating your commitment to UCLA and your extraordinary leadership.
Invited guests can RSVP here.

Orange County UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-05-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Costa Mesa, California
Passing the Torch: Insights from Bruin Olympians

UCLA has one of the richest Olympic traditions of any university. Hear from notable Bruin Olympians about what it’s like to compete on the world stage. Discover how they’ve taken their competitive athletic drive and successfully incorporated that energy into their lives and careers
About the Panelists:
Jan Palchikoff ’75 was one of the pioneers of women’s rowing. As a member of the UCLA rowing program, she helped the club sport earn formal recognition when UCLA awarded varsity letters in 1974 and 1975. Additionally, she competed on the UCLA swim team. Palchikoff was a 1976 U.S. Olympian, member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, and a five-time member (1975-77; 1979-1980) of the U.S. National Rowing Team, representing the U.S. 13 times in international competition.
After completing her competitive elite rowing career, and receiving her Master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Palchikoff has remained heavily involved in sports. She was the head women’s rowing coach at Syracuse from 1980-82 and at UC Santa Barbara from 1985-87. She also worked with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, the LA Sports Festival Committee and World Cup USA. Since 2004, Palchikoff has worked with Special Olympics Southern California, where she is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer.
Samantha Peszek ’15 experienced great successes on the biggest international and collegiate stages for gymnastics. She is an accomplished 2015 NCAA all-around & balance beam champion, 2012 NCAA team bronze medalist, 2011 NCAA balance beam champion and team silver medalist. She lists her biggest athletic thrill as winning a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. She was also a member of the 2007 U.S. squads that won gold medals at the World Championships and Pan American Games. Samantha graduated with honors with a degree in Communications Studies.
Nick Theodorou ’98 is the Senior Director of Alumni Career Programs at the UCLA Alumni Association. Theodorou played in the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system from 1998 to 2005. He participated in the 2004 Olympics, as a member of Greece’s baseball team. A veteran to alumni outreach, Theodorou served as Associate Director of Major Gifts for the UCLA Athletic Department, is a life member of the UCLA Alumni Association, member of the Bruin Varsity Club and a voting member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
About the Moderator:
Matt Stevens ’87 is the color analyst and pre & post-game host of UCLA football coverage on IMG Radio. Stevens is in his 16th season as a color analyst, and prior was the sideline reporter for four seasons. In 2000, Stevens was presented the “Best Radio Color Commentary of the Year Award” voted by the Southern California Broadcasting Association. He has been nominated ten times.
During his collegiate career, Stevens amassed nearly 3000 yards, leading the Bruins to a Rose Bowl with a 45-28 win over Iowa in 1986. In his five years as a Bruin, Stevens participated in three Rose Bowls, a Fiesta Bowl and a Freedom Bowl – all victories.
As of 2005, Stevens became a Heisman Trophy Voter. From 2000-06, Stevens was an analyst, field reporter and studio host on Fox Sports Net. In 2005, Stevens was the color analyst and pre-game host on Channel 4 San Diego covering the San Diego Riptide. In 2003, Stevens was a sideline reporter for Sports USA Radio Network covering the NFL. In 2002, Stevens was the lead columnist for Wally & Wimpy’s College Football Magazine published in Ohio.
Born in Louisiana, Stevens moved to Southern California where he attended Fountain Valley High School. His professional football career consisted of one-year stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Cobras (Arena Football), and Legnano Frogs (Italian League).
RSVP is required for this event.
Invitees can RSVP at: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/OC/

UCLA Fund Chancellor’s Society Bruin Woods Weekend
2016-04-29 - 2016-05-01 | UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center
UCLA Fund Chancellor’s Society Bruin Woods Weekend
Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1, 2016
UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center
This event is only available to Chancellor’s Associate ($2,500+) level members and above.
Relax and enjoy the stunning Lake Arrowhead views, charming chalet-style accommodations, gourmet meals, and special activities like arts & crafts, tennis or hiking. For families with children, there is also a fun-filled camp supervised by trained UCLA student counselors. This year, Bruin Woods will have special presentations from Professor David Ravetch, a Bruin faculty member for over 25 years and senior lecturer at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
To acknowledge the generosity of our valuable Chancellor’s Society donors at the Associates level and above, we are offering special rates for this exclusive weekend:
Adults (15 and older) $440
Children (3-14) $240
Children (under 3) Free
RSVP is required for this event.
Chancellor’s Society donors at the Associates level and above: Click here to register.
The registration deadline is April 6, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.
Click here for additional details, photos, and registration information.

Downtown Los Angeles UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-04-27 11:30 - 13:30 | Downtown Los Angeles, California
Think Grand: A Climate Change Legal Scholar’s Perspective on the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
Over the coming decades, environmental challenges could significantly disrupt the economy, human health, and quality of life in Los Angeles County. Climate change is projected to have major impacts on Los Angeles County’s average temperatures, extreme heat days, snowfall in the local mountains, and wildfire risk in the region. Hear from Professor Ann Carlson, one of the country’s leading scholars of climate change law and policy, about the possible legal and governance hurdles surrounding the renewable energy component of the exciting campus-wide Sustainable LA Grand Challenge. The Sustainable LA Grand Challenge is an ambitious research project through which UCLA has committed to develop a comprehensive plan to transition Los Angeles by 2050 to 100% renewable energy, 100% locally sourced water, and enhanced ecosystem health.
About Ann Carlson
Ann Carlson is the Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law, and the inaugural Faculty Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the UCLA School of Law. She is also on the faculty of the UCLA Institute of the Environment.
Professor Carlson is one of the country’s leading scholars of climate change law and policy. Two of her articles, Iterative Federalism and Climate Change and Takings on the Ground, have been selected by the Land Use and Environmental Law Review as among the top five environmental articles of the year, and her work has been published in leading journals including the UCLA, California, Northwestern and Michigan law reviews. She is co-author (with Daniel Farber and Jody Freeman) of a leading casebook, Environmental Law (8th ed.). She recently served on a National Academy of Sciences panel, America’s Climate Choices: Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change, and she is currently serving on an American Academy of Arts and Sciences panel studying the future of America’s energy systems. Carlson is also a frequent commentator and speaker on environmental issues, particularly on climate change, and she blogs at Legal Planet (http://legalplanet.wordpress.com).
Professor Carlson teaches Property, Environmental Law, Climate Change Law and Policy, and a Climate and Energy Law workshop. She is an outstanding teacher who was the 2011 recipient of the University’s Eby Award for the Art of Teaching and the UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award, as well as the 2006 recipient of the Law School’s Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching. Carlson received her J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989 and her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1982. She served as the law school’s academic associate dean from 2004-2006, and as Vice Dean for Faculty Recruitment and Intellectual Life from 2013-2015.
This event is invite only.

West Los Angeles UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Salon
2016-04-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Los Angeles, California
Lessons From the Drought: Why Local Water Self-Sufficiency is so Critical

With California facing one of the most severe droughts on record, the importance of increased reliance on local water supplies and conservation has never been greater. Associate Vice Chancellor Gold will speak about the technologies and strategies being explored to address the drought and why it is so critical to transition to local water self-sufficiency.
AVC Gold will also engage in a conversation about the exciting campus-wide Sustainable LA Grand Challenge through which UCLA has committed to develop a comprehensive plan to transition the county by 2050 to 100% renewable energy, 100% locally sourced water, and enhanced ecosystem health. He will share key components of the recently published Sustainable LA Grand Challenge 5-Year Work Plan. This Work Plan features over 100 critical research recommendations for charting a pathway for Los Angeles County to achieve the Sustainable LA goals.
About Mark Gold ’84, M.A. ’86, D. Env. ’94
Mark Gold is the UCLA Associate Vice-Chancellor for Environment and Sustainability and was recently the Acting Director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. In his current position, he works to increase interdisciplinary environmental research, and he is leading UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge – with goals of achieving 100% local water supply and 100% renewable energy in Los Angeles County while enhancing biodiversity and human health and wellbeing by 2050. He worked with 28 faculty to develop the Sustainable LA workplan, and there are over 150 faculty that are part of the Sustainable LA research team. Also, he was the long-time President of the environmental group, Heal the Bay. Mark received his Bachelors and Masters in Biology and his doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering from UCLA. He has worked extensively over the last 25 years in the field of coastal protection, water management, and urban sustainability; he created Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card for the west coast of the U.S., served as vice chair of the Santa Monica Bay Commission for over a decade, helped create Santa Monica’s sustainable city plan – the first in the U.S., and helped co-author numerous California and local government coastal protection, water quality and environmental education bills and ordinances. Recently, he led efforts to develop LA County’s first environmental report card and assisted the City of LA on the development of their first ever sustainable city plan. He is currently leading a research effort on sustainable water management in the city of Los Angeles, and he sits on Mayor Garcetti’s Water Cabinet and the Proposition O stormwater bond Citizens Oversight and Advisory Committee.
This event is invite only.

San Gabriel Valley UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-04-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Pasadena, California
Reading Between the Tweets: Using Social Data to Predict and Change Real World Problems

Social big data from technologies like social media, online search, and mobile apps are being used to better understand and predict real-world events and outcomes. The University of California Institute for Prediction Technology (UCIPT) at UCLA was created to address issues like these. As Executive Director of UCLA Center for Digital Behavior and Executive Director of the UCIPT, Dr. Young works to bring together researchers and community stakeholders to study whether and how social technology data can be used to predict events in areas like health, politics, and security. Dr. Young’s talk will provide an overview of the field of Prediction Technology as well as research being addressed by the Institute, such as 1) how Twitter is being used to predict HIV risk behaviors and outbreaks, 2) how social media and wearable devices can be used to predict sleep quality and stress among UCLA students, and 3) ways in which these insights are being used to change people’s behaviors to address real-world problems.
About Dr. Sean Young

Sean Young, PhD, MS is the Director of the University of California Institute for Prediction Technology (UCIPT), the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior, and an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine. As the Director of UCIPT, Dr. Young seeks to bridge researchers across University of California campuses to study how data from social technologies like social media and wearable devices can be used to predict real-world events in areas like health/medicine, politics, and security. His research at the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior is focused on use of social media and mobile health technologies to change and predict behavior. He has studied how social media can address issues related to HIV and drug use prevention and treatment behavior in the U.S., Peru, and South Africa, and Iran, and among various at-risk populations around the world. He was the Primary Investigator of the Harnessing Online Peer Education (HOPE) UCLA, HOPE Peru, and HOPE Opioid studies, showing how social media can be used to increase HIV testing and reduce prescription drug abuse/addiction. His team completed the first study to create methods of using observational big data (> 550 million tweets) from social media for drug and HIV-related surveillance. He teaches a course for UCLA undergraduates called Hacking Global Health on how to use social media and mobile technologies to quickly address global health needs.

RSVP is required for this event.
Invitees can RSVP at: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/SGV/

San Diego UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Salon
2016-04-07 18:00 - 20:00 | La Jolla, California
ISIS and the Future of the Middle East
The rise of the jihadist group ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has led many to question not only this group’s origins, but the future influence it might have on an unstable region. Professor Gelvin’s presentation will look at the origins and evolution of ISIS: how it differs from other jihadi organizations, and the impact of ISIS and the war against ISIS on Syria and Iraq, the greater Middle East and the globe.
About James Gelvin
James Gelvin is a professor of history at UCLA and an expert on the social, cultural and political history of the modern Middle East. Gelvin, who is a member of the UCLA International Institute, has done research focused particularly on Greater Syria (the area of present-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories) and is author of “The Modern Middle East: A History” and “The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know.” Professor Gelvin recently received the 2015 Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Undergraduate Education Award, which honors individuals in the “craft of undergraduate teaching, showcasing pedagogical and curricular achievements in Middle East Studies.”
This event is invite only.

San Diego UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-03-07 18:30 - 20:30 | San Diego, California
Snow Business: Scientific Computing in Frozen and in the Classroom
What do the realistic snow in Disney’s animated blockbuster Frozen and the soft tissues in virtual surgery simulation have in common? They are both made possible by new mathematical algorithms that accurately create virtual materials with “predictive simulation.” Join Professor Teran as he demonstrates how the algorithms he’s discovered are being used to dazzling effect—training the doctors of tomorrow and bringing scenes to life in a theater near you.
About Joseph Teran
Joseph Teran is a professor of applied mathematics at UCLA. His research focuses on numerical methods for partial differential equations in classical physics, including computational solids and fluids, multi-material interactions, fracture dynamics and computational biomechanics. A large component of his work is focused on the simulation of the human body with applications for virtual surgery. Professor Teran develops algorithms that help ensure the efficiency and accuracy needed for predictive simulation of soft tissues. His work also has applications for special effects in film. Teran works with Walt Disney Animation applying scientific computing techniques to simulate the dynamics of virtual materials like skin/soft tissue, water, smoke and recently, snow for the movie Frozen. Teran received a 2011 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) and a 2010 Young Investigator award from the Office of Naval Research.
RSVP is required for this event.
Invittees can RSVP at: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/sandiego

San Fernando Valley UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Regional Event
2016-03-01 18:30 - 20:30 | Tarzana, California
The Road to the White House: Who’s Winning and Why?
Who’s ahead and who’s behind in the race for the White House in 2016 — and more importantly why? Is what’s happening this year unusual or are there patterns at play that we’ve seen in past elections? Is this time really different — or does it just seem that way? These are some of the questions we will answer as we explore why so many first-time politicians have attracted so much attention in 2016 and what it all means for which party is likely to win in November.
About Lynn Vavreck
Lynn Vavreck is a professor of political science and communication studies at UCLA and a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times. She teaches courses on and writes about campaigns, elections, and public opinion. Professor Vavreck has published four books, including The Message Matters, which Stanley Greenberg called “required reading” for presidential candidates, and The Gamble, described by Nate Silver as the “definitive account” of the 2012 election. The National Science Foundation and the American Political Science Association have supported her research. Professor Vavreck has served on the advisory boards of the British and American National Election Studies and is the co-founder of the Cooperative Campaign Analysis Project. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House. In 2014, she hosted Hillary Clinton at UCLA’s Luskin Lecture on Thought Leadership and in 2015 she was named an inaugural Andrew F. Carnegie Fellow.
You can follow Lynn Vavreck on Twitter at @VAVRECK. She writes regularly for The Upshot at The New York Times (www.nytimes.com/upshot).
RSVP is required for this event.
Invitees can RSVP at: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/SFV/

Northern California UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Salon
2016-02-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Danville, California
Sensing and Diagnostics Technologies for Mobile Health and Telemedicine
With over seven billion cell phone users in the world and the majority of them in developing countries, there are opportunities for improving access to health care through point-of-care diagnostics and microscopic imaging applications using state-of-the-art phone technology. Dr. Ozcan will discuss the new imaging and detection architectures that compensate digitally for the lack of complex optical components available in cell phones by using novel theories and algorithms to address the immediate needs of telemedicine to help address global health problems.
About Aydogan Ozcan
Dr. Ozcan is the Chancellor’s Professor at UCLA and an HHMI Professor with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, leading the Bio- and Nano-Photonics Laboratory at UCLA School of Engineering and is also the Associate Director of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). Dr. Ozcan holds 32 issued patents (all of which are licensed) and >20 pending patent applications and is also the author of one book and the co-author of more than 400 peer reviewed research articles in major scientific journals and conferences. Dr. Ozcan is a Fellow of SPIE and OSA, and has received major awards including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), International Commission for Optics (ICO) Prize, SPIE Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award, SPIE Early Career Achievement Award, ARO Young Investigator Award, NSF CAREER Award, NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, IEEE Photonics Society Young Investigator Award and MIT’s TR35 Award for his seminal contributions to near-field and on-chip imaging, and telemedicine based diagnostics. Dr. Ozcan is also the recipient of the National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award, National Academy of Engineering (NAE) The Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Award, Popular Science Brilliant 10 Award, Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Award, Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award, Netexplorateur Award, Microscopy Today Innovation Award, and the Wireless Innovation Award organized by the Vodafone Americas Foundation as well as the Okawa Foundation Award.
This event is invite only.

Orange County UCLA Fund Chancellor's Society Salon
2016-02-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Irvine, California
Creating a Legacy of Impact
Scholarships can be truly transformative for students, especially those who rely on philanthropic support to help make the opportunity to attend UCLA a reality. Hear from two-time Super Bowl champion James Washington, who will speak from his perspective as a scholarship recipient, about how life-changing a UCLA education is for students. Learn how his foundational experiences at UCLA, both on and off the field, helped him to navigate the NFL and continue to help him in his professional career at UCLA. These experiences inspire his work as a Director of Development for the Office of Scholarships, fundraising for the scholarships needed to ensure access for the best and brightest future Bruins.
James will be joined by Audrey Nguyen, recipient of the Orange County Alumni Network Scholarship and a National Finalist of the UCLA Alumni Scholarships Program. She is a second year Psychobiology major, actively involved across campus and in the Alumni Scholars Club.
About James Washington
James Washington, one of the greatest safeties in UCLA history and a two-time Super Bowl champion, is widely recognized for his unbridled passion for football and education. Washington was a redshirt freshmen starter at UCLA, where he was a standout defensive back. He played in four bowl games: the 1984 Rose Bowl, 1985 Fiesta Bowl (co-MVP), 1986 Rose Bowl, 1986 Freedom Bowl, and 1987 Aloha Bowl – all victories! Upon graduating from UCLA, James was drafted into the NFL by the Los Angeles Rams (1988). He took advantage of the free agency market in 1990 and signed on with the Dallas Cowboys, where he became one of the hardest hitting defensive backs in the league. A starter for the Dallas Cowboys in four of his five seasons, he led the team in interceptions each year in which he started. He became one of the hardest hitting defensive backs in the league, and teammates Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin dubbed him “Drive-By”. He called the defensive signals for Dallas when it had the league’s top-ranked defense (1992 and 1994) and was a standout player on the 1993 and 1994 Super Bowl Championship teams. Washington’s success on the field fueled his desire to be a success off the field and positively impact the community through his professional and philanthropic endeavors.
James Washington is currently UCLA’s Director of Development in the Campus Wide Scholarships office. His foundational experiences at UCLA as a scholarship recipient inspires his fundraising for the scholarships needed to ensure access for the best and brightest future Bruins. In 1993, he founded SHELTER 37, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that teaches provides highly effective life skills, job training and educational programs to at-risk youth throughout southern California.
Washington received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1987, and his Master’s degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University in 1998. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Dana, and their three children.
About Audrey Nguyen
Audrey is a second-year Psychobiology major from Anaheim Hills, California. She has been involved in the Alumni Scholars Club (ASC) from the start, competing in the 2014 National Finals Competition and serving as an Outreach Coordinator her first year. Currently, she is the Leadership Development Director on the Executive Board. Outside of ASC, she works as a Resident Assistant for UCLA Residential Life, volunteers at monthly health clinics in Mexico, and serves as a camp counselor for UCLA UniCamp and Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. Audrey’s hobbies include playing tennis and exploring food places around L.A. In the future, she aspires to improve healthcare for at-risk communities through a career in public health.
This event is invite only.

West Los Angeles Chancellor's Society Regional Committee Meeting
2016-02-17 07:30 - 09:00 | UCLA Wilshire Center, 14th Floor, 10920 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States

San Gabriel Valley Chancellor's Society Regional Committee Meeting
2016-02-11 18:30 - 20:00 | The home of John and Anne Tryba

Chancellor's Society Cabinet Dinner
2016-02-09 18:00 - 21:00 | This event is invite only

Young Alumni Development Council Meeting
2016-02-04 18:30 - 20:30 | James West Alumni Center, 325 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
