March 2023: Unleash • Create • Inspire

March 2023

Message from Magnus

I am a firm believer in the mission and importance of the public research university. At its best, it acts as an engine for social mobility, entrusted with the education of a future workforce that is increasingly diverse, mission-driven and embraces the necessity of lifelong learning. It should also function as an economic and cultural anchor in the local community, and as a generator of knowledge that benefits society. The UCI Samueli School’s Stacey Nicholas Office of Access and Inclusion (OAI) is a celebration of these ideas, and I am excited about Analía Rao’s appointment as OAI’s new executive director, as reported in one of this month’s stories.

Best,

Magnus Egerstedt, Ph.D.

Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering

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Burke achieves distance world record for piloting drone through the internet

UCI’s Peter Burke and French colleague Patrick Jeanty have earned a Guinness World Record for their demonstration of remotely flying a drone through the internet from halfway around the world.

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Engineers find sea urchin navigation technique could apply to microrobots

Sea urchins reproduce externally by releasing clouds of eggs and sperm into open ocean waters.

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UCI receives funding for recycling research project

The REMADE Institute, a public/private partnership founded by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2017, has granted $1 million to an interdisciplinary team of researchers at UCI for a project to improve California’s economy and environment through better recycling practices.

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Analía Rao appointed executive director of the Stacey Nicholas Office of Access and Inclusion

As the new director of OAI, Rao will provide strategic leadership for the office and interface with students, faculty, staff, industry partners and the broader community on issues surrounding outreach, access and inclusion.

Sirignano honored for pioneering research

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has elected William Sirignano an honorary fellow, one of three to be named this year.

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Athanasiou’s research contributions honored with lifetime achievement award

Kyriacos A. Athanasiou, UCI Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering, will be awarded the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS).

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