KUCI: UCI Conversations

Kimberly Ayala-former Director of Undergraduate/Undecided Advisement

Kim Ayala is the former Director of Undergraduate/ Undecided Advisement, having recently retired. In the mid-70's Kim was told by her H.S. counselor that Mexican-Americans did not go to college. Well, Kim had other ideas coming to UCI and transforming into a scholar, a leader, a researcher and a citizen of the world. She has been part of the heart & soul of UCI growing into a world-class institution...zot! zot! zot!

Don Blake, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry PART 1

UCI Distinguished Chemistry Professor Don Blake has had an amazing career! He started off as an average high school student who turned on the afterburners in college, teamed up with UCI Nobel Prize Awardee Sherry Rowland in 1978, earned his PhD and never looked back. He would not change a thing. The MAN loves air research and people...and he loves to tell stories. You will laugh and even cry at the chemistry of this revealing interview...it’s ALL here...

Greg Ungar, Actor, Professor & New Swan Associate Artistic Director

UCI alumni, actor and professor Greg Ungar talks about his journey, his acting craft and his love for UCI. Insights GALORE! Also coming up is the New Swan Shakespeare Theater’s online production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s ZOOM’ from August 26-29. For more information google: UCI A Midsummer Night’s Zoom.

Dr Jan Hirsch, Dean of School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

UCI's College of Health Sciences includes the School of Medicine, School of Nursing and NOW UCI's newest school, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPPS). The SPPS is lead by Dean Jan Hirsch and she takes us on the grand tour. This area of medicine is dynamic, demanding and growing...AND it is not what you think...

T Mychael Rambo-Actor/Activist/Humanitarian-BLACK LIVES MATTER

Actor/Singer/Social Activist/Human Being: T. Mychael Rambo shares his articulate, insightful and honest perspective. The first 20-minutes of the interview are about growing up, college, addiction, recovery and making his way to theater. The rest of the interview looks at slavery, racism and where we go from here...

Dr Hoda Anton Culver w/ Erin Saltmarsh - ALL of US Research Program

UCI's ALL of US Research Program Lead Investigator Dr Hoda Anton-Culver & Research Coordinator Erin Saltmarsh talk about this amazing National Institutes of Health(NIH) ten year program working to create a one-million person data bank to allow researchers the ability to instantly analyse a diverse cross-section population. Precision medicine is the goal!
browser address: allofus.health.uci.edu

Dr Jose Mayorga, FQHC Chief Medical Officer & CEO

Dr Jose Mayorga is UCI Health's Federally Qualified Health Center CEO & Chief Medical Officer. He is passionate about helping the under-insured and non-insured members of our community. He also believes FQHC's provide health care at a fraction of the cost of fully insured providers. One thing is clear, our country needs to do a better job providing health care to ALL its citizens. Thank you to Dr Mayorga and his team for all the work that they do. There needs to be real discussion about immigration and health care.

NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson

In June 1998 Tracy was working at the AirUCI lab in Rowland Hall on a post doctoral fellowship when she received a call that would change her life and the rest is history. She has since been on 2 missions to the International Space Station and 3 space walks to repair a critical broken water pump... GO TRACY! AND GO NASA!

Atmospheric Chemical Professor Jim Smith on Mask Efficacy

AirUCI Professor Jim Smith and his high caliber STEM/SOM team have tackled the problem of mask efficacy to combat COVID-19. The UCI Mask Team has come-up with a simple design that is easy to construct. For more information go to their website at: sites.uci.edu/ucimask
A big message is to beware of indoors vs. outdoor dangers. Anyone wearing a mask should listen to this interview.

Professor Olivier Civelli, The Prince of Pain Relief

Professor Olivier Civelli has spent a lifetime researching how pain is transmitted in our brain. From acute and inflammatory pain to chronic pain. The progress that has been made is amazing and even lead him to traditional Chinese medicine. Listen to this chronicle of progress now leading into the future...