In the days following last year’s Southern California wildfires, UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall knew he had to act quickly. He and his team analyzed how the fires had spread and where hazardous smoke had moved, measuring air quality and assessing effects on local ecosystems. Their findings revealed the growing risks facing our region — and pointed to opportunities to build a more resilient future.

Professor Hall’s work extends beyond academic analysis. By providing data for emergency responders, city planners and policymakers, his research helps guide recovery efforts and informs real-world strategies for fire preparedness. It is a powerful reminder that UCLA’s scholarly and creative work travels far beyond our labs, studio spaces and classrooms. It serves our communities.

This commitment to impact and involvement drives UCLA Connects, the focus of the feature story in this winter’s issue of UCLA Magazine. This flagship initiative grew out of last year’s wildfires and strengthens how Bruins engage with one another and with the world around us. To fulfill this vision, we are focusing on five key points of connection.

First, we connect with one another. Our Campus Community Conversations foster open, honest dialogue among students, faculty and staff. By bringing together people with differing perspectives to listen and speak with respect and empathy, these conversations strive to heal wounds, nurture understanding and help Bruins navigate conflict. They reinforce the bonds that make UCLA a vibrant learning community. And if we can teach our students to resolve differences through reason and dialogue — starting from a place of respect — we will provide an invaluable service for them and for our society.

We connect globally through our Olympic Spirit Initiative. As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this initiative lifts up related research, teaching, service and creative activities. Programming will showcase the best of UCLA and will bring together athletes, scholars, artists and communities in a celebration of the Olympic ideals of excellence, fair play, inclusion and teamwork.

We connect by ensuring safety and dignity on campus. We want UCLA to be safe and welcoming for every person who enters our campus. There is no place for hate or discrimination at the university. This principle underpins the Initiative to Combat Antisemitism, which increases awareness and understanding of bigotry and ways to fight it. This initiative will improve complaint systems to ensure that all forms of discrimination and hate are addressed consistently. Another goal is to explicitly enforce agreed-upon policies and rules that foster freedom of expression in a respectful and safe environment for all. This effort safeguards the dignity and sense of belonging of every member of our campus.

We connect with our community. Our community-engaged partnerships link our scholarly and creative work directly to communities in Los Angeles and around the world. Bruin undergraduates support people across greater Los Angeles through our partnerships with more than 150 organizations, from health agencies to legal clinics. And when our faculty – like Professor Hall – apply their knowledge to real-world challenges, their work advances equity and opportunity.

Finally, we connect through a culture of belonging. Under the leadership of Vice Provost Ralina Joseph, our new Office of Inclusive Excellence guides initiatives that foster inclusive teaching and learning, support equitable hiring and retention, and encourage dialogue and collaboration across campus.

The stories in this issue of UCLA Magazine shine a light on UCLA Connects and show how Bruins build bridges across our campus, our city and our world. Working together, we are advancing a university that not only educates but also unites.

We are One UCLA.