Welcome to the latest edition of Newsroom’s monthly “Have you heard?” roundup, your quick-hit guide to the faculty and staff breakthroughs, honors, milestones and memorable moments shaping our campus and community. Think of it as your regular dose of Bruin brilliance — smart, useful and worth sharing. From research awards and new leadership appointments to heartfelt remembrances, here’s what’s been happening recently.
Got news to share? Submit a story of kudos to info@stratcomm.ucla.edu. We’re all ears!
Awards and honors
A lasting legacy of conservation
Information studies research professor emerita Ellen Pearlstein has been awarded an honorary membership by the American Institute for Conservation — a fitting recognition for a career spent shaping the field, mentoring generations of students, advancing community-based collaborations and championing equity, diversity and inclusion.
Dean Celine takes the top prize
School of Theater, Film and Television Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu has received the 2026 Outstanding Contribution award in media, performance and visual studies from the Association for Asian American Studies — the top prize in its category — for her book “The Movies of Racial Childhoods.” Congrats, Celine!
Transforming the world through teaching
Professor of design media arts Victoria Vesna, who directs UCLA’s Art | Sci Center, has been honored with the 2026 Distinguished Teaching of Art Award from the College Art Association. For more than 20 years, she’s been bridging art and science in ways that engage students and spark curiosity and creativity across disciplines.
President-elect, incoming!
Distinguished professor of education Sylvia Hurtado has been voted president-elect of the American Educational Research Association. She’ll take the helm in April 2027, heading one of the world’s largest organizations devoted to the study of education and learning.
Let’s get moving
Assistant professor of nursing Sungwon Park has been named a 2026 fellow of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses for her research and leadership in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among people with metabolic syndrome.
Oral health is wealth
School of Dentistry professor and dean of research Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila has been elected chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Dental and Oral Health Sciences Section, where she will help guide collaboration, research priorities and scientific dialogue through 2028.
A perfect ‘10’ for Miss Val
Valorie Kondos Field — the gymnastics coaching legend known as “Miss Val” to generations of Bruins — has received the Jostens Lifetime Achievement Award from the nonprofit organization WeCOACH, honoring a career defined by excellence and a deep commitment to empowering women in sports.
Pushing scientific frontiers
Assistant professor of physics and astronomy Derek Schaeffer has been named a 2026 Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences — one of 80 emerging leaders selected to collaborate and share ideas across disciplines.
…and even more from the Samueli School of Engineering
M.C. Frank Chang has received the John Fritz Medal — one of engineering’s highest honors — for innovations that power today’s fastest and most flexible computer chips … Dean Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park and professor Aydin Babakhani have been named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors, recognized for translating their research into real-world technologies … Computer science professor Amit Sahai has been named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his groundbreaking contributions to cryptography and secure data sharing … and electrical and computer engineering professor Sergio Carbajo has received the 2026 Optica Adolph Lomb Medal for advances in optics and photonics, with wide-ranging applications, from quantum science to energy research.
Explore more honors, recognitions and grant awards on Newsroom’s Faculty Bulletin Board page and faculty and staff page.
Transitions
From Harvard to Westwood
Dr. Kari Nadeau, a globally recognized leader in public health, will become the next dean of the Fielding School of Public Health on July 1. Known for her student-centered leadership and groundbreaking research, she brings a wealth of experience from Harvard — and a vision for the next generation of public health leaders.
And finally...
Pucker up, Powell
Powell Library is ready for its close-up. UCLA’s iconic landmark will receive a 2026 Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy on April 14, honoring its place in the region’s architectural and cultural history.
