2024 UC Irvine Physical Sciences Dean's Report

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Dear Friends,

As we near the end of yet another remarkable year filled with scientific discoveries and advances, I am pleased to present the 2024 Dean’s Report, which offers deeper insights into what makes the School of Physical Sciences truly exceptional. From the contributions of our award-winning faculty to our exceptionally bright students, we are making advances that expand our basic understanding of reality and providing solutions to the most significant problems of our time.

Contained in this report are several stories that exemplify what we do. Whether it’s a lab poised to revolutionize the detection and treatment of cancer or a research group using satellite data to uncover vigorous glacial melting in Antarctica, real-world problems drive much of what we do. We equally strive to advance fundamental questions of the kind that transcend human experience. For example, UC Irvine is the birthplace of FASER, the newest experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which has led to the detection of neutrinos for the first time at a particle collider.

Our dedication to advancing knowledge also shines through in our educational programs. This year, the Department of Mathematics launched a new Bachelor of Science degree in Applied and Computational Mathematics. The new degree program adds to the already rich offerings of our top-ranked departments of Chemistry, Earth System Science, Mathematics and Physics and Astronomy.

As we reflect upon a fantastic year and look to a bright future, I want to acknowledge the effort and dedication of our entire school community – faculty, students, staff, alumni and supporters – in making our aspirations a reality.

Together, we are making the world better through math and science and building a future enhanced by wonder and discovery.

Warm Regards,

James Bullock, Dean, School of Physical Sciences