Media Watch
The energy source that could survive Trump’s attack on California’s green ambitions
Los Angeles Times -
Jack Brouwer, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UC Irvine who is not involved with the [Avina Clean Hydrogen Facility] project, said it could serve as proof-of-concept for the rest of the region and country. “They are one of the first to actually work through all the details of this to see if it can actually be cost-effective today,” said Brouwer, who is also the director of UC Irvine’s Clean Energy Institute. … Brouwer, of UC Irvine, said hydrogen’s role as both a transition fuel and a long-term climate solution is all but inevitable. Read More
This city could run dry ‘within weeks’ as it grapples with an acute water crisis
CNN -
Human activities, including excessive groundwater pumping, inefficient farming practices and unchecked urban water use have pushed the region “toward what can only be described as water bankruptcy,” said Amir AghaKouchak, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine. … The capital “is grappling with a systemic, long-term imbalance that threatens the very foundations of water security for its residents,” AghaKouchak told CNN Read More
Squid use Bragg reflectors in their skin to change colour
Physics World -
“Our new result not only helps advance our understanding of structural colouration in cephalopods skin cells, it also provides new insights into how such gradient refractive index distributions can be leveraged to manipulate light in both biological and engineered systems,” says Alon Gorodetsky of the University of California, Irvine, who co-led this research study together with then-PhD student Georgii Bogdanov. Read More
Irvine Connect shuttle system is picking up steam, but can an Irvine-wide transit network work?
The Orange County Register -
“There is no congestion in Irvine,” said Michael McNally, a longtime civil and environmental engineering professor at UC Irvine and a researcher at the university’s Institute of Transportation Studies. … “Drive on the city streets, even in the peak hours, traffic is flowing fast at the speed limit.” That’s one of several reasons why UCI professor Michael Hyland, also with the institute, said he’s “generally skeptical of a kind of robust, high-quality transit network in Irvine.” Read More
How to Tell If Your Home Is in a Flood Zone
Time -
“Sometimes we like to look at these lines on maps and think that they are very strong determinants—like flooding won't happen here because I'm on the other side of this line, but that's not necessarily true,” says Brett Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering and urban planning and public policy at the University of California, Irvine. … “The reality is that there's a variety of gradual variation in risk across the land surface.” In fact, insurance claim data shows that many flood loss claims that are made to insurance companies often fall outside of map hazard zones, says Sanders. Read More
U.S. hit with record number of flash flood warnings
NBC News -
Radar systems and weather models have significantly improved over the course of 40 years, which contributes to the number of warnings issued during extreme weather events, said Amir AghaKouchak, director of the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing at the University of California, Irvine. … “We have many, many more radars, and we have many different sources of data. So naturally you expect more warnings just because our systems are getting better and better.” Read More
Development of revolutionizing photo-induced microscopy and its use around the globe celebrated in new publication
Phys.org -
"This is the story of a technology that was inspired by work at IBM, was invented and developed at UC Irvine, then got spun off, and now we have instruments on all continents across the world except for Antarctica," says Kumar Wickramasinghe, Henry Samueli Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor emeritus of electrical engineering and computer science who now holds the title of UC Irvine Distinguished Research Professor. "Almost anywhere serious research is happening, there are people out there who are using PiFM to discover new things. Read More
The Best Colleges For Aerospace Engineering 2025
University Magazine -
The University of California, Irvine’s Samueli campus buzzes with student projects on hypersonic wind tunnels and control algorithm development. The program combines robust theory classes with rapid prototyping labs stocked with 3D printers and laser cutters. Undergraduates regularly present papers at regional conferences, developing communication skills alongside technical prowess. Faculty research spans space debris tracking to bio-inspired unmanned aircraft. Irvine’s proximity to aerospace firms enables smooth internship placements. UCI Samueli secures its spot among the best colleges for aerospace engineering. Read More
Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County ADU Expansion Project Grand Opening
KABC -
After two years, Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County is breaking ground on its expansion program in Placentia. The units will house 8 to 10 additional youth ages 18 to 24 experiencing homelessness. UCI [Samueli School of Engineering, teamMADE] gifted and designed the units to fit in the nonprofit's backyard. Watch More
Like Texas, California faces major dangers when extreme floods come
Los Angeles Times -
“Those risks exist here,” said Brett Sanders, a UC Irvine professor whose research focuses on flooding. “We have a lot of the same possibility of flash flooding. We have hilly topography. We have streams that can spread out and catch you by surprise with water.” … In a 2022 study, researchers, including UC Irvine’s Sanders, estimated that up to 874,000 people and $108 billion in property could be affected by a 100-year flood in the Los Angeles Basin, revealing larger risks than previously estimated by federal emergency management officials. Read More