UCLA Mathematics Professor Olga Radko (1975-2020), Founder of Los Angeles Math Circle Pioneering UCLA mathematics professor Olga Radko died of ovarian cancer on June 29 at the age of 45. She was known for her work in the field of Poisson geometry, in particular her complete classification of two-dimensional Poisson structures, objects now sometimes referred...
Andrea Bertozzi, distinguished professor of mathematics, joined a team of other mathematicians and scientists to compare the results of three mathematical models of disease transmission that they used to analyze data from local and national governments. The models all highlight the dangers of relaxing public health measures too soon. The study, published in the journal...
Ni Ni, a UCLA associate professor of physics, and her research team reported the discovery of the first intrinsic ferromagnetic topological insulator. They also reported in Nature Communications their discovery of an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator early this year. “We are quite excited about these two sequential discoveries, which provide new material systems to explore new...
Efforts from the California NanoSystems Institutes at UCLA and researchers at UCLA to advance the use of microbes for sustainable production of new plastics has been supported by a $23.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation Materials Innovation Platforms program. Current synthetic polymers (plastic and its chemical cousin) are used widely now, however they...
Seth Puttterman, physics & astronomy professor, has been selected to receive a $50,000 Newton Award for Transformative Ideas during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the U.S. Department of Defense. The award, named in honor of Isaac Newton’s achievements, sought “transformative ideas” to resolve challenges, advance frontiers, and set new paradigms in research of immense potential benefit...
UCLA’s Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics, through which mathematicians work collaboratively with a broad range of scholars of science and technology to transform the world through math, has received a five-year, $25 million funding renewal from the National Science Foundation, effective Sept. 1. The new award represents the latest investment by the NSF, which has helped to support...
UCLA physicists overcome challenges to make new materials with optimized properties Ni Ni’s lab discovers the first ferromagnetic topological insulator Ni Ni, a UCLA associate professor of physics, is one of the world’s most influential and highly cited researchers. Among her many major publications are two very recent discoveries. She and her research team reported in Nature...
Gift to support endowed chair in oceanography, key to the future of the planet UCLA’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences has received a $4.1 million gift commitment – the largest in the department’s history – from adjunct professor Lawrence W. Harding, Jr. (“Larry”) to establish the Lawrence Harding Endowed Chair, which will support a...
Everyone revels in the full moon, but there is far more going on there than meets the eye. Even at night, solar wind from the sun’s atmosphere throughout the solar system, streaming energetic particles like protons and electrons in all directions. Earth’s moon has no atmosphere or magnetic field of its own to stop high-energy...
Dear Physical Sciences Colleagues: While the knowledge we are conveying to our students about the workings of the universe is essential, neither Math nor the laws of physics and chemistry will change this quarter. Our students will have time and opportunities to refine and update knowledge that we have been forced to impart in a...
UCLA physicists develop world’s best quantum bits New techniques make easier quantum computers for design of new materials, drugs A team of researchers at UCLA has set a new record for preparing and measuring the quantum bits, or qubits, inside of a quantum computer without error. The techniques they have developed make it easier to...
Miguel García-Garibay, dean of the Division of Physical Sciences and distinguished professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciencesfor his work in the field of chemistry.