UC San Diego Says “Welcome” With Wide-Ranging Tour

Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla provided background about the campus to President Napolitano (center) and Provost Aimee Dorr, detailing the strategic planning process underway and the initiatives that will position UC San Diego as a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public research university.

At her first stop at Calit2, Director Larry Smarr detailed the origin of Calit2, and the impact Calit2 has as a return on the state’s investment and for faculty and student research. In a session about the Center of Interdisciplinary Science for Art, Architecture and Archaeology (CISA3), Project Manager and Assistant Director Alexandra Hubenko (second from left) gave President Napolitano an opportunity to travel virtually to an archaeological site.

Detailing UC San Diego’s national role in President Barack Obama’s “grand challenge” to map the human brain, Center for Brain Activity Mapping (CBAM) Director Ralph Greenspan (left) provided images of the brain possible at Calit2.

Spanning the intersection of the sciences and the arts, the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination Director Sheldon Brown discussed the Center’s research and provided President Napolitano with opportunities to view the work of students in Brown’s lab.

President Napolitano shared lunch with more than 20 student undergraduate and graduate student leaders representative of the range of talents and majors on campus in the Mandell Weiss Forum theater. Joined by UC Student Regent Designate Sadia Saifuddin, the President sought students’ input about initiatives to undertake and to hear their concerns.

At the UC Health System in the Medical Education and Telemedicine Building, President Napolitano was briefed by Associate Vice Chancellor and Medical Centers CEO Paul Viviano (with green folder) about the campus’ plans to enhance medical care for San Diegans. Director of the Center for the Future of Surgery, Dr. Santiago Horgan (to the President’s right), provided the President with an opportunity to experience the surgery simulations provided to UC San Diego medical students.

President Napolitano and Medical Centers CEO Paul Viviano take a moment to share thoughts about the tour and the medical training for UC San Diego students.

The day concluded with an opportunity for the President to see the interdisciplinary research underway by Scripps Institution of Oceanography faculty, researchers and students. After a briefing of Scripps’ achievements provided by Vice Chancellor – Marine Sciences and Director of Scripps Oceanography Margaret Leinen and faculty member Walter Munk, the President headed to the Hydraulics Laboratory to hear about the cutting-edge research of Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE) from Director Kim Prather. CAICE graduate students view the wave tank.

CAICE graduate students held an impromptu poster session at the Hydraulics Laboratory to provide President Napolitano with an understanding of the range of research topics and the value of their work in national centers such as CAICE.

In a quiet moment, President Napolitano and Chancellor Pradeep Khosla survey the sights from the Robert Payne Scripps Forum patio. The day concluded with the President’s remarks at the National Engineering Forum reception, attended by area industry, government and academic leaders.