Noteworthy

Chancellor S. Jack Hu will be formally inaugurated on February 5 with UC President James Milliken conducting the installation as UCR's 10th chancellor, followed by a public reception on Rivera Lawn at 3:30 p.m.

UCR mechanical engineering researchers discovered stingrays experience negative lift near the seafloor—a surprising "unsteady ground effect" that could help bio-inspired ocean robots avoid catastrophic collisions by switching between swimming styles.

Riverside Public Utilities is offering free soaker hoses to residents who show proof of purchase for a hose bib timer and at least one bag of mulch at the Customer Resource Center at 3025 Madison Street.

Riverside Fire Department is hosting community wildfire prevention meetings starting Wednesday, January 15 at 6 PM at La Sierra Senior Center to educate residents on defensible space, fire hazard zones, and proactive home protection measures.

The California Medicine Scholars Program has enrolled 399 students across four regional hubs since 2022 to create a community college-to-medical school pathway addressing California's physician shortage, with UCR's School of Medicine leading the Inland Empire hub in a region that has just 41 doctors per 100,000 people.

UCR bioengineering researchers discovered the caudate nucleus, a deep brain region, emerged as the strongest predictor of grip strength in older adults during functional MRI scans of 60 Riverside-area participants, potentially enabling earlier detection of frailty before physical decline begins.

Riverside Public Library issued 23,462 new library cards in 2025 while recording 894,037 book checkouts and 1.6 million visits, with Stephen King's "Never Flinch" topping adult fiction and the lending library's most popular items ranging from C-clamps to California State Park passes.

Rental assistance during the pandemic significantly improved mental health for recipients, according to UCR research analyzing California's $5.2 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program—with recipients reporting reduced psychological distress equivalent to moving from "fair" to "good" mental health and showing lower rates of depression and anxiety compared to non-recipients.

UC Riverside enrolled nearly 8,300 first-year and transfer students in fall 2025—the largest entering class in university history—with 96% being California residents.

Riverside Transit Agency hosts walk-in interviews Saturday, January 10 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at for community bus driver positions with benefits.

A new weekly certified farmers market launches Friday, January 10 at 1393 University Avenue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring fresh produce and local growers every Friday.

UCR alumna Thy Bui '04 established a scholarship fund to help students afford the UC Washington Center program after her own 2002 internship in D.C. influenced her path to becoming a partner at Maynard Nexsen law firm.