Education (Colleges & Universities)
Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
Vincent Nestler is CSUSB's 2025-26 Outstanding Professor Award Recipient
SAN BERNARDINO, California, April 11 -- California State University San Bernardino campus issued the following news:* * *
Vincent Nestler is CSUSB's 2025-26 Outstanding Professor Award recipient
The award signifies excellence as a frontline instructor along with contributions to the professor's discipline through scholarship and research, and also service to the campus and larger community.
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As a few dozen faculty, administrators and staff entered a classroom to join Vincent Nestler's students the morning of April 9, he quipped, "Wow, I feel like this is an episode of 'This Is Your Life,'" ... Show Full Article SAN BERNARDINO, California, April 11 -- California State University San Bernardino campus issued the following news: * * * Vincent Nestler is CSUSB's 2025-26 Outstanding Professor Award recipient The award signifies excellence as a frontline instructor along with contributions to the professor's discipline through scholarship and research, and also service to the campus and larger community. * As a few dozen faculty, administrators and staff entered a classroom to join Vincent Nestler's students the morning of April 9, he quipped, "Wow, I feel like this is an episode of 'This Is Your Life,'"referring to the television program in which friends and family shared stories about the featured guest.
"It is," replied Cal State San Bernardino President Tomas D. Morales.
As the room filled and cameras and phones began recording, Morales announced that Nestler, a professor in the School of Cyber and Decision Sciences, was selected as the recipient of the university's 2026 Outstanding Professor Award.
"We are here to present the 2025-26 Outstanding - Outstanding - Professor Award to Vincent Nestler for his enduring excellence in teaching, research, scholarly activities, and service, most importantly, to our students," Morales said to those gathered in the second-floor classroom in Jack H. Brown Hall.
It has become a tradition at CSUSB to surprise recipients of the university's top faculty awards by entering a class or lab while they are teaching, allowing students to share in the moment. In Nestler's case, the announcement came as he was teaching a class on ethical computer hacking.
The award comes with the honor of being the John M. Pfau Endowed Professor; a $3,000 Faculty Professional Development Grant, the balance of the endowment in the form of a check; and recognition at the awardee's spring college commencement ceremony.
Morales went through a comprehensive list of accomplishments and contributions Nestler has made as a faculty member at CSUSB, helping to lead, with Executive Director Tony Coulson, the university's highly regarded and nationally acclaimed Center for Cyber and AI.
"Since 2016, he has involved over 1,000 local K-12 students and educators, many from backgrounds underrepresented in the field, in GenCyber summer camps and professional development workshops." In addition, Morales said, "Dr. Nestler literally co-wrote the book that hundreds of institutions use as a standard reference for their curricula."
Morales concluded, "Provost (Rafik) Mohamed and I join the University Awards Committee in saying that Professor Nestler is most deserving of this award for all the reasons I have listed."
Mohamed wanted to ensure Nestler's students understood the significance of the award: "It is a comprehensive appraisal of what a faculty member does. ... What this award signifies is not just his excellence as a frontline instructor, but also his contributions to the discipline through scholarship and research. ... And also his service to the campus and the larger community. It is the Outstanding Professor Award because it comprises all of the things that our tenure line faculty are, that every element of what our tenure line faculty are supposed to do."
Tomas Gomez-Arias, dean of the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, where the cybersecurity program is housed, said Nestler's reputation in the field extends beyond the United States. He pointed to a recent trip to England, noting that "the national security establishment in the UK listens to this guy."
He also described Nestler as forward thinking. "His mind is 5, 10 years ahead of us," Gomez-Arias said. "He has been working on artificial intelligence before we were thinking about artificial intelligence. Always thinking about not only what's going on today, (but) what is going to happen in 5 years. What are the needs of society, of students, you know, 5, 10 years from today?"
And once the congratulatory speeches were made, Nestler described the surprise announcement event as a "full circle" moment. He recounted that, as a student in the Educational Opportunity Program at the State University of New York, New Paltz, Morales served as an EOP director who was a strong advocate for students. In 2012, just as Morales arrived at CSUSB to become its fourth president, Nestler was interviewing for a faculty position in what was then called the cybersecurity decision sciences department.
He said that he wanted to join CSUSB because of Morales' leadership, which helped him at the start of his academic career. "And so I'm really happy that I've had the chance to use my academic energy as being part of your administration," Nestler said to Morales. "So that's a wonderful kind of full circle thing."
He gave credit to Coulson, saying the pair made a good team as they led the Center for Cyber and AI. "I think it's our teamwork and synergy that's made a lot of this stuff happen," he said.
Nestler also expressed gratitude to university administrators. "A lot of the stuff we do does not happen without their support," he said. "And that leadership is part of what also helps make us be as great as we are."
And there was also mention of ganas. Morales quoted one of Nestler's nominators, who said, "Dr. Nestler believes in a teaching philosophy he calls 'ganas' ('desire' or 'drive'). He uses ganas to represent the desire to learn, the inner motivation that fuels growth, transformation, and self-discovery in his students."
Addressing his students, Nestler said, "Find your desire, find your trajectory, do what you love doing, you'll never work a day in your life. I can't believe I get paid to be here and talk to you all, and share in this moment as you all ascend into becoming, you know, real human beings that pay taxes. So with that, find your ganas, find your direction, use it, and thank you for celebrating this moment with me."
Nestler's degrees include a B.A. in political science from the State University of New York at New Paltz; an M.A. in social studies secondary education at Columbia University; an M.S. in network security from Capitol College in Laurel, Maryland; and a Ph.D. in instructional design from Idaho State. He has also earned an online specialization from the University of California, Irvine in programming the internet of things.
Since joining CSUSB over a decade ago, Nestler's innovative approach to teaching, the outsized impact of his research locally and with external collaborators, and his development of K-12 outreach pathways have helped make CSUSB a national leader for cyber security education and training.
Nestler designs his courses to provide students with innovative and hands-on experiences that will transform them into capable cybersecurity professionals. In particular, he builds complex, real-world-inspired projects that have students apply their skills and knowledge in challenging environments similar to those they will see across their careers.
His students are highly successful in their coursework and beyond. They compete at, and win, cybersecurity competitions, present at national conferences, and often transition directly to employment in government organizations and industry.
The NSF-funded NICE Challenge Project supported a model for cybersecurity education that has become a national model, serving over 700 institutions. Partnerships with the Pacific Northwest National Lab and the U.S. Space Systems Command provide scholarships and research opportunities for students while connecting them with industry and government internships.
Nestler has also been a key figure in building infrastructure to support student learning, with the CyberLab a signature accomplishment. The CyberLab is a virtual computing environment that students can access 24/7, giving them opportunities to work on projects remotely, "providing them with industry-level experience in managing and administering complex lab environments."
This is not the first time Nestler has been recognized for his contributions at CSUSB. In 2019, he was awarded the Provost's Research Award and he was given the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration Outstanding Service Award in 2019 and 2024.
The 2025-26 Committee is headed up by co-chairs Jennifer Alford (Department of Geography) and Stacey Fraser (Department of Music). Other members include Sara Callori (representing the College of Natural Sciences), Yawen Li (representing the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Ying Cheng (representing the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration).
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Original text here: https://www.csusb.edu/inside/article/595701/vincent-nestler-csusbs-2025-26-outstanding-professor-award-recipient
University of Memphis: Timber Talks Symposium Broadens Understanding of Mass Timber
MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 11 -- The University of Memphis issued the following news:* * *
Timber Talks Symposium Broadens Understanding of Mass Timber
Wood is having a moment. To broaden the understanding of mass timber's benefits, the University of Memphis Institute for Agricultural and Conservation Research and Education (ACRE) and the Division of Research and Innovation, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture hosted Timber Talks April 6-7.
The two-day conference was attended by university faculty, researchers and agriculture leaders from across Tennessee and the U.S. ... Show Full Article MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 11 -- The University of Memphis issued the following news: * * * Timber Talks Symposium Broadens Understanding of Mass Timber Wood is having a moment. To broaden the understanding of mass timber's benefits, the University of Memphis Institute for Agricultural and Conservation Research and Education (ACRE) and the Division of Research and Innovation, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture hosted Timber Talks April 6-7. The two-day conference was attended by university faculty, researchers and agriculture leaders from across Tennessee and the U.S.and addressed the status of Tennessee's forestry and lumber industry, one of the largest drivers of the state's economy.
"We hosted this convening symposium to educate a wide range of people on the benefits of building with an innovative new material system called mass timber," said Katie Hunt, AIA, assistant professor in the Department of Architecture. Opening the symposium with a quote she heard from architect Kengo Kuma: "Wood is warm, intimate and connects people. It is the definition of a place based material. Wood is community."
Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Andy Holt delivered the general address. "Forest products and wood fiber have long played an important role in our culture and throughout history," Holt said. "Many of history's great achievements would not have been possible without wood fiber."
The symposium was the formal kickoff of the Tennessee Timberworks Collaborative -- a Memphis led, regional research collective with a shared vision: to study mass timber from forest to building (and beyond), from silviculture and supply chains to design, engineering, construction, policy and community impact.
"While this effort is rooted here in Memphis and in Tennessee, we are intentionally outward looking," Hunt said. "We hope to collaborate deeply with other states and regions also studying the timber industry, because the opportunities and challenges of mass timber do not stop at state lines."
Memphis is known as the "hardwood capital of the world," and participants had the opportunity to tour the National Hardwood Lumber Association to further lean about hardwood supply chain, production and distribution as well as the new Memphis Art Museum, an active construction site to see how wood is being utilized in its architectural design.
Throughout the sessions, myths were dispelled regarding misconceptions about wood and the forestry industry, including that the timber industry is bad for the environment and that wood is inferior to concrete or steel. "In fact, it is imperative for our forests' ecological health and critical to sustainable economies that we have markets for timber," said Hunt. "In addition, wood structures are actually safer than the others under fire because the burning process naturally creates a protective char layer that limits structural failure of the wood. According to the building codes, mass timber performs so well in fire that it is technically considered non-combustible."
Other statistics for the state of Tennessee include:
* More than half of Tennessee is forested land (14 million acres)
* More than 80% of those forests are privately owned, primarily by family and non-corporate landowners
* The forest products industry contributes $21 billion annually to the Tennessee economy
* An estimated 85,000 jobs statewide are from the forest products industry
* Tennessee is one of the top ten U.S. states for forestry's share of GDP (gross domestic product) and number three for hardwood-producing states
* Tennessee grows 1.6 times more wood annually than is harvested
* Less than 1% of standing wood volume is removed each year
"ACRE was proud to host the Timber Talks Conference at the University of Memphis and grateful to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for supporting this event," said Dr. Jennifer Mandel, ACRE director and William B. "Billy" Dunavant Endowed Chair, Agritech and Sustainable Agriculture. "I am especially excited about Professor Hunt's official launch of the Tennessee Timberworks Collaborative. I believe this collaborative will further raise awareness of our vast forestry resources in the state which in turn will incentivize the Tennessee-based supply chain for timber, especially hardwoods. This work represents truly innovative research and education for our students and our state."
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Original text here: https://blogs.memphis.edu/newsroom/2026/04/10/timber-talks-symposium-broadens-understanding-of-mass-timber/
UNF Honors Student Turns Opportunity Into AI and Cybersecurity Impact
JACKSONVILLE, Florida, April 11 -- The University of North Florida issued the following news:* * *
UNF Honors student turns opportunity into AI and cybersecurity impact
As a dual enrollment student in high school, Ella Luedeke entered the University of North Florida in fall 2023, with enough credits to begin as a sophomore and immediately charted a path toward helping solve complex problems in computing, AI and cybersecurity.
Now a senior at the Hicks Honors College, Luedeke has already set herself apart by earning two national research awards, studying abroad, leading a cyber security club ... Show Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Florida, April 11 -- The University of North Florida issued the following news: * * * UNF Honors student turns opportunity into AI and cybersecurity impact As a dual enrollment student in high school, Ella Luedeke entered the University of North Florida in fall 2023, with enough credits to begin as a sophomore and immediately charted a path toward helping solve complex problems in computing, AI and cybersecurity. Now a senior at the Hicks Honors College, Luedeke has already set herself apart by earning two national research awards, studying abroad, leading a cyber security clubon campus and completing two internships and currently working on her third.
Her success is due to her own determination, supported by guidance and mentorship from UNF faculty and staff.
In May, Luedeke will graduate with a bachelor's degree in computer science and a minor in leadership. But she won't stop learning.
Luedeke, a native of New Smyrna Beach, has landed an internship for this summer at Sandia National Laboratories, a U.S. Department of Energy engineering and science lab located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she'll work as she prepares to enter graduate school.
The destination: UNF
Choosing UNF to attend college felt effortless to Luedeke.
"It was close to home, my family backed my decision, especially since my older sister decided to go to UNF as well, and the Honors College offered strong support for study abroad," she said.
She recalled attending the Honors College preview night for prospective students and learning about study abroad opportunities was especially exciting.
That excitement became reality in summer 2024, when she received both the Student Affairs International Learning (SAIL) scholarship and an Honors scholarship to study and conduct research in Athens, Greece.
"Studying abroad was such a rewarding experience," she said. "I worked on web development and project management."
Last summer, Luedeke was selected for a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates project, an eight-week online research program with the University of Texas at Arlington. The project focused on applying natural language processing to animal communication, exploring how text or audio data could be analyzed with machine learning techniques to better understand and potentially decode the way animals communicate. Luedeke found the project aligned with her interest in applying machine learning to biological and real-world data.
Her second NSF project took place onsite at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. There she worked on a Department of Energy-funded grant aimed at developing cybersecurity education tools for engineering students studying vulnerabilities in power system infrastructures. The project culminated in an invitation to present her research at Seattle University last November, followed by the publication of her paper in the spring edition of the Journal of Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE).
"It was truly a humbling experience to be among seasoned industry professionals and faculty in AI and cybersecurity, and having them listen to my research presentation," Luedeke said.
She also presented her research at SOARS, the U-GLIDE Symposium, and several other academic showcases at UNF.
She points to the mentorship of Dr. Tiffany Kershner, director of Global and National Awards at the Hicks Honors College, as a driving force in helping her pursue -- and secure -- these competitive opportunities.
"Applying for a competitive national award certainly involves dedication," Kershner said. "Ella has the stamina, courage and drive to take the risk and invest the time to develop these applications, and that risk has paid off."
Supportive faculty help students excel
Throughout her academic journey at UNF, Luedeke has leaned on the mentorship of Dr. Indika Kahanda, associate professor in the School of Computing, who she credits with guiding her through challenging coursework and helping her grow as a researcher.
"Ella is the type of student who is driven, persistent in the face of challenges and maintains steady progress even in demanding research settings," Kahanda said. "She is among the most driven and hardworking undergraduate researchers I have worked with."
Under his mentorship, Luedeke progressed from excelling in coursework to publishing research, even serving as first author on a recently submitted manuscript "Teaching Infrastructure Security Through Interactive Experiences: Modeling Cyberattacks in Gamified Learning," soon to be published.
Balancing research, coursework, national award applications, mentoring as a Peer Assisted Student Success Leader, as well as graduate school preparation and campus involvement requires discipline -- something both Kahanda and Kershner say she has in abundance.
"Ella was a facilitator for the Honors Colloquium course, involved in clubs, conducted research and applied for prestigious graduate programs, all while keeping up with a full course load," Kershner said. "I'm always impressed by how some students, like Ella, can balance all these obligations."
Kahanda echoed that sentiment. "Her perseverance, attention to detail, maturity and resourcefulness truly set her apart. She consistently performs well above her peers."
For Luedeke, research has been one of the most meaningful parts of her UNF experience -- especially in a field where undergraduate research in computer science is less common.
"Students need to be proactive and seek out opportunities," she said. "Research opened my horizons and helped me make great connections. Even though much of my work happens behind the scenes, I see how powerful and practical it is."
Learning through internships and leadership opportunities
This semester, Luedeke began an internship with School of Computing professor Dr. Karthik Umapathy, contributing to UNF's Data Science for Social Good initiative.
Beyond her academic and research accomplishments, Luedeke is committed to uplifting others. Since fall 2023, she has served as president of the Women in Cybersecurity Club at UNF, where she works on building community and encouraging more women to enter the field.
"The club is a support system for women in cybersecurity," she said. "We bring in industry speakers who have succeeded in the field."
She also serves on the editorial board for the Florida Undergraduate Research Journal, reviewing submissions from across the state -- an experience she says has broadened her perspective and sharpened her writing.
When she's not coding, researching or analyzing data, she unwinds by playing guitar, one of her favorite ways to decompress.
Looking ahead, Luedeke has already been accepted to the University of Cambridge for graduate school and is awaiting decisions from other programs. She's also eager to start her internship at Sandia National Laboratories.
"All of my internships have been academia-related, so this is an exciting new opportunity with an industry-based governmental agency," she said
Still, she will miss UNF.
"I can't say enough about my faculty mentors at UNF," Luedeke said. "They have done a great job setting me up for the next stage of my academic and professional career."
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Original text here: https://www.unf.edu/newsroom/2026/04/Luedeke-spring-grad.html
UMSOD, Kennedy Krieger Dental Partnership Fills Gap for Kids With Special Needs
BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 11 -- The University of Maryland Baltimore campus issued the following news:* * *
UMSOD, Kennedy Krieger Dental Partnership Fills Gap for Kids With Special Needs
Laura Lee
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD), has partnered with the Kennedy Krieger Institute to provide dental care for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities, the first such program at Kennedy Krieger in over 20 years.
Since September, Erica Caffrey, DDS, clinical assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at the School of Dentistry has traveled to Kennedy Krieger ... Show Full Article BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 11 -- The University of Maryland Baltimore campus issued the following news: * * * UMSOD, Kennedy Krieger Dental Partnership Fills Gap for Kids With Special Needs Laura Lee The University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD), has partnered with the Kennedy Krieger Institute to provide dental care for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities, the first such program at Kennedy Krieger in over 20 years. Since September, Erica Caffrey, DDS, clinical assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at the School of Dentistry has traveled to Kennedy Kriegeraccompanied by an UMSOD pediatric dental resident to conduct monthly oral health exams for children in the institute's Neurobehavioral Unit. According to Caffrey, the visits address a persistent gap in dental care for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
For children with severe autism, intellectual developmental disabilities, and complex genetic syndromes, a trip to the dentist can be an ordeal that most dental offices are not equipped to handle. Sensory sensitivities mean that everything from the overhead light, to the taste of a latex glove, to the color of a lead apron, can trigger distress. Some patients exhibit combative or self-injuring behaviors and wear helmets or protective clothing. Many can't communicate verbally.
Often, the solution is to refer the child for dental work under general anesthesia. That means added medical risk and a wait list that can stretch for months.
"Often, when these kids can't get dental exams, they get referred immediately for dental exams under sedation or general anesthesia, which increases health care burden, cost of care and medical risks," Caffrey said. "If an exam can be accomplished without that, then we may avoid those increased burdens and risks."
The program's approach is based on interdisciplinary collaboration between pediatric dentistry, pediatric medicine, and behavioral psychology. Before each dental visit, a Kennedy Krieger behavioral psychologist works with the child over several sessions to desensitize them to the exam environment. Patients practice sitting in the chair and are slowly introduced to dental instruments, the feel of gloved hands near their face, and opening their mouth long enough for an exam. They can be seen in a hospital bed or in a more traditional dental setting depending on the needs of the child.
Caffrey said the results have been striking. "I'm seeing really remarkable outcomes where a patient who previously couldn't sit down in a chair comes in and is willing to allow a dental exam, have fluoride varnish applied, and in some cases, even put on a nasal mask to breathe some laughing gas," Caffrey said. "That requires a lot of work on the part of the behavioral team. But it shows that there is hope and promise for these kids, and that patience and practice can really help."
In the roughly 20 exams conducted since September, only one of the patients has required follow-up treatment for decay, said Caffrey. That patient was able to be seen for an additional visit in the same clinic for caries management. Many have tolerated X-rays, an outcome Caffrey called remarkable given the severity of their behavioral challenges. Kennedy Krieger staff has shared that several parents have cried happy tears upon learning their child was finally going to receive a dental exam.
The partnership grew out of conversations that began about two years ago when Kennedy Krieger's leadership reached out to the School of Dentistry's Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. Caffrey and Vineet Dhar, BDS, MDS, PhD, UMSOD clinical professor and chair of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, toured the institute and met with department leaders to discuss how oral health fit into the broader care of children with special health care needs.
Caffrey began giving presentations to health care providers and interdisciplinary student teams at the institute. Then a specific request came in from the Neurobehavioral Unit, an inpatient program where children and young adults with severe behavioral and developmental challenges are admitted for months at a time for intensive therapy.
Staff had tried referring some patients to UMSOD, but transporting inpatients with complex behavioral needs was difficult. And although the dental school's pediatric clinic sees many children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, additional staff support needs can make it challenging to safely examine individuals with severe behavior.
"It became a question of where is the best setting and who from the team is needed to accomplish the goal of providing preventive oral health services," Caffrey said.
The answer was to bring the dentist to the patients.
The program runs on the second Thursday of every month under a formal contract between the two institutions. Each month, Caffrey brings a different pediatric dentistry resident to Kennedy Krieger as part of a special health care needs rotation. The residents participate in exams and observe the behavioral preparation process, feeding therapy, and speech therapy. Caffrey, who also serves as assistant director of the residency program, said the experience is reshaping how trainees approach their work.
Gabrielle Le, DDS, a 2019 UMSOD graduate in her second year of pediatric residency, says she will take what she's learned through her rotation at Kennedy Krieger into the next stage of her career.
"There are a lot of kids with special health care needs, and even patients that don't have special health care needs, but maybe require a little bit more behavior management or patience. I will definitely take this into private practice so that I'm comfortable with treating patients of all medical and social backgrounds," she said.
Le acknowledged that part of the success of treating patients at Kennedy Krieger is meeting them where they feel at ease.
"It's great because we get to go where the patients are most comfortable. It takes out that component of a whole new environment and we're able to do a bit more, and provide a needed service for the patients."
Caffrey agrees that the environment is a key factor to a successful appointment.
"Traditionally as dentists, we think about completion of a procedure and documenting procedure codes," she said. "But in the context of a child's overall health care, we have to think much more about the patient experience."
Caffrey plans to use what she learns at Kennedy Krieger to develop formal desensitization and preparation protocols at the School of Dentistry for all children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
"At the School of Dentistry we really strive to serve kids who have struggled to get care elsewhere and to serve high needs groups," said Caffrey. "I would say not a week goes by where I don't hear from, usually, mothers who are struggling to find their kids dental care - whether it's due to their medical history or their developmental history or just financial. Caring for the underserved - that is our main mission."
The program was initially scheduled to run through May, but it has been such a success the contract has been renewed to go until 2027. Caffrey said she sees the program as a potential model for other institutions.
"No individual should ever be written off for lack of capability to do something," she said. "If we can create environments where these kids can get care in a more timely and thoughtful fashion, in a comprehensive way, maybe we can make access to dental care for these kids less challenging. Engaging with the medical team, children and their families is critical to improving pediatric oral health."
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Original text here: https://www.umaryland.edu/news/archived-news/april-2026/-umsod-kennedy-krieger-dental-partnership-fills-gap-for-kids-with-special-needs.php
UCSF Heart Specialists Share Expertise at Annual Cardiology Conference
SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 11 -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release:* * *
UCSF Heart Specialists Share Expertise at Annual Cardiology Conference
Cardiology experts from UCSF Health presented new research and clinical findings at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) Annual Scientific Session and Expo in New Orleans, March 28 to 30. The 75th annual conference brought together leading cardiology researchers and clinicians, helping to shape clinical practices and research directions for a global audience.
This year's scientific program ... Show Full Article SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 11 -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release: * * * UCSF Heart Specialists Share Expertise at Annual Cardiology Conference Cardiology experts from UCSF Health presented new research and clinical findings at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) Annual Scientific Session and Expo in New Orleans, March 28 to 30. The 75th annual conference brought together leading cardiology researchers and clinicians, helping to shape clinical practices and research directions for a global audience. This year's scientific programfeatured the latest developments in clinical research by experts from the UCSF's Division of Cardiology. UCSF investigators and clinicians participated in presentations in such areas as interventional cardiology, pulmonary vascular disease, congenital heart disease, critical care cardiology, electrophysiology, and AI in cardiovascular imaging and diagnostics.
UCSF Presentations (all times CDT):
Intensive Sessions on Artificial Intelligence:
Rima Arnaout, MD, a physician-scientist and principal investigator at the Arnaout Lab at UCSF, was a panelist during the artificial intelligence intensive session "Artificial Intelligence Intensive III: Pixels to Prognosis - Research Frontiers in Cardiovascular Health AI Featuring the Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Awardee Keynote" (#260). This session explored the cutting-edge integration of artificial intelligence into cardiovascular diagnostics, with a focus on electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (Echo) and included insights into the current evidence, clinical applications, and implementation strategies for AI tools in cardiovascular care.
Arnaout also presented "Challenges of Using and Integrating AI in Clinical Settings" during the artificial intelligence intensive session "From Code to Clinic: AI Transforming Cardiac Imaging" (#304). This session covered currently available technologies, practical challenges with implementation, and future advancements in AI for cardiovascular imaging.
James Pirruccello, MD, a cardiologist and UCSF assistant professor of Cardiology, was a panelist for artificial intelligence intensive session "Tech or Therapy? Is Innovation or Tradition Better for Preventing CV?" (#378). This session featured two high-impact debates on the future of cardiovascular prevention. Experts faced off on whether renal denervation or aggressive medical therapy offers superior blood pressure control. Then, AI-driven models were pitted against classic risk tools in predicting coronary artery disease as Pirruccello and others discussed whether cutting-edge innovation or time-tested therapy holds the key to better outcomes.
Scientific Sessions:
Zian Tseng, MD, MAS, a cardiologist cardiac electrophysiologist and UCSF professor of Cardiology, presented "Precision Diagnostics After Cardiac Arrest: Right Diagnosis for the Right Patient" (#282) during the scientific session on ischemic heart disease "Shocking the System: Reimagining Care for Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest." Tseng's presentation leveraged the insights learned from his one-of-a-kind, post-sudden cardiac death study, which uses gold-standard postmortem investigation of cardiac arrest non-survivors to uncover the true underlying causes of cardiac arrest, only half of which are truly cardiac. Other causes include occult overdose, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, hemorrhage, sepsis, neurologic causes like stroke, and others. Tseng believes understanding the true underlying causes is essential in order to move the needle on improving cardiac arrest survival which has plateaued at 10% for decades.
Sammy Elmariah, MD, an interventional cardiologist and chief of Interventional Cardiology at UCSF, was a panelist for the late-breaking clinical trial research session "Featured Clinical Research IV" (#291). He reviewed results of the ALERT Trial, a cluster randomized trial evaluating the impact of automated electronic clinician alerts on improving the care of patients with aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation.
Christopher Lee, MD, a cardiologist hypertrophic cardiomyopathy specialist and UCSF assistant professor of Cardiology, served as co-chair for the scientific session "Valve Clarity: Leveraging Advanced Imaging for Assessment of Valvular Pathology" (#341). He presented "Severe-ish? Navigating Diagnostic Uncertainty in Patients with Aortic Regurgitation." Lee discussed the role of cardiac MRI for aortic regurgitation, particularly when it is difficult to elucidate on echocardiography, and spoke about the added metrics that can be used with MRI to assess aortic regurgitation and long-term cardiac remodeling.
Samuel Brusca, MD, a cardiologist and UCSF critical care specialist was a panelist for the scientific session "Critical Care Cardiology Perspectives: Catching Your Breath - What the Clinician Needs to Know About Mechanical Ventilation in Critical Care Cardiology" (#340). This session focused on invasive respiratory support during cardiac critical illness. Experts in respiratory support discussed a physiology-based approach to mechanical ventilation in cardiac critical illness with particular attention paid to approaches in cardiovascular disease such as acute myocardial infarction, mitral regurgitation, pulmonary hypertension/right heart failure, and cardiogenic shock.
Michael Salerno, MD, PhD, a cardiovascular imaging specialist and UCSF professor of Medicine, presented "Case Presentation: Abnormal Stress CMR Quantitative Perfusion" (#347-08) during the scientific session "Beyond Coronary Stenosis: Unraveling INOCA With Multimodality Imaging." This session explored the pivotal role of advanced multimodality imaging in evaluating vascular function and coronary flow in patients with Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries (INOCA).
Town Hall Session:
Samual Brusca, MD, was co-chair of the town hall "Conversations on Pulmonary Vascular Disease Topics" (#314). This town hall covered topics ranging from the new pulmonary embolism guidelines, novel therapeutics for all pulmonary hypertension groups, clinical care conundrums, and imaging.
Moderated Poster Presentations:
Marc Simon, MD, MS, cardiologist and director of pulmonary vascular disease and the Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center at UCSF, was the moderator and presenter for "Comparative Longitudinal Echocardiography In PAH: Do Meth-APAH Patients Remodel Differently?" (#1053) during the moderated poster session "Beignets and Pulmonary Hypertension: A Sweet Escape." In his presentation, Simon evaluated the echocardiographic response of methamphetamine-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension to standard therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. There is currently very little data documenting the response of these patients to treatment and some have even argued against treating. Simon provided highly needed evidence of a measurable response to treatment.
River Jiang, MD, an advanced echocardiography fellow at UCSF, presented his poster "Automated Non-Invasive Prediction of a Complete Hemodynamic Profile: A Deep Learning Approach to Echocardiographic Interpretation" during the moderated poster session "Highlighted Original Research: Multimodal Imaging" (#909). Accurate assessment of intracardiac pressures is important, with right heart catheterization serving as the gold standard. Conventional echocardiographic estimations demonstrate modest correlations with invasive measurements. Jiang and his colleagues developed a deep learning model to predict the complete spectrum of right heart catheterization-derived hemodynamic parameters directly from standard 2D and color Doppler transthoracic echocardiographic videos. The study found that deep learning can accurately predict invasive hemodynamic pressures from echocardiographic videos, with particular advantages for LV filling pressure assessment. This approach provides standardized, comprehensive hemodynamic profiling, potentially offering improved accuracy for non-invasive cardiovascular assessment.
Ruby Tang, UCSF medical student, presented her poster "Care Fragmentation Among Adults with Congenital Heart Disease at Tertiary Centers" (#1050-7) during the moderated poster session "ACHD." Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) often experience care fragmentation (CF), defined as care spread across multiple health systems. CF has been linked to worse outcomes, yet its extent and predictors in ACHD care remain unclear. From 13 tertiary centers' electronic health data (2015-2022), Tang and her colleagues used a hierarchical algorithm to identify ACHD patients aged 18-65 with 3 years of continuous care. The study found that only one in nine ACHD patients, primarily those with more comorbidities, receive coordinated care with both PCP and ACHD specialists at the same system. The study provides critical evidence to improve ACHD care coordination and highlight demographic targets for future interventions.
Christabelle Junaidi, a UCSF medical student, presented her poster "Maternal Cardiovascular Risk Factors as Predictors for Postpartum Depression: An Analysis of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2016-2022" (#1049-07) during the moderated poster session "Advances in Understanding Cardiovascular Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes." Postpartum depression (PPD) affects one in seven birthing individuals, and recent research has shown an association between PPD and future cardiovascular disease (CVD). The mechanisms underlying this association remain unknown. Junaidi and her colleagues sought to examine whether maternal CVD risk factors before and during pregnancy are associated with PPD. This study included 202,685 participants with 10% reported PPD. In multivariable analysis, pre-pregnancy maternal CVD risk factors were associated with increased odds of PPD, highlighting the importance of optimizing cardiovascular health prior to pregnancy.
Interactive Sessions:
Kirsten Fleischmann, MD, a cardiologist specializing in echocardiography and UCSF professor of Cardiology, served as echo imaging expert panelist during the multimodal imaging guidelines session "Parade of Patients: Cardiovascular Testing Before Non-Cardiac Surgery and Sports Participation" (#230). In this session, patient scenarios relevant to the 2024 Guideline for Perioperative Cardiovascular Management for Noncardiac Surgery and other commonly encountered clinical screening scenarios were presented in 'rapid-fire' succession to the audience, an 'Imaging Expert' team, and a 'Master Clinician' team. Each team chose their 'next best step' for each patient (e.g., no testing/medical optimization, exercise ECG, stress echocardiography, SPECT MPI, PET MPI, coronary CTA, stress cardiac MRI, invasive coronary angiography) to better understand how the new guideline has impacted real-time clinical decision-making.
Sammy Elmariah, MD, served as structural interventionalist team member for the game show session "The Valve Wars: Transcatheter Triumph or Surgical Supremacy?" (#202). This debate-style session pitted expert structural interventionalists against leading cardiac surgeons in a spirited competition over today's most pressing controversies in valvular heart disease intervention. Top voices in the field challenged each other's perspectives, sharing cutting-edge insights, and engaging in discussions designed to deepen understanding of this evolving landscape in cardiology.
Poster Presentations:
Please visit ACC26 for complete meeting abstract and session information.
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About UCSF Health: UCSF Health is recognized worldwide for its innovative patient care, reflecting the latest medical knowledge, advanced technologies and pioneering research. It includes the flagship UCSF Medical Center, which is highly-ranked hospital, as well as UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, with campuses in San Francisco and Oakland; two community hospitals, UCSF Health Stanyan and UCSF Health Hyde; Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital; UCSF Benioff Children's Physicians; and the UCSF Faculty Practice. These hospitals serve as the academic medical center of the University of California, San Francisco, which is world-renowned for its graduate-level health sciences education and biomedical research. UCSF Health has affiliations with hospitals and health organizations throughout the Bay Area. Visit www.ucsfhealth.org. Follow UCSF Health on Facebook or on Twitter.
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Original text here: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/04/431761/ucsf-heart-specialists-share-expertise-annual-cardiology-conference
Riverside Community College District: Advancing Student Success Through Common Course Numbering
RIVERSIDE, California, April 11 -- The Riverside Community College District issued the following news:* * *
Advancing Student Success Through Common Course Numbering
California Community Colleges are undertaking a transformative, statewide effort to implement a student-facing Common Course Numbering (CCN) system. Mandated by Assembly Bill 1111 (Berman) and codified in Education Code Sections 66725-66725.5, this initiative ensures that comparable, lower-division courses are consistently numbered across all 116 colleges, improving clarity, equity, and transfer success.
Why Common Course Numbering ... Show Full Article RIVERSIDE, California, April 11 -- The Riverside Community College District issued the following news: * * * Advancing Student Success Through Common Course Numbering California Community Colleges are undertaking a transformative, statewide effort to implement a student-facing Common Course Numbering (CCN) system. Mandated by Assembly Bill 1111 (Berman) and codified in Education Code Sections 66725-66725.5, this initiative ensures that comparable, lower-division courses are consistently numbered across all 116 colleges, improving clarity, equity, and transfer success. Why Common Course NumberingMatters
Historically, the same course, such as Introduction to Psychology, could carry different course numbers and prefixes across colleges. This variation created confusion for students, often contributing to excess unit accumulation and delays in degree completion.
The CCN system replaces local course identifiers with standardized, statewide course numbers. This alignment is especially beneficial for students transferring to the University of California and California State University systems, as it enables institutions to more easily identify courses that fulfill Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) requirements and major preparation pathways.
Understanding the New System
To support navigation of the new framework, two key elements distinguish CCN courses:
* The "C" Identifier: Courses that are part of the statewide system include a "C" in the course number (for example, ENGL C1000), signaling that the course is aligned across all California community colleges.
* Standardized Numbering: Many courses now follow a four-digit numbering structure that reflects their sequence and academic level within a broader statewide framework.
In addition, several subject prefixes have been updated to align with common usage across the state. For example, COM is now COMM, ENG is now ENGL, POL is now POLS, and PSY is now PSYC.
A Phased Implementation Timeline
Aligning curriculum across the largest system of higher education in the nation requires a coordinated, phased approach:
* Phase 1 (Fall 2025): Initial implementation of foundational courses in English, communication studies, political science, psychology, and statistics.
* Phase 2 (Effective Fall 2026): Expansion to additional disciplines, including history, economics, art history, and calculus.
* Phase 3 (Ongoing): Continued alignment of remaining disciplines as the system progresses toward full implementation by July 1, 2027.
What This Means for Students
* No Loss of Credit: Previously completed courses remain valid. Students will not be required to retake courses due to these changes.
* Improved Clarity: Consistent course numbering across colleges simplifies academic planning, especially for students attending multiple institutions.
* Continued Transferability: Courses not yet included in the CCN system will continue to transfer under existing articulation agreements.
The Road Ahead
The Common Course Numbering initiative represents a significant step toward reducing structural barriers that can slow student progress. By improving transparency and strengthening alignment across institutions, CCN supports more efficient pathways to degree completion and transfer.
As implementation continues, the district remains committed to providing timely information and support to ensure a smooth transition for students, faculty, and staff.
For additional information, including a crosswalk of old and new course numbers, please visit the district's Common Course Numbering webpage: https://rccd.edu/commoncoursenumbering/index.html
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Original text here: https://rccd.edu/news/Advancing_Student_Success_Through_Common_Course_Numbering .html
Colorado College Physics Major Explores Phases of Magnets Through Renormalization Group Theory
WASHINGTON, April 11 (TNSjou) -- Colorado College physics student Axel Klomparens has completed a study on the phase transitions of ferromagnets, successfully identifying transition points using computational models. According to the research document, From Magnetic to Paramagnetic: Finding Phase Transitions, the work conducted with Assistant Professor of Physics Christopher Monahan utilized renormalization group theory to analyze how materials like cobalt and iron lose magnetization when heated beyond their Curie temperature.The study was inspired by the paper, Symmetric Mass Generation with ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, April 11 (TNSjou) -- Colorado College physics student Axel Klomparens has completed a study on the phase transitions of ferromagnets, successfully identifying transition points using computational models. According to the research document, From Magnetic to Paramagnetic: Finding Phase Transitions, the work conducted with Assistant Professor of Physics Christopher Monahan utilized renormalization group theory to analyze how materials like cobalt and iron lose magnetization when heated beyond their Curie temperature. The study was inspired by the paper, Symmetric Mass Generation withfour SU(2) doublet fermions (https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.02062), published in the journal Physical Review. Klomparens and Monahan built a computational simulation of a ferromagnet to locate the transition point between magnetic and paramagnetic phases. By working with the magnetic susceptibility of the system, the researchers were able to create a flow graph approaching the transition point from multiple model sizes.
Christopher Monahan, assistant professor of physics, stated that stepping into the world of research to learn independently is a success, emphasizing the value of focused data analysis over structured classroom dates. Klomparens, a physics major, noted that the research environment helped identify a passion for lattice simulations. The project involved building models, analyzing magnetic properties, and comparing analytical solutions to computational results within the Ising model framework.
The results were presented at the Student Research and Internship Symposium and to a group of physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder. The findings provide a better understanding of complex phase transitions and demonstrate the agreeability of computational solutions in U.S. physics research. Klomparens and Monahan plan to submit the full results for publication following further analysis of the magnetic phase flow.
The original research discussion and related materials are available at: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/careercenter/documents/Symposium-2025.pdf
-- Kripaa Chhughani, Targeted News Service
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Original text entitled "Physics Major Presents Phases of Magnets Research" posted by Colorado College, Colorado Springs, on April 3, 2026: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/newsevents/newsroom/2026/physics-major-presents-phases-of-magnets-research.html