Featured Post from UC Irvine

UCI scientists study the effects of an oil spill on Orange County's coastline

Oct 25, 2021

1 min

Joana Tavares and Melissa Brock, a Ph.D student in ecology and evolutionary biology, are spearheading the newly formed Southern California Oil Spill Project at UCI. They are analyzing the composition and health of the phytoplankton and bacterial communities in the ocean and inland waterways, using samples collected before, during, and ultimately after the oil spill situation has played out.




Also, the cleanup of the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach earlier this month is essentially complete, but responsibility for the spill has yet to be assigned. In the coming months, and possibly years, it will be the legal system that determines liability — and damages.


Michael Robinson-Dorn, a clinical professor of law, co-associate dean for experiential education at the law school and director of UCI’s Environmental Law Clinic, joins the UCI Podcast to discuss how this spill compares to past ones, why simply shutting down offshore drilling is more challenging than it may seem and how society’s values will shape the future of oil drilling in California.



For more information or to contact the researchers, email Brian Bell at bpbell@uci.edu.

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from UC Irvine

1 min

100 Days at 100 Degrees - How are Big City's Handling it?

This summer was a scorcher.  And for some residents living in places like Phoenix, Arizona - it feels like summer will never end. A recent Los Angeles Times piece titled: 100 days of 100-degree misery: A summer of relentless, oppressive heat across the West took a close look at how cities are coping with record breaking heat and heat waves that are stretching longer than three month durations. And when reporters are covering complicated topics like this - it's experts like UC Irvine's  Amir AghaKouchak they seek out to help with question and coverage. Amir AghaKouchak studies how climate change and variability influence extreme events (flood/drought/heatwaves) and compound hazards. "The city’s disparity in climate resilience is even visible from neighborhood to neighborhood, Amir AghaKouchak, a UC Irvine civil and environmental engineering professor, said. More affluent areas are better protected from extreme heat with vegetation and shade, while poorer areas have less shade and air conditioning. While people can’t stop heat waves from happening, he added, they can prepare as best they can for the sweltering conditions. “[Having a water bottle] can be the difference between heat stroke or no heat stroke, especially for vulnerable populations,” AghaKouchak said.  September 05 - Los Angeles Times Covering climate and the environment is no easy assignment - but if you have a story we can help. Amir AghaKouchak is available to speak with reports on these subjects - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

1 min

Covering Tuesday's Debate? Our Experts are Here to Help

The rules are set, the date is locked in and the political world will be watching as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris face off for the first time at the presidential debate taking place in Philadelphia on Tuesday. It's expected millions will tune in, but if you're a reporter covering the lead up to this much hyped event - then let our experts help with your coverage. Tony Smith’s knowledge of politics covers a large spectrum that includes Constitutional Law, the intricate workings and rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court, election law, and the contest over rights in both a domestic and global context. Louis DeSipio examines how democratic nations incorporate new members, including policymaking in the areas of immigration and voting rights. He also studies Latino political behavior. Louis DeSipio and Tony Smith can help with various angles of any political story you're assigned. Both experts are available to speak with media - simply click on either expert's icon now to arrange an interview today.

3 min

NarrA.I.tive empowers storytellers by merging AI and traditional artistic crafts

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 26, 2024 — Beall Applied Innovation at the University of California, Irvine has announced the launch of NarrA.I.tive, a groundbreaking initiative that blends the university’s academic strengths with the global entertainment industry and the innovative spirit of Orange County to harness artificial intelligence as a force for good across creative industries. “As AI’s influence expands, the opportunity and responsibility to steer it in positive directions is crucial,” said Errol Arkilic, UC Irvine’s chief innovation officer. “Through NarrA.I.tive, we redirect doom-and-gloom scripts to scripts of inspiration, education and enthusiastic support for creators as artificial intelligence increasingly influences the industry.” NarrA.I.tive’s action plan includes establishing UC Irvine and Orange County as global leaders in reshaping the artistic and technological ecosystem surrounding storytelling, attracting partners and collaborators to support the state-of-the-art initiative, creating revenue-generating content and tools, unifying academic excellence with emerging content production methods, and developing a structure for efficient project execution and student involvement. Supporting NarrA.I.tive’s impact, Beall Applied Innovation has established a strategic collaboration with Apples and Oranges Arts, an Orange County-based nonprofit entertainment and education studio co-founded by UC Irvine alumnus Tim Kashani ’86, MBA ’88, and his wife, actress Pamela Winslow Kashani. Started in 2008, Apples and Oranges Arts empowers storytellers to become creative entrepreneurs by combining educational platforms, technological integration, and a thriving community of new and existing voices. “Through NarrA.I.tive, we blend the magic of storytelling with the power of technologies such as artificial intelligence and extended reality, creating narratives that touch hearts and minds in ways previously unimaginable,” Tim Kashani said. “This collaboration marks a new era of creativity and technology alignment that requires ethical stewardship placing the human front and center.” In July, Apples and Oranges Arts and Beall Applied Innovation finalized plans for the NarrA.I.tive Story Studio, to be located at the Cove@UCI in the campus’s Research Park. Apples and Oranges Arts will lead the studio’s charge through training in new technologies that drive the entertainment industry’s future and through collaboration with UC Irvine schools, involving students and faculty in tool development and content production. “We invite storytellers, technologists, philanthropists, investors and the global community to join us in reshaping the future of storytelling,” said Stuart Mathews, director of industry alliances at Beall Applied Innovation. “Together, we will explore the expanding possibilities that AI and technology bring to the narrative arts, redefining how stories inspire, entertain and elevate the human experience.” About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu. Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.

View all posts
Powered by