Koreatown in Riverside was nation’s first, researcher says

Southern California News Columnist David Allen writes about Edward Chang, professor of ethnic studies and founding director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies.
The Press Enterprise | May 30, 2021

Contributions by Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders keep the promise of the California dream alive

Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy and political science, says you can't talk about California without talking about the Asian American Pacific Islander population because their contributions are so visible throughout the state.
ABC7 Eyewitness News | May 27, 2021

Tiny tomatoes could mean big profits for urban agriculture

Robert Jinkerson, an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, is engineering the size and nutritional value of tomato plants to increase the diversity and value of crops that can be grown in urban controlled environment agriculture.
Imperial Valley Press | May 27, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine progress impressive, but ‘herd immunity’ a long way off

Richard Carpiano, a public health scientist and medical sociologist, says we should celebrate the fact that to date, a solid majority of Californians 12 and older — 62.5% — have had at least one vaccine shot.  

Why people of colour are misidentified so often

UCR psychologist Brent Hughes weighs in on the scientific reasons that help explain why people identify faces from their own race better.
BBC | May 24, 2021

The Growing Power Of The AAPI Vote, By The Numbers

Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy, says between the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections, voter turnout among Asian Americans jumped 11 percentage points and 14 points among Pacific Islander Americans.
KPCC | May 22, 2021

Newsom wants to ignite a post-COVID California boom. Here’s what could get in the way

California's economic recovery is being held back by the inability of restaurants and retailers to hire enough workers, according to Chris Thornberg, director of UCR’s Center for Economic Forecasting and Development. 
The Sacramento Bee | May 22, 2021

Gene discovery could help scientists develop drought-resistant crops

Julia Bailey-Serres, a professor of genetics, helped identify new genes responsible for root growth in tomato and rice plants. The discovery, described in the journal Cell, could help scientists develop more drought-resistant crop varieties.

Researchers are rushing to get vaccines out, but this one isn't for COVID-19

Virologist Rong Hai is racing against the clock to create a vaccine for the Zika virus.
KNTV ABC13 | May 18, 2021

Cicada Explosion Mystifies UCR Insect Expert

Doug Yanega, senior scientist at UCR’s Entomology Research Museum, says the spectacle of cicadas emerging after 17 years underground is one of nature’s unsolved mysteries. There are thousands of cicada species, but only seven species from the Eastern U.S. display this behavior. 
Pest Control Technology | May 17, 2021

20 top L.A. and O.C. museum exhibitions you can see right now

UCR arts will welcome visitors again after the long pandemic closure. For more information: https://ucrarts.ucr.edu/Exhibition/List
The Los Angeles Times | May 15, 2021

Billions of cicadas are about to take to the skies. Here's what to expect

Doug Yanega, senior scientist at UCR's Entomology Research Museum, discusses one of North America's most awe-inspiring entomological events: the septdecennial (meaning once every 17 years) emergence of a swarms of cicadas known as Brood X. 
Salon | May 14, 2021

Uncovering the History of America’s First Koreatown

Edward T. Chang, a professor of ethnic studies and founding director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies, featured about his new book,  “Pachappa Camp: The First Koreatown in the United States.”
The New York Times | May 14, 2021

Wild bobcat kitten roaming UC Riverside Botanic Gardens is the cutest thing you’ll see all day

Two bobcat kittens and their mother have been exploring the grounds at UC Riverside’s Botanic Gardens this week. Jodie Holt, director of the gardens, said adult bobcats usually go about their business and hardly interact with people.
The Press Enterprise | May 13, 2021

What can happen if kids want a COVID vaccine — but parents refuse? Experts weigh in

Medical sociologist Andrea Polonijo says parental hesitancy to allow teens to get vaccinated could slow the country’s progress toward herd immunity.
Miami Herald | May 13, 2021

UCR to reopen downtown Riverside photo museum, arts center

The downtown Riverside arts center and photography museum operated by UC Riverside are poised to reopen Thursday, May 13, after a 14-month closure because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Press Enterprise | May 7, 2021

How Inland Empire Cities Are Pushing Warehouses To Be Cleaner And Greener

Juliann Emmons Allison, who studies the harms from warehouses, said some developers are hoping to pre-empt criticism of their warehouses by installing amenities such as air filtration systems in nearby San Bernardino County homes.
LAist | May 6, 2021

The inadequacy of the term “Asian American”

UCR's Karthick Ramakrishnan weighs in on a story about the wide-reaching term "Asian American," and allegations that it "flattens and erases entire cultures."
Vox | May 5, 2021

Little known outside India, Jainism spreads at colleges amid calls to ‘decolonize’ studies

UCR faculty and students discuss Jainism, a little-known, millenniums-old Indian religious and philosophical tradition, as American Jain donors seeks to expand U.S. awareness of this ancient belief system through academia.
Los Angeles Times | May 2, 2021

Yes, lots of comics were racist. A new generation of Black artists is reinventing them

UCR faculty member and author-illustrator John Jennings discusses indie comics by Black artists, written for Black families about Black people, with a focus on tales of Africa before slavery.
Los Angeles Times | April 29, 2021