Alumnus on the Move: David Goeddel

  —   Being first a scientist, second a company founder, and third a venture capitalist might not seem like a natural career progression, but it is for David Goeddel (Revelle College, B.S. Chemistry, 1972).

Physics Alumnus Receives Professional Achievement Award

  —   Gunars Valkirs, an entrepreneurial biotech leader driving to advance diagnosis, was honored for “Professional Achievement” in the UC San Diego Alumni Association’s 30th Annual Awards for Excellence distinctions.

The UCSD Alumni Association Announces Top Award Recipients

  —   An internationally celebrated Italian art diagnostician, the chief scientist and founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, and a legendary campus leader have been named by the UCSD Alumni Association as the top recipients of the 29th annual UCSD Alumni Awards for Excellence distinctions to be presented on Saturday, June 2, at the award-winning Calit2 building in the Engineering Courtyard of the University of California, San Diego campus.

Alumnus on the Move: Steven B. Buchsbaum, PhD Physics '90

  —   As a senior technology strategy officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Steven B. Buchsbaum (PhD, Physics ’90) develops and manages a large portfolio of grants and contracts as one of his many responsibilities for the foundation. He gives one key piece of advice to students or scientists in their career field: “The most valuable skill you can obtain is the ability to write well in the English language, whether it is being able to persuasively present yourself, or being able to write a proposal that is of any interest to anybody that is not an expert. It is really the single greatest asset that helps to really differentiate people.”

Alumnus on the Move: Saj-nicole Joini, PhD Mathematics '77

  —   During her college and graduate years at UCSD, Saj-nicole Joni knew that she wanted to be a mathematician, involved in research and teaching at a great university. She had already given up her first aspiration of becoming a concert pianist when she realized that she wasn’t sufficiently talented as a pianist, and that mathematics was one of her greatest aptitudes and joys.

Alumni Spotlight: Jeffrey Bennett ‘81

  —   Jeffrey Bennett’s career has veered a bit from his original course of study at UC San Diego. A biophysics major, he has taught math and astronomy and published numerous textbooks, along with a series of children’s books about astronomy. But his most recent book, Beyond UFOs, which looks at the impact on our society if extraterrestrial life were discovered, has brought him back to his biology roots.

Alumni on the Move: Steve and Sue Hart

  —   For Steve and Sue Hart their interests in mathematics started at a very early age. Their paths crossed while in graduate school in the Math department at UCSD.

From Physics Degree to Hollywood Success

  —   How do you go from earning a degree in physics to becoming a successful filmmaker and the creator of cult animated TV series? How do you find your passion? And how to do you get a job in this economy anyway?