Physical Sciences | UC San Diego

06/05/2026

Sally Ride didn't let any barrier--even the atmosphere--stand in her way. After a groundbreaking career as an astronaut, she taught physics at UC San Diego. And that's just one fact you might not know about her:

Happy birthday to Sally Ride (1951-2012) on what would have been her 75th birthday on May 26, 2026. Here, to celebrate her life and birthday during the 25th anniversary year of Sally Ride Science at UC San Diego, is a list of 25 things you might not know about the trailblazing astronaut Sally Ride.

06/04/2026

Drug delivery and diagnostic imaging often lack specificity, but a new “TRACE” method from UC San Diego biochemistry professor Neal Devaraj's lab lets specially‑caged compounds stay inert until they interact with a target cell’s enzymes, potentially allowing for more precise drug delivery and sharper diagnostic imaging. https://bit.ly/4fWiZcj

Drug delivery and diagnostic imaging often lack specificity, but a new “TRACE” method lets specially‑caged compounds stay inert until a target cell’s enzymes quickly remove the cage, potentially allowing for more precise drug delivery and sharper diagnostic imaging.

06/03/2026

Congratulations to Aobo Li on receiving an NSF CAREER award. His proposal, titled "Detecting Extremely Rare Physics Events in the Era of AI for Science," focuses on developing AI agents to automate the search for neutrinos and dark matter, as well as interdisciplinary AI education between physics and data science. https://bit.ly/4o0SVPc

06/02/2026

The Tijuana River sewage crisis remains one of the top environmental justice issues in the nation. In this interview with ABC10's Kimberly Hunt, atmospheric chemistry professor Kim Prather explains the science behind the sewage.

ABC 10News’ Kimberly Hunt sat down with Kimberly Prather to discuss...

05/25/2026

Congratulations to all of our outstanding graduate students who received a Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation (NSF)! 🎉

05/21/2026

Congratulations to all of our outstanding graduate students who received a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF) 🎉

05/20/2026

💥Congratulations💥 to UC San Diego Assistant Professor of Chemistry Fleur Ferguson on receiving the 2026 Philip S. Portoghese Early Career Award for the Advancement of Medicinal Chemistry from the American Chemical Society (ACS). Each year the ACS journals recognize exceptional scientists whose research is reshaping their fields and expanding the frontiers of discovery in biological and medicinal chemistry.

Learn about the 2026 winners of ACS Publications' Biological and Medicinal Chemistry lectureships and awards.

05/14/2026

Congratulations to Physics Professor George Fuller on being elected to the National Academy of Sciences. George is known for his research in theoretical nuclear and elementary particle physics and astrophysics, gravitation and cosmology. https://bit.ly/4drVHs7

05/13/2026

The NIH's FIRST program helps universities recruit and support promising early career researchers, including chemistry professor Adrian Jinich: "You feel surrounded by this cocoon of support in every direction."

UC San Diego received a $5 million NIH renewal for its FIRST program, supporting faculty recruitment, mentorship and career development for 12 rising biomedical researchers.

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Chemistry Fleur Ferguson on receiving one of thirteen 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize. The grants are designed to empower investigators early in their independent careers, enabling them to pursue their most bold and high-impact projects at a critical stage when traditional funding is lacking. https://ow.ly/fibA50YXONE