Science (Video)

Grecia Paola Siono Gutierrez and Jose Enrique Siono Gutierrez share how family, mentorship and community shaped their path from Mexicali to studying electrical engineering at UC San Diego. The siblings describe beginning at community college, transferring together and adjusting to classrooms where they often saw few students who shared their background. Grecia discusses finding support through the Raza Resource Centro, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and research mentorship, while Jose explains how studying music strengthened his discipline and inspired projects connecting sound and electrical engineering. They also reflect on their parents’ sacrifices, the importance of role models and their own support for one another. Their advice to students is to seek supportive communities, learn from setbacks and keep pursuing ambitious goals even when the path is not straightforward. Series: "Career Channel" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 41495]

Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection that is contracted when soil borne spores are disrupted and inhaled. The infections can cause symptoms similar to pneumonia or COVID-19, such as cough, headache, fever and, in more severe cases, meningitis. UC Davis Health patient Rex shares his journey with valley fever and how UC Davis doctors and researchers are advancing earlier diagnosis and better treatments through clinical care and laboratory science. Series: "UC Davis News" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 41743]

RNA damage, mentorship and the realities of building a career in science come together in Alex Chaim's work and personal journey. Chaim, principal investigator of the Chaim Lab and assistant professor of cell and developmental biology at UC San Diego, studies whether damage to RNA may contribute to diseases associated with oxidative stress, including neurodegeneration. He also reflects on finding community and learning from mentors throughout his education and career. Chaim describes creating CASAS, a scientific seminar series conducted in Spanish, and explains why he tries to humanize science in both his classroom and lab. His advice to students centers on seeking research experience, finding good mentors and learning from experiments that do not go as expected. His story shows how persistence and community can shape a life in science. Series: "Career Channel" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 41492]

New research at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain is taking a leap forward in understanding how the brain — down to the individual neuron — navigates us through the world to find what we need.

Jack Lin, the study’s principal investigator, is a professor and neurologist who directs the UC Davis Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. Lin works with patients like Travis Rouse. He has epilepsy, and a RNS system implanted into his brain senses when a seizure is coming and sends electrical signals to head it off.

The RNS system collects detailed data on brain activity. Complemented with GPS location data and eye tracking, the research team can record unprecedented information on how Travis navigates the Center for Mind and Brain halls.

When the team analyze the data, they’ll be able to see which individual neurons activated as Travis thought through where he wanted to go and also how his brain got him there. Series: "UC Davis News" [Science] [Show ID: 41731]

Chancellor May stops by the UC Davis Neuroprosthetics Lab to meet the researchers behind brain-computer interface technology. The technology helped a man with ALS communicate again with his family and used AI to mimic the sound of his own voice. Watch as Chancellor May tries out the technology himself in a lab simulation. Series: "UC Davis News" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 41741]

Climate change is fundamentally altering marine environments worldwide. But what does this mean for the creatures that call the ocean home? Join Martin Tresguerres, Ph.D., as he delves into the work of the Allen Discovery Center for Neurobiology in Changing Environments (ADC-NiCE), where researchers are working towards answering this question. Through a combination of neurobiology, physiology and environmental science, ADC-NiCE investigates how climate change affects the nervous systems and behavior of marine animals — ultimately guiding policy, conservation strategies and restoration efforts. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 41697]

Topology offers a way to organize complex data by looking for shape, structure, and relationships. Yusu Wang, Ph.D., UC San Diego, and Gunnar E. Carlsson, Ph.D., Stanford University, discuss how ideas from algebraic topology move from pure mathematics into data science, machine learning, and AI. Carlsson explains why topological data analysis helps identify meaningful groups in large data sets, how examples and accessible tools can make abstract math useful, and why interpretability matters as AI systems grow more complex. The conversation connects collaboration across fields, customer-focused entrepreneurship, and the need to train mathematicians and AI researchers to help formulate real-world problems. Their exchange shows how mathematical thinking can make powerful technologies more understandable, usable, and accountable. Series: "Data Science Channel" [Science] [Show ID: 41487]

Archaeology can help communities understand environmental change, protect cultural heritage, and prepare for an uncertain climate future. Isabel C. Rivera-Collazo, Ph.D., of UC San Diego studies relationships among people, oceans, coastal ecosystems, and climate in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. She explains how Hurricane Maria shifted her research from identifying theoretical vulnerabilities to supporting communities facing immediate risks. Her work combines archaeology with ecology, biology, geology, local histories, and community knowledge. Research on plants, fishing traditions, coral reefs, and coastal sites has supported sand dune restoration, heritage protection, and the creation of a marine protected area. Rivera-Collazo emphasizes that residents are experts on their own landscapes and should guide research priorities. Recovering knowledge from the past can strengthen identity, support ecosystem restoration, and help communities shape more resilient futures. Series: "Mi Universidad " [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 41490]

Authentic autism representation begins with listening to autistic people and including them in stories about their lives. Seth Bakke, producer, writer and director of The Rescue, explains how his autistic cousin Aaron and a poem by autistic typer Peter Tran inspired the film. Bakke describes working with Aaron on screen, consulting the Tran family and adapting the set to support his needs. Autistic typers Otto Lana and Peter Tran, joined by Steven Tran, a postdoctoral researcher at UC San Diego, discuss where the film reflects their experiences, where it simplifies communication through typing and why creative freedom must remain grounded in lived experience. They address presuming competence, the difference between hearing and listening, and the need for autistic actors and advisers. Their participation challenges stereotypes and helps audiences see they should be full participants in their own stories. Series: "Autism Tree Project Annual Neuroscience Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 41175]

Scientific progress depends on curiosity, investment and the freedom to take risks. Nobel Laureate and UC San Diego alumnus Fred Ramsdell traces his path from community college to biotechnology and a discovery that reshaped understanding of immune regulation. He explains how decades of publicly funded research made that breakthrough possible and why failed experiments are essential steps toward discovery. Ramsdell discusses threats to federal research funding, the private sector’s limited tolerance for risk and the need for scientists to communicate clearly. Rebuilding trust, he argues, starts with listening, finding shared values and explaining how basic research leads to new treatments, economic value and national security. Sustained support for science matters because no one can predict where the next major breakthrough will begin.

Series: "Deep Look Public Speaker Series" [Science] [Show ID: 41113]