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Welcome to the February issue of the Social Sciences E-News Upcoming Events
Social Sciences Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Email us to subscribe. |
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New lecture series highlights social sciences research making a difference Inaugural topics focus on applications of research in mind, brain and behavior; population and immigration; and local California politics  UCI social scientists investigate issues that matter to society, from the wiring of the brain to the cultural implications of the wiring of the planet. Their interdisciplinary research findings help spark innovative solutions to problems that impact the world around us. Whether it's the economy, transportation, family, social processes, the mind, international affairs, politics or culture, the work of UCI’s social scientists makes a difference.
With the launch of the school’s new expert speaker series, “Changing Perceptions, Making Connections,” we invite you to come learn how UCI social sciences research is making a difference in areas of mind, brain and behavior; population and immigration; and local California politics. Mind, Brain and Behavior February 4, 2010 Population & Immigration March 18, 2010 California Politics April 29, 2010 All events will be held in Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Room 1517 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. with a reception preceding each discussion. Pictured: Cognitive scientists Alyssa Brewer and Jeff Krichmar, featured speakers at February 4 mind, brain and behavior discussion. Camouflaged cuttlefish Cognitive scientist Charlie Chubb studies studies why visual perception process makes camouflage effective
Chinese medicine goes global Anthropology professor studies evolution of practice from tradition among rural poor to lucrative modern industry
Neumark’s Minimum Wages earns Outstanding Title honors from Choice Honor recognizes book as one of the most significant print and electronic works reviewed in the magazine in 2009
Michael Montoya selected as UROP's Faculty Mentor of the Month Honor recognizes the assistant professor for his commitment to mentoring undergraduates
SPOTLIGHT EVENT - Modeling Conflict and Its Governance 
February 12-14, 2010 Read On... SPOTLIGHT EVENT - FregeFest 2010 
February 26-27, 2010 Read On... SPOTLIGHT EVENT - Former Harvard dean and author of Bowling Alone talks religion at UCI 
Friday, February 26, 2010 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Robert D. Putnam, Harvard public policy professor and author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, will discuss the changing role of religion in America at this year's Harry Eckstein Lecture, sponsored by the UCI Center for the Study of Democracy, Program in International Studies and Department of Political Science. |
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Take a good look at the picture at right. Can you spot the two well concealed cuttlefish camouflaging themselves against their surroundings? If you can't, you’re not alone, says Charlie Chubb, UCI cognitive sciences professor.
“Human visual perception is very crude in terms of what it extracts from a scene,” he says. “Things we see are made up of many different textures and substances, but we summarize and simplify these substances using very few qualities. This makes the world we see dramatically different from the world that exists.” These shortcuts taken during the visual perception process are what make camouflage effective in tricking the eye and concealing what - or who - is really there. 
Mei Zhan's travels have taken her from medical schools in Shanghai to acupuncture clinics in San Francisco. For the past decade, she has traced the transformation of traditional Chinese medicine from its roots among China's rural poor into a multibillion-dollar alternative-medicine industry. A UC Irvine associate professor of anthropology, Zhan discusses the global influences behind this transformation in her new book, Other-Worldly: Making Chinese Medicine Through Transnational Frames.
Economist David Neumark’s Minimum Wages has been named a 2009 Outstanding Academic Title by Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. Drawing upon more than 15 years of minimum wage research and expertise, Neumark and co-author William L. Wascher present a comprehensive overview of the policy's distributive effects across different population groups. Their findings lead them to conclude that an increase yields no long term, net positive returns and inevitably plays out negatively for the economy in terms of creating a lower skilled pool of human capital. The Outstanding Title honor is awarded annually by Choice in recognition of the most significant print and electronic works reviewed in the magazine during the previous calendar year. In 2009, 652 titles received recognition.
Michael Montoya, anthropology and Chicano/Latino studies assistant professor, knows firsthand the important role a good mentor plays in guiding professional and personal growth. As an undergrad and later as a grad student at Stanford, he says he received excellent guidance and now he's passing the lessons he's learned along the way to the students he mentors at UCI. His efforts have earned him recognition as this month's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Faculty Mentor of the Month. |
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