UCR Newsroom

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- University of California President Robert Dynes helped recognize Rep. Ken Calvert, R- Corona for his service to the public and to science during a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at the Riverside Mission Inn Tuesday, March 21.

President Dynes presented the Public Service Award to Rep. Calvert on behalf of the Alumni Associations of the University of California.

UC Riverside Chancellor France A. Córdova presented a “National Champion of Science Award” to Rep. Calvert on behalf of The Science Coalition, which was co-founded by the University of California. Calvert is the chair of the NASA subcommittee.

“Ken Calvert works tirelessly to improve public education, the environment and the advancement of NASA - all issues particularly near and dear to my heart,” said Chancellor Cordova, who worked for NASA as chief scientist. She said Calvert established the Science and Technology Education Partnership, known as STEP, which inspires students to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and technology. He also worked with UCR’s College of Engineering's Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) to improve environmental quality and energy efficiency, and the establishment of the only Second Generation Atmospheric Chamber in our nation.

President Dynes visited UCR Palm Desert as part of his “listening tour” around California. The Palm Desert satellite campus opened this year offering graduate classes in business and creative writing. While he was in the Inland area, Dynes said he wanted to thank Calvert for his stalwart support for the University of California.

“Ken is a visionary on national security and defense issues, and the important role of the UC-managed national labs,” Dynes said. “Although none of those labs are located in Ken’s district, he is one of the strongest voices in Congress for NIF, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. NIF is a critical scientific component of the nation’s ability to protect our nuclear stockpile and keep America secure.

Dynes said Calvert was one of the first people to welcome him to the system’s presidency three years ago, and since that time he has found Calvert to be an impressive advocate on issues in the best interest of the University of California, the state and the nation.

The breakfast was attended by civic leaders.

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of about 18,000 is expected to grow to 21,000 students by 2020. The campus is planning a medical school and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.