Dr. Wade Gilbert, professor in the Department of Kinesiology, was invited to speak at the 50th anniversary of Coach John Wooden's last NCAA basketball championship. Coach Wooden led the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA championships during his legendary reign.

Laura Ramos, director of the California Water Institute, was selected as one of 14 honorees — out of over 100 applicants — for Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria’s prestigious “Women Leading the Way” Award in celebration of Women’s History Month. Her unwavering dedication to education, policy, and community empowerment sets her apart as a transformative figure in water management and exemplifies the very spirit of community service and innovation this award seeks to recognize.

Dr. Paulina Freire Vásconez, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Institute for Food and Agriculture, was selected for the best thesis of the year honor ("Premios Extraordinarios") by the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain.

The award ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. May 16, in the Sala Arnau de Vilanova at the UAB campus, Spain, which will feature a livestream.

Freire Vásconez also conducts research and works on industry outreach projects with campus staff, faculty and students through the Pacific Coast Coalition of the USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiative.

Read more about her campus research and industry outreach activities here.

Dr. Marcus Crawford (Social Work Education), Dr. Nupur Hajela and Dr. Caio Sarmento (Physical Therapy), Cory Cowan (Office of Institutional Effectiveness), and Dr. Emily Acosta Lewis (Sonoma State University and Middle Leadership Academy facilitator) .

A team of faculty members and administrators from the College of Health and Human Services and Fresno State recently participated in the CSU Student Success Network's Middle Leadership Academy to address equity in admissions for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Led by physical therapy faculty, Dr. Nupur Hajela and Dr. Caio Sarmento, the team included Dr. Marcus Crawford (social work education), Dr. Jennifer Adame Walker (physical therapy), and CHHS Associate Dean Dr. Miguel Perez and Cory Cowan (Office of Institutional Effectiveness). The goal was to identify trends and barriers for underrepresented minorities and first-generation students applying to one of the three doctoral programs on campus. The team — endorsed by Provost Xuanning Fu and Associate Provost Alam Hasson and supported by CHHS Dean Dr. Kara Zografos and Department of Physical Therapy Chair Dr. Cheryl Hickey — reinforces the university’s commitment to equitable admissions and aims to enhance equitable access and student success.