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INSTITUTE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Mary D. Nichols, a national environmental leader who shaped California clean air, water and land conservation programs most recently as the secretary for resources (1998-2003), is the new director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment. Currently a member of the state Coastal Commission, Nichols played a central role in creating a comprehensive habitat protection program in connection with UC Merced and led new urban park and open space acquisitions under publicly approved bond measures.

GEOPHYSICS & PLANETARY PHYSICS

An international team that includes a UCLA seismologist has been able to predict the magnitude and timing of earthquakes months ahead of the actual temblors, including the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Central California on Dec. 22. “We have made a major breakthrough, discovering the possibility of making predictions months ahead of time, instead of years, as in previously known methods,” said UCLA seismologist and geophysicist Vladimir Keilis-
Borok. Using pattern recognition, geodynamics, seismology, chaos theory and statistical physics, the researchers have developed algorithms to detect precursory earthquake patterns. The team now predicts an earthquake of at least magnitude 6.4 by Sept. 5, 2004, in a region that includes the southeastern portion of the Mojave Desert and an area south of it.

PROPOSITION 55

A measure on the March 2 ballot would, if passed, raise $12.3 billion to build and renovate facilities at California public schools, community colleges and universities. UC’s share would be $688 million for critical seismic and life safety improvements to aging buildings, among other projects. The money would also fund roughly $70 million of projects at UCLA. Proposition 55 is the second of two bond measures authored to help public education. The first, Proposition 47, was approved by voters on Nov. 5, 2002. While education is a priority for Californians, there are signs that voters will be nervous about passing a large bond measure on the same ballot that will carry Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $15-billion bond measure to help balance the state budget, said Senior Vice President of University Affairs Bruce Darling. “If this doesn’t pass, there will be serious consequences for all in education, especially for UC,” he said. A public awareness campaign to capture voters’ attention and focus on this critical issue is under way.