Gross of UCSB garners Nobel Prize in physics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Science on Tuesday announced that the Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to David J. Gross, director of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at UC Santa Barbara, and two colleagues for their explanation of the force that binds particles inside the atomic nucleus.

With their discovery, the researchers "have brought physics one step closer to fulfilling a grand dream, to formulate a unified theory comprising gravity as well -- a theory for everything," the academy said in announcing the prize.

Gross, 63, who received his doctorate from UC Berkeley in 1966, joined the Kavli Institute in 1997. He is the recipient of many prestigious honors, including the J.J. Sakurai Prize of the American Physical Society (1986), a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (1987), the Dirac Medal (1988), and the Oscar Klein Medal and Harvey Prize of the Technion (both in 2000). Earlier this year, Gross was selected to receive France's highest scientific honor, the Grande Medaille D'Or, for his contributions to the understanding of fundamental physical reality.

"This award underscores, once again, the major contribution that research universities make to our understanding of the world. My heartfelt congratulations to my colleague and a fellow physicist," said UC President Robert Dynes.

With Tuesday's award to Gross, 47 researchers affiliated with the University of California have won Nobel Prizes. This is the 14th time UC scientists have won the prize in physics.

UC president takes his inaugural tour to nation's capital

UC President Robert Dynes took his inaugural tour to Washington, D.C., and the UC Washington Center Sept. 26-29. The president's visits to campuses, various regions throughout the state and now Washington were held in lieu of a formal inauguration, and designed to introduce the new president and better connect the university to the constituencies it serves.

Dynes participated in a number of events in Washington aimed at students, alumni, legislators and community leaders. These included a dinner with more than 150 of the UC students participating in UC's Washington internship and academic program; a three-mile run with Washington Center students and staff that ended at the Lincoln Memorial; a tour of the downtown Ross Elementary School, a partner school with the UC Center that serves at-risk students; and a keynote address to the California State Society on the future of higher education; numerous federal agency and congressional visits.

Also, Dynes took part in an all-UC alumni reception on Capitol Hill, which attracted over 300 UC alumni, congressional staffers and members of the California delegation.

Throughout the visit, Dynes stressed the important messages about the economic influence that the University of California has on the state and the remarkable contributions the university is making in a wide variety of scientific and technological areas to the nation. In addition, Dynes thanked members of the California delegation for their commitment to UC and recognized the relationship the university has with the federal government to fund research and learning throughout the 10-campus system.

UCTV offers in-depth election coverage

UCTV is getting behind the headlines to bring viewers an in-depth alternative to network election coverage.

Throughout October programming will include thorough analysis and energetic debates concerning political issues -- both local and national -- facing voters on election day. See http://www.uctv.tv/election2004 for complete program listings, schedules, and links to view programs on-demand.