Welcome Convocation and Dinner
Tuesday, Sep 22nd at RIMAC Field5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The Welcome Convocation and Dinner is the top event of Welcome Week. As the inaugural academic event of the year, it marks your formal entrance into the UC San Diego community of uncommon scholars and global citizens. This pivotal moment in your life will be commemorated by university leaders including Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. Other speakers include the student government president, a successful young alumnus, and one of UC San Diego's accomplished faculty who will welcome you to UC San Diego and offer words of advise on how to excel at the university. After the ceremony, dinner will be served on RIMAC field and faculty and administrators will be available to speak with you about your aspirations at UC San Diego.
Faculty Speaker
Larry Smarr, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
One of the pioneers in the creation of the Internet, Larry Smarr is the founding director of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology. Housed in the technologically amazing Atkinson Hall, this institute develops new technologies to improve California's future in areas such as earthquake monitoring and biomedical informatics. To address large-scale societal issues, the institute brings together multidisciplinary teams of the best minds (both on and beyond UC campuses) in a way that had been impossible earlier. It includes 1,200 faculty and researchers in a variety of fields and more than 50 industrial partners. With its cutting-edge laboratories, virtual reality theaters, and digital cinema theater, Atkinson Hall has nearly 200 million feet of Ethernet cable and 150 optical fibers linking the building with campus networks. This abundance of bandwidth allows experiments that could not be conducted before.
For more than two decades, Dr. Smarr has been a global leader in advancing innovation in information technology. He was a central figure in the establishment of the Internet. In 1983 he initiated the first proposal to the National Science Foundation recommending the development of a national supercomputer center. As the first director of this center, he pushed for the construction of the first national information infrastructure, which connected five supercomputer centers in 1986, and rapidly evolved, first into the NSFnet, and then into today's commercial Internet.
Dr. Smarr has served as a member of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee and the first chair of the NASA Science Advisory Council. Among his many appointments, he currently serves on the Advisory Committee to the Director of the National Institutes of Health.
Young Alumna Speaker
Alejandra Sotelo-Solis ’01
Alejandra is the Director of the UC San Diego Community Law Project working with undergraduate students who are pursuing careers in law and public policy. Formerly, she worked as the Community Relations Coordinator for the Chancellor's Office, where she supported the Board of Overseers, an advisory group to the Chancellor that strengthens relationships with community groups, businesses, and civic organizations. Previously, she worked for San Diego Assembly Member Lori Saldaña and Monterey Park Assembly Member Judy Chu.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2001, Alejandra was selected for a CORO fellowship in public policy in Los Angeles. As one of only 60 CORO fellows selected across the nation, Alejandra gained experience with local leaders in government, business, and labor. While a UCSD student, she was active in the Cross-Cultural Center, student organizations and was a resident advisor in Eleanor Roosevelt College. She was the community education coordinator of the annual Hate Free Campus Campaign in the Student Office for Human Relations, and was selected to receive a UC San Diego Oceanids Award.
Alejandra continues be active in the community. She is serving her first term as Councilmember and Vice Mayor of National City. She is a member of the San Diego Cesar E. Chavez Commemorative Committee and was co-chair of the 2008 Parade Committee. She is involved with San Diego MANA, a youth mentorship organization, South Bay Forum, a political action committee, and was chair of the American Diabetes Association Health Fair/Feria de Salud. She is also past president of the UCSD Chicano Alumni Association.
Outside of her professional work, Alejandra is involved at Saint Anthony's Catholic Church in National City, as a liturgical minister. She continues to stay engaged with social justice issues through the St. Anthony's Organizing Ministry.
Associated Students President
Utsav Gupta
A fourth-year student majoring in Bioengineering/Biotechnology, Utsav is the President of the Associated Students, the undergraduate student government. Since his first year at UC San Diego, Utsav has devoted himself to improving the undergraduate experience through his involvement in Sixth College and the Associated Students (A.S). He founded the Six College newspaper, the Sixth Sense, and directed Sixth College's annual Digital Film Festival.
During the course of his college career, Utsav has served in the A.S. in a variety of roles. In his first year, he worked as a student staff member of the A.S. President. In his second year, he was elected as an All-Campus Senator. In this role, he formed a taskforce to determine the feasibility of establishing a football program at UC San Diego, and he campaigned for the Students for Tuition Relief Now! ballot initiative. In his third year, Utsav served as the A.S. Associate Vice President of Student Organizations, a position in which he represented and advocated for the interests of the 450 student organizations at UC San Diego.
Now, as the A.S. President, Utsav is looking forward to serving the student body in an even greater capacity. Feel free to contact Utsav with any questions you have about involvement in the Associated Students at aspresident@ucsd.edu.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=231616325250
UC San Diego Academic Affairs and Student Affairs
Cynthia Davalos
858-822-4586
cdavalos@ucsd.edu
