Six social sciences graduate students have been recognized by the UCI Graduate Division for their research excellence.  Highlighted below, their work and continued funding for it, will advance academic findings on labor unions, human rights, social movements, public policies aimed at helping the elderly, and relationships between technology and economic growth.  

Three years ago, when 15 UC Irvine students from Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Druze and nonreligious backgrounds formed an unlikely alliance to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they became — to paraphrase Gandhi — the change they wished to see in the world.

Some founders of the Olive Tree Initiative changed majors. Some changed career paths. All say their involvement changed their perspective on the conflict.

A recent Rasmussen poll shows likely California gubernatorial candidates Jerry Brown (D) and Meg Whitman (R) in a dead heat for the state’s top job if pitted against one another come November.  Yet according to research from UCI political science graduate student Chris Stout, the news may be giving Whitman more cause for celebration.