UCLA School of Education & Information Studies

The Aftermath of the Eaton Fire: Foster Care and Education Disrupted
2025-10-29 13:30 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Altadena Community Center, 730 E Altadena Dr, Altadena, California, 91001, United States
On behalf of the UCLA Pritzker Center, we are pleased to invite you to our upcoming event and briefing: The Aftermath of the Eaton Fire—Foster Care and Education Disrupted.

Speakers will include Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, DCFS Director Brandon Nichols and Altadena community members. The research briefing will be led by Laura Liévano-Karim, UCLA Pritzker Center Postdoctoral Fellow. Refreshments from fire-impacted restaurants will be served. Resources from Baby2Baby and the Book Foundation will be offered. We are grateful to the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, Dean Tina Christie and the Anthony Pritzker Family Foundation for generously supporting this work.

1:30pm Doors Open + Light Lunch from Altadena Restaurants

2-3pm Speakers + Report Briefing

3-4pm Resources

Please RSVP by October 15. Parking and other details provided upon RSVP.

From Westwood to Altadena, we are proud to come together in community and to advance public scholarship in support of children and families.

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Special Talk by Dr. Tami Katzir
2025-10-29 14:30 - 16:00 | UCLA Moore Hall, Reading Room, 3340, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
Dr. Tami Katzir is Director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Brain Sciences and Learning Disabilities at the University of Haifa, Israel. Her research explores the connections between cognition and emotion in reading, dyslexia, and reading fluency across languages, and has been published in major journals, including co-authored work with Dr. Maryanne Wolf.

She will speak about her groundbreaking “Islands of Understanding” curriculum for Israeli and Palestinian children, which integrates nature and social-emotional learning (SEL) to promote literacy, and its impact during this difficult time.

Light refreshments will be served.

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Film Screening: Humans in the Loop
2025-11-10 13:00 - 16:00 | James Bridges Theater, 235 Charles E Young Drive East Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, California, 90095
Come join us for a special screening of the thought-provoking documentary Humans in the Loop at the James Bridges Theater! Explore the impact of human involvement in artificial intelligence and technology. The film centers the life story of an Indian woman from an Indigenous community navigating the global AI economy for social mobility and sustenance.

Doors open at 12:30 PM.

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Learning Café: Fueling Possibility in Shifting Times: Engaging Foundations and Philanthropy
2025-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | UCLA Moore Hall, Reading Room, 3340, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
Join the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies for Learning Café: A Community-Engaged Scholarship Series.

Presenter: Terri Mosqueda

Refreshments will be served.

Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Online Admissions Information Session
2025-11-12 16:00 - 17:30, 2025-12-06 09:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-10 09:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-21 16:00 - 17:30
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To Reframe or Not to Reframe: How to Approach DEI in a Job Search
2025-11-18 11:30 - 12:30 | Zoom
A Q&A with professors of Education, Jose-Felipe Martinez and Tyrone Howard.

The Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion invites students to a conversation about how to approach the job market. In this ever-changing social and political landscape, SEIS faculty will field your questions about how to promote yourself and research in job applications. We encourage you to submit your questions in advance.

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Book Talk // Before Their Crimes: What We're Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing
2025-11-20 10:00 - 11:30 | Peter V. Ueberroth Building, Suites 1350-55, 10945 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, California, 90024
Join us for a Book Talk with Author Dr. Wendy Smith facilitated by Dr. Eraka Bath. Before Their Crimes: What We’re Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing sheds new light on the relationship of childhood trauma and juvenile crime. Wendy Smith uses the framework of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to explain how the toxic stress of early childhood trauma can make children vulnerable to committing criminal acts. Smith draws from interviews with twenty men and women from across the racial and social divide who spent years in prison after committing serious crimes as children.

Refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP by November 13. For any questions, please email Taylor Dudley at dudley@gseis.ucla.edu.

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Educational Leadership Program (ELP) Online Admissions Information Session
2025-11-22 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-11 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-01-08 17:30 - 19:00

Concentration Camps in America: The Dark History of U.S. Imprisonment of Japanese Americans During World War II
2025-12-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Moore Hall Room 1048, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095
Join us to hear the first-person experiences of Dr. Donald Hata who was imprisoned in an American concentration camp during World War II. Now retired, Emeritus Professor of History at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Dr. Hata will speak about the past in light of the present Trump Administration using the same laws and ideologies to grab and imprison innocent people once again.

UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning Fall 2025 Webinar Series: Screening for Literacy Success: Using the New Reading Screener within the California MTSS Framework
2025-12-04 15:30 - 16:30
This session discusses the new reading screener requirements and highlights how universal screening serves as a cornerstone of Tier 1 instruction and data-based decision making within the California Multi-Tiered System of Support (CA MTSS) framework. Participants will explore how early screening supports equitable access to literacy learning, informs differentiated instruction, and ensures that actionable next steps are in place once results are collected. Through a concise blend of research, state guidance, and practical application, the session will demonstrate how screening data connects directly to instructional action, moving from identification to support. Attendees will leave with examples from a practitioner perspective and resources they can integrate into teacher preparation coursework and TK–12 partnerships, reinforcing the CA MTSS commitment that “All Means All.”

Register Here!

Coffee, Pastries, and a Book: Fall Quarter Meeting
2025-12-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Reading: It Was The Way She Said It by Terry McMillan

Looking for a leisure read over winter break? We still have plenty of free hardcover books available for book club participants! It’s not too late to join, and now is the ideal time to jump in. We meet twice per quarter (one in-person meeting with pastries/coffee and one virtual meetup) to discuss this year’s book selection. During our first meetup of the year, we discussed McMillan’s humanistic and evocative writing style and mused about how unsurprising it is that her stories have been adapted to film.

To join, sign up here and drop by the IS Library & Media Preservation Lab during our open hours, Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM until December 12th to pick up your copy!

Our next meeting will be via zoom on Tuesday, December 9th at 12 PM.

12 Things Parents Should Know about CS & AI
2025-12-12 12:00 - 12:30 | Zoom
This free 30-minute webinar will feature a panel of researchers, educators, and parents will present a new FREE guide created by parents for parents about why ALL kids should learn about the good and bad of technology. This resource aims to support families in understanding what CS is and how AI is a part of it, why it matters for all young peoples’ futures, and how to take action to ensure all students have access to – and enroll in – high-quality CS education. The guide answers questions parents often ask about CS and AI such as:

What is Computer Science (CS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) anyway?

Why is it important for ALL students to learn about CS and AI?

Why do some schools offer CS while others don’t?

What should kids know about the good and bad of tech?

What does ethics have to do with CS and AI?

How does CS and AI education prepare for college, careers, and beyond?

How can parents support CS learning in their home, school, and community?

At the webinar, we will share a new Request for Applications (RFA) for parent organizations and LEAs interested in partnering with us on furthering this initiative through a research-practice partnership.

See you 12/12 @12!

Questions? Please contact Michelle Choi at michoi@ucla.edu.

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Educational Leadership Program (ELP) Application Essay Writing Workshop
2025-12-13 09:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-17 09:00 - 10:30

Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Statement of Purpose Writing Workshop
2025-12-13 09:00 - 10:30

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
2026-01-19 00:00 - 23:59

Learning Café with California Secretary of Appointments Morgan Carvajal
2026-01-20 12:00 - 13:30 | UCLA Royce Hall Seminar Room 314, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90095
On behalf of the Office of Public Engagement, we are pleased to invite you to a special Learning Cafe, featuring conversation with the California Secretary of Appointments Morgan Carvajal, who reports directly to Governor Newsom, on Tuesday, January 20, from 12:00–1:30 p.m. (PST). This learning cafe will feature a catered lunch.

This session will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how gubernatorial appointments are made, the role they play in shaping public policy across California, and—importantly—the many pathways available for faculty, staff, and students interested in public service. The Secretary will share insights from her work and discuss how individuals from across disciplines and career stages can engage in state service and civic leadership.

Following the discussion, we are especially excited to host a student-led discussion, highlighting student perspectives on public service, leadership, and engagement with state government.

Event details

– Date: Tuesday, January 20

– Time: 12:00–1:30 p.m. PST

– Format: Lunch & Learn, followed by a student-led discussion with Secretary Carvajal

– Location: ON CAMPUS: Royce Hall Seminar Room 314

RSVP is required.

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Book Launch and Q&A with Dr. Julie Pelikhova & Dr. William Parham
2026-01-26 11:00 - 13:00 | UCLA Moore Hall, Reading Room, 3340, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
The UCLA School of Education & Information Studies invites faculty, staff, and students to a book launch and Q&A with Dr. Julie Pelikhova and Dr. William Parham, facilitated by Miss Val Kondos-Field.

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Celebrating Faith-Based Holidays
2026-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Main Conference Room, Charles E. Young Research Library, 280 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, California, 90095
Winter break may be over, but holidays continue year-round! Los Angeles community members practice a diverse range of religions and faith systems that celebrate holidays throughout the year, many of which are not observed at work or school.

To help dispel common stereotypes, Ed&IS OJEDI and the UCLA Library are hosting a workshop to discuss holidays of major U.S. religions, the traditions that accompany them and traditional foods. The workshop aims to equip attendees with the knowledge to navigate and mitigate conflicts arising from misunderstandings about religious differences.

This is ideal for students planning to work with younger children, but all students, staff and faculty are welcome to join this fun and delicious workshop!

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5 Years Forward: Progress and Partnership at the Intersection of Child Welfare and Domestic Violence - Online Summit
2026-01-29 12:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
This online event will showcase five years of strategic investments, research and advocacy at the intersection of child welfare and domestic violence. The webinar will offer participants insight into the progress achieved, the lessons that shape current practice, and emerging opportunities to further strengthen safety, stability, and well-being for survivors and their children.

Confirmed Speakers Include:

Alyson Messenger —Jenesse Center

Izzy Swindler — Assemblymember Tom Lackey

Jacqueline Herrera — Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers

Krista Colon — California Partnership to End Domestic Violence

Kristina Lovato — University of California, Berkeley

Lisa Whitecrow — Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Lizzie Shuster — SD3, Office of Supervisor Lindsey Horvath

Monica Banken — SD5, Office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger

Roman James — SD3, Commission for Children and Families, Co Chair-Racial Justice Committee // Co-Chair, DV LEAP Committee // Office of Violence Prevention Community Partnership Council

Sharon Balmer Cartagena — Public Counsel

Tamara Hunter — Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Yvette Lozano — Peace Over Violence

More speakers TBA!

Zoom Webinar

The Zoom link will be emailed to you 24 hours before the event.

Please RSVP by Monday, January 26.

For any questions, please email Taylor Dudley at dudley@gseis.ucla.edu.

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Leaders in Public Education: Partnering for the Future of LA Schools with Dean Christie, Chancellor Frenk and Superintendent Carvahlo
2026-01-30 10:30 - 11:30 | Horace Mann UCLA Community School Auditorium, 7001 S St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, California, 90047
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion featuring UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk and LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, moderated by Wasserman Dean Christina (Tina) Christie.

Parking: Detailed information will be provided to all RSVP’d guests closer to the event date.

Walk-up Policy: Please note that walk-ups to the event without prior RSVPs will not be permitted. All attendees must RSVP in advance to gain entry to the event.

Please RSVP by Friday, January 16, 2026.

We are excited to have you join us! For event inquiries, please email advocacy@support.ucla.edu

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The Stringer | Screening and Q&A Moderated by Professor Thuy Vo Dang
2026-01-31 19:30 - 21:15 | Billy Wilder Theater, Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Los Angeles, California, 90024
Q&A with filmmaker Bao Nguyen, producer Terri Lichstein, line producer Jenni Trang Le, moderated by UCLA Assistant Professor Thuy Vo Dang, Information Studies and Asian American Studies. Introduction by Archive Director May Hong HaDuong.

Admission is free. No advance reservations. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first come, first served basis. The box office opens one hour before the event.

Through unprecedented on-the-ground access, journalists brought the Vietnam War to the living rooms of a global audience. Public outcry and resistance grew as brutal and bloody images reached the homes of millions. One of the most recognizable images taken during the conflict, “The Terror of War,” featured a young, unclothed girl running following a napalm attack. The photograph would become a turning point for the hearts and minds of the world, earning photographer Nick Út a Pulitzer Prize. Decades later, Bao Nguyen’s gripping film documents a possible revelation of the photograph’s long-held secret and the chain reaction that follows. A story of record unravels through forensic tools, first-hand accounts, and an emotional, climactic reunion. Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, The Stringer sparked controversy in the photojournalism world, raising questions about the editorial power structures that propelled the stature of some photographers over the obscurity of others. Following the screening, filmmaker Bao Nguyen, producer Terri Lichstein, and line producer Jenni Trang Le will discuss the two-year journey of the making of The Stringer.

Presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive in partnership with the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies and the UCLA Documentary Film Legal Clinic.

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Black History Month
2026-02-01 00:00 - 23:59

LMU School of Education President's Professor Lecture with Dr. Daniel G. Solórzano
2026-02-05 17:30 - 19:00 | Von der Ahe Family Suite, William H. Hannon Library, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90045
You are cordially invites to the LMU School of Education President’s Professor Lecture featuring Ed&IS Professor Dr. Daniel G. Solórzano: “My Journey from Catholic Social Teaching to Critical Race Theory.”

“An award-winning scholar and member of the National Academy of Education, LMU alumnus Dr. Daniel Solórzano has authored over 100 publications exploring educational equity, racial micro aggressions, and critical race spatial analysis. His work, which earned him the Derrick A. Bell Legacy Award in 2012, focuses on expanding access for underrepresented student populations in the United States. Throughout his career, he has remained dedicated to the intersections of social justice and pedagogy, bridging foundational principles with transformative research in the field of education.”

Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

A Zoom link is available for remote attendees.

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Faculty Luncheon and Presentation by Dr. Sepehr Vakil
2026-02-06 11:00 - 12:45 | UCLA Moore Hall, Room 3320
Ed&IS Faculty and Graduate Students are invited to our GSAE and Faculty Luncheon and Presentation by Dr. Sepehr Vakil.

11:00 AM: Open Lunch with Faculty and Graduate Students (Moore 3320)

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM: Presentation and Q&A (Garden Level)

Bio:

Dr. Sepehr Vakil is a scholar, writer, educator, speaker, and recognized leader in the field of education. He is an associate professor of Learning Sciences in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, where he is also the faculty director of the Center for Responsible Technology, Policy, and Public Dialogue, and the MTePP program (M.S. in Technology, People, and Policy). He received his PhD in the Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology program at UC Berkeley (2016) and his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA (2007). He is also currently serving as Senior Adviser to the Spencer Foundation on their Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative and was recently appointed to the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) committee on Developing Competencies for the Future of Data and Computing: The Role of K-12. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Equity for the Center of STEM Education at the University of Texas at Austin.

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