UCLA School of Education & Information Studies

Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Online Admissions Information Session
2025-12-06 09:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-10 09:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-21 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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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.

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

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.

More Information

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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To Reframe Or Not To Reframe? Careers in Advocacy
2026-02-11 11:30 - 13:00 | UCLA Moore Hall, Reading Room, 3340, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
This workshop will cover possible career paths for students and the writing genres associated with them. Attendees will also be able to look into careers related to their research, skills, and values.

Led by Erin Brown, PhD, Associate Director, Graduate Career Services

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Bibliotactics: Libraries and the Colonial Public in Vietnam
2026-02-12 14:30 - 16:30 | DataX Impact Forum, Murphy Hall, Room 3312, 410 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, 90095
The Information Studies Colloquium & Center for Southeast Asian Studies invite faculty, staff, and students to a book celebration and reception for Bibliotactics: Libraries and the Colonial Public in Vietnam, written by Dr. Cindy Nguyen.

Libraries in French colonial Vietnam functioned as symbols of Western modernity and infrastructures of colonial knowledge. Yet Vietnamese readers pursued alternative uses of the library that exceeded imperial intentions. Bibliotactics examines the Hanoi and Saigon state libraries from colonial to post colonial Vietnam, uncovering the emergence of a colonial public who reimagined the political meaning and social space of the library through public critique and day-to day-practice.

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Lunar New Year
2026-02-17 00:00 - 23:59

Research, Practice, and Promise in Black Student Achievement: A Black History Month Webinar
2026-02-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
Join UCLA CTS for a Black History Month celebration that centers research, practice, and possibility in advancing Black student achievement. This 90-minute interactive event will examine what conditions foster Black students’ academic success—shifting the focus from deficits to uplifting strategies that nurture excellence, belonging, and well-being.

This event will highlight CTS studies and partnerships that demonstrate how schools, districts, and communities can better support Black students. Through initiative spotlights, a cross-sector panel discussion, and interactive breakout rooms, participants will gain actionable insights for translating research into practice and policy. The conversation will emphasize how educators, leaders, policymakers, and philanthropic partners can move beyond performative equity toward sustained, transformative change.

Featured Topics:

Positive Outlier Schools and Black Academic Success: What schools where Black students outperform expectations can teach us about instructional coherence, relational trust, and scalable excellence

GENIUS (Genuine Empathy Nurturing Intellect for Underserved Students) Statewide Initiative: How student belonging, relational safety, and trauma-responsive practices shape academic persistence and outcomes

Community-Rooted Supports: Lessons from a Los Angeles school community implementing the Black Student Achievement Program, centering culture, mentorship, and family partnerships

Speakers:

Tyrone Howard, Ph.D., Faculty Co-Director, UCLA CTS

Angela James, Ph.D., Senior Project Scientist, UCLA CTS

Tyisha Noise, Ed.D., Project Director III: Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity, Genuine Empathy Nurturing Intellect for Underserved Students (GENIUS) Initative, Los Angeles County Office of Education

Thomas Jacobson, Ph.D., Research Analyst, UCLA CTS

Gene McAdoo, Doctoral Candidate & Researcher, UCLA CTS

RSVP for Zoom Link.

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Soldiers, Kings, and Storyboards: A Conversation About Writing and Representation on the Migrant Trail
2026-02-19 14:00 - 16:00 | UCLA Moore Hall, Reading Room, 3340, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
In this informal Q&A session, Sydney Triola will discuss her approach to ethnography, narrative nonfiction, and the challenges associated with representing the complex lives of people living on the margins. She will also highlight some of my multimodal approaches to social science data collection and how it can be translated for a diversity of audiences.

No RSVP is required!

I’ll Make Me A World: Book Talk with Jarvis Givens
2026-02-23 14:00 - 15:30 | James West Alumni Center, Collins Conference Room, 325 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90095
An engaging discussion with Jarvis R. Givens, Professor of Education and African and African-American Studies, Harvard University, on his latest book, I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month.

In conversation with Eddie R. Cole, Professor of Education and History, UCLA; Associate Dean of EDI, Ed&IS

A limited number of complimentary books will be provided, and a signing will follow the discussion.

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Supporting Democracy, Coexistence, and Cultural Identity in Israeli Education
2026-02-23 16:00 - 17:30 | Bunche Hall Room 10383, 315 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90024
About the Event:

In the midst of a war-torn conflict, Hebrew University professor Mona Khoury and UCLA professor Ron Avi Astor have partnered with Amal Education Network—a large system of Jewish and Arab Schools comprised of over 100,000 educators, students, and parents—and its CEO Karen Tal to research how both Arab and Jewish students can see the humanity in each other through academic curriculum, school-based personal exchanges, dialogue, and a joint mission toward coexistence and social justice.

About the Speakers:

Karen Tal, Director General of Amal Educational Network since August 2022, pursues a mission to redefine the trajectory of Israel’s future generation through transformative education. Previously, Karen spearheaded “Insights in Education,” a pioneering non-profit organization where she served as Executive Director for a decade. The organization champions schools in Israel’s periphery, addressing not only educational but also social and emotional needs. She has also served as Executive Director of the Bialik Rogozin Campus in South Tel Aviv, home to students representing 50 different nationalities, many from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Karen’s work has been recognized with prestigious national education accolades and in the Oscar-winning documentary Strangers No More. She holds degrees in education from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her role at Amal.

Mona Khoury is professor of social work and Vice President for Strategy and Diversity at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is the previous Dean of the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University, and also holds the school’s Frances and George Katz Family Chair. First in her family to reach higher education, Mona was voted one of the top 3 most influential women in Israel by Globes magazine and last year received the coveted Israel Presidential Medal of Honor Award. In 2021, Prof. Khoury won the Bruno Memorial Award, presented to young scholars by the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies (IIAS). In her role as VP for Diversity, she is responsible for determining and implementing overall policies, strategies, and models for promoting diversity and inclusion at the Hebrew University. Specifically, her work aims to increase the accessibility of groups currently underrepresented in Israeli academia—including ultra-Orthodox Jews, Arabs, Jews of Ethiopian descent, first generation to higher education, and people with disabilities.

Ron Avi Astor is professor of social welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs with a joint appointment in the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. His work examines the role of the physical, social-organizational and cultural contexts in schools related to different kinds of bullying and school violence (e.g., sexual harassment, cyber bullying, discrimination hate acts, school fights, emotional abuse, weapon use, teacher/child violence). This work documents the ecological influences of the family, community, school, and culture on such violence. Over the past 35 years, findings from these studies have been published in approximately 300 scholarly manuscripts. Astor’s work has won numerous international research awards from the Society for Social Work Research, the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, the Military Child Educational Coalition and other research organizations. Astor is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.

After registering, you will be emailed an RSVP confirmation. If you do not receive your email confirmation, please check your spam or junk mail folders.

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Coffee, Pastries, and a Book: Winter Quarter Meeting
2026-02-25 12:00 - 13:00 | IS Library and Media Preservation Lab, 290 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, 90024
The UCLA Ed&IS Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the IS Library and Media Preservation Lab co-present “Coffee, Pastries and a Book”, a book club that meets both in-person and online during the 2025-2026 academic year.

This year, we will be reading Terry McMillan’s It Was the Way She Said It, a compilation of short stories and essays. Read more about the McMillan’s newest work from the publisher, Ballantine’s Books.

Join us for our Winter Quarter In-Person Meeting! We will host two meetings a quarter, one in-person and one virtual. We encourage you to come to as many as you can, but you do not have to attend all the meetings.

Last, but certainly not least, participants will receive a free copy of the book!

The IS Library and Media Preservation Lab is located at 290 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Rooms 102 + 118 on the first floor of the SEIS Building.

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Travels with Authenticity
2026-02-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
The UCLA Department of Information Studies invites faculty, staff, and students.

“Authenticity has provided a focal point for my research on and off throughout my academic career. Over time the focus of that research has shifted from investigating archival methods for preserving the authenticity of records in analogue and digital worlds to examining what authenticity means and the work it does in other disciplinary fields devoted to the preservation and representation of cultural heritage. In this talk I will revisit some of my recent travels with authenticity in the disciplinary fields of social history, heritage conservation, and literary studies. Those travels take the form of three case studies: the first revolves around the relationship between authenticity and authority in a post-Reformation library; the second tracks authenticity’s association with genuineness in relation to the conservation of heritage monuments and sites; and the third looks at the link between authenticity and sincerity in the context of Virginia Woolf’s literary estate.”

To RSVP, please email Sydney (striola@g.ucla.edu) for the Zoom link.

Where Discipline Meets Behavioral Health: Restorative Approaches to Supporting Students Without Exclusion
2026-02-26 15:00 - 16:15 | Zoom
Exclusionary discipline practices–such as suspension and expulsion–can have lasting impacts on students’ mental and behavioral health, increasing stress, disconnection, and disengagement from school. This webinar explores how centering student behavioral health through a restorative lens can reshape school discipline practices and policies, shifting from removal to connection, and lead to improved academic and wellbeing outcomes. School leaders, behavioral health and student support professionals, and community partners are invited to learn how restorative approaches, aligned with behavioral health supports, can help schools respond differently to student behavior—while also addressing the unintended harms of exclusionary discipline. A moderated panel discussion featuring Dr. Michael Corral (UCLA CTS), Dr. Kathy Do (UCLA SEIS), Dr. Michael Massa (OYCR), and Dr. Sohil Sud (CYBHI) will lift up concrete, state-supported resources, real-world examples, and will emphasize practical, actionable insights for education and health-based practitioners. This webinar is hosted by CalHHS’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools.

Speakers:

Sohil Sud, M.D.Director, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI)

Michael Massa, Ed.D.Chief of Health Policy Division, Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR)

Michael Corral, Ph.D.Project Director, Center for the Transformation of Schools, UCLA

Kathy Do, Ph.D.Assistant Project Scientist, California Institute for Law, Neuroscience, and Education; UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning, UCLA

Adriana Jaramillo Castillo, M.A.Research Analyst, Center for the Transformation of Schools, UCLA

Details

Date:February 26

Time:3:00 pm – 4:15 pm UTC+0

Website:https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yS6JdQegS_Kv03NbI41JPg#/registration

Venue

View Venue Website

Zoom

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