Welcome to UCR magazine (previously called Fiat Lux magazine). In keeping with the spirit of the reinvented and reinvigorated look and feel of this publication, designed to showcase the insights, innovations and impacts of our campus community, I invite you to explore with us the art and science of reinvention.

For our students, reinvention lies at the heart of the education process itself, from the opportunity to explore their individual gifts to the experience of discovering, acquiring and applying new knowledge. So, too, the life cycle of a university is a study in reinvention, as hundreds of talented, eager young social visionaries and scientific detectives pass through our halls of learning and into the world beyond. This year, the campus welcomed 4,429 new Highlanders, raising the size of our population to 16,875 students.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, UCR is reaping the benefits of a record-breaking $40 million fund-raising year, enabling the campus to reinvent itself in ways both intellectual and physical. This year, we were pleased to add nearly 50 outstanding scholars and researchers to the ranks of our distinguished faculty. And, as highlighted by the recent groundbreaking for a new state-of-the-art genomics research building and the anticipated openings next year of the CHASS Instruction and Research Building and the Alumni and Visitors Center, as well as the expansion of the East Campus Child Development Center to begin in 2008, the campus is rapidly evolving to meet the demands for more classrooms, labs, child care and housing space. Through the development of plans for a new medical school, and with efforts well under way to expand the reach of other professional schools, UCR has positioned itself to meet the work force challenges of 21st century Inland Southern California and beyond.

Within these pages, you will learn more about how UCR is also transforming the world in which you live. From the development of alternative fuels to the creation of droughtresistant crops to the invention of new nanotechnologies for medicine, our scientists, engineers and researchers are improving the quality of life for millions around the globe, even as they educate our next generation of innovators, ethicists and entrepreneurial leaders.

Finally, it is important to recognize reinvention as a continual process of rebirth and renewal, one in which our alumni and friends play a key role. This fall, I have been privileged to meet with dedicated, accomplished UCR alumni from all over the country and to share with them our vision for the future of UCR. It is a shared dream, made possible only by the continued involvement and contributions of all members of our extended campus family. I look forward to working with you to make it a reality.