Without Limits
In the early morning hours on October 18, I watched with admiration as a member of our Triton community, astronaut Jessica Meir, PhD ’09, made history as a member of the first all-female spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Her hard work and years of dedication launched her to the utmost heights of human accomplishment. I am proud to see her thrive on so many frontiers of scientific and technological achievement, and yet, I’m not surprised.
UC San Diego is consistently ranked first in the nation for enrolling and graduating the most women with majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In fact, one in three degrees awarded to women at UC San Diego are in STEM disciplines—three times the national average. But why UC San Diego?
From the birth of our experimental campus in 1960, we have committed ourselves to exploration and discovery far outside the norm. We have pushed boundaries and challenged our students, faculty and alumni to look deeper into the world around them. We have brought together explorers and brilliant artistic minds, encouraging collaboration as we bring about the next generation of game changers and thought leaders.
Now approaching our 60th anniversary, we are swiftly realizing our vision to be the nation’s leading student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public university. This fall, we broke ground for the Design and Innovation Building, a collaborative facility that will foster new ideas, products and services from students, faculty, alumni and industry partners. Just steps away from the new Pepper Canyon Station of the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley extension, this space will be a cornerstone in strengthening our connections to the San Diego community.
We are making this university a preferred destination for students, patients, alumni and the greater community. I encourage you to come visit, and experience the brilliance and energy of our growing campus. But wherever you are, if you should ever find yourself looking at the nighttime sky, think of Jessica Meir in orbit and the limitless opportunity that brought her into the history books. Take a moment to recognize that you share in that history, as you, too, attended this remarkable university, and remember that you will always have a place at UC San Diego.
With kind regards,
Pradeep K. Khosla
Chancellor