As 2021 concludes, we reflect on a year that showcased the very best of UC San Diego's distinctive education, research, patient care and community service missions. This year was challenging and unpredictable, but Tritons rose to meet each challenge, moved forward with pragmatic optimism and innovated in nearly every corner of our education, research and health enterprise.

Throughout the pandemic, our award-winning patient care and groundbreaking research never stopped. We contributed new ideas and developed innovations for urgent issues affecting California, the nation and the world.

Our latest edition of Discoveries Magazine chronicles the past two years of the pandemic and UCSD’s extraordinary role and response across its missions of research, education and clinical care. Crises spur innovation and compassion, both abundantly evident in the achievements of our researchers and the extraordinary care of our physicians, nurses and staff at UC San Diego Health.

King Triton with students at the "Welcome to the Neighborhood" event at the new North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood.

Compassion and innovation were also abundant on our campus as well. Amd because of our commitment to one another, our campus was able to return safely to in-person activities for Fall Quarter 2021. Staff returned to campus in full force as well. Our entire community reconnected to one another through meetings and social gatherings and at sporting events, Convocation, Homecoming and Founders week. 

Triton Women's Soccer fans cheering on the team.

UC San Diego also reconnected with our greater San Diego community with the grand opening of the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley extension in November. Students and employees who live throughout the region now have direct access to the heart of our campus. And everyone, from Tijuana to La Jolla, has a new way to connect to our world-class education, research and patient care as well as direct access to the many art, culture, enrichment and recreation opportunities that UC San Diego has to offer. 

Riders of the UC San Diego Blue Line at the main UC San Diego station at Pepper Canyon. 

UC San Diego’s physical transformation also witnessed a number of milestones this fall. North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood, the Design and Innovation Building and the Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS) marked significant additions to our campus. And on Friday, December 17, we celebrated the groundbreaking for Phase 1 of our Hillcrest Medical Center redevelopment.

The Year Ahead

We have much to look forward to in the new year, including events such as the Triton Leadership Conference, Division I athletics and Commencement as well as the opening of new facilities on — and off — campus. These include UC San Diego Park & Market, Franklin Antonio Hall, the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the Epstein Family Amphitheater, which are slated to open in 2022. Meanwhile, work continues to move forward on future projects such as UC San Diego Villa La Jolla, the Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood, and Triton Pavilion.

Rendering of the new Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego, located near the Pepper Canyon trolley station.

These projects are specifically designed to foster deeper bonds between students, employees and our greater community and to expand access to the top-ranked education, groundbreaking research, award-winning healthcare and community enrichment that UC San Diego is known to deliver. Moving into the new year, we look forward to continuing to build connections with one another on campus, across our community and around the world.

Happy New Year

I am grateful to our entire UC San Diego community for your hard work, your resilience and your compassion for one another. Thank you for all you do. It is an honor to lead such a talented, dedicated, collaborative and supportive community. There is no limit to our Triton potential.

I wish you and your loved ones all the hope and joy that a new year brings.