UC San Diego’s Department of Music, founded by composers over 40 years ago, spans the spectrum from classical to contemporary, including jazz, Hindustani, computer and experimental music. The Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, located in the heart of campus, is recognized as one of the greatest small concert halls in the world. The music department’s distinguished faculty have earned Pulitzer, Guggenheim, MacArthur and Grawemeyer awards. And, now, the department, under the Division of Arts and Humanities, also has key tools universities use in recruiting and retaining outstanding scholars: endowed faculty chairs.
Kyle Haines’ work as a UC San Diego graduate student in political science has taken him across academic and national borders. With his focus on environmental political theory, he has forged cross-disciplinary collaborations on campus and with institutions in Mexico to address ecological challenges in the region. In recognition of his work, University of California President Janet Napolitano recently honored Haines with the President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership.
Distinguished alumni of the University of California, San Diego including filmmaker and animator Mike Judge, as well as all three members of the YouTube sensation, Wong Fu Productions will be recognized during the campus’s annual Alumni Weekend, June 4-7. Also honored will be San Diego Unified School District superintendent Cindy Marten and founder of Realty Changers Christopher Yanov, among others.
Composer Rand Steiger, currently chair of the UC SanC Diego department of music, is known for pushing the boundaries and exploring the combination of classical instruments with digital audio processing. Throughout his diverse career he has composed for and conducted critically acclaimed concerts and recordings with distinguished ensembles both here and abroad. In support of his teaching, research and service activities, Steiger has been appointed the inaugural holder of the Conrad Prebys Presidential Chair in Music in the Division of Arts and Humanities.
Angel Huerta is the first person parents and children see in the morning, greeting each family by name and a big smile. As head of food services at the UC San Diego Early Childhood Education Center, he is responsible for preparing and distributing three meals a day to more than 200 children, taking special care to monitor any food allergies. He is known as “Mr. Angel” by the children, who range in age from 3 months to 6 years, and helps enrich their understanding of healthy food.
Steven Schick, a percussionist, conductor, author and distinguished professor of music at UC San Diego, is known for charging into new frontiers of contemporary music. As a soloist and director, he has performed with and led numerous local and international ensembles. In support of his teaching, research and service activities, Schick has been appointed the inaugural holder of the Reed Family Presidential Chair in the Division of Arts and Humanities.
