LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR
A YEAR OF SPIRIT
The start of a new year provides a natural opportunity to take stock of the previous year and look forward to the promise of a new one . The ample and compounding challenges of 2020 proved to be historically difficult . We faced a global pandemic , mitigated economic uncertainty , increased efforts to address systemic racism , provided knowledge and tools to understand wildfire and climate change , and navigated a polarized political landscape .
But per our usual spirit of changemaking , UC San Diego rose to the challenge with impressive results . Our hospital was the first in San Diego to treat COVID-19 . Our researchers immediately dove into understanding its transmission and the long-term threats it presents to our health . Our faculty reconfigured instruction for remote , hybrid , and even outdoor learning . Our staff reimagined nearly all of our services to ensure that everyone had access to important resources . Our students and employees embraced the opportunity to Return to Learn . They fully committed to screening , testing , masking , and other policies to find tremendous success . And our alumni rallied to tackle critical social issues through expert panels , webinars , and Tritons Connect .
“ In a year like no other , our community continued to demonstrate its pioneering and innovative spirit .”
Together , we built new ways for our entire community to interact , learn , and grow . Our 200,000-plus alumni are proof that Tritons can rise to any occasion with compassion , inspiration , and determination . Among other things , this issue of Triton explores how alumni push the boundaries of design in “ the way we wear .” Similarly , UC San Diego is advancing design at all levels . We are improving the functionality of everyday things , as well as addressing major societal issues such as automation , healthcare , social interaction , and important ethical issues that arise with technology .
For 60 years , UC San Diego ’ s changemakers have worked together to solve challenges and drive progress . In a year like no other , our community continued to demonstrate its pioneering and innovative spirit . It is this Triton spirit that has propelled our university faster and further than any other in the world . And it is this Triton spirit that will continue to sustain our university in the months , years , and decades to come .
With kind regards ,
Pradeep K . Khosla Chancellor
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