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    <title>Alumni</title>
    <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/</link>
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    <language>en</language>
    
    <item>
  <title>Inside the Expanding World of Science Careers: Insights from CNAS Alumni</title>
  <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/blog/2026/03/03/inside-expanding-world-science-careers-insights-cnas-alumni</link>
  <description>&lt;span&gt;Inside the Expanding World of Science Careers: Insights from CNAS Alumni&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;tomwt&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;time datetime="2026-03-03T14:26:58-08:00" title="Tuesday, March 3, 2026 - 14:26"&gt;Tue, 03/03/2026 - 14:26&lt;/time&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;

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  &lt;/picture&gt;

        
            &lt;time datetime="2026-03-03T12:00:00Z"&gt;March 03, 2026&lt;/time&gt;
    
            &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Panel and dinner conversations highlight the breadth of opportunities available to science graduates.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="5b2f88e7-4f53-4e1a-8276-119c125e843f" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_367&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_loading&amp;quot;:{&amp;quot;attribute&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;lazy&amp;quot;}}" class="align-right embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"&gt;  &lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_367/public/cnas-blog-inside-the-expanding-world-of-science-careers-insights-from-cnas-alumni-march-2026.jpg?itok=-xEJwiUK" alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event"&gt;


&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Students, alumni and campus partners gathered Feb. 18 at the UC Riverside Alumni and Visitors Center for “Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare,” an evening designed to broaden career exploration and strengthen connections across the Highlander network.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Hosted by the Student Alumni Association (SAA)&amp;nbsp; and the Associated Students UCR (ASUCR) Alumni Relations Committee, the program was sponsored by the UCR Alumni Association (UCRAA), the UCR College of Natural &amp;amp; Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) and the UCR California Teach – Science &amp;amp; Math Initiative (CalTeach–SMI).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dinner with Alumni is a signature Student Alumni Association program held one to two times each quarter, bringing students together with accomplished alumni and industry professionals in an informal setting designed for meaningful connection and career exploration. Open to all students, the event creates opportunities to build professional relationships, explore career pathways and gain real-world insight across industries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The evening included a networking mixer, a panel discussion with Q&amp;amp;A, and small-group dinner conversations that gave students direct access to alumni at their tables—encouraging candid dialogue about career journeys, opportunities across scientific fields, and the realities of professional life after UCR.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dean Atkinson on the Future of Science Careers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CNAS&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Dean Peter Atkinson&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;opened the program by reflecting on the evolving landscape of science and the wide range of opportunities available to today’s graduates.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“The future of science is constantly evolving, and your career path may take unexpected turns,” Atkinson told students. “Embrace that uncertainty. The knowledge and skills you gain here will allow you to adapt, innovate and help shape what comes next.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;He encouraged students to remain open to change as scientific fields expand and intersect in new ways, noting that the challenges ahead—from environmental sustainability to advances in medicine and agriculture—will require scientists who are prepared to think broadly, collaborate across disciplines and apply their expertise in emerging fields.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“It’s a remarkable time to be entering the sciences,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Community Through Career Exploration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Guests Dining at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="d59d54ad-c59e-4bce-ac7a-cd966e8b0bcc" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_367&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_loading&amp;quot;:{&amp;quot;attribute&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;lazy&amp;quot;}}" class="align-right embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"&gt;  &lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_367/public/cnas-blog-inside-the-expanding-world-of-science-careers-insights-from-cnas-alumni-2-march-2026.jpg?itok=sY2ymgwE" alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Guests Dining at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event"&gt;


&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Annalicia Garcia&lt;/strong&gt;, assistant director of programming and career development in the Office of Alumni Engagement and staff lead for the event, Dinner with Alumni is designed to build both professional readiness and a sense of belonging.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“Dinner with Alumni… Science Careers Beyond Healthcare was an opportunity for alumni to be able to connect with our current student population to talk about different industries and career aspects that are happening within the science world,” Garcia said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;She added that the goal extends beyond networking—especially for students navigating uncertainty about the economy and the future.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“What I’m hoping that the students get out of the experience is a sense of being in community… being able to come together with Highlanders, and talking about different aspects of careers, but also their personal aspirations as well.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Garcia also highlighted the role of the Student Alumni Association, which connects current students with alumni through programs, events and professional development opportunities including panels, mentorship and networking experiences. SAA partners closely with the UCR Alumni Association to help students transition seamlessly into the alumni network and remain lifelong members of the UCR community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“This aspect of programming allows them to get connected—maybe elsewhere they wouldn’t have,” she said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Participants typically include undergraduate and graduate students as well as young alumni, creating opportunities for peer-to-peer and cross-generational networking across different stages of professional development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alumni Share Career Journeys—and the Turns They Didn’t Expect&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;During the panel, alumni speakers emphasized a shared theme: career paths are rarely linear, and students should give themselves permission to explore, pivot and learn through experience.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Savannah Sprague ’18, M.Ed. ’19&lt;/strong&gt;, a sixth-grade math and science teacher, described how mentorship and early involvement shaped her trajectory. A high school teacher encouraged her to consider education, and once at UCR she found her direction through involvement and advising—including through pathways connected to science and math teaching programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;She spoke candidly about beginning her teaching career during the pandemic and the importance of staying grounded in purpose—while still embracing new challenges, new grade levels and new ways of teaching.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ryan Kudla, Ph.D. ’16&lt;/strong&gt;, who now works in cosmetic chemistry, told students he “fell into” the industry through relationships and opportunity—an example, he noted, of how connections can open doors when your original plan changes. He described the satisfaction of applied product development and encouraged students to meet professionals, attend industry gatherings and start building networks early.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leslie Hickle ’74, Ph.D. ’81&lt;/strong&gt;, CEO and co-founder of FarmSense, shared a career narrative rooted in curiosity and experimentation—moving from chemistry into entomology and ultimately into entrepreneurship and startup innovation. She emphasized how a strong technical foundation can translate across industries and roles, and described the unique energy of startups that take discoveries and turn them into real-world products.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Tina Hambuch ’93&lt;/strong&gt; traced her shift from a pre-med mindset to genetics after taking courses that changed how she saw the world. She encouraged students to explore classes beyond their original plan and resist the pressure to treat graduation as a “clock ticking” moment. Her career—from academia to applied clinical testing and lab innovation—was shaped by staying open to the next step, not just the next title.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wajdie Ahmad ’01&lt;/strong&gt;, a biopharmaceutical entrepreneur, shared how he ultimately chose industry over medical school and learned the pharmaceutical world through experience—first in labs, then through increasingly complex roles and challenges. He emphasized that motivation and long-term perseverance matter in industries like biopharma, where timelines to bring therapies to market can stretch for years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“If you’re not inspired, there’s no way you can ever push yourself to see the finish line when that finish line can be so far away,” Ahmad said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Q&amp;amp;A Highlights: Industry Insight, Burnout and Career Navigation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Room Full of Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="12b895b1-1317-4a01-8992-9d3be7474b41" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_367&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_loading&amp;quot;:{&amp;quot;attribute&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;lazy&amp;quot;}}" class="align-right embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"&gt;  &lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_367/public/cnas-blog-inside-the-expanding-world-of-science-careers-insights-from-cnas-alumni-3-march-2026.jpg?itok=Ba4YPAbj" alt="Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event" title="Room Full of Guests at the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event"&gt;


&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Student questions reflected both curiosity and realism: how industries work, how to enter them, and how to sustain motivation without burnout.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Panelists discussed regulatory environments, emerging technologies, and the wide range of roles that exist within science-driven industries — including business, operations, logistics and product development. Speakers emphasized that building relationships, exploring new opportunities and staying adaptable are essential to long-term career growth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Students also raised questions about maintaining passion in demanding fields such as education. Sprague encouraged staying connected to personal purpose, continuing to learn and embracing new opportunities for growth — a message echoed across the panel.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alumni Spotlight: Science Careers Across Industries&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A central feature of the evening was the opportunity for students to learn directly from accomplished UC Riverside alumni whose careers demonstrate the breadth of possibilities available to science graduates.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wajdie Ahmad ’01&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Co-Founder and Chairman, Amplifica&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;A biopharmaceutical executive, entrepreneur and investor with more than 20 years of industry experience, Ahmad has co-founded multiple companies and currently serves as co-founder and chairman of Amplifica, a biotechnology company developing novel treatments for androgenic alopecia (hair loss). He previously co-founded Bonti (2015) and served as COO; the company was acquired by Allergan in 2018. Earlier in his career, he spent 13 years at Allergan in biologics manufacturing and development, contributing to neurotoxin innovations, including Botox. Ahmad holds an MBA from UC Irvine and a bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Tina Hambuch ’93&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vice President, Laboratory Medical &amp;amp; Pathology, Exact Sciences&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;Dr. Hambuch leads the integration and innovation of molecular test offerings across multiple laboratories and assays at Exact Sciences. Her career has spanned major advances in genetic testing and genome sequencing technologies, including leadership roles at Ambry Genetics, Illumina, Invitae and Quest Diagnostics. She earned a B.S. in Biology from UCR, a Ph.D. in Population Genetics from UC Berkeley, completed postdoctoral training at the CDC and is board certified in clinical molecular genetics.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Leslie Hickle ’74, Ph.D. ’81&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CEO &amp;amp; Co-Founder, FarmSense, Inc.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;Dr. Hickle has built a career translating advanced technologies into products that improve outcomes for people, animals and the environment. With experience across startups in agriculture, animal health, vaccines and renewable energy, she now leads FarmSense, a UC Riverside spinout working at the intersection of computer science, AI/ML and biology to advance crop protection and entomology innovation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Ryan Kudla, Ph.D. ’16&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Account Manager, West Coast, Barnet Products&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;A trained solid-state NMR spectroscopist who transitioned into cosmetic chemistry, Kudla works in product development and industry innovation. He serves in leadership roles with the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and helped establish the first West Coast Cosmetic Chemistry Certificate Program, while supporting scholarship opportunities for students entering the field.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Savannah Sprague ’18, M.Ed. ’19&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Secondary STEM Teacher, Grade-Level Chair, Etiwanda School District&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;Sprague teaches middle school math and science and serves in instructional leadership roles supporting curriculum and student success. Her career reflects a commitment to preparing future scientists and mathematicians while shaping STEM education at the classroom level.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A High-Touch Model for Mentorship and Connection&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Several student organizations also participated through informational tabling, including the Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association (MSME-GSA), and The Actuarial Science Club (TASC).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For alumni panelists, the program offers a meaningful opportunity to give back to the UCR community by sharing expertise, mentoring students and strengthening professional connections across the Highlander network. The event supports continued alumni engagement with campus and university partners while reinforcing the lifelong connection between graduates and UC Riverside.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;By design, Dinner with Alumni creates an environment where students can speak directly with alumni—asking candid questions, sharing goals and building the relationships that often shape career decisions long after graduation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programs like Dinner with Alumni continue to strengthen the Highlander network by bringing generations of students and graduates together in conversation—reinforcing UC Riverside’s commitment to mentorship, professional growth and lifelong engagement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="text-align-center"&gt;###&lt;br&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
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  <pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:26:58 +0000</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>tomwt</dc:creator>
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  <title>Taking A Bite Out Of Wildlife Crime</title>
  <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/news/2024/11/18/taking-bite-out-wildlife-crime</link>
  <description>&lt;span&gt;Taking A Bite Out Of Wildlife Crime&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;tomwt&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;time datetime="2024-11-19T09:09:45-08:00" title="Tuesday, November 19, 2024 - 09:09"&gt;Tue, 11/19/2024 - 09:09&lt;/time&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;

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            Sarah Nightingale | UCR Magazine    
            &lt;time datetime="2024-11-18T12:00:00Z"&gt;November 18, 2024&lt;/time&gt;
    
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  <pubDate>Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:09:45 +0000</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>tomwt</dc:creator>
    <guid isPermaLink="false">3752 at https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu</guid>
    </item>
<item>
  <title>Student Spotlight: Mark Hanin</title>
  <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/blog/2021/08/06/student-spotlight-mark-hanin</link>
  <description>&lt;span&gt;Student Spotlight: Mark Hanin&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;joanny&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;time datetime="2021-08-05T21:43:05-07:00" title="Thursday, August 5, 2021 - 21:43"&gt;Thu, 08/05/2021 - 21:43&lt;/time&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;

            &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/blog"&gt;More Blog Posts&lt;/a&gt;
    
            
                &lt;picture&gt;
                  &lt;source srcset="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/article_header_l/public/Mark-Hanin-Scotty.png?h=5e4f57c5&amp;amp;itok=Ahk1-nMM 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1401px)" type="image/png" width="1170" height="450"&gt;
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                  &lt;img loading="eager" width="1170" height="450" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/article_header_l/public/Mark-Hanin-Scotty.png?h=5e4f57c5&amp;amp;itok=Ahk1-nMM" alt="Mark Hanin with Scotty"&gt;

  &lt;/picture&gt;

        
            &lt;time datetime="2021-08-06T12:00:00Z"&gt;August 06, 2021&lt;/time&gt;
    
            &lt;div alt="Mark Hanin graduation" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_367&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;file&amp;quot;}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="e87fc6fb-0d34-4698-979f-b3512468a833" data-langcode="en" title="Mark Hanin graduation" class="embedded-entity align-right"&gt;  &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/Graduation%20Photo%20-%20Individual%20Photo%20%232.jpg"&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_367/public/Graduation%20Photo%20-%20Individual%20Photo%20%232.jpg?itok=67M02iuZ" alt="Mark Hanin graduation" title="Mark Hanin graduation"&gt;

&lt;/a&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;


&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Name:&lt;/strong&gt; Mark Hanin&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Major:&lt;/strong&gt; Biology&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Graduation Year: &lt;/strong&gt;2021&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Describe the research you participated in as an undergraduate.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I conducted a comparative research project on how the living standards in both South Africa and Nigeria can help explain the differences in their public health policies, where I looked at and compared both nations’ infant mortality rates, education level, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among other measurements of well-being to have a good idea of how well off each nation is compared to the other. This was purposefully done knowing that South Africa excelled at all these measurements of well-being compared to Nigeria so that I would be able to provide an effective comparative analysis between both countries as part of my research. Therefore, my goal for this research was to simply provide recommendations to Nigeria’s government on how they can improve the living standards of Nigerians from a policymaking aspect by relying on what policies South Africa was able to enact over the years to improve their citizens’ living standards. Furthermore, I organized and hosted my own webinar series as part of the field work for my own research, where I prioritized bringing in public health professionals from developing nations such as from Nigeria and South Africa in an effort to promote health literacy among the general public and raise awareness of the public health issues affecting underserved communities today. My research was conducted over the course of two academic years under the guidance of Dr. Kelechi Kalu from the Department of Political Science.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What campus activities did you participate with?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Student Voice Committee (Served as Director and Vice-Chair of the Student Voice Committee)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;The Student Voice Committee is the sole non-political committee under the Associated Students of UCR dedicated to representing the students of UCR by figuring out their needs, wants and desires through research, surveys, questionnaires, and case studies. From there, I get to present our findings on behalf of the committee in front of faculty, staff, and administrators as well as in front of ASUCR and GSA officials.&lt;/li&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;As the Director and Vice-Chair of the Student Voice Committee, I was responsible for reaching out to the entire student body on an almost weekly basis to provide them with information about our applications, surveys, and questionnaires as well as update them on what the committee was able to accomplish over the year and during each quarter. Therefore, I get to serve as a liaison between the student government and student body. I was also responsible for organizing and leading the case studies, which was a new initiative and project I came up with this year given the impact of the pandemic on our remote learning experience.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;University Honors (Served as University Honors Ambassador)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;As a University Honors Ambassador, I assist the University Honors Department in helping engage students through workshops I help host alongside assisting in organizing events held by the University Honors Department on an annual basis. In addition to that, I hold weekly office hours to support Honors students at UCR through peer mentoring and counseling to guide them to success. Finally, I organize “Real Talk” discussion sessions alongside fellow Ambassadors to lead discussions with Honors students on topics that relate to their experiences at UCR and in University Honors.&amp;nbsp;The topics of my “Real Talk” discussion sessions while serving as an ambassador were on Civic Engagement in Riverside as well as on Mental Health and Well-being in the age of COVID-19, where the speakers for those discussion sessions were Dr. Ronald Loveridge and Dr. Rengin Firat respectively.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Millennium Campus Network (MCN) Member&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;MCN is a United Nations Affiliated Network, where I was selected as one of 200 student leaders worldwide to be a part of the network. As part of the network, I got to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) through my social impact project, which was the webinar series. Specifically, I got to promote the Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health and Well-being as well as Quality Education through my webinar series.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Fight For Autism (On Campus Student Organization)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;I served as the head of the organization’s External Committee, where I got to lead the committee’s research on the diagnosis behind Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and what intervention plans are in place to support individuals with ASD. From there, I helped present the committee’s research at an Educational Panel in front of community members to help with disseminating our findings.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;COPE Health Scholar&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
	&lt;li&gt;As a COPE Health Scholar, I got to assist healthcare providers at Riverside Community Hospital in providing basic clinical care to patients. This included triaging patients in the Emergency Department (ED), administering electrocardiograms on patients by placing electrodes on them, and assisting in Labor and Delivery operations. My experience working in the hospital allows me to gain on-the-field exposure as to how healthcare services are&amp;nbsp;administered to community members when working in the&amp;nbsp;hospital. Thereby contributing to my long term goal of becoming a&amp;nbsp;public health reform advocate when I get to see first-hand how&amp;nbsp;public health policies impact the services provided in the hospital.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What are the major highlights of your academic career?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Webinar Series:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;The webinar series was about discussing the various public health topics that impact our daily lives in the age of the pandemic and moving forward. Some of the topics that were discussed in the webinar series include telemedicine and healthcare financing.&amp;nbsp;The goal of the webinar series was to embark on a campaign of public health awareness by making public health information much more accessible to a worldwide audience with the stroke of the button through the webinar series.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case Study:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;There were two case studies that I conducted this year. The first case study was about the academic and inclusivity experiences of students at UCR as well as what changes students hope to see at the administrative level to address those experiences. The second case study was about the experiences of students with group chat services, how they benefit from them, and understanding whether they should be kept come this Fall. The second case study also looked at the impact that cheating has on students using and how that should be addressed through their perspective as students.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The goal of the case studies was to advocate for the student body at UCR by providing them with the platform to express their thoughts and opinions on topics that relate to their experiences as students as well as by working with faculty and administrators to bring about consequential changes by providing them with recommendations from a student’s perspective on how to improve student life on campus and initiating constructive dialogue.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What inspired you to create the webinar series and the case studies?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Growing up in an underserved community myself in my native country of Egypt exposed me to the disparities in healthcare services experienced by community members across socioeconomic lines. In fact, one of the reasons those disparities exist was there was not an avenue for which public health information can be disseminated. Because of that, I became inspired to serve as an advocate on public health issues by creating the webinar series to help make such information more accessible to the general public. As part of the Millennium Campus Network specifically, I made the webinar series my social impact project designed to satisfy the third and fourth UN Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health and Well-being as well as Quality Education. From there, my desire to serve as an advocate with a goal in mind extended to the case studies themselves since they allowed me to advocate on behalf of the student body at UC Riverside and to be engaged with the campus community.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What are the results of the case studies?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For the first case study, students expressed that the UC Riverside campus was overall inclusive and that they had positive relationships with their instructors and teaching assistants, which ultimately contributed to their overall success at UC Riverside. Some of the changes students hoped to see included having more academically-inclined clubs advised by faculty members targeting women and underrepresented groups be established on campus as well as that feedback provided on iEvals by students is acted on right away, among other changes.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For the second case study, students expressed that they benefited from using group chat services, where they cited their ability to connect with classmates in a remote learning environment and to give and receive help much more easily as the main benefits. In regards to cheating, students believed that familial pressures, the desire to maintain a high GPA, and a lack of time to prepare as the main reasons for why they cheat. With that, there was an emphasis on encouraging tutoring at the ARC as an alternative method to direct counseling to combat cheating by students.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What are you hoping to accomplish for both projects?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For my webinar series, I hope that those who attend the webinars get to take in the information they learn from the webinars and apply them in their lives. Whether it be seeking telemedicine services or properly financing their own healthcare payments, I hope that I am able to create a positive impact on the lives of community members as much as I wanted to growing up.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For the case studies, I hoped that I was able to provide faculty, staff, and administrators with a greater awareness of the experiences of students at UCR. Not only that, but I hope that faculty, staff, and administrators are able to play more of an active role in impacting student life on campus. I hope to do so on my part by having them look over future case study questions in advance as part of a commission I am looking to establish this summer dedicated solely to conducting case studies so that the work from this academic year can continue into the future.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What are your plans after college?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;After graduation, I look forward to working at the California Air Resources Board as a Loveridge Fellow over the summer. Specifically, I will be working with their Wildfire Project Assistance team under their Research Division. As part of the Wildfire Project Assistance team, I will be tasked with corresponding with the various air districts throughout the state of California to gather information on both their wildfire emergency plans and risks to wildfire exposure in an effort to determine which districts would benefit most from future state funding. From there, I look forward to studying for the LSAT so that I can enroll into a joint JD/MPH program to become a medical malpractice lawyer and a public health reform advocate.&lt;/p&gt;
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          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/cnas-blog" hreflang="en"&gt;CNAS Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/students" hreflang="en"&gt;Students&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/alumni" hreflang="en"&gt;Alumni&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
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  <pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2021 04:43:05 +0000</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>joanny</dc:creator>
    <guid isPermaLink="false">2886 at https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu</guid>
    </item>
<item>
  <title>CNAS Alumni in Action: Bharat Rai</title>
  <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/blog/2021/02/09/cnas-alumni-action-bharat-rai</link>
  <description>&lt;span&gt;CNAS Alumni in Action: Bharat Rai&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;joanny&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;time datetime="2021-02-09T11:59:12-08:00" title="Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 11:59"&gt;Tue, 02/09/2021 - 11:59&lt;/time&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;

            &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/blog"&gt;More Blog Posts&lt;/a&gt;
    
            
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  &lt;/picture&gt;

        
            CNAS Communications    
            &lt;time datetime="2021-02-09T12:00:00Z"&gt;February 09, 2021&lt;/time&gt;
    
            &lt;div alt="Bharat Rai" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_367&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;file&amp;quot;}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="001f6680-3339-4b57-a68c-f914d677cc5b" data-langcode="en" title="Bharat Rai" class="embedded-entity align-right"&gt;  &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/news-Bharat-Rai-IMG-4072.jpg"&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_367/public/news-Bharat-Rai-IMG-4072.jpg?itok=YMFAuN-b" alt="Bharat Rai" title="Bharat Rai"&gt;

&lt;/a&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;


&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Name:&lt;/strong&gt; Bharat Rai&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Undergraduate Major and Graduation Year: &lt;/strong&gt;Biology, 2020&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Graduate School:&lt;/strong&gt; University of Southern California (USC) Masters of Science (M.S.) Translational Biotechnology&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Hometown:&lt;/strong&gt; Camarillo, CA&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Website: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://pickupnpark.com/" target="_blank"&gt;pickupnpark.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Having recently graduated in 2020 with a B.S. degree in Biology, please share your experience as an undergraduate, and how did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your last year at UCR?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
During my first two years&amp;nbsp;at UCR, I was on the typical, strict pre-med track. I was focused on keeping up with my classes, volunteer hours at hospitals, and clubs that would allow me more opportunities to work in the community. I joined an atmospheric analysis lab by my third year where I had some exposure to research as well.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But, it wasn’t until I was spending most of my days confined in a research lab that I felt like I was learning so much about the world, yet making little to no impact in it. I realized that in my pursuit towards medical school, I was confining who I was as a person to fit the mold of what a typical pre-med student is meant to be. I was losing a sense of identity, and by this time I was merely going through the motions and uninspired with what I was doing in my life. I knew that I had more to offer and wanted to do something meaningful where I could do something on my own and allow myself to explore my own potential to the fullest.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This led me down a path of entrepreneurship where I felt I could make a difference in my community. I started with a simple tutoring business for kids in the Riverside area. And through this experience I was learning the levels of responsibility that it takes to do something on your own. This pursuit was contagious, however, as I took the lessons learned to my next idea.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Having been at UCR for three years at this time, I was well aware of the issues that students had finding parking. My friend and I had an idea on how we thought we could help fix it through an app. One day during school, we saw the Chancellor walking through quad and approached him to talk&amp;nbsp;about our big plans, and he was excited and connected us to the TAPS directors which became the start of a fulfilling journey.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div alt="Bharat Rai pickup n park app" data-embed-button="media_browser" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&amp;quot;image_style&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;scale_225&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;image_link&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;file&amp;quot;}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="00e71a89-8841-4475-a312-8d1f4757b608" data-langcode="en" title="Bharat Rai pickup n park app" class="embedded-entity align-left"&gt;  &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/Bharat-Rai-PNPsplashscreen.png"&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/scale_225/public/Bharat-Rai-PNPsplashscreen.png?itok=y2RXHkLa" alt="Bharat Rai pickup n park app" title="Bharat Rai pickup n park app"&gt;

&lt;/a&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;


&lt;p&gt;My senior year was filled with meeting great people on campus where I opened my eyes to all the great opportunities and resources UCR has to offer. We finally launched &lt;a href="https://pickupnpark.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Pickup N’ Park&lt;/a&gt; to the app store, however, within a week the COVID pandemic had sent all students home and our app was put on hold. It was definitely an emotionally tolling period for myself, but after about a month of giving myself a break I started to reflect and absorb the change as it came. I realized that now I could start making connections with more schools and work on new features that can be used in the short term. So, with that I am working on creating a new version of the app that we hope to release next quarter!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;How has your participation with campus programs like Launch Pad enhanced your experience as a student? Before Launch Pad, did you consider yourself as an entrepreneur?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
When I was introduced to the &lt;a href="https://techpartnerships.ucr.edu/launchpad-ucr" target="_blank"&gt;LaunchPad&lt;/a&gt; I was in my infancy of becoming an entrepreneur. Before entering the program I had the desire to solve problems with innovative solutions and enact change through different services. But the LaunchPad program took that desire and allowed me to flourish as a professional. Through networking events and guest speakers, I was able to see people in the same direction as me as well as people who were much further along. It gave me the confidence to believe in myself and that if I stayed on my track so that I could accomplish the goals I set out for. Along with this, there are plenty of opportunities to receive funding like pitch competitions or accelerator programs that students can apply for. The wealth of information and resources at the LaunchPad gave me the initiative to put myself out there and see what opportunities were available.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;And that is what has been introduced to me in the current program, I-Corps. Through their customer discovery 7 week program, we evaluate a working hypothesis for a defined customer segment for our product. Through their guidance and mentorship, we work to validate our idea or service through weekly interviews and market research. I have found that the process as a whole integrates my background in science and understanding of the scientific method along with my passion for entrepreneurship.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;And, I feel that anyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur because, at its heart, all that means is to be a science-based problem solver. I would strongly encourage anyone interested in working on an idea to contact &lt;a href="mailto:mai.temraz@ucr.edu" target="_blank" title="E-mail mai.temraz@ucr.edu"&gt;Mai Temraz&lt;/a&gt; so that you can fully utilize the resources already here on campus! Email: mai.temraz@ucr.edu&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;How do you think being an entrepreneur will impact your plans to go to medical school? &amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
I think that since becoming an entrepreneur, I have become a more focused and diligent student and professional. Before I started with these ventures, I was always looking for a way to stand out on my medical school applications. I found that when starting something on my own, I became genuinely passionate about the work I was doing. I think this goes a long way as a medical school applicant. Often times, we do volunteer work or take on jobs as a means to an end. Entrepreneurship has expanded my world view and allowed me to work to understand issues through a different lens, and something I will carry with me moving forward. I came to realize that no matter how much good you want to do in the world, institutions are run as businesses, even in healthcare, so having a better understanding about how they operate goes a long way in becoming a well-rounded physician.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What are you currently up to?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
Right now I am studying Translational Biotechnology at USC. In short, this field studies how we can design innovative therapeutics through lab research and bring them to the market in a feasible and efficient process. A part of this program is a Capstone Project where students have the opportunity to gain field experience by working in the lab, working for a biotech company, or starting their own company.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I have decided to work on a new venture called SunRais Rx Health and Wellness, that my mom actually started. Given her 25 years as a pharmacist she has come to realize that conventional medicine works to treat symptoms, whereas diseases need to be treated at their root cause. I am working on a telehealth platform that uses a behavioral psychology approach to help users create health habits and routines to take control of their preventative health. Through my masters at USC and the I-Corps program, I think that I have definitely refined my approach in venture formation, and I am grateful to be a part of both.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;What advice would you offer to current students?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
For any current students, I would say be bold and step out of your comfort zone. I often think back to when I was first in college and was under the impression that being a pre-med student meant that I needed to strictly follow a specific track to reach where I wanted to go. I think that by my junior year, I allowed myself to branch out to explore new options and it has only made me a stronger person as a whole.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;College is a time where we are supposed to learn, and I can confidently say that in starting a business you will be constantly learning, mainly through your failures. But with that in mind, I think that it is a perfect junction in our lives to be able to make mistakes and rapidly learn from them to become a stronger person after. No one is expecting you at this point in your life to be a finished product of yourself, so if you try something new, in whatever instance of life that may be, I would say to try it and see where it takes you. Ultimately the experience alone will make you much better off for it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;
&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
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          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/cnas-blog" hreflang="en"&gt;CNAS Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
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  <pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2021 19:59:12 +0000</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>joanny</dc:creator>
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  <title>Dr. Pedram Salimpour ’90 receives 2020 UCR Alumni Service Award</title>
  <link>https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/news/2020/10/19/dr-pedram-salimpour-90-receives-2020-ucr-alumni-service-award</link>
  <description>&lt;span&gt;Dr. Pedram Salimpour ’90 receives 2020 UCR Alumni Service Award&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ilseu&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span&gt;&lt;time datetime="2020-10-20T09:14:04-07:00" title="Tuesday, October 20, 2020 - 09:14"&gt;Tue, 10/20/2020 - 09:14&lt;/time&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;

            &lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/news"&gt;More College News&lt;/a&gt;
    
            
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                  &lt;img loading="eager" width="1170" height="450" src="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/styles/article_header_l/public/maxresdefault.jpg?h=2f2a8c7f&amp;amp;itok=8caRuwBP" alt="Dr. Pedram Salimpour ’90: 2020 Alumni Service Award"&gt;

  &lt;/picture&gt;

        
            CNAS Communications Staff     
            &lt;time datetime="2020-10-19T12:00:00Z"&gt;October 19, 2020&lt;/time&gt;
    
            &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The UCR Alumni Service Award honors superior service in the public sector or a sustained pattern of volunteer service in the community, arts, or for the benefit of UCR that has positively represented the university and fellow citizens.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Dr. Pedram Salimpour serves as Chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Pierce Health Solutions, a California-based company focused on the creation of novel health delivery systems for large employers throughout the United States. Dr. Salimpour also serves as a three-time appointed commissioner of the Los Angeles Fire &amp;amp; Police Pensions Board, managing over $25 billion in assets.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Prior to Pierce Health Solutions, Dr. Salimpour co-founded multiple companies including CareNex Health Services, a healthcare technology organization specializing in neonatal disease management, Plymouth Health, and Boss Surgical Group, an ambulatory surgery center organization with locations throughout the U.S. Dr. Salimpour has co-authored major grant awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as well as dozens of peer-reviewed scientific publications. He serves on multiple boards of directors and has been published in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, GQ, Newsweek, der Spiegel, the London Daily Telegraph, and more.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Dr. Salimpour earned his bachelor's degree in biology at the University of California, Riverside, attended the Boston University School of Medicine, and completed his residency training at USC Medical Center.&lt;br&gt;
&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h3 aria-level="2" class="text-align-center" role="heading"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2020 UCR Alumni Service Award&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

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&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a class="btn-ucr-gold" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCL9QpcUwc&amp;amp;t=8s" target="_blank"&gt;Watch video on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
    &lt;div class="tags-title"&gt;Tags&lt;/div&gt;
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          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/department-evolution-ecology-and-organismal-biology" hreflang="en"&gt;Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/pedram-salimpour" hreflang="en"&gt;Pedram Salimpour&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="https://cnasscholarships.ucr.edu/tags/kathryn-uhrich" hreflang="en"&gt;Kathryn Uhrich&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
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  <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:14:04 +0000</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>ilseu</dc:creator>
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