Chancellor Gillman and undergraduate Jessica Zhang
Jessica Zhang, an undergraduate in the School of Social Sciences received the prestigious UC Irvine Chancellor’s Award of Distinction and was given the school’s 2026 Justice and Equity Research Paper Award. The Chancellor’s Award recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement along with a strong foundation of research, leadership and service. Zhang is one of thirty-six students who received the award this year and were recognized recently at a ceremony with Chancellor Gillman. Jessica is a political science major who was motivated to join the UCI MIND Anteaters Against Alzheimer’s course three years ago because of her grandmother’s fight with Alzheimer’s. The course is designed to inspire undergraduate students to pursue careers that will in someway address the ADRD crisis. We train students to partner with us to go into the community and advocate for research participation. Jessica played a vital role in our outreach efforts and has helped on several studies at UCI MIND using her bilingual skills in Mandarin. Her future goals involve obtaining an advanced degree and advocating for health equity.
Congratulations Jessica!
