Long-time UCI faculty member, Robert F. Phalen, PhD, a professor of medicine and public health and co-director of the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory, and his wife, Katherine, have established the first-ever endowed scholarship at UCI Public Health dedicated to supporting student laboratory research aimed at preventing, treating, and understanding human disease.
The endowed scholarship is intended for graduate students enrolled in either UCI Public Health or the UCI School of Medicine who are engaged in research. By setting up the endowment as an “open” fund, the Phalens are encouraging others to add to the fund to support even more worthy students.
“We wanted to set a precedent for lending support to UCI’s bright, talented graduate students and their endeavors,” Phalen said, reflecting on the impact of the generous gift. “I envision a future where public health and medicine come together. Our hope is that this gift will inspire students in each discipline to conduct collaborative lab research and bring the disciplines closer together.”
The Phalens have long understood the need for advancing public health and clinical medicine. Mrs. Phalen, a registered nurse, community clinic counselor, and UCI Medical Center volunteer, witnessed human disease first-hand and Dr. Phalen, with his 40+ years of managing a lab and serving on human and animal ethics committees, developed a keen awareness of the power of research to safeguard human health.
“As a volunteer at UCI, I got a first-hand look at the work of the incredible students that UCI attracts,” Katherine said. “I witnessed the waves of students pursuing their dreams and embarking on careers aimed at helping others. It has always been clear – but especially then – that our students are our future, and individuals’ worth investing in.”
The Phalens also strived to make the application process as simple as possible to encourage more students to apply. Applications for their endowed scholarship have a maximum length of a page and require only one UCI faculty signature to support submission.
“We are deeply grateful for the Phalens’ generosity and investment in our graduate students,” said Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH, director of the Program in Public Health and founding dean of the future School of Population and Public Health. “As the first endowed scholarship, this leadership gift will undoubtedly make a difference in the lives of countless students who will leave UCI empowered and equipped to serve others through their careers in public health and medicine. Our hope is that it will create a ripple effect and inspire others to recognize the value of investing in the next generation of public health leaders.”
To support this endowed scholarship fund or to explore similar giving opportunities, please contact Juliana Goswick, Director of Development, UCI Public Health, at jgoswick@uci.edu.
