Building the Future of Earth Sciences: EPSS Celebrates the Installation of Three Endowed Chairs

The Knopoff family with Professor Lars Stixrude, EPSS Chair Jonathan Aurnou and Dean Miguel Garcia-Garibay at the installation ceremony. Photo credit: Penny Jennings, UCLA Division of Physical Sciences.

This spring, the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences celebrated the installation of three endowed chairs honoring the legacies of Leon and Joanne V.C. Knopoff, Louis and Martha Slichter, and An Yin. Professor Lars Stixrude was installed as holder of the Leon and Joanne V.C. Knopoff Chair in Geophysics and Physics, Professor Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni holds the Louis B. and Martha B. Slichter Endowed Chair in Geosciences, and Assistant Professor John He is the inaugural holder of the An Yin Endowed Chair in Geology.

Established through the generosity of alumni, faculty, and their families, these endowed chairs reflect a shared commitment to supporting the next generation of Earth scientists — sustaining research, field-based learning, and academic freedom for decades to come. Read the full story from the UCLA Division of Physical Sciences: Building the Future of Earth Sciences. A companion story featuring endowed chairs across the Division is also on the Division homepage.

Four Longtime Members of the EPSS Community Honored Upon Retirement

Portrait of Craig Manning smiling outdoors wearing a cap and hiking gear

The UCLA Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences gathered on May 21 and June 16 to celebrate the careers of four longtime members of its community whose work has helped shape the department over decades of discovery, teaching and service. Faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and family came together to recognize Distinguished Professor Craig Manning, Professor Gilles Peltzer, Researcher Peter Chi and Project Scientist Steven Joy as they concluded careers that collectively span more than a century at UCLA.

Craig Manning

Craig Manning retired on June 30 after 36 years on the UCLA faculty, having joined the department on July 1, 1990. An internationally recognized leader in experimental petrology and geochemistry, Manning’s research transformed scientific understanding of how water and other fluids behave deep within Earth’s crust and mantle under extreme temperatures and pressures. His work advanced knowledge of mountain building, volcanism, mineral formation and the deep carbon cycle while earning election to the National Academy of Sciences and fellowship in the American Geophysical Union. Beyond his research accomplishments, Manning also served the university as Associate Dean for Academic Personnel, helping guide faculty advancement across UCLA while mentoring generations of Earth scientists within EPSS.

Gilles Peltzer

Gilles Peltzer concluded his UCLA career after more than 26 years, having joined the faculty on April 1, 2000. A pioneer in satellite geodesy and remote sensing, Peltzer developed innovative techniques for measuring Earth’s changing surface from space, allowing scientists to better understand earthquakes, fault motion, volcanic activity and other geologic hazards. His work combined satellite observations with geophysical modeling to reveal how tectonic forces reshape the planet, helping establish UCLA as a leader in the study of active Earth processes and inspiring students and collaborators around the world. In recognition of his influential contributions to Earth science, he was elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2009, one of the highest honors in the geosciences.

Peter Chi

Peter Chi was recognized for his longstanding contributions as a researcher with UCLA’s renowned space physics program. Throughout his career, Chi investigated the dynamics of Earth’s magnetosphere, focusing on ultra-low-frequency plasma waves and their interactions with energetic particles in near-Earth space. His research improved scientific understanding of space weather and the complex processes that link the Sun and Earth, while his collaborations with faculty, students and fellow researchers strengthened UCLA’s internationally respected program in heliophysics and magnetospheric science.

Steven Joy

Steven Joy was honored for a career dedicated to advancing space science through research, technical leadership and mission support. As a Project Scientist, Joy played key roles in numerous NASA planetary missions, helping develop scientific instrumentation, spacecraft operations and data systems that have expanded understanding of the solar system. His expertise and willingness to mentor colleagues made him an invaluable member of UCLA’s space physics community, while his decades of service helped support the department’s research enterprise well beyond the classroom and laboratory.

“These four honorees have, over decades of dedicated service, strengthened the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences and influenced scientists around the world. I, and the entire EPSS community, are grateful for everything they have done for us and our field.”
— EPSS Department Chair Jon Aurnou

Prof. Amy Mainzer Receives Prestigious 2026 Robert Holland Jr. Award

The Robert Holland Jr. Award was created by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement to honor senior scientists for their exceptional contributions in research, teaching, mentorship, and impact on helping students achieve their full potential. The Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) is a private foundation created in 1912 with a mission to support basic scientific research and education. This year, the Foundation selected Prof. Amy Mainzer of UCLA’s Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences to be one of the three recipients of the 2026 Holland Award in recognition of her contributions to asteroid and comet research as well as raising public awareness and engagement with science. Prof. Mainzer was inducted to be part of the community of RSCA’s Cottrell Scholars, a cohort of researchers, scientific leaders, teachers, and mentors spanning astronomy, chemistry, and physics. Prof. Mainzer is leading NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission, a space telescope currently under construction that is aimed at finding the majority of potentially hazardous asteroids and comets capable of causing severe regional destruction. She was also the science advisor, co-executive producer, and host of the PBS Kids television show Ready Jet Go, and is the host of the new podcast Unobtanium, that explores the connection between science and storytelling.

Learn more about the award: https://rescorp.org/cottrell-scholars/robert-holland-jr-award/

Prof. Hao Cao Among Seven UCLA Keck Scholars Awarded W.M. Keck Foundation Bridge Funding

UCLA EPSS Assistant Professor Hao Cao has been named one of seven UCLA faculty members selected as a W.M. Keck Scholar through the Keck Foundation Bridge Funding program. The award supports innovative early-career research and helps advance promising projects across multiple scientific disciplines.

Prof. Hao Cao and graduate student Wenyu Zhang, the project’s named Keck Fellow, are leading the research project Unveiling Jupiter’s Dusty Ring System Through Neural Network Analysis of Juno Plasma Wave Data. Their work uses artificial intelligence to map the structure of Jupiter’s rings and better understand the dynamic processes that shape them.

The bridge funding is part of UCLA’s long-standing partnership with the W.M. Keck Foundation, supporting groundbreaking research by pairing early-career faculty with doctoral students.

Read the full UCLA Newsroom article.

New Podcast: Unobtanium

EPSS Professor Amy Mainzer is co-hosting Unobtanium, a new podcast that explores the science and technology behind science fiction movies and television.

Through conversations with scientists, researchers, and special guests, the podcast examines the real-world science that inspires some of our favorite stories on screen. The series also features interviews with several EPSS faculty members, including discussions on topics ranging from planetary science to space exploration.

Listen and learn more:

Follow @unobtainiumpod on social media for new episodes and updates.

2026 Commencement Celebration

EPSS 2025 commencement celebration with graduates throwing caps on the Geology Building steps

Please continue to check this website for updates, as we may have to make modifications.

Join the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences (EPSS) for our annual Commencement Ceremony honoring the accomplishments of graduating departmental students as they conclude this chapter of their academic journey.

Tickets are required for those attending in person.

Event Information

Our departmental commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the Young Hall Patio. Graduates will need to arrive by 12:00 PM to check in, as the ceremony begins at 12:30 PM.

Information about the College Commencement Ceremony can be found here.

Program Information

The final program for the 2026 EPSS Commencement and Awards Celebration will be available soon.

Ticket Information

Max guests per graduate: 5
Additional/waitlisted guest tickets: Up to 2 additional guest tickets may be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ticket price: $40 per person (graduating students attend for free)
Payment deadline: May 22
Payment method: Checks or cashier’s checks only, payable to UCLA Foundation

To purchase guest tickets or confirm waitlisted guests, please see Nanette in Slichter Hall, Room 3845 before the deadline.

Parking Information

We anticipate that parking will be impacted on the day of our event. Guests are encouraged to rideshare if possible. For parking information, including campus parking maps, click here.

To avoid long lines at the self-service pay stations on campus, it is recommended to purchase your parking permit through the Bruin ePermit system in advance of attending the Commencement ceremonies.
Day-of parking will also be available at various visitor parking locations using the self-service Pay Station machines or ParkMobile. If you have questions, please email transportation@ts.ucla.edu or call (310) 794-7433.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the EPSS Student Affairs Office.

Gerald Schubert: A celebration of a life in Science

May 8, 2026 | UCLA Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences

The Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences honored the remarkable career of Prof. Gerald Schubert, geophysicist extraordinaire, on May 8th, 2026. EPSS Chair Prof. Jon Aurnou hosted a remarkable day where former students, colleagues, collaborators, present faculty, students, and postdocs reminisced and celebrated an amazing life in science that defined the early days of geophysics and planetary science.

The hybrid event enabled remote attendance and the sharing of memories by those who interacted with Jerry scientifically over the years. Photos of the event can be found below, along with the slideshow, program, and edited video of the day.