UCLA experts: Comic-Con, pop culture and community impact

Comic-Con 2025 rolls into San Diego for four days, starting this Thursday. A massive convergence of all things and all fans of television, film, gaming, animation and comics, the annual gathering of over 130,000 people is a testament to the power of storytelling, media and community.

UCLA faculty and staff are once again helping shape the conversation on and off the convention floor. UCLA experts can share insights on youth and media, fan culture, mental health and the audiences for television and film.

Comic-Con will also host programming that features Bruins (see listing below). Through panels, programming and outreach, they're drawing on their expertise in pop culture, youth engagement and mental health to connect with fans and future leaders alike.

Comfort and community for youth: movies, TV, gaming

Uhls is an assistant adjunct professor of psychology at UCLA and CEO and founder of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers. Her research explores the link between media and entertainment consumption and the social and emotional well-being of today's audiences, especially ages 10 to 25. Recent findings from her center include how Gen Z turns to movies and TV shows for comfort and how they find community and stress relief through gaming.

Email: [email protected]

Film, TV audiences and the bottom line

Ramón is a social psychologist and the founding director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative. She is a co-founder and co-author of the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report with Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, which provides annual in-depth analyses of movies and television and their audiences for theatrical releases, streaming films and TV shows, as well as data and trends on race and ethnicity, gender and disability status in key job categories. She can comment on the top films and shows, the future of movies and television and what people want to see on screen, especially when it comes to representation and diversity.

To request an interview, please call or email the UCLA media contacts.

Fans, popular culture and Latinx youth

Yessica Garcia Hernandez, assistant professor of Chicana/o and Central American Studies, can discuss fan cultures, especially within Latinx communities. Garcia Hernandez teaches courses such as Barrio Popular Culture and Latinx Sexualities, where topics include the representation of Latinx identities in media and popular culture. She has analyzed Gabriel Iglesias' role in "Jenni" - a 2024 biopic about singer-songwriter, actress, producer and women's rights activist Jenni Rivera - and is currently writing an article on adult comic books and their portrayal of Latinx sexualities. Garcia Hernandez can provide expert insight on Latinx media, fandom, sexuality and cultural representation.

To request an interview, please call or email the UCLA media contacts.

Well-being and mental health for pop culture and media spaces

A licensed psychologist and mental health trainer, Letamendi, also known as "Dr. Drea," is the inaugural director of Mobile Compassionate Response at UCLA. Outside the university, she is a behavioral science advisor for gaming, visual effects and entertainment studios and has written publications about the positive impacts of media engagement on mental health in youth and college-age adults. She leads training sessions for media companies such as Marvel, Disney and Warner Bros. Entertainment to help industry leaders use science-backed behavioral health practices on and off screen.

"Bringing mental health science to media entertainment and pop culture spaces can have a meaningful impact on the general public's knowledge of health and wellbeing, by encouraging help-seeking, normalizing mental health struggles, and promoting the scientific discoveries of the field of psychology."

To request an interview, please contact her through her website.

World-building and fandoms

An assistant professor of digital media arts at UCLA, Caravello can comment on animation, games and fandom culture. A Los Angeles-based artist working with animation, virtual reality, motion capture and video game platforms, her works explore the role of narrative in personal, collective and digital memory. Using the tools and conventions of animation and video game industries, she examines game logic and cartoon language, and engages with science-fantasy, world-building and techno-mysticism.

To request an interview, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].

Bruins at 2025 Comic-Con

Friday, July 25

The Psychology of Star Trek v. Star Wars: Episode VII
8:30 p.m.

In a panel that blends psychology, science fiction and pop culture, UCLA's Drea Letamendi will join fellow psychologist Ali Mattu for a lively conversation on the psychology behind sci-fi storytelling. The session will explore how mental health, identity and human behavior are portrayed in fan-favorite franchises, with contributions from writer Ronald Moore ("Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine"), and actress Diana Lee Inosanto, whose credits include "Ahsoka" from "Star Wars: Tales of the Empire."

Sunday, July 27

GeekEd: Our Heroes and Villains Era
10:00 a.m.

As higher education institutions face growing political and cultural challenges, a panel of educators will explore how themes of villainy and resistance in comics, film and pop culture can offer new insights on continuing to educate today's college students. Drawing parallels between fictional battles and real-world threats to academic access and equity, the discussion will examine how these narratives inspire resilience and advocacy in higher education. The panel includes UCLA Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Monroe Gorden and Luis Corrales, a counselor in UCLA's Academic Advancement Program and a member of UCLA's Hispanic Serving Institution Initiative.

Sunday, July 27

GeekEd: Geek Out, Breathe In: Using Pop Culture to Support Mental Health on Campus
Noon

Pop culture can be a powerful entry point into conversations about mental health, and a growing number of clinicians in higher education are embracing it as a tool for student connection and support. In this panel, psychologists from across the country will share how fandoms, films, comics and video games can foster emotional well-being, build community and reduce mental health stigma on campus. From finding comfort in beloved characters to drawing resilience from fictional worlds, the session explores how relatable narratives can make mental health discussions more accessible and have a greater impact. Panelists include Letamendi and Danny Martinez, senior psychologist with UCLA Athletics.

Sunday, July 27

GeekEd: Hanging Up the Cape
1:00 p.m.

The demands on those working in student affairs - crisis response, long hours and constant availability - can take a toll even on the most dedicated professionals. In this panel, higher education leaders reflect on how they're redefining their roles and prioritizing well-being, while continuing to support students and drive impact on campus. The conversation draws inspiration from pop culture icons who balance responsibility with personal growth, and explores how real-life educators are doing the same. Panelists include UCLA's Brian MacDonald, executive director of student affairs communication and organizational development.

Sunday, July 27

San Diego International Children's Film Festival - Program 4
UCLA Animation Workshop Showcase

1:00 p.m.

UCLA Animation Workshop, a program housed under the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, will be screening animated short films by its master of fine arts students, followed by a panel with the UCLA animators in collaboration with the San Diego International Children's Film Festival.

The films are:

"Penelope the Pi-Rat," by animator Kaya Glasner
"Ranga," by animator Nova Gutierrez
"My Friend the Dandelion," by animator Athena Greenleaf
"Homecoming," by animator Yuxin Cheng
"Birdhouse," by animator Yanzhang Song
"Chrysalis Day," by animator Abigail Alonso

These events will take place at the San Diego Convention Center and the San Diego Central Library.