IN FOCUS: Women’s History Month

Dr. Eve Glazier busts medical myths on "Medically Speaking"

Dr. Eve Glazier, clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, offers medical insight for every stage of life in a weekly podcast that uses real patient stories to help listeners make informed health decisions. In "Decoding the Female Heart: What Women Should Know," Glazier and Dr. Marcella Calfon Press, interventional radiologist and co-director of the UCLA Health Women's Cardiovascular Center, break down what makes women's hearts biologically unique and share tips on how to recognize warning signs of heart disease.

Listen to their discussion and advice on women's heart health.

Alysa Liu creates a golden moment at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

UCLA Bruin Alysa Liu retired from figure skating after the 2022 Beijing games, when she was just 16. But a ski trip in early 2024 reminded her of being on the ice. Fueled by joy and a strong sense of self, Liu returned to sports' biggest stage on her own terms, completing a comeback for the ages.

Read more about Liu's journey on UCLA Newsroom.

How a UCLA historian changed the way we understand America

Historian, writer and UCLA alumna Nell Irvin Painter helps redefine the study of race and gender and her pioneering work and art continues to shape our understanding of American life and culture. One of the most important thinkers and artists working today, Painter continues to help us put a new lens on the past.

Read more about her lasting legacy in a profile by UCLA Magazine.

A Bruin alumna reaches new heights

Sara Safari, a double Bruin, became the first Iranian to climb the world's Seven Summits. Safari shares what she's learned from facing sometimes deadly conditions in pursuit of the highest peaks in the world.

Read about her journey to the top in UCLA Magazine.

'A living example of what it means to be an advocate'

Read more on UCLA Newsroom and listen to the conversation.

Professor honored for unprecedented work in gender and policy

Barbra Nelson, dean emerita of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, received the Torchbearer Award from the University of Minnesota for co-founding the Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy, the first academic center dedicated to gender and policy analysis in a public affairs school. The center integrates course work, research and public engagement as part of its multicultural gender analyses.

Read more about her accomplishment and her groundbreaking scholarship from the Luskin School.

Empowering future civic leaders

DemocraShe, founded by UCLA Luskin alumna Sarah Jakle, mentors young women interested in civic leadership. The nonpartisan program goes beyond the foundations to teach what Jackle calls "amygdala skills," which are neuroscience tools that help young women regulate fear, discomfort and internalized barriers when stepping into high-pressure spaces.

Read about Jakle's mission and passion for civic leadership from the Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Redefining feminist writings

From the works of Susan B. Anthony and Guerilla Girls to UCLA's own Kimberlé Crenshaw, renowned writer and Rutgers professor Roxane Gay discusses her anthology "The Portable Feminist Reader" and her interpretation of the feminist canon in this program presented by the Hammer Museum at UCLA.

Watch this discussion between Gay and filmmaker Amber Phillips.

Clara Porset champions women's design

Hammer Museum director Zoë Ryan joined art historian Brenda Danilowitz and architectural historian Jane Hall in a conversation about the new book, "Living Design: The Writings of Clara Porset," which Ryan co-edited. Porset, a Cuban-born and Mexican-based designer, made groundbreaking contributions to global modernism through her work in handcraft and industrial production. The conversation also addresses the broader theme of women's design writing as a form of intellectual resistance and self-positioning in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Watch their conversation from the Hammer Museum.

A first-generation student finds her voice in public policy

Sheryl Samala is shaping the future through her advocacy on issues including student support, equity and inclusion, and freedom of speech. The third-year public affairs major has lobbied in Washington D.C., completed a summer internship in Asia and held leadership roles in multiple student organizations, emerging as a leader for women of color in public policy.

Read more from the Luskin School about how she found her passion.

UCLA advocates lead global efforts to end female genital mutilation

Dr. Aparna Sridhar was one of the main authors of a statement calling to end this harmful and traumatic practice, published in September by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. But her work goes beyond that. She is helping to develop AI-based clinical exams to improve education and FGM-related counseling skills, and spoke of plans to launch virtual surgical camps that allow surgeons to stream reconstructive surgeries and provide real-time guidance to doctors working with limited resources. Read about her monumental work from UCLA Health.

Many of the most meaningful and enduring collaborative research projects begin with a single conversation. At UCLA, one such exchange sparked an expanding international collaboration aimed at ending female genital mutilation. Read more about the ongoing initiative on UCLA Newsroom.

Selina Barajas' historic victory

Barajas, a UCLA alumna, became the first woman to represent Ward 5 on the Tucson City Council after being elected in Nov. 2025, crediting her UCLA education for strengthening her technical skills and her passion for building community. This is the first time in Tucson, Arizona, history that the council majority - four out of the six seats - will be women.

Read about how she achieved this milestone from the Luskin School.