The University of California, San Diego will kick-off its nationwide UCSD Near You tour, now in its third year, on March 13 in Orange County, California. The program gives UC San Diego alums across the nation the opportunity to go behind the current headlines of the day with UCSD's nationally recognized faculty and alumni as they present the latest in innovative research and shed light on controversial issues.

Presented by the UCSD Alumni Association and The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What's Next, the UCSD Near You ten-city tour will make stops this spring in Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, New York City and Boston. The fall program will feature events in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles.

"UCSD Near You provides a unique opportunity for the university to reconnect with members of our extended UCSD family who no longer reside in San Diego," said Keith Brant, UC San Diego's vice-chancellor for External Relations, who will be joined on the tour by some of the university's stellar scholars and researchers. "Alumni, parents and friends can meet, network and learn about exciting breakthroughs and issues that face us all."

UCSD faculty members featured during the spring program of the tour include:

. National pollster, politics and public opinion expert Samuel Popkin, Ph.D., discussing "The Changing Political Landscape"

. Middle Eastern expert and sociologist Gershon Shafir, Ph.D., discussing "International Terrorism: Is There a Method to the Madness and How Should We Respond?"

. Larry Goldstein, '76, Ph.D., director of UCSD's stem cell research program; Michael Kalichman, '75, Ph.D., director of UCSD's Research Ethics program; and Patricia Churchland, B.Phil., professor of Philosophy at UC San Diego presenting "Stem Cell Research: An Open Conversation"

. Tony Award-winning costume designer and professor, Judith Dolan, Ph.D., presenting a preview of the highly anticipated Broadway musical, LoveMusik, with an insider's perspective on the production

. Alumna and preeminent business leader, Saj-Nicole Joni, '73, Ph.D., '77, discussing "The Third Opinion: Building and Sustaining High Powered Leadership"

Other topics slated for the fall program include environmental sustainability and green practices, the changing climate and its repercussions, and the role of China in international politics.

UCSD Near You will return to San Diego on April 4 to discuss updates and ethical issues surrounding stem cell research, at the Hojel Auditorium of the Institute of the Americas, on the UC San Diego campus. For more information or to register to attend the events, please visit http://ucsdnearyou.ucsd.edu or call (858) 534-3900.