Dear Colleagues:

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Creative Activities is pleased to announce the two UCLA Faculty Research Lecturers for the 2026 to 2027 academic year:

The annual Faculty Research Lectures recognize two Academic Senate members for their records of exceptional achievement in research and/or creative activities. Each year, two lecturers are selected, one from the natural sciences or engineering and the other from the humanities, social disciplines or creative arts. Joining the select group of UCLA scholars who have been accorded this rare honor, Professors Watson and Buonomano will each present a lecture on the topic of their choice. For more than 100 years, these lectures have provided honorees a platform to share their scholarship broadly with faculty, students and the UCLA community. The lecture topics span the scope of UCLA’s research and creative endeavors, from the first lecture on California’s bird fossils to a more recent lecture on how music revives the past, using ‘Sondheim at 90’ as an example.

For more information and for the latest updates on these events, visit the Faculty Research Lecture web page.

We offer our sincerest congratulations to Professors Watson and Buonomano and look forward to recognizing their distinguished careers and respective contributions. Furthermore, we extend our deepest gratitude to all the speakers, faculty, students, staff and supporters of the UCLA community who advance the university’s mission of cultivating and disseminating new knowledge and turning ideas into impactful solutions for the betterment of society.

We hope that you will join us as these distinguished faculty share their exceptional scholarly achievements with us.

Sincerely,

Roger M. Wakimoto
Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Creative Activities