Research and News
SoCal OASIS™ Related Research and News
February 19, 2026
Water is bed bugs’ kryptonite
New research has, for the first time, identified one thing that bed bugs seem to fear -- water and wet surfaces.
February 12, 2026
A superbloom ahead of schedule
UC Riverside plant ecologist Loralee Larios weighs in on the outlook for a wildflower superbloom show this year, where one might see it, and how flower lovers can protect the blooms for years to come.
January 29, 2026
How fire-loving fungi learned to eat charcoal
Wildfire causes most living things to flee or die, but some fungi thrive afterward, even feasting on charred remains. New University of California, Riverside research finds the secret to post-fire flourishing hidden in their genes.
January 29, 2026
The science behind a great guacamole
Guacamole is a game-day favorite, but what does it take to perfect it? Researchers at UC Riverside are peeling back the science of what makes a great avocado and how to turn it into a winning bowl of guacamole.
January 03, 2024
UC Riverside helps attract high tech companies to the Inland Empire
Since its establishment, UC Riverside’s OASIS initiative has been developing public-private partnerships to drive economic growth in the Inland Empire region. Those efforts are paying off, with a recent announcement that the New Zealand company Ohmio, an all-electric autonomous shuttle company, will establish its international headquarters in Riverside and manufacture the vehicles here.
August 14, 2023
A report from the groves:
Mary Lu Arpaia and Eric Focht have bred avocado trees in association with the University of California, Riverside, for decades. In the video below, they describe their quest for a better avocado that resulted in the release this year of the Luna UCR™, a new variety that is the great-grandchild of the Hass. Speaking from experimental UC groves in Irvine, Arpaia and Focht describe the benefits of the Luna and the challenges of creating this new fruit of their labor.
July 10, 2023
UCR releases a new avocado tree to the world marketplace
The newly release Luna UCR™ avocado offers consumers great flavor, a rind that turns a tell-tale black when ripe, while growers will benefit from a smaller tree size, allowing denser plantings for more efficient and safer harvesting.
February 16, 2022
Agricultural pest control and energy storage startups win Riverside Angel Summit
Two Riverside startups receive over $80,000 in seed capital from Citrus Seeds
February 09, 2026
Professor selected for prestigious SAE fellowship
Georgios Karavalakis, a UCR professor of chemical and environmental engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, one of the highest honors in the mobility engineering field.
December 11, 2025
Professor honored by National Academy of Inventors
Matthew Barth, a longtime UC Riverside engineering professor whose work has shaped global transportation systems and clean mobility innovations, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
May 14, 2025
Conference touts the promise of clean hydrogen technology
Created by UC Riverside, University of Michigan, and several industry partners, the Hydrogen Engine Alliance - North America hosted the Inaugural 2025 North American Hydrogen Engine Conference in Riverside on May 1 and 2.
November 25, 2024
UCR environmental engineering faculty make the Top 2% list
Four UC Riverside research scientists have been named among the top 2% of scientists worldwide in a list compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier.
April 23, 2024
From polluting waste to sportswear
A UCR professor receives $1.45 million federal grant to further develop a chemical process that takes plant waste from wood processing and farming to make fibers for clothing fabrics and other products.
September 29, 2023
Help create UCR’s new mural with ‘smog-eating’ paint
In honor of Clean Air Day, students, staff, faculty, and community members are invited to join the painting festivities on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
November 19, 2021
High-tech air quality research center dedicated in Riverside
The California Air Resources Board dedicated its new state-of-the-art Southern California headquarters Thursday, Nov. 18, on a 19-acre site near the UC Riverside campus.
The 402,000-square-foot laboratory and office facility, located on land provided by UCR, is one of the largest and most advanced vehicle emissions testing and research facilities in the world, agency officials said.
February 19, 2026
Water is bed bugs’ kryptonite
New research has, for the first time, identified one thing that bed bugs seem to fear -- water and wet surfaces.
February 12, 2026
A superbloom ahead of schedule
UC Riverside plant ecologist Loralee Larios weighs in on the outlook for a wildflower superbloom show this year, where one might see it, and how flower lovers can protect the blooms for years to come.
January 29, 2026
How fire-loving fungi learned to eat charcoal
Wildfire causes most living things to flee or die, but some fungi thrive afterward, even feasting on charred remains. New University of California, Riverside research finds the secret to post-fire flourishing hidden in their genes.
January 29, 2026
The science behind a great guacamole
Guacamole is a game-day favorite, but what does it take to perfect it? Researchers at UC Riverside are peeling back the science of what makes a great avocado and how to turn it into a winning bowl of guacamole.