Peace Corps Award
UCSD ranks fourth among large California schools and 13th nationally on the annual Peace Corps’ 2013 Top Colleges list, in a report released on Feb. 5. The list recognizes colleges and universities that produce the highest number of alumni volunteers who make a difference overseas in the Peace Corps. This is the third consecutive year that UCSD has been included in the top 15 ranking of large universities. Currently, 70 undergraduate UCSD alumni are working with the Peace Corps overseas, and UCSD has produced a total of 745 volunteers thus far.
“We are pleased to have our contributions recognized by the Peace Corps — an agency that echoes UC San Diego’s dedication to advance the health and well-being of our region, state, nation and the world,” Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said.
Influenza Deaths
The number of influenza-related deaths in San Diego County has increased to 30, after 11 county residents died last week. The toll now exceeds the county’s record of 22 flu-related deaths during the 2003–2004 flu season. According to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, the victims ranged from 42 to 90 years old, with only one patient having prior underlying medical conditions. HHSA also reported the seasonal total to be 2,957 cases of influenza, making this season’s flu strain the second deadliest on record — the first being the H1NI pandemic.
Suspended Car
A man in Kearny Mesa was trapped in his car and suspended over 10 feet in the air after he crashed into a children’s hospital outpatient clinic. The driver was trying to pull a ticket from a tollbooth when he began rolling backwards, and he hit the gas and sped at 30 mph into the building. The car accelerated through a gate blocking off the hospital’s stairwell and wedged itself between the gate and stairwell 10 feet off of the ground. No one was hurt; the driver was pulled out of the car on a stretcher, and his car was removed Wednesday afternoon. Had the car been six inches closer to the building, the driver would have crashed into an exam room.
Largest Prime Number
Mathematicians at the University of Central Missouri have discovered the largest prime number yet, according to a statement released by the university on Wednesday. Computer science and mathematics professor Curtis Cooper and his team identified a 17 million-digit Mersenne prime number, the third of its kind to be discovered at the University of Central Missouri. The school used about 1,000 campus computers and various computer programs to find the number. The discovery is now eligible for a $3,000 research award; the search also continues for a 100 million-digit prime number and its $150,000 award from a San Francisco-based nonprofit.
Fund Misuse
Over eight California school districts have misappropriated student meal funds, according to California state officials. Recently, the California Department of Education ordered districts to pay back close to $170 million to their programs intended to provide meals for low-income students. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, officials found over $158 million in misappropriations. Other identified districts include San Diego, Santa Ana, San Francisco and Compton. San Diego and Santa Ana are currently challenging the allegations.
