News Release
Statement on the Passing of Two Valued Campus Members
San Diego, CA, May 19, 2014 -- It was a particularly tragic weekend for the UC San Diego community as we lost two valued campus members – a Revelle College student majoring in computer science and a bioengineering project scientist. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families, friends and colleagues of these beloved individuals.
Ricardo “Ricky” Ambriz was a third-year student, majoring in computer science. He was active in our student community as a member of Phi Iota Alpha fraternity and MEChA. He was involved with OASIS and graduated from UC San Diego’s Summer Bridge program. He also worked in the Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography business office at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Dr. Anouchka Mihaylova was a Project Scientist in the Department of Bioengineering. She had been a researcher in the Cardiac Mechanics laboratory for almost 15 years. She made seminal contributions to the understanding of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and intracellular calcium cycling in cardiac myocytes using innovative mathematical models. She was an admired and revered mentor to post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students including students in the PRIME undergraduate summer program.
The UC San Diego campus is providing numerous support services and resources for all of our students, faculty and staff. It is important that we come together as a community to support one another during this difficult time, and we encourage our campus members to use these services.
UC San Diego’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free, confidential, psychological counseling and crisis services for registered students and their parents. Same-day services are available to students who need urgent assistance. For more information, visit the CAPS website or call (858) 534-3755.
Additional resources are available and students are urged to talk with their College Dean of Student Affairs. The Raza Resource Centro is also offering assistance and comfort for those affected by the tragic loss of our student.
In addition, UC San Diego’s Faculty and Staff Assistance program (FSAP) is available for our employees and provides free one-on-one support and counseling. Counselors are available for site visits to your department as well. To make an appointment, call (858) 534-5523 or visit Blink for more information.
Our sincere condolences go out to the families and friends of these two treasured members of our campus community and family.
This is a message from UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla
Media contact:
Jeff Gattas
619-977-7533
jgattas@ucsd.edu
Media Contacts
Daniel Kane
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-3262
dbkane@ucsd.edu