
The Ronald and Valerie Sugar Distinguished Speaker Series brings national and international leaders in engineering and related fields to campus. The program is primarily geared toward the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering students, giving them an opportunity to hear first-hand from technology leaders and innovators on what it took to get where they are, and the critical issues facing society that engineers must address. By invitation only, the series is for UCLA Samueli students, faculty, staff and alumni.
The series was made possible by a major gift to the UCLA Samueli from Ronald and Valerie Sugar, both alumni and longtime supporters of UCLA Samueli. In October 2016, the couple gave a $5 million gift to the school creating an endowment that will support the dean’s top priorities. The school’s deanship was renamed in recognition of the gift. In 2011, the Sugars gave $1 million to create an endowed faculty chair in engineering.
“As UCLA students, Valerie and I both received an invaluable educational experience that was more than our classes. Through this new distinguished speaker series, which we’re both very proud and honored to support, we hope current and future students will get a good window into what lies ahead and get an idea on how they can shape their own careers following graduation.”
Ronald Sugar
Chairman (Ret.)
Northrop Grumman Corporation
“UCLA Samueli has a strong connection with global industry leadership whose insights and experiences are invaluable to our students and faculty. The Distinguished Speaker Series offers a unique platform from which the next generation of problem-solvers and technology innovators can connect directly with, and learn from, brilliant minds at the forefront of breakthrough technology.”
Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park
Ronald and Valerie Sugar Dean
UCLA Samueli