Chancellor Gene Block

Chancellor Gene Block
Name	Gene D. Block
Birth date	1946
Birth place	Akron, Ohio
Alma mater	University of Michigan; Harvard University
Occupation	Academic administrator; neuroscientist
Title	Chancellor Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles

Chancellor Gene Block was the ninth chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles, serving from 2007 to 2022. A neuroscientist by training, he led UCLA through periods of expansion in research, campus development, and fundraising while engaging with institutions across higher education, philanthropy, and public policy. His tenure connected UCLA with national laboratories, federal agencies, and international universities, influencing science initiatives, clinical partnerships, and arts programs.

Early life and education

Born in Akron, Ohio, Block earned his Bachelor of Science at the University of Michigan and completed doctoral studies in biology at Harvard University. During his formative years he trained in laboratories affiliated with the National Institutes of Health and worked alongside investigators connected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society for Neuroscience. Early mentors included faculty associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Rockefeller University, situating him within networks spanning the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Academy of Sciences.

Academic career and research

Block began his academic appointment at the University of California, Los Angeles where his laboratory investigated circadian rhythms, photoreception, and retinal physiology. His research cited and interacted with studies from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the Max Planck Society, and investigators publishing in journals such as Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He collaborated with scientists at the Scripps Research Institute, the California Institute of Technology, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, contributing to dialogues involving the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Keck Foundation. Block’s work intersected with funding programs at the National Science Foundation and the National Eye Institute, and his publications were discussed at meetings of the Society for Neuroscience, the Gordon Research Conferences, and international symposia hosted by the European Molecular Biology Organization.

Administrative leadership at UCLA

As dean of the Division of Life Sciences and later as chancellor, Block worked with leadership at the University of California Office of the President, the Association of American Universities, and peer institutions including the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Washington. He negotiated partnerships with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the UCLA Health System, and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for clinical and translational initiatives. Block engaged with civic leaders from the Mayor of Los Angeles’s office, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and nonprofits such as the United Way and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to align campus priorities with metropolitan needs.

Major initiatives and policies as Chancellor

Block led major fundraising campaigns coordinated with donors including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Ahmanson Foundation, and the W. M. Keck Foundation, and secured gifts from philanthropists linked to the Caltech and Stanford University communities. He oversaw capital projects in consultation with architects who had worked on projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty Trust, and academic program expansions collaborating with faculty from the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, the UCLA School of Medicine, the School of Law, and the Anderson School of Management. Initiatives included interdisciplinary hubs that connected the campus to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the J. Paul Getty Trust, and partnerships with international universities such as Peking University, The University of Tokyo, and Oxford University.

Block emphasized research competitiveness with strategies aligned to federal priorities at the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while promoting technology transfer through the UCLA Office of Technology Commercialization and engagement with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He supported arts and cultural programs linked to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hammer Museum, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, fostering collaborations with artists associated with the Getty Research Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Controversies and criticisms

During his chancellorship, Block faced critiques related to parking and housing policies from student groups, staff unions, and activists associated with the United Auto Workers and the Service Employees International Union. Faculty at UCLA and academics from peer campuses such as UC Berkeley and UC San Diego debated tuition and compensation issues in venues like the American Association of University Professors and the Faculty Senate. His administration contended with debates over faculty free speech and campus climate that drew commentary from civil liberties organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and student activists connected to movements such as Black Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street. Decisions about campus policing and public safety prompted engagement with the Los Angeles Police Department and inquiries from the California State Legislature.

Awards and honors

Block received honors from scientific organizations including the Society for Neuroscience and recognition from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was elected to bodies such as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and participated in panels convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Philanthropic awards came from regional entities like the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the California Forward initiative, and he received institutional honors from the University of Michigan and Harvard University.

Personal life and philanthropy

Block and his family engaged with philanthropic efforts supporting cultural institutions such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and educational nonprofits like the UCLA Foundation and the California Community Foundation. He interacted with donors and trustees connected to organizations including the Annenberg Foundation, the Simons Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Recreational and civic involvements placed him in networks with leaders from the Rotary International, the Council on Foreign Relations, and veterans’ groups such as the Wounded Warrior Project.

Category:University of California, Los Angeles people Category:American neuroscientists