An illustration of a woman sitting in an apartment with a view of the Las Vegas strip

UNLV Magazine

Fall 2020
Vol. 28, No. 2

In This Issue

A drawing of a UNLV student looking out a window at Las Vegas
As we near the end of our terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year, 2020 nonetheless allowed for new avenues of research and innovation. Here's what gives us a glimmer of hope for 2021 and beyond.
Clouds hang over the Las Vegas Strip
Reasons for hope aren't just confined to UNLV's academic halls. Here are just a few places where 2020 inspired staff and students to find new paths forward.
A man stands with his arms crossed looking out a window
Professor Tyler D. Parry expanded his reading list in 2020 to understand this summer's racial reckoning, and look to tomorrow.
A woman is reflected in glass
Three resort stakeholders find an equilibrium in the pandemic.
man in front of El Camino car
Coming to UNLV at a most unusual time, President Keith E. Whitfield remains undaunted and ready to make his mark as a Rebel.
Three people stand framed by Allegiant Stadium in the background.
UNLV's Sports Research and Innovation Initiative gives a home to the university's sports-related research — and is positioned as a crucial touchstone of a burgeoning sports mecca.
A man holding a football looks out over an empty stadium
Amid the natural upheaval of a new coaching regime, newcomer Marcus Arroyo had to navigate a team through a pandemic cut off from the usual rhythms of football.
A man smiles while writing music
Alumnus Eric Whitacre's YouTube sensation Virtual Choir is the creative project that had been planning for the pandemic moment for 10 years.
A newspaper clipping
The last great pandemic has remarkable similarities to our own.
rendering of proposed building
College of Engineering expansion, on hold due to coronavirus-induced budget shortfalls, has a lifeline in February's meeting of the state legislature.
Students walking outdoors with Hospitality Hall in background
College receives $5 million gift from Panda Express co-founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng to support new program in rapidly growing field.
A man reclines in a chair
Alumnus Oliver Wu now recruits UNLV students for their career ambition, can-do attitude, and ability to communicate with diverse people.
Handcuffs are laid at the feet of a statue holding the scales of justice
New law school requirement draws in multiple faculty members to address race, policing, and legal system.
Three men crowd around a computer
$1 million awarded to companies innovating solutions to challenges facing hospitality industry in UNLV-hosted competition.
A group of blue donkeys fight two red elephants
We're all mad at each other online all the time. Why, and what do we do about it?
A laptop sits in a pile of leaves, in which lines are cleared out to make the "Wi-Fi" symbol
Office of information technology had a busy summer preparing for a remote campus this fall.
construction equipment moving dirt
With donor funding through the Nevada Health & Bioscience Corp., the 135,000-square-foot building is expected to open in summer 2022.
Young student wears a mask while taking notes in a classroom
13-year-old pursues his fifth degree at UNLV. And he's got some wise advice for his fellow students.
A man stands next to a stone wall
Outstanding Alumnus of the Year didn't let a little thing like Nevada's only law school closing stop him from pursuing a legal education.
UNLV professor Ashkan Salamat in his lab on UNLV's campus
The discovery, reported in the journal Nature, opens door for reimagining the energy grid, technology, society
A man sits at a tabel in front of a "We Are UNLV" sign
Keith E. Whitfield on his 2020 silver linings.
U.N.L.V. signage with Fall leaves in the background
From UNLV Magazine's fall 2020 issue.