Welcome to UCLA’s Department of Gender Studies, a leading center for interdisciplinary research and education within the Division of Social Science. As Chair, I am deeply inspired by our department’s exciting history, which I highlight below for two reasons. One: to show that scholarly focus on gender and sexuality has deep roots at UCLA, with some of the preliminary courses dating back to the mid-20th century. As a result, this enduring history necessitates a future that can integrate longstanding traditions to provide a comprehensive and rigorous education in gender and sexuality, one often spurred by student advocacy. Second, our history grounds the department’s faculty in preparing the next generation with patience and care as they face an uncertain future after graduation.