Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, one of the experts on the future in UCLA’s Optimist video series, understands that, as he says, “you can’t have a great, vibrant, energetic city without having a great public education system.” As the Wasserman Dean of the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies, Suárez-Orozco leads a dynamic and innovative group of educators who impact the community in countless ways, like partnerships with K-12 schools, innovative lab schools and breakthrough training programs for teachers. He also is one of the nation’s foremost immigration scholars, and along with his wife and fellow UCLA faculty member Carola, works tirelessly to reveal the truth about immigration through such influential works as Learning a New Land: Immigrant Students in American Society, Latinos: Remaking America and Making Migration Work. “Immigrants are the ultimate Bruins,” Suárez-Orozco says. “Their defining characteristic is optimism. L.A. would be a sorry city if it weren’t for its amazing diversity.”