UCLA students and faculty spent the week demanding answers after newly public emails showed an adjunct neurology professor corresponding with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosure set off a small demonstration outside the campus Geology Building, a Change.org petition calling for his removal and the sudden cancellation of a scheduled Zoom session after the link circulated online. The instructor, Mark Tramo, remains on the UCLA faculty and says he now regrets the exchanges that have come under scrutiny.
What the documents show
The messages appear in a large batch of federal files and show Tramo communicating with Epstein or his staff from roughly 2006 through 2018. They include a March 2010 exchange in which Tramo forwarded notes from two students and Epstein replied, “are either of these cute,” followed by Tramo’s response, “we’ll see! (you’re terrible!),” and a 2007 message in which Tramo offered support while Epstein faced solicitation charges. The records also contain a 17‑page funding proposal that sought about $500,000 for a project involving premature infants and show Epstein provided six‑figure financial support to Tramo’s institute, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Campus reaction and canceled lecture
Students and campus observers say the email exchanges crossed a line. After a Zoom link for one of Tramo’s scheduled sessions was posted on Reddit this month, organizers said the meeting was pulled and Tramo later canceled the class, according to the UCLA student newspaper. A photo of a car bearing the message “UCLA PROF. MARK TRAMO ON EPSTEIN FILES” spread quickly on student social media feeds, and a Change.org petition calling for his firing has drawn significant support. The Daily Bruin has documented the cancellations and the online reaction.
How the files were released
The emails are part of a broad Department of Justice disclosure at the end of January that made millions of pages, images and videos public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The release has led universities and news outlets across the country to comb the archive for links between donors and researchers and has triggered a series of reviews and calls for openness. The public archive and a department statement outline the scope of the disclosure at the Department of Justice.
What Tramo says
Tramo has defended his research while saying he regrets some of the messages. “I wish I never had anything to do with him,” he told reporters. He has denied visiting Epstein’s private island or flying on his planes and has said his correspondence focused on research and fundraising. He has described his March 2010 email reply as an ill‑advised response and said he is upset and embarrassed by how it reads, according to the Los Angeles Times.
UCLA has not announced any disciplinary action, and a university spokesperson declined further comment to reporters while the community awaits word on a formal review. Campus police say they are investigating vandalism linked to the controversy and have asked anyone with information about the incidents to contact law enforcement. The student newspaper continues to track developments on campus and online, as reported by the Daily Bruin.
