Magazine Spring 2014 - College of Letters and Science

COL LEGE of
L ETTERS and
SCIENCE
SPRING 2014
Inside:
Alumni Perspectives
Research: 3-D Sandboxes,
Snakes, Elephants, Neandertals
and Dark Matter
Spring Events
Credit: TJ Ushing/UC Davis
From the Deans
Credit cover and top image: TJ Ushing/UC Davis
On the cover:
Native American Studies
Greetings from UC Davis,
The cover of this issue of the College of Letters and Science
We hope that you will enjoy this latest issue of the College of Letters
and Science Magazine. It contains stories, news and lists of recentlypublished books from some of our faculty, students and alumni.
And if you are in town this spring, watch for the upcoming events
that some of our departments and programs will be hosting; see
page 18 for more information.
Magazine features Jessica Bissett Perea (Dena'ina), assistant
Take a look at our website (www.ls.ucdavis.edu). We recently
published our first annual report of philanthropy, and we have
also created a new brochure about the college for students who
may wish to attend UC Davis. If you are an alumnus reading this
magazine, you know well how your education helped chart your
future. We feel that the college’s mission, at its core, is to provide
a fundamental education that can be applied to any number of
future careers.
of Carl Nelson Gorman, artist, WWII code talker, cultural
Lastly, thank you to all alumni who have contacted us with your
latest news and information. We hope that you will continue to
keep us posted.
hemispheric approach to the study of indigenous peoples of the
professor, and Angel Hinzo (Winnebago/Ho-Chunk), a
graduate student in Native American studies (NAS).
The department was originally created as a program in 1969.
In 1973, the C. N. Gorman Museum was established in honor
historian, and advocate for Native peoples. By 1975, the
major in Native American studies had been created (the NAS
minor went into effect in the 1980s). Native American Studies
received departmental status in 1993.
Since its inception, Native American Studies has offered a
Americas. The undergraduate and graduate programs offer a
formal comparative and interdisciplinary approach to the study
of indigenous cultures of the Americas. This includes faculty
Until fall,
specialized in a variety of disciplines, including art, literature,
religion, linguistics, history, anthropology, political science,
Alexandra Navrotsky
Interim Dean, Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
ethnomusicology, performance and dance studies, and women
and gender studies.
George R. Mangun
Dean, Division of Social Sciences
Students can receive a major (B.A.), a minor, an M.A., a
Jessie Ann Owens
Dean, Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies
Ph.D. or a designated emphasis in Native American studies.
UC Davis was the second university in the nation to create
such a program.
http://nas.ucdavis.edu
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Volume 8/Number 2/Spring 2014
PAGE 4
PAGE 16
PAGE 21

Philanthropy
Fig. 2. Illustration of the adaptive Wiener filter. The simulationThe
truth φ(x) isLatest…
shown in the top-middle image and the data is shown top-lef
College News
φφ
Two robust Bayes estimates are shown using an input fiducial spectral model Cl,fid
set 100 times too small (bottom-middle) and set 100 time
too large (bottom-right). In contrast, the Wiener filter based on a fiducial spectral density set 100 times too small is shown in the top-righ
whereas the optimal Wiener filter based on the true but unknown spectral density Clφφ is shown bottom-left.
PAGE 7
Research
ξ(Σ + Λfid ) − Σ for the hierarchal parameter ξ. In [1] the authors
derive the posterior distribution for ξ as
(12)
P ξ|y ∝ ξ −n−1 exp −y2fid /ξ
posteriors P(ξ|y) and P(φ|y) separately on each annuli. In this wa
we obtain distinct shrinkage factor adjustments F y for each annul
hence the dependence of F y on l, written Fly in (4). This essen
tially adds flexibility by allowing independent priors P(ξ) for eac
annuli. In fact, if Cl changes drastically within an annuli, one ma
on (ρ, ∞) where y2fid is defined by
further partition with the goal of obtaining partitions within whic
PAGE
18
2 2
the values of Cl are similar.
y2fid ≡ (Σ + Λfid )−1/2 Re(y) + (Σ + Λfid )−1/2 Im(y) .
Remark 2: Although one has access to an analytic expressio
for the F y given in (14), this formula becomes numerically unstabl
2
This shows that the posterior P(ξ|y) has a truncated inverse gamma
when
either y
is small
n large.
we recommen
fid 13,
Alumni: pages
12,
14,or15,
17, 19,Therefore
21
distribution, which can easily be sampled from. The posterior samapproximating Fly = ξ −1 P(ξ|y)dξ by averaging samples of ξ −
ples from P(ξ|y) do not have a direct physical interpretation. Howobtained
from step
1. 19, 21
Students:
pages
2, 7,3 in
8,Algorithm
10, 11, 18,
ever, Algorithm 1 shows how sampling from P(ξ|y) allows easy
sampling from P(φ|y). In addition, the posterior expected shrinkBooks:
pages
4,
8,
19,
21,
22,
Algorithm 1 Sample from P(φ|y) 23
age factor in (9) can be computed as follows
1: Simulate
Gamma
Career:
pages a20,
21 random variable ζ with density proportiona
to ζ n−1 exp(−ζy2fid ).
Λ(Σ + Λ)−1 P(Λ|y)dΛ = I − F y Σ(Σ + Λfid )−1
(13)
2: If ζ −1 (Σ + Λfid ) − Σ is positive definite then go to step 3, els
go back to step 1.
where F y ≡ ξ −1 P(ξ|y) and I denotes the n × n identity matrix.
3: Set ξ ← ζ −1 and Λ ← ξ(Σ + Λfid ) − Σ.
Keeping track of the normalization factor in (12), one obtains the
y
4:
Simulate
φ ∼ N Λ(Σ + Λ)−1 y, [Σ−1 + Λ−1 ]−1 .
following analytic expression for F
5:
Return
φ.
2
n − 1 P n, yfid /ρ
(14)
Fy =
y2fid P n − 1, y2fid /ρ
LEGEND
Events
new book
more online
video
This magazine is published by College Relations
and Development at the UC Davis College of
Letters and Science, (530) 752-3429.
Editor: Amanda Price
Contributing writers: Kerry Cody, Andy Fell,
Dave Jones, Katherine Kerlin, Karen Nikos-Rose
Designer: Morissa Rubin
The University of California does not discriminate
in any of its policies, procedures or practices.
The university is an affirmative action/equal
opportunity employer.
Comments?
Find it:
Comments and questions about this
issue can be sent to the editor at
where P (a, x) is thenormalized incomplete gamma function given
x a−1 −t
1
lettersandscience@ucdavis.ed
u.
by P (a, x) ≡ Γ(a)
t
e dt. Combining equations (13) and
0
Update Your
(9) one obtains the following adaptive shrinkage estimate of φ given
y
Information
(15)
φ̃ ≡ φP(φ|y)dφ = I − F y Σ(Σ + Λfid )−1 y
Update your contact information, or if you
which is recognized as the matrix form of (4).
would prefer not to receive
Remark the
1: In magazine,
our implementation we partition the Fourier frequencies l into concentric annuli around the origin and construct the
please email lsdevelopment@ucdavis.edu.
2.2. James-Stein shrinkage
There is an interesting connection with the adaptive Wiener filter (4
and the famous James-Stein shrinkage estimate [8] which sheds ligh
on the nature of the adaptivity factor F y . The cleanest connectio
φφ
occurs when the fiducial model Cl,fid
is set to 0 (so that Λfid = 0
which postulates no signal in the observations y(x). We also mak
the assumption that Cl is a constant function of l so that Σ ca
2
be written as a constant multiple
of theidentity, 2σ I. Now th
estimate (15) simplifies to φ̃ = 1 − F y y and the results found i
UC Davis College
of Letters and Science
#UCDavis_LandS
www.ls.ucdavis.edu
UC Davis has launched a new campaign
honoring our alumni, students, faculty,
staff and donors who are changing lives
and improving the world. Check out the
website at: http://www.ucdavis.
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what’s
happening
College News

Credit:Dawn Sumner/UC Davis
Name-Changer
The Department of Geology is evolving its name. It will now be
known as the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
“This new name reflects the extraordinary breadth of intellectual
activity in the department,” said Louise Kellogg, department chair.
Award for Physics
The Committee on Education (COE) of the American Physical
Society has awarded UC Davis an Improving Undergraduate
Physics Education Award. The award recognizes physics
departments and/or undergraduate-serving programs in physics
that support best practices in education at the undergraduate level.
Dave Osleger, vice chair, added: “There’s a misperception out there
about what it is we do. With this name change, we hope students
and colleagues perceive the department in a different, more modern
and sophisticated way.”
Some things will stay the same: The department will continue to
offer degrees in geology, which will be the formal designation on
diplomas. And the prefix “GEL” will also continue to be listed in the
course catalog for classes within the department.
Kellogg said the department is also developing new interdisciplinary
major programs.
In Memoriam
Samuel Gordon Armistead, one of the world’s leading
scholars of Spanish literature and language, passed away last
summer. Armistead was a Distinguished Professor of Spanish
from 1982 until his retirement in 2010, serving as co-chair
of Spanish and Classics from 2000 to 2002. Armistead
specialized in Spanish medieval literature and folklore,
publishing some 30 books and over 500 articles. His work
on Spanish Romancero (oral tradition and ballads), especially
Sephardic folklore, is considered his crowning achievement.
Among his numerous academic awards, Armistead received
an honorary doctorate in 2010 from the Universidad de
Alcala (Madrid); he was named a corresponding member
of the Real Academia Española in 2009: and in 1999 he
received the highly prestigious Antonio Nebrija award from
the University of Salamanca.
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Yiyun Li, associate professor of
English, MacArthur Prize winner
Kinder than Solitude
O F
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Condensed Matter Physics the Topic
of a Workshop in China
A joint UC Davis-Nanjing University (NJU) workshop on condensed
matter physics was held in Nanjing, China, partially supported by
the University Outreach and International Programs (UOIP) office,
the Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and the
Office of Research. Reciprocating last year’s inaugural event at UC
Davis, this second workshop was organized by Professor Kai Liu in
physics and Professor Mu Wang, director of the National Laboratory
of Solid State Microstructures (NLSSM) at NJU. The UC Davis
delegation was headed by outgoing MPS Dean Winston Ko and
incoming Interim Dean Alexandra Navrotsky and included several
UC Davis faculty. The workshop featured talks on state-of-the-art
research, covering diverse topics ranging from multiferroics,
thermodynamics, surface physics and superconductivity, to nanomagnetism, spintronics and energy research. Over 50 participants
attended, including faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows and other
researchers. The workshop also facilitated new joint projects,
collaborative work and exchange grants.
Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
The workshop featured some historical moments as well. Former
dean Winston Ko had initiated a Working Agreement with Professor
Mu Wang in 2007, establishing a formal tie between the division and
the NLSSM at NJU. This was followed by a university-level agreement of cooperation signed in 2008 and renewed earlier this year.
Ko opened the workshop as the dean, then passed on the “deanship
baton” to Navrotsky, who made the concluding remarks. Navrotsky
also celebrated her 70th birthday during the workshop and showed
some dexterity with chopsticks as she fished out long noodles from
soup to symbolize long life.
Groundbreakings for Two
New Buildings
This spring, UC Davis holds ceremonial groundbreakings for two projects in the arts: the Jan Shrem and Maria
Manetti Shrem Museum of Art was held on March 1,
and the Classroom and Recital Hall building will be
held on May 2.
recitalhall.ucdavis.edu
shremmuseum.ucdavis.edu
“The meeting provided an opportunity to explore wonderful physics
with worldwide experts and establish exciting partnerships for continued study,” noted Navrotsky. “In addition, I could not have picked
a better venue to celebrate a landmark birthday!”
Classroom and Recital Hall
After the meeting, informal discussions continued in the Yellow
Mountain (Huang Shan) region.
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Longest-Serving
Dean Steps Down
Jessie Ann Owens,
dean of the Division of
Humanities, Arts and Cultural
Studies, announced that she is
stepping down on June 30, at the
end of her eighth year of service
as dean. She is the longestserving dean in the nearly
20-year history of the division.
A musicologist and professor of
music, she will join the faculty
following a year of research leave.
Credit: TJ Ushing/UC Davis
“I came to UC Davis in
2006, a lifelong resident
of the East Coast, with no
previous experience in
public higher education,”
Owens said. “I could
never have imagined how
compelling I would find
the remarkable commitment to access. My
favorite moment each
“I am pleased that the distinctive nature
of the kinds of humanities, broadly
speaking, that we do at UC Davis is
attracting national attention.”
year is commencement—
knowing that so many of those
graduates were the first in their
family to go to college.”
Her tenure as dean is marked by
many successes, of which the
foremost is the recruitment of a
diverse and talented cohort of
faculty. Approximately 30
percent of the current faculty
have been hired since Owens
arrived, 40 percent of them from
underrepresented groups and
nearly 60 percent women.
Particularly noteworthy initiatives included hires in design,
English, music, Native American
studies, religious studies and the
University Writing Program. The
success of the faculty is evident
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in the large numbers of prestigious national fellowships,
including the Guggenheim and
the American Council of
Learned Societies.
“I am pleased that the distinctive
nature of the kinds of humanities, broadly speaking, that we
do at UC Davis is attracting
national attention,” Owens
noted. UC Davis was invited to
join the ACLS Research
University Consortium and since
2011 has also received three
grants from the Andrew W.
Mellon Foundation. The Mellon
Research Initiatives in the
Humanities fund four collaborative projects in early modern
studies, environments and
societies, digital cultures, and
social justice.
Owens also undertook a major
initiative to increase the
commitment to and funding for
graduate education, including
advocacy that led to the
establishment of the Provost's
Fellowships—25 new, fullyfunded recruitment and
dissertation fellowships for
humanities Ph.D. programs. The
new graduate group in the study
of religion was also established,
and this year has admitted its
first class of doctoral students.
Perhaps her most tangible
achievement lies in the muchneeded enhancements to arts
facilities on campus. Building
on the historic legacy of excellence in the arts as well as on
the current programs with very
strong student demand, Owens
developed a campus arts space
plan that has led to renovations
in Everson Hall, Cruess Hall
and the Art Building. She also
furthered the visibility of the
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arts by attracting significant
private gifts to the division.
Two major buildings will soon
be completed—the Jan Shrem
and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art and the Classroom
and Recital Hall. Both projects
are made possible by private
gifts as well as campus support.
“I am deeply grateful for Jessie
Ann's service as dean. She has
led the division through years
that were very difficult, yet
despite severe resource constraints, she kept her eye steadfastly on the highest standards
of excellence, enabling our
departments to hire a cohort of
remarkable new faculty,” Ralph
Hexter, provost, said. “She has
always put the education of
students—both undergraduate
and graduate—first, in the true
spirit of the College of Letters
and Science. The Classroom and
Recital Hall and the Jan Shrem
and Maria Manetti Shrem
Museum of Art will stand as
twin testimonies to her vision
for the arts at UC Davis and
her prowess as a fundraiser.”
“It has been a special privilege
for me to serve as dean,” Owens
said. “I am proud of how the
faculty and students are inventing a new kind of humanities.
There is unusual richness in the
combination of humanities, arts
and cultural studies, in a setting
where the land-grant mission
is paramount. Our faculty is
collaborating with faculty across
campus on issues that matter to
California and to the world.”
latest
discoveries
Research
Army Grants $12.5M for Key Research
Scared of Tigers? So Are These Animals.
Two new projects led by researchers Raissa D’Souza and Jim
Crutchfield from the UC Davis Complexity Sciences Center seek
to understand complex networked systems, from nanomachines to
nation-states, and learn how to control them. Each project is funded
with $6.25 million over five years from the U.S. Department of
Defense’s Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative.
Elephants are more scared of tigers than leopards, according to a
study by Professor of Psychology Richard Coss and his colleague,
Vivek Thuppil, who is in neurophysiology and behavior at UC
Davis. The researchers studied the elephants’ behavior to prevent
conflicts between human farmers and the elephant herds that raid
their fields at night. This is the first study of nighttime anti-predator
behavior in elephants.
D’Souza, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and
computer science, is researching how collections of networks interact
to create new, stable functions and is seeking ways to intervene in
networks to better control them or to prevent a catastrophic cascading breakdown. Crutchfield, a professor of physics and director
of the Complexity Sciences Center, is studying how networks can
manipulate both information and energy, and is developing a new
“physics of information” with future applications ranging from
microscopic computers to directing molecule-sized machines.
Their discovery could help Indian farmers protect their crops from
marauding elephants and save the lives of both people and animals.
Crop raiding by elephants is a serious problem in India. Each year
about 400 people and some hundred elephants are killed during
these encounters.
http://bit.ly/18WBctI
http://youtu.be/2PZNirkssh8
Gene Therapy for Disease
Dean Tantillo, professor of chemistry, and Peter Beal, professor
of chemical biology, have been published in the Chemical and
Engineering News for their research on modifying siRNAs (short
interfering RNAs) in a new way—by using Argonaute’s crystal
structures for the first time as a jumping-off point for structurebased siRNA redesign. This research was originally published in
the Journal of the American Chemical Society. siRNAs could possibly
be used therapeutically to turn off problematic genes related to
various diseases.
“GoldieBlox” Sparks Controversy
According to Elizabeth Sweet, a doctoral candidate in sociology,
gender marketing of toys is more extreme today than it has been
since the 1950s. Sweet researched the gendered marketing of toys
in 20th century Sears catalogs and found that, although the 1970s
showed an increase in gender-neutral marketing of toys, this trend
reversed in the 1990s and has been on the rise. Her research was
cited in a recent article about “GoldieBlox” in the LA Times.
http://bit.ly/1bfLZ39
http://lat.ms/1avJYQj
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Research
“We’re finding results
consistent with the
idea that snakes have
exerted strong selective
pressure on primates.”
Snakes on the Brain
Radical New Chemistry
The high-quality vision of
our ancestors was driven by
the threat of snakes, says
Lynne Isbell, a professor of
anthropology. Neuroscientists
in Japan and Brazil are
supporting her theory. Isbell,
along with researchers from
Toyama University, Japan,
and the University of Brasilia,
Brazil, discovered specific nerve
cells in the brains of rhesus
macaque monkeys that respond
to images of snakes. “We’re
finding results consistent
with the idea that snakes
have exerted strong selective
pressure on primates,” noted
Isbell. She originally published
her hypothesis in 2006,
following with the book, The
Fruit, the Tree and the Serpent,
in which she argued that our
primate ancestors evolved good,
close-range vision primarily
to spot and avoid dangerous
snakes. The work has provided
a unique perspective and brings
new insights for evolution.
One avenue to sustainable energy is to make hydrogen, but to
make it efficiently and easily. Bacteria have been doing this for
billions of years, and Professor of Chemistry David Britt, along with
postdoctoral researchers John Kuchenreuther, William Myers and
Troy Stich, project scientist Simon George and graduate student
Yaser Nejaty-Jahromy, have discovered how nature builds these
catalysts so they can imitate the process. The bacterial catalysts are
based on precisely organized clusters of iron and sulfur atoms, with
side groups of cyanide and carbon monoxide, highly toxic molecules
unless properly controlled. Using electron paramagnetic resonance
to study the structure of the intermediate steps, the researchers
found a series of chemical reactions involving a type of highly
reactive enzyme called a radical SAM.
“People think of radicals as dangerous, but this enzyme directs the
radical chemistry, along with the production of normally poisonous
CO and CN, along safe and product pathways,” noted Britt. “This
is unique, new chemistry.” Britt’s laboratory houses the California
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Center (CalEPR), the largest center
of its kind on the west coast.
http://bit.ly/18fxxv3
Sasha Abramsky, lecturer, University Writing Program, and
research affiliate, Center for Poverty Research
The American Way of Poverty: How the Other Half Still Lives
Peter Hays, professor emeritus, English
Fifty Years of Hemingway Criticism
Peter Lichtenfels, professor of theatre and dance
Performance, Politics and Activism
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“LUX is already
producing the world’s
best results and
excluding parameter
space for a dark
matter particle.”
Detecting Dark Matter
Meteorites: Discovering, Preserving
Dark matter is the most abundant form of matter in the universe
but has so far been inferred only by its gravitational effects on
light from distant galaxies and clusters of galaxies. LUX, the Large
Underground Xenon experiment proposed in 2006 by Professor of
Physics Mani Tripathi and six other founding principal investigators,
was designed to have the greatest sensitivity to detect “WIMPs” or
“weakly interactive massive particles” which are the leading theoretical candidates for a dark matter particle.
In February 2013 in Chelyabinsk, Russia, an exploding meteor
delivered “a wake-up call,” according to Qing-zhu Yin, professor of
geology. “If humanity does not want to go the way of the dinosaurs,
we need to study an event like this in detail.” Chelyabinsk was the
largest meteoroid strike since the Tunguska even of 1908. Shockwaves from the airburst broke windows, rattled buildings and even
knocked people from their feet in a radius of about 50 miles on
either side of the trajectory. Yin’s laboratory analyzed chemical and
isotopic characteristics of the
“If humanity does not
meteorites. Ken Verosub, profeswant to go the way of
sor of geology, measured the
magnetic properties of metallic
the dinosaurs, we need
grains in the meteorite.
“LUX is already producing the world’s best results and excluding
parameter space for a dark matter particle,” noted Matthew Szydagis,
a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics and coordinator of the data analysis among the LUX team members.
to study an event like
this in detail.”
Collisions between WIMPs and normal matter are rare and
extremely difficult to detect. LUX is searching for WIMPs 4,850 feet
underground in the Sanford Lab in South Dakota, where few cosmic
ray particles can penetrate. The detector is further protected from
background radiation from the surrounding rock by immersion in
a tank of ultra-pure water, which was designed and instrumented
by the UC Davis team. UC Davis physicists have contributed to all
aspects of LUX.
The meteor that exploded over
the Sierra foothills in 2012 has
continued to be researched as well. Thanks to the collaborative
efforts of five U.S. academic institutions, including UC Davis; the
Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in
Washington, D.C.; American Museum of Natural History in New
York City; The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago; and
Arizona State University in Tempe, the main mass of the rare
meteorite will be preserved for current and future scientific discoveries. After being x-rayed by CT scan at the Center for Molecular
and Genomic Imaging, the meteorite was cut into five portions and
delivered to each of the institutions.
http://bit.ly/18YLzlt
Social Justice Initiative Launched
Amina Mama, a professor in women and gender studies, Inés Hernández-Avila, a professor in Native
American studies, and Yvette Flores, a professor in Chicana and Chicano studies, are co-directing a
new initiative committed to working collaboratively across borders of sexuality, gender, ethnicity and
nation, as well as across diversely racialized communities. The three-year Mellon Foundation-funded
project, known as the Social Justice Initiative, will build an intellectual community of practice that
stimulates new thinking and research that bridges the disconnection of the globalizing university from
local communities. The first year will focus on topics such as global feminism and transnational
activism, and the contested intersections of science, sexuality, race and medicine. The following years
will focus on indigenous issues globally, critically addressing themes such as land claims, territory and
expressions, and indigenous knowledge. The team will then study citizenship and identity through a
local and global focus.
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Research
Sand in 3-D
Social Media Team Presents New App
at National Labor Convention
Augmented-reality sandboxes offer an entirely different high-tech
educational engagement tool. These sandboxes allow users to mold
the contents into miniature mountains, lakes and rivers—and then,
with a little high-tech magic, bring that terrain to life before their
eyes. Researchers at the W. M. Keck Center for Active Visualization
in the Earth Sciences (KeckCAVES) created the augmented-reality
sandbox as part of a National Science Foundation-funded program
focused on water system education. These 3-D sandboxes consist
of a Kinect camera mounted above the sandbox, which tracks the
physical activity below. A projector throws a dynamic topographic
map on top of it, updating contour lines and elevation colors in real
time. Then, a virtual rainstorm, also supplied by the projector, sends
a torrent of blue water cascading down the peaks, showing runoff
and watershed on the landscape created moments before.
Students and faculty presented their research, “Social
Media, Insecure Work and New Solidarities,” to the national
convention of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of
Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in Los Angeles. Glenda
Drew, an associate professor in design, Jesse Drew, an associate
professor of cinema and technocultural studies, and Chris
Benner, a professor in human and community development,
organized the original “hack-a-thon” group that brought
together computer science and design skills to craft a new
mobile app for organizing sectors of workers that suffer from
low wages, poor healthcare, immigration problems and other
aspects of the new economy.
According to Oliver Kreylos, one of the lead researchers, “There’s
just no better way to teach how topographic contour lines work or
how water flows over a landscape than building whatever terrain you
can imagine and then seeing the contours and the water react in real
time to any changes you make.”
http://bit.ly/12vsKhA
Biochemists Uphold Law of Physics
Experiments by biochemists show for the first time that a law of
physics, the ergodic theorem, can be demonstrated by a collection
of individual protein molecules—specifically, a protein that
unwinds DNA. Using technology invented at UC Davis for watching
single enzymes at work, professor Steve Kowalczykowski of the
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and the Cancer
Center and Bian Liu, a graduate student in the Biophysics Graduate
Group, discovered that when they paused and restarted a single
molecule of the DNA-unwinding enzyme RecBCD, it would restart at
any speed achieved by the whole population of enzymes. The results,
published in the journal Nature, have implications for understanding
how proteins fold into their correct shape, for exploring interactions
between drugs and their targets, and for engineering enzymes for
new functions.
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http://bit.ly/18C3mgn
http://bit.ly/Jp9ZoE]
Facilitating Oil Discovery
A tool used to precisely pinpoint where petroleum and gas reserves
have accumulated has been created by an international team of
scientists, including Qing-zhu Yin, a professor of geology. This
new index provides a better understanding of how oil travels from
where it was formed to where it has collected. It could aid in the
discovery of new oil resources, while reducing the environmental
impact of accessing those resources. “The index should result in
fewer incidents of failed drilling, which should reduce unnecessary
environmental disturbance,” noted Yin. It can also be used to trace
pollutants cased by oil spills and guide environmental mitigation.
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“This close collaboration will help build
new ideas and advance best practices
for efficient lighting … and it will be
mutually beneficial in addressing our
carbon reduction goals.”
Developing Efficient Lighting
Practices in Singapore
Infant Cognition
UC Davis is collaborating with the Singapore Green Building
Council (SGBC) and Singapore’s Building and Construction
Authority (BCA) to develop a lighting efficiency demonstration
and training center in Singapore. Professor and California Lighting
Technology Center (CLTC) Director Michael Siminovitch explains,
“This close collaboration will help build new ideas and advance best
practices for efficient lighting … and it will be mutually beneficial
in addressing our carbon reduction goals.” The new center will
follow CLTC’s collaborative model, bringing academic researchers,
manufacturers and government representatives together to achieve
common goals. The new center will also help reduce energy demand
for lighting by promoting awareness of best practices and energyefficient lighting design principles.
Lisa Oakes, a professor of psychology and researcher at the Center
for Mind and Brain, studies the origins and early development of
mental abilities in infancy. She discussed the research from her
Infant Cognition Lab in Popular Science’s blog late last year; her
ongoing research examines the relation between daily experience
(such as having a pet at home) and infants’ learning.
New Neandertal Discovery
When undergraduate student Naomi Martisius was sorting through
tiny bone remnants in the paleoanthropology lab, she stumbled
across a bone fragment from a French archaeological site that
turned out to be part of an early, specialized bone tool used by the
Neandertal before the first modern humans appeared in Europe.
http://bit.ly/1ck56xx
“At the time, I had no idea about the impact of my discovery,” said
Martisius, who is now pursuing her doctoral degree in anthropology.
Her discovery was the result of a decade of excavation and research
by two international teams. “Previously these types of bone tools
have only been associated with modern humans,” noted Teresa E.
Steele, an associate professor of anthropology who is Martisius’
advisor and who served as co-author on the article which appeared
in the journal Proceedings for the National Academy of Science.
“The identification of these pieces in secure Neandertal contexts
leave open the possibility that we have found, for the first time,
evidence that Neandertals may have influenced the technology of
modern humans.”
Wiki for
Textbooks
Chemistry Professor Delmar
Larsen is on a mission to
replace costly, heavy
chemistry textbooks with an
online, e-textbook network.
“ChemWiki,” launched in
2008, nets over two million
visitors a month, making it
the most visited domain
among the university’s
websites. A $250,000
grant from the National
Science Foundation will
further expansion of the
Wiki network.
“The identification of
these pieces … leave
open the possibility that
we have found, for the
first time, evidence that
Neandertals may have
influenced the technology
of modern humans.”
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JOHNSON
SPACE
CENTER
Tracy Caldwell Dyson
Ph.D., Chemistry, ’97
Credit: Tracy Caldwell/NASA
I have been in
awe of space, of
our universe, for as long as I
can remember. When I was a
little girl, my family would
go camping in the deserts of
California. At night, I would lie
on top of my dad’s dune buggy
trailer and gaze up at the night
sky, captivated by the stars.
When I was in high school, I
began to think about what to do
with my future. I would be the
first person in my family to go to
college, and I felt overwhelmed
by the many things I loved to do.
My parents simplified it for me.
They asked me, “What do you
want to do?” My first response
was to list a bunch of interestingsounding occupations. They
clarified the question. “Not what
you want to be, but what you
want to do?” They suggested I
make a list. They said, “Keep it,
add to it, take away from it, but
make sure it is 100% YOU!”
At the time, the first U.S. Space
Shuttle missions were launching.
I had just started to look into
the astronaut program when the
Challenger accident occurred.
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The tragedy, with the news of
Astronaut Christa McAuliffe
and the rest of the crew perishing in the accident, did not
deter me. It only solidified my
wish to be part of NASA—to
help rebuild.
In college, I found chemistry—
something that I loved, something that seemed to answer
questions for me. As I was getting my Ph.D. at UC Davis, I
really began to look at the
NASA program. I saw how the
list that I had created when I
was 16 so perfectly matched
what NASA does. Working with
international teams, building
the International Space Station,
people from different cultures
and backgrounds coming together—all of these were things
I knew I could do, and most
importantly, things I would
enjoy doing.
I was so fortunate to work in
Chemistry Professor Don Land’s
lab. He knew I had aspirations
to go into the astronaut program
with NASA. He not only supported my dream, but really
believed in me. He did that for
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all of his students—he put
us in charge of our work and
our projects.
I remember so clearly one day
when something went wrong
with our instrumentation, and
I couldn’t figure out the glitch.
I called him and asked him to
come to the lab to help fix it.
His response: “V = IR, Tracy,
you can figure it out.” He knew
to sit back and let me go, even
when many professors would
have run to figure out what was
wrong. I fixed the instrumentation that day and grew more
confident with each day that I
could do even more.
It was that kind of training
that helped me as I moved into
the NASA astronaut program,
and eventually into space,
fixing instrumentation on the
International Space Station
for six months.
When I was in space, I drew
upon another important
experience I had at Davis. I
reported from the International
Space Station and sent a
message in sign language for all
Caldwell Dyson
(continued)
of those who are hearing
impaired. As a graduate
student, I tutored an undergraduate chemistry student
who was hearing impaired.
She was struggling but never
complained. I went to a lecture
with her to see how she was
learning and realized what an
incredible challenge she faced.
While the transparencies
projected in the lecture hall
were well-lit, the professor
explaining the slides was down
stage and her interpreter was
in a far corner out of the way.
I watched her overcome these
kinds of challenges every day
with poise, enthusiasm and
never an ounce of complaint.
I often draw upon her inspiration, and when I was in space,
I wanted to send a message
to her and the millions of
others who endure a life more
challenging than I could
ever imagine.
In the Vineyards of the Napa Valley
Julie Dalrymple
B.A., English and History, ’98
It is a privilege and honor to
be part of NASA and to have
traveled, and lived, at the
edge of this frontier beyond
Earth. I am proud to be one
of a handful of human beings
on Earth to have done an EVA
(Extra-Vehicular Activity) and
to have lived in space for a
long period of time. Now, I feel
that my path is moving in a
new direction—I want to give
back to the program that gave
me so much and share what I
learned during my experiences
in space.
The beauty here in
Napa Valley astounds
me. As I drive down Highway
29 through Napa, making my
way through lush vineyards, I
feel lucky to call this place home.
While a student at UC Davis, I
used to take jaunts over to Napa
occasionally to shop the outlet
malls and make my first clumsy
attempts at wine tasting. I’d
always felt compelled to visit,
and was happy when my path
eventually led to a job opportunity in Napa five years ago. Now,
I put my English degree and
years of experience as a student
writer for the California Aggie
newspaper to work in my role
as director of communications
at the Napa Chamber of Commerce. I make use of my history
degree on the board of the Napa
County Historical Society.
Often, the hauntingly beautiful
vineyards trigger memories of
adventures inspired by books
read and deciphered in those
UC Davis classrooms.
There is some uncertainty with
the future, as there always is.
The road ahead for me is no
more clear today than it was
when I was 16. But I continue
to do what I enjoy doing. I
have faith that I am on the
path I’m supposed to be
on—wherever that might take
me in the future. 
In 1998, during the summer
following graduation, I
embarked upon a two-week
adventure through London and
the British countryside, chasing
the ghosts of literary legends.
My path ultimately led to the
fabled inspiration for Emily
Bronte’s Wuthering Heights in
the misty Yorkshire moors deep
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in Northern England. The sky
there felt like an extension of
the earth, almost as if I had to
duck down to avoid hitting my
head on the clouds. With the
abandoned stone farmhouse in
view, I was sure I could hear
Heathcliff’s tortured pleas on
the wind. Words first read
during late-night study sessions
came alive, as if I was now the
one directing the characters to
act out their roles.
That summer, I soaked up the
atmosphere and inhaled their
legacy. Ever since then, I have
been determined to follow in
the footsteps of great writers,
many of whom formed the
basis of my UC Davis English
degree. Four years of dedicated
guidance and instruction from
professors like Jack Hicks
sparked a life-long interest in
the stories behind the words.
His “Literature of California”
course brought my love for
literary history home. At the
time, I was a bright-eyed Aggie
reporter. I remember distinctly
the April 1997 memorial that
Professor Hicks held for poet
Allen Ginsberg. Aware of my
interest in the Beat genre, he
invited me to meet writer
Gary Snyder following the
memorial. Both intimidating
and inspiring, it was a moment
that cemented my desire to
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build upon introductions made
in the classroom and shake
hands with the great figures
of literature.
Eleven years after graduating
from UC Davis, I found myself
back in the Bay Area, embarking upon a masters’ thesis
project focused on California
writers. I often thought back
to Professor Hicks’ classroom,
where we delved into the
poetry of Robinson Jeffers, the
tales of Jack London, and the
words of John Muir and Mark
Twain. Studying the life stories
of the writers—exploring that
intersection of literature and
history—often interested me as
much as the words themselves.
These explorations have formed
the basis of my “Literary Legacies” blog, a growing collection
of stories about my literary
ghost hunts.
The tattered, college-issued
novels remain on my bookshelf.
These books serve as reminders
of long nights spent devouring
language and days in the classroom searching for the meaning
behind it. These books have inspired journeys. Isn’t that what
education is all about? 
Follow Julie’s literary
explorations at:
literarylegacies.wordpress.com
13
On the Set
at
FOX
News
Credit: FOX News
Kimberly Guilfoyle
B.A., Rhetoric and Communication, ’91
When I look at where I am today
—as one of the hosts of FOX News Channel’s The Five as well as
being a regular commentator on The O’Reilly Factor and Hannity
—I can trace my career path directly back to what I learned at UC
Davis. The importance of good communication is something that
captured my attention when I was studying at Davis, and it stayed
with me through law school and especially helped as I argued cases
as a District Attorney of San Francisco and Los Angeles. It has
played a significant role in my work in broadcast news.
When I was an undergraduate student in rhetoric and
communication at UC Davis, I remember that one of the
assigned readings was You Are The Message: Secrets of the Master
Communicators by Roger Ailes (now the chairman and CEO of
FOX News Channel). The book made so much sense to me that I
carried it with me after graduating from UC Davis and throughout
my career, right up to the day I interviewed with FOX News. I
remember meeting Mr. Ailes that day and showed him my copy
of his book to autograph, which was underlined and highlighted.
He loved that I had kept it all these years and signed it, “You are
already a great communicator.” I started my career at FOX soon
after that.
I feel so fortunate to have had incredible professors at UC Davis
—they shaped who I was to become and what I wanted to do.
My career paths as a prosecutor and in politics as the former First
Lady of San Francisco can be traced back to my studies at Davis.
My professors helped shape my approach to communication as I
spent countless occasions in their office hours to get ideas for
rewriting papers, tackling issues in class, and studying speeches by
presidents and leaders to understand the qualities of great orators.
When I think back to the work I have done as a broadcaster on
television, from working with victims of violent crime and their
families, to communicating effectively with a judge and jury, to
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making an impassioned plea to follow the law in the name of justice,
so much of my success is due to my education at UC Davis.
I have experienced a lot of success in my profession, but I have
earned it through very hard work and sacrifice. My success has
come from taking chances and making decisions that aren’t always
easy. When I was in the District Attorney’s office in San Francisco,
I tried a landmark second degree murder case that was affirmed
by the California Supreme Court (People v. Noel and Knoller), and
established a precedent for future cases of applied malice murder.
That case opened up new doors for me, resulting in six job offers
with me ultimately landing in New York City, something I never
dreamed I would do as a true San Francisco native.
It was scary—my path had always been to be a lawyer, and
broadcasting was different in many ways. To move across the
country felt daunting. But I thought, “Kimberly, take a chance.
With risk there is potentially great reward.” I had to believe in
myself, my education and my experience to know that I could meet
the challenge. It was one of the most crucial and best decisions that
I’ve made in my life. UC Davis prepared me to do that—to be an
independent thinker and most importantly, to have confidence and
self-esteem.
When I wake up in the morning, I want to do my job better than
I did the day before. I want to move a story forward, ask the right
questions. My work is fast-paced and interesting; no news cycle is
the same as the day before.
If I could give advice to future graduates, I would tell them: Pursue
your passions and interests. Follow that opportunity. Put yourself
out there. To anyone looking for their path, I would ask, “What
drives you and fires you up?” You can achieve anything with hard
work and perseverance. Get out there. 
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“I am delighted the Aggie Spirit
(and excellence) lives on!”
Sebastopol, CA
Elyse Rued Mengle
B.A., American Studies (American Civilization), ’54
Although I attended UC Davis in the 1950s, college memories remain vivid. The
university provided professional preparation, wonderful friendships and vastly expanded horizons for
this farm kid.
With only 1,500 students on the whole campus, professors knew us by name. Dr. W. Turrentine Jackson
was my adviser and Richard Nelson was my art professor. Their “pioneering” work on campus lives on as
examples of the world-class educators that were brought to the Davis campus then and since.
In the ’50s three dormitories ringed the quad—North, South and West Halls. West Hall, with the
reputation of housing the “rowdy” guys, was torn down to make space for Freeborn Hall. South Hall,
with nearly 100 girl residents (all dorms were segregated then), had only ONE outside phone line which
everyone had to share. We had no clothes dryers, only lines to hang washing out behind the building,
which led to some pranks.
The far west end of class buildings was Haring Hall. Brand new men’s dorms opened adjacent to
Russell Boulevard. They have since been torn down and replaced with student apartments, unheard
of in my day.
The small building now housing the Student Cultural Center was our student union “coop.” It housed
a coffee counter and rudimentary bookstore inside and open student mail boxes on the porch. Aggies
living on campus shared one box for each surname letter! Eventually delivery to dorms was instituted.
Some traditions remain the same. We rode bicycles and attended the bonfire rallies. The Aggie spirit
remains strong, even with the huge increase in student body size.
When I graduated, the College of Letters and Science was only two years old. Eleven of us qualified for
bachelor’s degrees. We shared the one all-campus commencement ceremony held in the Sunken Garden,
which gave way to library construction sometime later.
Professional preparation toward my teaching credential, wonderful friendships and meeting my husband
are lasting outcomes of my Aggie experience, for which I am extremely grateful. While we enjoyed
the UC Davis of our day, today’s students have more classes and majors available with world-class
opportunities. I am delighted the Aggie spirit (and excellence) lives on! 
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gifts at
work
Grant Supports Cutting-Edge 3-D
Nanolithography Research
 Philanthropy
UC Davis Announces $1 Billion
Goal Reached in Campaign
Last November, UC Davis announced that it successfully reached its
goal to raise $1 billion from more than 100,000 donors through its
first comprehensive campaign, The Campaign for UC Davis. Funds
from the campaign benefited the entire university, but especially
UC Davis students by providing them with access to a top-quality
education. The goal was achieved more than one year ahead of the
original December 2014 end date.
The College of Letters and Science, which announced that it had
reached its campaign goal last fall, continues to raise funds in key
areas, including raising funds for two capital projects (the Classroom
and Recital Hall and the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem
Museum of Art). Since the campaign began in 2006, the college has
been able to create new endowments and scholarships, thanks to the
support of many donors.
As fundraising continues, the college extends a thanks to all who
supported UC Davis and the College of Letters and Science during
this campaign.
THE CAMPAIGN FOR UC DAVIS: COLLEGE SUCCESS
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55
“UC Davis’ emphasis on interdisciplinary research and strong support
at all levels are key to the success of this grant application,” said Liu.
“We are very excited to be able to finally develop this technology into
three dimensional (3-D) nanolithography, which opens countless
opportunities in nanotechnology research, as well as in photonics,
electronics, catalysis, biochemistry and biomedical research.”
Liu’s and Lo’s goal is to develop advanced 3-D nanolithography to
enable construction of 3-D nanostructures by design. Liu and Lo
hope to demonstrate the concept that scanning probe microscopy, in
conjunction with advanced chemistry under spatial confinement, can
enable true 3-D nanofabrication of functional materials. This pursuit
represents a strong effort to extend Moore’s law (the miniaturization of
3-D printing to a nanometer scale).
“Function and behavior of cells are heavily influenced by their microenvironments,” said Lo. “With this new technology, we may develop
a ‘lab-on-a-chip’ for various purposes, such as well-defined nanoconditions for cellular processes or high throughput drug screening in
the future.”
The project builds on Liu’s invention of nanografting, a 2-D
nanolithography method, patented and currently licensed by Agilent
Technology. Support by the Moore Foundation allows the team to
make significant progress in producing 3-D nanostructures with high
spatial precision.
new endowments
scholarships and fellowships
endowed chairs and professorships
14
The Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation recently provided
a $699,000 grant to support
the research by Chemistry
Professor Gang-Yu Liu and
Biochemistry and Molecular
Medicine Professor Su Hao
Lo. The Moore Foundation’s
Science Program invests in the
world’s top research scientists
and brings together new—often
groundbreaking—scientific partnerships to unleash the potential of
inquiry and discovery for the benefit of society.
To ensure the success of the proposed research, UC Davis added
matching support to create a total research fund of nearly $1M. In
addition to UC Davis and UC Davis Health System support, the
research team is collaborating with Dr. Ramsey Stevens at CDI and
Dr. Jane Frommer at IBM Almaden Research Center.
2 lectureships
endowments were created to support
a department, program or event
A Boost for Interdisciplinary
Scholarship in Social Sciences
One goal. Many impacts.
James and Laura Malley recently donated funds in support of the
new UC Davis Institute for Social Sciences. The funds will bolster
interdisciplinary scholarship that will occur within the institute.
iss.dss.ucdavis.edu
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A First Gift for New
Building in Chemistry
Interim Dean of the Division of
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Alexandra Navrotsky launched the
fundraising effort for a new chemical
sciences research building with a pledge
of $210,000. The new building is in the
planning stages, and Navrotsky’s gift is the first of many gifts to
come in support of a new building for chemistry. The building
will provide modern laboratory facilities for research in chemistry,
chemical engineering, materials science and biochemistry with
emphasis on interdisciplinary interactions.
“As dean and a faculty member in both chemistry and chemical
engineering and materials science, I believe a new building for
chemical research is critical for our advancement in excellence,”
Navrotsky said. “I hope my gift at the very beginning of fundraising for the building inspires others to give so we can reach our
goal quickly and start construction.”
Credit: Pirkle Jones
Fine Arts Collection Gains Unique
New Treasures
The Fine Arts Collection at UC Davis, which comprises more than
5,000 works from the antiquities to modern times, has seen a
growth in the number of donations to the collection.
Current-Use Gift Supports Students
in Anthropology
One gift from the Pirkle Jones Foundation is a collection of 61
gelatin silver prints. The foundation is a non-profit honoring the
Mill Valley resident, who died in 2009. In 1946, Jones studied in
photography in the first class offered by the California School of
Fine Arts. There he met Ansel Adams, Minor White, Edward Weston
and Dorothea Lange, who helped him develop his photographic
talents. Jones worked as Ansel Adams’ assistant for six years, and
the two photographers forged a lifelong friendship.
Robert Kautz (B.A., ’69, Ph.D., ’76, Anthropology) and his wife,
Sandra, have pledged $50,000 to the Department of Anthropology.
Over the next five years, their gift will provide approximately
$10,000 annually to support graduate students selected by
the department. Kautz is the founder of Kautz Environmental
Consultants, a Nevada-based firm providing cultural resource
management throughout the western U.S.
Dorothea Lange came to him in 1956 with an idea to collaborate
on a photographic essay entitled “Death of a Valley.” The essay
chronicled the death of the town of Monticello in the Berryessa
Valley, which disappeared when the Monticello Dam was
completed. The photographs were taken in the last year of the
valley. Jones later described the project with Lange as “one of the
most meaningful photographic experiences of my life.”
Pirkle Jones chronicled the people, politics and landscapes of
Northern California for over 60 years. He produced a wide body
of work, showing us the world in which we live. Photography
historian Nancy Newhall wrote, “There are a handful of
photographers who have achieved the stature of poets, and Pirkle
Jones is one of them.”
Other recent gifts to the Fine Arts Collection include a new donation
from the Andy Warhol Foundation and a gift from artist Irv Marcus
and his wife Liz Marcus.
Credit: TJ Ushing/UC Davis
Alumni Darryl and Lois Goss have created three endowments
that benefit African American and African studies and athletics.
They chose to name the endowments after people who had a major
impact on their lives while they were at UC Davis. A reception
was held in their honor, and the first recipients of the scholarships
from these endowments received their awards. The awards are:
the Goss Family Endowment award, in the African American and
African studies program; the Joe Singleton Athletic Award, named
after former athletic director Joe Singleton; and the Gary Perkins
Academic Achievement Student Award in African American and
African Studies, named after Gary Perkins, who worked in the
Office of Student Affairs.
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http://shremmuseum.ucdavis.edu
Thank you to all who submitted your photos and memories
for the two time capsules to be placed in the grounds of the
new Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
and the Classroom and Recital Hall. Your memories will
be a part of the new buildings and will hold an important
place in the arts for many years to come.
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
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what to
do
Events
Wendy Red Star, Spring, from the series Four Seasons, 2006,
Digital Photograph
Edward Steichen photograph
from the Hollingshead
Photography Exhibition
C.N. Gorman Museum
Wendy Red Star
April 3–June 12
C.N. Gorman Museum,
Hart Hall
http://gormanmuseum.
ucdavis.edu
Visiting Artist Lecture,
presented by the program in
Art Studio: Jim Campbell, new
media Bay Area artist
April 24, 4:30pm
Art Annex
http://arts.ucdavis.edu/artstudio-events
Hollingshead Photography
Exhibition: 1920s and ’30s
Photography as Art
April 7–May 4
Nelson Gallery, Nelson Hall
http://nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu/
Visiting Artist Lecture, presented by the program in Art
Studio: Bill Arning, director of
the Contemporary Arts Museum
in Houston
April 10, 4:30pm
Art Annex
http://arts.ucdavis.edu/artstudio-events
M.F.A. Interdisciplinary
Thesis Projects: Exploratory
Showcase/Performance
Featuring Lindsay Beamish,
Mary Ann Brooks, Peet Cocke,
Andrea Del Moral,
Deirdre Morris and
Amanda Vitiello-Jensen
April 8–13
Wyatt Pavilion Theatre
http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu
DEX2 (Davis Philosophy
Extravaganza 2),
sponsored by the Department
of Philosophy
April 14–15,
10:00am–6:15pm
Andrews Conference Room,
Social Sciences & Humanities
Building
http://philosophy.ucdavis.edu/
events-1/DEX22014.pdf/view
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Classroom and Recital Hall
Groundbreaking
May 2
Site of new hall—next to
Music Building
http://recitalhall.ucdavis.edu
14th Annual UC Davis
Film Festival
May 21–22, 10:00pm
Davis Varsity Theatre,
616 Second Street, Davis
http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu
M.F.A. Interdisciplinary
Thesis Projects by
Mary Ann Brooks
(large photo), Lindsay
Beamish (inset left),
Deirdre Morris
(inset middle) and
Amanda Vitiello-Jensen
(inset right).
18
Symposium on SpatialTemporal Statistics:
Methods and Applications
April 26, 8:00am–4:00pm
1147 Mathematical Sciences
Colloquium Room
http://anson.ucdavis.edu/
A N D
S C I E N C E
Rachel Gelenius,
2014 Masters of
Fine Arts Exhibition
The Mathematics of
Quantum Theory:
A conference in honor of
Professor Albert Schwarz
May 23–26
AGR Hall, Walter A. Buehler
Alumni and Visitors Center
https://www.math.ucdavis.
edu/static/conferences/mathphys2004/
Main Stage Dance, choreographies by undergraduate students
May 29–31, June 1, June 5–7
Main Theatre, Wright Hall
http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu
2014 Masters of Fine Arts
Exhibition
May 31–June 22
Nelson Gallery, Nelson Hall
http://nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu/
Design By Design
Annual Juried Student Design
Exhibition
April 14–June 8
Design Museum
Cruess Hall
http://arts.ucdavis.edu/designmuseum
(Left to right)
Athena Kashyap, M.A., English, ’00, Crossing Black Waters
Robert (Bob) Owens, B.A., Anthropology, ’69, Pointman
Molly Ringle, M.A., Linguistics, ‘03, Persephone’s Orchard
Michelle Tusan, B.A., History, ‘93, Smyrna's Ashes: Humanitarianism,
Genocide and the Birth of the Middle East
Project Barca,
by Granada Artist-in-Residence
Henry Daniel
May 22–25
Location, time TBD
http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu
Amy Gutierrez, B.A., Rhetoric and Communication, ’95,
Smarty Marty’s Got Game
Charlotte Biltekoff, assistant professor of American studies,
Eating Right in America: The Cultural Politics of Food and Health
Amber Boydstun, assistant professor of political science,
Making the News: Politics, The Media and Agenda Setting
College of Letters and
Science Commencement
June 14
http://www.ls.ucdavis.edu
w w w. l s . u c d a v i s . e d u
Dolph Gotelli, professor emeritus environmental design,
Wonder and Delight: A Dolph Gotelli Christmas
l
S P R I N G
2 0 1 4
19
learn, change,
extend
Be a Student Again.
How’s Your Emotional Intelligence?
UC Davis Executive Leadership Program
instructor Mitchel Adler (Psy.D., CGP) delivers
a TED Talk-style presentation on emotional
intelligence and how good leaders use it to make
themselves and their organizations great.
youtube.com/ucdavisextension
The College
on iTunes U!
Don’t miss these classes
and videos on iTunes U…
2013 Commencement for the
College of Letters and Science
UC Davis Particle Physics
Seminars, with Professor John
Terning. This set of seminars
covers theoretical and experimental particle physics. Topics
include supersymmetry, the
Large Hadron Collider, electroweak symmetry breaking,
cosmology and gravity.
Exploring the Mind, with
the Center for Mind and Brain
This lecture series brings
world-renowned cognitive
neuroscientists to UC Davis
to discuss a range of topics
including neurolinguistics, vision
science, childhood development,
developmental disorders, music,
attention and memory.
Geology and Earth
Sciences Topics in this series
include virtual geology, petroleum
101, the distribution of time in
rock and clocking cave climates.
Nameless Writers
Nameless magazine is the
official undergraduate literary
journal of the Department of
English, publishing short fiction,
poetry and mixed media art
on its website and in an
annual print issue. This series
is a sampling of works from
that publication.
Horsepacking Programs Offer an Unforgettable Summer Experience
With UC Davis Extension’s summer horsepacking programs, students learn from the back of a horse,
with the Sierra Nevada mountain range serving as the classroom for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The programs combine outdoor adventure with a rare opportunity to learn about wild horses, livestock
management and hands-on veterinary medicine. Students spend “class time” immersed in either the
rugged High Sierra country or the Inyo National Forest of California. This summer, UC Davis Extension
will be offering two classes—Mustangs: A Living Legacy (June 7-10) and Mountain Horsemanship:
Veterinary Care and Horsepacking in the Wilderness (July 13-19).
extension.ucdavis.edu/beyond
Learn to Manage and Grow Your Portfolio
Financial planning isn’t just for professionals. Improve your knowledge of financial analysis and portfolio
development with Personal Financial Planning courses. Learn to better define and meet your financial
goals through smart financial resources management. Courses are open to anyone and may be taken
individually or as part of UC Davis Extension’s Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program. extension.ucdavis.edu/pfp
Emeriti Professors Continue
Teaching (and Learning)
An active mind never stops
learning. That’s the mantra
for OLLI—a high-quality,
low-cost educational program
for adult and senior learners.
Administered through UC Davis
Extension, the UC Davis Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
(OLLI) offers an extraordinary
variety of courses and special
events—everything from film
study to memoir writing to lively
discussions on politics, religion
and current events. Many of the
program’s instructors (and students) are retired professors and
other professionals.
Join Dr. Charlie Bamforth,
Anheuser-Busch Endowed
Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences (and instructor in
the UC Davis Extension Master
Brewers Program), for a tour
of UC Davis’ state-of-the-art
brewery.
• Thursday, March 27
August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory
• Space is limited (2 tours, max of 25 people each)
facebook.com/ucdebrewing
extension.ucdavis.edu/olli
www.namelessmagazine.com
20
Tour the UC Davis Brewing
Facilities with
Charlie Bamforth
U C
D AV I S
C O L L E G E
O F
L E T T E R S
A N D
S C I E N C E
Host a Summer Start
Student—Have a Cultural
Experience Without
Leaving Home
Looking for a new way to learn
about the world? Those who
live near Davis can host an
incoming international UC
Davis freshman during her or
his six-week intensive academic,
language and orientation
program (early August—midSeptember 2014). Helping
students adjust to their new
environment can be as full of
discovery for you as for them.
For more information, contact:
summerstart@ucdavis.edu
latest
from…
Alumni, Students, Faculty
Alumni
Students
Lindsay Beamish, an
M.F.A. candidate, received
high marks for her acting in
a New York Times review of
the psychological thriller film,
“Forgetting the Girl.”
1
2

Seven Theatre and Dance
alumni, students and faculty
are serving on the production
team of the Broadway musical
Soul Doctor. Associate
Professor Maggie Morgan
is a costume designer; Mindy
Cooper, a former Granada
Artist-in-Residence, is a creative
consultant; doctoral candidate
in performance studies Chris
McCoy is an assistant director;
Maggie Chan, M.F.A.,
‘12, is a costume assistant;
Kara Branch, M.F.A., ‘11,
is a costume intern; Emily
Cates, B.A., ‘13, is a stage
management intern; and
Matthew Dunivan, B.A., ‘11,
is an assistant to the director
and photographer.
Carolina Tavarez (B.A., Spanish and Education, ’13) recently
established the Ann Prepare Lavni Foundation, Haitian Creole for
“Let us prepare the future,” which provides multilingual education
to Haitians. Tavarez also received three graduation awards:
the Mary Jeanne Gilhooly Award as the top graduating woman,
the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate
Research, and Outstanding Senior in the Department of Spanish
and Portuguese.
Chris Johnson (B.A., Communication, ’02) appeared on the
television show “Shark Tank,” successfully convincing panelist
Mark Cuban to invest $300,000 in his new company, Rapid
Ramen Inc. Johnson created the Rapid Ramen Cooker, a tray
for cooking ramen noodles in the microwave in half the time of
making them on the stove. 1
Matt Rosenberg (B.S., Geography, ‘96), has been selected
as campus rabbi and executive director to Texas A&M Hillel
Foundation, a chapter of the nationwide networks and
organization for Jewish students. 2
Design student Chaitra
Bangalore was selected as
a student artist for a Golden
Gala benefit to raise money
for the Boys and Girls Club of
Stockton. 3
Colton Schmidt, (B.A., Psychology, ‘13) was selected in July
by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent punter.
He was later claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns. He
finished his collegiate career with 235 punts for 9,664 yards and
a school record 41.1 gross punting average.
Karl Frost, M.F.A., Choreography, ’11, has received a
Fulbright Scholarship for the
2013-2014 academic year
for his work on “Ritual, Group
Formation, and Cooperation”
and is studying at the University
of British Columbia. 4
Alumni Authors!
Find alumni authors throughout the pages of this magazine.
Publish a book? Let us know: lettersandscience@ucdavis.edu.
http://bit.ly/1aw2pEt
Daniel Brown,
B.A., English, ‘92,
100 Things 49ers Fans
Should Know & Do Before
They Die
w w w. l s . u c d a v i s . e d u
l
S P R I N G
2 0 1 4


Thao Tran, undergraduate
student and California Lighting
Technology Center (CLTC) intern,
has been awarded a Robert E.
Thunen Memorial Scholarship
from the Illuminating Engineering
Society (IES) to fund research she
began in the Designing with Light
course taught by Professor of
Design and CLTC Director,
Michael Siminovitch.
Credit: Kathreen Fontecha /CLTC, UC Davis
3
4
21
latest
from…
Alumni, Students, Faculty
Three illustrations of the adaptive Wiener filter by Ethan Anderes
Faculty
Ethan Anderes, an assistant
John Capitanio, research
Glenda Drew, associate
professor in the Department
psychologist in the Department
professor of design, was
of Statistics, and Tessa
of Psychology and the
featured in the magazine
Hill,
an filter.
associate
professor
has
been
Bitch:
Feminist Response to
ntion
of the
of the
adaptive
adaptive
Wiener
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simulation
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φ(x)
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andand
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top-left.
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estimates
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om-right).
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and Planetary
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for
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al Wiener
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Cl Clis shown
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bottom-left.
have earned prestigious
the Advancement of Science
“food” issue.
National Science Foundation
(AAAS) for his distinguished
for
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yy
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implementation
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bacteria
turn
ethylene
into
Lawrence
Berkeley
National
estimate
(15)(15)
simplifies
simplifies
to φ̃to =
φ̃ =
1 −1F− Fy and
y and
the the
results
results
found
found
in in
ncentric
concentric
annuli
annuli
around
around
theto
the
origin
origin
and
and
construct
construct
the
the estimate
liquid fuel. Atsumi is already
Laboratory and works with
applying this technique to make
machines such as the Advanced
fuels from photosynthetic blueLight Source at the Lawrence
green algae.
Berkeley National Laboratory
and the Spring-8 facility
in Japan.
Professor of Psychology Emilio
Ferrer has been awarded
the 2013 Cattell Early Career
Research Award for his work,
not only in his methodology, but
also in how he has integrated
these contributions to inform the
study of trajectories in cognitive
abilities, dynamic processes and
dyadic interactions.
John Iacovelli, professor
of theatre and dance, has
been nominated for a NAACP
Theatre Award for Set Design.
This nomination recognizes his
Pasadena Playhouse design
for “Intimate Apparel” by Lynn
Nottage. This is the fourth such
nomination for Iacovelli, who
won the NAACP Theatre Award
for Set Design for “Blues for An
Alabama Sky” by Pearl Cledge.
Lucy Corin, associate professor of English, One Hundred Apocalypses and Other Apocalypses
Beverly Bossler, professor of history, Courtesans, Concubines and the Cult of Female Fidelity
Carol A. Hess, professor of music, Representing the Good Neighbor: Music, Difference,
and the Pan American Dream
22
U C
D AV I S
C O L L E G E
O F
L E T T E R S
A N D
S C I E N C E
Mark Kurth, professor
of chemistry, and Makhluf
Haddadin, professor, American
University of Beirut, discovered
a reaction with an end product
that has considerable potential
for medicinal applications.
Instead of attaching their
names to the chemical reaction,
Kurth and Haddadin chose
to name it after the cities of
Davis and Beirut in recognition
of the merits of international
collaboration (they named it
the “Davis-Beirut Reaction”).
The Davis City Council
thanked the scientists with a
proclamation, acknowledging
“with gratitude the honor and
recognition bestowed on the
entire Davis community.”
http://bit.ly/IFj6Hd
Beth Levy, associate
professor of music musicology,
has received the Music in
American Culture Award from
the American Musicological
Society for her book, Frontier
Figures: American Music
and the Mythology of the
American West.
Martha Macri, professor
emerita of Native American
studies, and researchers
Jessica Munson, Mark Collard,
Jonathon Scholnick and
Matthew Looper, were awarded
a National Science Foundation
Interdisciplinary Behavioral and
Social Sciences Research (IBSS)
grant for their project entitled,
“Cultural Evolution of Human
Communication Systems:
Investigating Linguistic Diversity
and Social Change with Maya
Hieroglyphic Writing.”
Konstantinos
Papamichael, the codirector of the California
Lighting Technology Center
and professor of design, has
received a 2013 Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES)
Presidential Award for his
outstanding service and
leadership. The society cited
his role in creating the new IES
publication, “Recommended
Practice for Daylighting
Buildings” (RP-5-13), the
authoritative reference guide
for architects, engineers and
lighting designers.
Alan Taylor, a distinguished
professor of history and winner
of the Pulitzer Prize in history,
is author of the book Civil War
of 1812: American Citizens,
British Subjects, Irish Rebels,
& Indian Allies. The book was
placed on the short list for the
National Book Award. His
work describes a complicated
civil war with many parties,
including immigrants, Indians,
soldiers and settlers, struggling
over the legacy of the American
Revolution.
To help train the next generation
of early musicians, Jeffrey
Thomas, professor of music
and the Barbara K. Jackson
Chair in Choral Conducting,
led his American Bach Soloists
(ABS) at the fourth Summer
Festival and Academy at the
San Francisco Conservatory
of Music. Sixty-two students
of early music joined a faculty
of 12 of the group’s most
experienced performers for
two weeks of intense coaching
and rehearsals, lecturedemonstrations, master classes
and concerts open to the public.
Kurt Rohde, professor of
music, composition, theory,
analysis, has received a
commission from The Barlow
Endowment for Music
Composition at Brigham Young
University for his work on a
cello concerto for Michelle
Kesler. Rohde was also
awarded a commission from
the Fromm Music Foundation at
Harvard University.
Francisco Samaniego,
a distinguished professor of
statistics, presented his research
on “Comparative Statistical
Inference” at the International
Statistical Institute’s World
Statistics Conference in
Hong Kong.
http://on.wsj.com/1ck93SZ
Keith David Watenpaugh,
associate professor of religious
studies, was published in
The Huffington Post with his
article, “Mr. President: Share
The Armenian Orphan Carpet
With The American People,”
which asks President Obama to
display a carpet made by the
orphaned children of the World
War One-era genocide in
Armenia. Watenpaugh, known
for his work in human rights
and his work with the Institute
of International Education’s
Scholar Rescue Fund, has also
been elected as the president of
the Syrian Studies Association.
Brenda Deen Schildgen,
a distinguished professor of
comparative literature, has been
selected to lead the National
Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) 2014 Summer Institute
in Florence on “Dante’s Divine
Comedy: Poetry, Philosophy,
and the City of Florence.”
President Calvin Coolidge
and the Armenian
Orphan Rug
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Office of the Deans
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PAID
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Permit No. 3
Volume 1, Numbe
r1
Transitions
into and ou
t of Poverty
in the Unite
d States
By
Ann Huff Steven
Transitions into
s, UC Davis
marriage, divorce and out of poverty often
happen after
, or changes
major events
in income. They
factors, such as
such as
are also associa
unemploymen
t rates or wages
can show the
ted with econom
difference betwee
. Understanding
ic
the impacts of
n short-term, circum
poverty associa
each
ted with more
permanent limitati stantial poverty and longerfamily structur
e.
term
ons on earning
s, employment
In a recent study,
and
in the U.S., individ Center for Poverty Research
Director Ann Huff
ual weeks worked
predictors of how
Stevens finds that
and
aggreg
ate wage levels
many escape
or avoid poverty
are the importa
nt
from one year
Key Findings
to the next.
Increased time
spent in poverty
individual will
is
exit poverty, which associated with lower chance
13% for those
s an
ranges from 56%
in poverty for
after one year
7 or more years.
poor to
n A 3%
increase in the
magnitude experie regional unemployment
rate, which is
roughly the
rate from poverty nced at the beginning of a
recession, reduce
by approximately
s the exit
of re-entr y into
6% per year,
poverty by 9%.
and raises the
annual rate
n The decline
of approximately
$100
weekly wages
between the early in the 20th percentile of
individual real
have reduced
1970s and the
the annual exit
rate from poverty mid-90s is estimated to
by 15%.
n
In 2010, 46.2
million people
15 percent of
—over
probability that
the total U.S.
population—
an individual
lived below the
will
or exit poverty
poverty line.1
from year to year. enter
them were
Among
more than
This study empha
10.5 million
working poor—
of poverty transiti sizes that patterns
individuals living
ons may often
the poverty line
below
fairly comple
reflect
but
x interactions—
27 weeks or more who also worked for
in this
case a three
that year.2
way
interaction over
When the poverty
time between
rate increases,
aggreg
it has most years
as
conditions, individ ate labor market
in the U.S. since
ual weeks worked
it is because
1999,3
in the year
either more
and changes
individuals
fall into poverty
in family
structure.
or fewer find
escape it. In
ways to
addition to
1
identifying
U.S. Census Bureau,
individual causes
“Poverty: 2010
for
September,
and 2011,”
this study incorpo poverty transitions,
2
U.S. Bureau of2012
rates labor
Working Poor,Labor Statistics, “A Profile of
factors, such
3
2010,” January
the
as regional unemp market
U.S. Census Bureau,
2013
rates and wage
loyment
“Historical Poverty
People”
levels, into models
Tables –
of the
To download the
full research study,
About the Cente
r
Over the past
50 years, the
experienced
U.S.
a rising standar has
living without
d of
reducing the
fraction of
the population
that live in
poverty. In
response to this,
the Center for
Research at
Poverty
UC Davis is
one of three
federally designa
ted National
Centers whose
Poverty
mission is to facilitate
partisan academ
nonic research on
in the U.S., to
disseminate this poverty
and to train
research,
the next generat
poverty scholars
ion of
.
spans four themed Our research agenda
areas of focus:
n
n
n
n
Labor Markets
and Poverty
Children and
the
Intergenerationa
l Transmission
of
Poverty
The Non-traditional
focusing on health Safety Net,
and education
The Relationship
Between Poverty
and Immigration
The Center was
founded in the
2011 with core
fall of
funding from
the Office
of the Assistan
t Secretar y for
and Evaluation
Planning
in the
Health and Human U.S. Department of
Services.
For more informa
tion, email
povertycente
us
at
r@ucdavis.edu
us online at: povert
or visit
y.ucdavis.edu
UC Davis Center
for Poverty Researc
One Shields
h:
Avenue: Davis,
CA 95616
(530) 752-04
01
visit poverty.ucdavi
s.edu
Center for Poverty Research
The Center for Poverty Research was founded in
2011 with core funding from the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Part of the Division of Social Sciences, it is one of
three federally designated poverty research centers
whose mission is to facilitate non-partisan academic
research in the United States. The center focuses
on facilitating research using a diverse set of
approaches across academic disciplines to answer
critical questions about poverty and its solutions. It
engages faculty research affiliates in the following
schools, colleges, departments and programs:
Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science,
Agricultural Economics, Human and Community
Development, Chicana/o Studies, the School of
Education, the College of Engineering, and the
School of Law.
These photographs were taken last fall at an event
sponsored by the center which discussed the Affordable
Care Act and its impacts on low-income populations.
Right: Keynote speaker Mitchell Katz, M.D., director,
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.
Above: Ann Huff Stevens, professor of economics and
director of the Center for Poverty Research.
http://poverty.ucdavis.edu/
(Credit: TJ Ushing/UC Davis)