December 03, 1999
College Wins First-Place Award for Web Site!
The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences just received the CASE District VII award of excellence for the best World Wide Web site among those entered in the organization's 1999 Awards for Excellence Program. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Program identifies and rewards excellence in 44 categories in the areas of alumni programming; institutional relations; electronic and new media; and periodicals and publications. The award program recognizes the best efforts in institutional advancement by CASE members, with particular acknowledgement of creativity, quality and effective use of available resources in meeting stated goals and objectives. One Award of Excellence and up to three Awards of Distinction are presented in each category. The CA&ES site went online in January 1999 following introduction at the Dean's Council, chair's meeting, department manager's meeting and end-of-month coffee. Student intern Ian Brewer ('99, Design) provided design and technical expertise, with support from student intern Margarita Camarena ('98, Design), now a career employee in the Dean's Office, and Jack Holmes, Dean's Office computer resource specialist. Design and development of the site was coordinated by Rhoda McKnight, college publicist, college relations unit. The Awards of Distinction were presented to Arizona State University (two) and San Francisco State University (one). The award-winning CA&ES site will be displayed during the conference in the exhibit hall for Award of Excellence winners; all winners' names will be posted on the CASE conference Web site.
Julia A. Munsch
Webmaster
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
jamunsch@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-7771
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AIBS President's Summit Produced Historic Document
At a United Nations-like gathering convened by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) in November, leaders from disciplines ranging from microbiology to landscape ecology agreed that in today's cross-disciplinary, international world, biologists must strengthen the linkages among their fields of expertise and become more effective communicators with the rest of society. In an unprecedented demonstration of unity and strength by the biological community, 57 presidents and other leaders of AIBS's 69-society member federation (with a collective membership of over 150,000 biologists) met for the first-ever AIBS President's Summit to identify collective action plans in public policy, research funding, education and career issues. The leaders reached substantive agreements on new consensus procedures for how their organizations can work together and with other scientific bodies on matters of worldwide importance. The "Arlie Accords," signed by three members of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reflects the beginning of structural and visionary changes in how AIBS societies can develop a shared plan for collective action in support of biological research and education. The document was signed by Neal Van Alfen, dean and president of the American Phytopathological Society; Alan Hastings, professor, Department of Environmental Science & Policy, and president of the Society for Mathematical Biology; and Gary Polis, professor and chair, Department of Environmental Science & Policy, and president of the American Society of Naturalists.
For a complete list of AIBS member societies and organizations, go toAIBS Online
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Alexandra Navrotsky Selected Cruickshank Lecturer
Professor Alexandra Navrotsky, sharing appointments in Department of Land, Air and Water Resources; Chemical Engineering and Materials Service; Chemistry; and Geology, was selected as an Alexander M. Cruickshank Lecturer at the Gordon Conference on High Temperature Materials, Processes and Diagnostics at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Each year, lecturers are appointed in the Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences Gordon Conferences. The lectures are presented at Gordon Conferences and are in keeping with the Gordon Research Conferences' tradition of presenting research at the Frontiers of Science.
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Martina McGloughlin Addresses WTO
Martina McGloughlin, director of the UC Davis Biotechnology Program, was a featured speaker at two events at the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle. McGloughlin appeared at a news conference on Tuesday, November 30, 1999, hosted by U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo. Distinguished scientists discussed the benefits of biotechnology for human health and the environment. Bond serves as chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds research activities at the National Science Foundation. Joining McGloughlin on the news-conference panel were: Nina Fedoroff, director, Life Sciences Consortium and the Biotechnology Institute, Pennsylvania State University; Brian Larkins, professor, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona; and Douglas Randall, professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri. McGloughlin also appeared on a WTO panel on Wednesday, December 1, addressing "WTO agreements on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade: dealing with new food production technologies." The panel addressed a session of the Agricultural Trade Conference, charged with identifying issues for the WTO negotiations. Session moderator was policy analyst Paul Drazek, a former special trade advisor to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. Joining McGloughlin on this panel was U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa; Lynn Jensen, president of the National Corn Growers Association; Mike Yost, chair of the American Soybean Association and American Oilseed Coaliition; Keven Uresch, special trade advisor to the U. S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and Ann Veneman, former U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture and former California secretary of agriculture.
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Emmy Werner Presented Dolley Madison Award
Professor Emeritus Emmy Werner, Department of Human & Community Development, is recipient of the Dolley Madison Award for Outstanding Lifelong Contributions to the Development and Well-being of Children and Families." From Zero-to-Three, a national organization concerned with the well being of young children and their families, presented the presidential award to Werner at a ceremony in Anaheim. Werner's new book, "Through the Eyes of Innocents: Children Witness World War II," published by Westview Press, was released this week. It is based on diaries and journals of 200 children living in areas that held opposing views about the war. The book chronicles how these children endured World War II and the adversities they overcame.
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Pomology Department Wins Golden Strawberry Award
In recognition of 50 years of research that has revolutionized strawberry growing and invigorated the economy in southwestern Spain, the Department of Pomology received the Golden Strawberry Award from the Spanish province of Heulva. The Freson de Oro Award was presented in September in the town of Lepe, Spain, to Candy Voelker of the department. The award, sponsored by the Bank of El Monte, honors a business or organization that has contributed generously to Heulva's agricultural industry. Presenters noted that the research by UC scientists was responsible for the introduction and vigorous growth of the strawberry industry in the province. "The department was surprised and delighted upon hearing of the award," said Ted DeJong, chair. "It's always a pleasure to see that our research positively influences not only California agriculture but also other parts of the world." During nearly five decades of research, UC Davis scientists have used selective-breeding techniques to develop new varieties that are larger, more colorful and flavorful and more productive over a long growing season. The California strawberry industry, which raises 80 percent of the strawberries consumed in North America, can now produce strawberries year-round rather than just during a few weeks as is true in other parts of the country. UC Davis' strawberry breeding program currently is in the hands of Professor Douglas Shaw and pomologist Kirk Larson, Cooperative Extension specialist, Researchers continually work to improve commercial strawberries in terms of fruit quality, production efficiency and resistance to pests and disease.
Thomas M. DeJong
Professor and Chair
Department of Pomology
tmdejong@ucdavis.edu
(530) 753-0123
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Daniel Sumner to Oversee APMP
The University of California's central program for agricultural personnel management and farm labor issues is moving to a new home. The Agricultural Personnel Management Program (APMP) is now part of the Davis-based UC Agricultural Issues Center. Daniel Sumner, center director and the Frank H. Buck, Jr., professor in agricultural economics, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, will oversee the program. "This move will allow us to include agricultural personnel and labor issues as a part of our integrated program of research and outreach," Sumner said. "Farm labor issues have never been more important - or more controversial - for California agriculture." With its extension programs, APMP helps agricultural business operators understand how their choices shape organizational structure, job design, recruitment and selection, training and development, immediate supervision, pay and benefits, employee communications, corrective actions and other responses to problems. The program was established by a specific augmentation to the university budget in 1981 and is one of more than two dozen statewide programs managed by DANR.
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DANR Temporary Funds Reported
According to James MacDonald, executive associate dean, official word has been received from DANR regarding UC Davis requests for temporary funds "The temporary funds went heavily toward one-time expenditures for physical facilities or equipment," MacDonald said. "This pattern may change in the future as the new workgroup structure settles in and workgroups start requesting temporary funds for high-priority projects." The awards, including DANR funds and matching funds, include: 1. Specialized Equipment for Small-to-Medium-Sized Plot Research Department of Agronomy & Range Science DANR awarded - $260,000 CA&ES awarded - $40,000 Department match - $40,000 2. Western Center for Agricultural Equipment Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering DANR awarded - $100,000 CA&ES awarded - $100,000 Department match - $70,000 3. UC Davis Daily Foods Research and Extension Facility Department of Food Science & Technology DANR awarded - $150,000 CA&ES awarded - $100,000 Department match - $100,000 4. Lighting and Cooling Upgrades of Greenhouse Facility UC/USDA Research Center, Salinas DANR awarded - $34,000 CA&ES match - $5,000 The college also recommended that DANR support the start-up of two research projects. One project is titled "Research at the agricultural-urban interface," and the other is titled "Development of an economic database to improve management of California's renewable marine resources." These projects were not funded. While many members of the Program Council felt that these were worthwhile projects, there was a strong feeling that such projects should come forward with the sponsorship of a workgroup. This opinion is consistent with how similar research proposals were handled and represents a move to enhance the role of workgroups in setting priorities.
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Study Shows Tahoe Ban Reduced MTBE
A ban on high polluting, two-stroke boat engines dramatically reduced MTBE and other fuel pollution in Lake Tahoe this past summer, compared with previous years, according to UC Davis scientists. John Rueter, Department of Environmental Science & Policy, a member of the UC Davis Tahoe Research Group, said that the elimination of such engines - imposed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency at the beginning of the 1999 boating season - reduced both MTBE and toluene concentrations in the Sierra Nevada lake by 90 percent or more. Scientists sought to determine which action had the greater impact on MTBE pollution: service stations in the Tahoe basin selling MTBE-free gasoline or the ban on certain types of engines. "The engines had more impact," Reuter said. The study's findings are significant because they show "that MTBE can be controlled through the management of boating practices."
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Wine & Grape Symposium
An organizing committee led by Cooperative Extension enologist Christian Butzke has arranged five timely enology breakout sessions with more than two dozen speakers at the upcoming Unified Wine & Grape Symposium to be held January 25-27, 1999, in Sacramento. Topics include Optimizing Quality and Yield, Stuck Fermentation, 2000 User's Guide to Presses, Microoxygenation and a winemaker's workshop titled "What is Ripeness?"
Christian E. Butzke
Cooperative Extension specialist
Department of Viticulture and Enology
cebutzke@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-9312
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2000 Water Tours
The Water Education Foundation's tours offer participants a firsthand look at the water facilities, rivers and regions critical in the debate about the future of water resources in California and the West. Issues of water supply, water quality, environmental restoration, flood management, water marketing and water conservation are addressed by a wide range of speakers representing different viewpoints. The first 2000 tour is the Lower Colorado River, March 29-31, 2000. The three-day, two-night tour follows the course of the lower Colorado River through three states. It includes a private tour of Hoover Dan, a boat ride on Lake Mead, a visit to the Salton Sea, tours of the MWD of Southern California facilities at Gene Village, and visits to Southern California agricultural and urban regions.
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Satellite Programs
Dr. and Mr. Alexander Swantz added a gift of $106,000 worth of securities to the Charitable Remainder Unitrust they established in November 1997. The gift designation for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is undesignated at this time; but the donors are supportive of the college's new environmental initiatives, particularly the study of water-use policy.
Rick A. Swantz
Director of Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
raswantz@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-7961
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Development News
Most satellite programs are free. College-level credit courses are available to county and campus Cooperative Extension staff and their clientele and other educational institutions. There is a registration fee for each course. For a listing of satellite programs, computer and videotape courses in the agriculture, natural resources, youth development, and food, nutrition, family and consumer resources areas, contact Karen Berke.
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2000 UNCF-MERCK Science Initiative
The College Fund/UNCF and the Merck Company Foundation have established scholarship awards for outstanding African American students pursuing studies and careers in the field of biomedical research. At least 37 awards will be given annually: 15 $25,000 awards at the undergraduate level; 12 $40,000 awards at the graduate level; and 10 $70,000 awards at the postdoctoral level. Each applicant for the UNCF Undergraduate Science Research Scholarship must be an African American undergraduate-degree candidate in the academic year 2000-01, a life sciences or physical sciences major with a minimum GPA of 3.3 (cumulative and in major subjects), committed to work as an intern for two summers at a Merck research facility and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Applicants for the UNCF Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships must be African American, enrolled full time in a doctoral program in the life or physical sciences, within two years of completing dissertation and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Each applicant for the UNCF Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship must be African American, a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree recipient in a life science or physical science by the end of the academic year 1999-00 and appointed in a postdoctoral fellow during the 2000 calendar year at an academic or non-academic research institution. This appointment must be for a minimum of 12 months. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
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Life Sciences Informatics Program
The Life Sciences Informatics (SLI) Program is part of UC President Richard Atkinson's plan to enhance California's economic competitiveness, stimulate investment and growth investment in California jobs and businesses, accelerate delivery of public benefits from UC research and education, train a highly skilled workforce and improve communications technology, equipment and processes. LSI supports innovative interdisciplinary research at the interface of life sciences and mathematics, statistics, computational and information sciences and engineering. Any UC researcher with prinicpal-investigator status is eligible to apply. Special emphasis will be placed on multi-disciplinary projects and projects that provide research training opportunities for students and post-doctorates. LSI supports engineering and basic science disciplines. The research is pre-commercial, from basic to proof-of concept. Areas include: agricultural sciences, animal sciences, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, environmental sciences, food sciences, medicine, veterinary medicine and zoology. Letter of Intent Deadline: February 8, 2000 Proposal Deadline: February 22, 2000
Life Sciences website
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RFP: Cling Peach
The California Cling Peach Growers Advisory Board is soliciting research proposals for 2000-01. The funding level is expected to be similar to 1999 levels.
Thomas M. DeJong
Professor and Chair
Department of Pomology
tmdejong@ucdavis.edu
(530) 753-0123
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RFP: IPM Grants Program
The Regional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Grants Program supports the continuum of research and extension needed to increase implementation of IPM methods from development of individual pest control tactics to the integration of tactics into an IPM system to extension education and training. The goal of the program is to provide support for projects that develop and help users implement IPM systems that are profitable and environmentally sound over the long term, reduce reliance on pesticides; and protect and conserve ecosystem quality and diversity. Funding is available to research and extension staff at land-grant universities in the region. The Western Region will provide funding for three types of IPM projects in fiscal year 2000: research, extension and research-extension
Nick Toscano
Coordinator
Western Regional IPM Special Grants
nick.toscano@ucr.edu
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Visit CA&ES Currents online at http://caes.ucdavis.edu/NewsEvents/News/Currents/default.aspx
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CA&ES Currents, the faculty/staff newsletter of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, is distributed every other Friday. News deadline is noon Monday preceding Friday publication. Send inquiries to Ann Filmer, afilmer@ucdavis.edu
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Issue Editor:
Rhoda McKnight
(530) 752-9328
Contributors: Donna Gutierrez, Thomas Kaiser, Susan Kancir, Rhoda McKnight, Neal Van Alfen, John Weston.
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