February 18, 2000
CA&ES Web Site Featured by DANR
The Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is featuring the college's award-winning Web site during the month of February.
DANR's website
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Julian Alston Chosen AARES President-Elect
Professor Julian Alston, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, was elected president-elect of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES). The announcement was made at the organization's annual conference in Sydney, Australia. Alston begins his term as AARES president in January 2001. Alston joined UC Davis in 1988. His primary research interest is in the economic analysis of farm commodity programs and other domestic and international policies affecting agriculture. In the area of consumer demand analysis, he has worked closely with other ARE faculty members on econometric models of demand response to advertising and studies of economic impacts of mandated generic commodity promotion campaigns for California agricultural commodities.
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Gurdev Khush Wins Wolf Prize
CA&ES alumnus Gurdev Khush, principal plant breeder and head of the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Division of the International Rice Research Institute, was awarded the 2000 Wolf Prize for Agriculture. He was selected for his "extraordinary contribution to theoretical research in plant genetics, evolution and breeding, especially of rice, with regard to food production and alleviation of hunger." Khush and his colleagues established the first molecular genetic map of rice and tagged many genes for disease and insect resistance, as well as for stress tolerance. The genetic maps of molecular and traditional markers in rice that Khush and his team developed are used widely in studying the origin and evolution of other important grain crops such as wheat, maize and barley. Khush also was honored on India's Republic Day with the Padma Shri Award for contributions to food security. India's president will present this prize to Khush at a ceremony in Delhi in March.
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Biotechnology Communications Workshop
The California Institute for Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR) is sponsoring a Biotechnology Communications Workshop for Food and Agriculture on March 6, 2000, at the Buehler Alumni & Visitors Center. Topics include improving public understanding of food safety, nutrition and health; an insider's view of communicating biotechnology to the media; and communicating risks and benefits. There will be a food and agriculture industry panel and discussion groups. Registration is $75. Registration deadline: February 29
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Lower Colorado River Tour
How do the Lower Colorado Basin states - Arizona, California and Nevada - use and manage Colorado River water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs? This question is the focus of a three-state Lower Colorado River Tour. The tour, leaving from Las Vegas at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2000, travels from Hoover Dam to the Salton Sea. It ends at the Ontario International Airport at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 31. Activities include a private tour of Hoover Dam and a boat ride on Lake Mead. Registration by March 3 - $525; after March 3 - $950
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Shopping Bag Exhibition
Opening Reception: February 27, 2000, 2-4 p.m. - Design Gallery, Walker Hall Panel Discussion: February 27, 2000, 1-2 p.m. - 176 Everson Hall "The Shopping Bag: 20 Years of Visual Communication" will feature hundreds of international shopping bags from the collection of Dolph Gotelli, professor, Department of Environmental Design. He has been collecting the bags for over 30 years. According to Gotelli, besides utilitarian properties, shopping bags are graphic design statements that can be fun, silly and avant-garde. They can advertise a business, celebrity or political candidate. They are colorful accents to the urban landscape. All top retailers in the country use shopping bags to reflect a corporate identity or to advertise a fashion mode. "Art meets design on the street," explains Gotelli when describing his collection and this exhibition. Gotelli is curator of the exhibition and will moderate a panel discussion among Christopher McKenna, visual manager, Neiman Marcus San Francisco; Lewis Sykes, special events director, Saks Fifth Avenue; and Mary Islip, regional visual manager, Macy's West. Cost: $10 per person; free to students with student ID.
Dolph E. Gotelli
Professor
Department of Environmental Design
degotelli@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-2589
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SF Billboard Campaign
"Eating Disorders in a Disordered Culture," a public awareness project developed by assistant professor Kathi Sylva, Department of Environmental Design, and collaborator Robin Lasser of San Jose State University, has attracted national attention since it began in 1997. A 14' x 48' billboard designed by the team is on display on Bryant near 4th Street in San Francisco through April 2000. Images from the project are on display at the UC Davis Women's Resources and Research Center through February 29, 2000. Sylva and Lasser were in Boston during Eating Disorder Awareness Week, February 12-19, to take part in a multimedia visual arts campaign and panel discussion on eating disorders at Boston College. They also participated in a forum, "Culture, the Media and Eating Disorders: Empowerment Through Self-expression," at Harvard University. According to Sylva, the project attempts to retain the emotional intensity of those experiencing eating disorders while conveying information about the disorders themselves. The project utilizes three venues: the World Wide Web (www.eating.ucdavis.edu); public art spaces, such as billboards and bus shelter posters; and exhibitions in galleries and museums.
Kathryn G. Sylva
Department of Environmental Design
kgsylva@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-0440
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FELT2000 Exhibition
FELT2000 is an exhibition of experimental hand felting by Annie Farley, MFA student in textile arts and costume design, Department of Environmental Design. The exhibition runs February 28 through March 15, 2000 at the MU Gallery. Farley's pieces explore textural innovations by combining wool with other materials. An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 2, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Rhonda R. O'Brien
Program Representative
Department of Environmental Design
rrobrien@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-6223
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Executive Committee Election
Academic Senate representation is needed for the Divisions of Environmental Sciences and Human Sciences. Academic Federation representation is needed for the Division of Human Sciences. Elected members serve a three-year term. Nomination deadline: March 24, 2000
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"What Qualifies You as an Expert?"
February 13, 2000 hello my name is robbie woodard, i go to holland hall school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. i'm study about plants and i need some help, i would like to know what qualifies you as an expert. and the sooner you can send back that would be helpful Robbie-I became very interested in plants and biology when I was in junior high school. In college, I became interested in the fact that plants get diseases, just like people. After I completed college, I went to graduate school to study plant pathology. I do research to find cures for plant diseases. I work on problems that help farmers and homeowners. I teach a class on diagnosing plant diseases, and another class that helps students learn about fungi. I am an expert on a few subjects, because they are things that I have studied in depth for many years. But in many ways, I am still a student. I learn new things every day. That is what is fun about working at a university. I hope this answers your question. Jim MacDonald, professor of Plant Pathology
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Development Highlights
Prominent Ventura agriculturist Alvin F. Aggen recently donated $10,000 to the Joe A. Heidrick, Sr. Western Center for Agricultural Equipment campaign. This gift brings his total campaign contribution to $25,000. In response to this gift and his long-term support of the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering, the lobby of the new facility will be named for Aggen.
Rick A. Swantz
Director of Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
raswantz@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-7961
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Student Regent Application Program
Applications are available for the position of Student Regent for the 2001-2002 academic year. The Student Regent is a voting member of the Board of Regents of the university, attends all meetings of the board and its committees and serves a one-year term, commencing July 1, 2001. All university fees are waived for the selected student for the year of service as Student Regent and for the prior year during a "regent-designate" phase. Applications are available at the Office of the Vice Chancellor - Student Affairs, 476 Mrak Hall; Student Programs and Activities Center, 457 Memorial Union; and the MU Information Desk.
More information is availableonline
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California Women for Agriculture Scholarship
The Sutter Buttes Chapter of California Women for Agriculture is offering scholarships for junior college and university students majoring in agriculture or an agricultural-related field. Applicants must be residents of Yuba and Sutter Counties or Butte County students from the Gridley and Briggs areas. Students from Colusa County also will be considered. Applicants may attend the accredited college or university of choice; however, they must enroll as full-time students for the 2000-school year.
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Farm Bureau of San Diego County Scholarship
The Farm Bureau of San Diego County is offering scholarships to any student pursuing a degree in an agriculture major or closely related field with permanent residence in San Diego County. Scholarships range from $250 to $2,000. Students entering or attending a two- or four-year college or university are eligible; however, students must be pursuing a course of study in agriculture or a closely related field and must have permanent residence in San Diego County. Primary criteria for awards are academic achievement, career goals and a commitment to study agriculture. Secondary criteria are extracurricular activities, financial need and written expression. Deadline: March 15, 2000
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RFP: California Crop Improvement Association
The California Crop Improvement Association (CCIA) requests alfalfa, beans, cereals and Pima cotton research proposals for 2000-2001 that will enhance the economic, environmental, and food and fiber quality of California crops. Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a technical committee consisting of UC researchers and CCIA research advisory committees. Projects addressing these goals may be proposed in the following categories:
- Genetics, breeding, germplasm and variety development
- Seed physiology
- Seed production management and cultural practices
- Seed conditioning, storage and treatment
Deadline: March 10, 2000
The UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) announces RFPs to support educational events and graduate student projects. SAREP is particularly interested in funding proposals that address the sustainability of crop and livestock systems or the connections among farmers, consumers and communities in sustainable food systems. Grants will be awarded in two categories: (1) educational events supporting workshops, field days, symposia and seminars ($1,200 per event) and (2) Sustainable Agriculture Graduate Awards ($3,000 per student). Deadline: April 11, 2000
Bev A. Ransom
SAREP
baransom@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-8546
Visit CA&ES Currents online at http://caes.ucdavis.edu/NewsEvents/News/Currents/default.aspx.
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.
Issue Editor:
Rhoda McKnight
(530) 752-9328
rjmcknight@ucdavis.edu
Contributors: Donna Gutierrez, Thomas Kaiser, Susan Kancir, Rhoda McKnight, Neal Van Alfen, John Weston.
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