March 23, 2001

Joseph Cech Wins Teaching Prize

Professor Joseph Cech, Jr., Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, is the recipient of the 2001 UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement. The prize, awarded annually by the UC Davis Foundation, includes a $30,000 cash award, believed to be the largest of its kind in the nation. Professor Gary Anderson, chair of the Department of Animal Science, received the award in 1997. "It certainly was an honor to be selected for this prestigious award," said Cech. "Having this sort of recognition for teaching and scholarly activity at a major research university sends a strong message about the campus's commitment to teaching and, indirectly, to the linking of students, including undergraduates, to the discovery process. This is certainly true in my case. There are many graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers and colleagues at UC Davis and at other campuses who have collaborated with me on various fish-related research projects. Without their support, I could not have been considered for this wonderful award." Cech came to UC Davis in 1975. He is known internationally for his research on the physiological ecology of fishes. He recently received a $1.5 million grant from CALFED to study the effects of fish screens on threatened species and to determine the population status of the native green sturgeon. Cech was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1997. The prize will be presented at a formal gala on May 24, 2001.

 

 

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Miguel Marino Elected AGU Fellow

Miguel Marino, professor of hydrologic sciences and civil and environmental engineering, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, was elected a fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) for fundamental and outstanding contributions to the theory and practice of groundwater hydrology and water resources management. The fellowship is awarded to scientists who have attained acknowledged eminence in one or more branches of geophysics. Marino's research interest is groundwater modeling, contamination and management; water resource planning and management; conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater; hydrologic systems analysis; and irrigation management. AGU fellowships are limited to no more than 0.1 percent of its total membership annually.

 

 

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Stephen Russell Receives Faculty Scholars Award

Stephen Russell, 4-H youth development specialist, Department of Human and Community Development, was presented the William T. Grant Foundation Faculty Scholars Award. It will support his research project titled "Adolescent Sexual Orientation, Health and Competence." The award is presented annually to six post-doctoral, pre-tenure scholars from diverse disciplines. It encourages research "that deepens and broadens the knowledge base in areas that contribute to creating a society that values young people ages 8 through 25 and that helps them reach their potential." Russell's work will provide the first comprehensive, nationally representative study of adolescent sexual orientation and adolescent health and competence. Attention will focus on health risks and the development of competence. Russell will examine the lives of sexual minority youth in context, with attention to the role of families, schools, peers and emotional health in promoting risk or resilience. "Understanding the paradox of risk and resilience in the lives of children and youth and the developmental concerns of minority populations supports the missions and goals of the college, the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and 4-H youth development," Russell said. "This project will build a research base that benefits outreach for California youth, families, educators and youth development professionals."

 

Stephen T. Russell

4-H Youth Development Specialist

Department of Human and Community Development

strussell@ucdavis.edu

(530) 219-3438

 

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Harry Kaya Presented ESA Recognition Award

Professor Harry Kaya, chair of the Department of Nematology, was presented the ESA Recognition Award in Entomology from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). The award, presented in December at the group's annual meeting in Montreal, Canada, recognizes Kaya's overall contributions to entomology. Department chair Robert Page nominated Kaya for the award, which was sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection. Kaya received an inscribed plaque, a trip to Switzerland to visit agricultural research facilities and commercial farming operations and registration to ESA's upcoming annual meeting in Montreal. Kaya's primary research objective has been to understand nematode biology in order to develop methods to integrate them as fundamental biocontrol agents into insect pest management. He has established collaborative research programs in insect nematology and pathology with scientists in France, Japan, Korea, Portugal and the United States.

 

 

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Gary Anderson Named to SN&R "Top 100 List"

The Sacramento News & Review named Professor Gary Anderson, chair of the Department of Animal Science, to the "Top 100 List of Most Intriguing People" in the Sacramento region. SN&R developed what it calls a "who's who roster for Sacramento - a subjective listing of the region's most intriguing, accomplished, forward-thinking people." "I'm shocked," said Anderson, an international leader in the field of embryo physiology and genetics. "I didn't even know I was being considered." Others named in the SN&R Top 100 List are state treasurer Phil Angelides, CSUS president Don Gerth, NBA legend Kevin Johnson, Sacramento Business Journal publisher Dan Kennedy, Sacramento mayor Heather Fargo, U.S. Olympic track star Stacy Dragila, restaurateur Randy Paragary, Sacramento Theatre Company artistic director Peggy Shannon, Tower Records founder Ross Solomon, visual artist Wayne Thiebaud and state superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin. Anderson's research focuses on mammalian embryo development. Ongoing projects fall into one of four categories: determining the nature of the barrier to pregnancy between species, isolation of embryonic stem cells from livestock embryos, transgenic animals and cloning, and comparative reproduction.

 

 

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Lester Ehler Elected IOBC President

Professor Lester Ehler, Department of Entomology, was elected president of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC). He will serve for eight years, four as president and four as past-president. IOBC, headquartered in Montpellier, France, is the major professional organization for biological-control workers. Ehler's research interests include theory and practice of biological control, and ecology and management of insects and mites in natural, agricultural and urban environments. Current research projects include biological control of beet armyworm on sugarbeet, obscure scale on oaks and stink bugs on tomato.

 

 

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HCD Welcomes Rand and Katherine Conger

Rand and Katherine Conger are visiting professors in the Department of Human and Community Development through June 30, 2001. They will join the HCD faculty on July 1. Rand Conger was professor of sociology and psychology at Iowa State University where he also served as director of the Institute for Social and Behavioral Research and director of the Center for Family Research in Rural Mental Health. Considered one of the top researchers in his field - the effects of family environment on human development, he is principal investigator on several multi-site, multi-cultural, longitudinal studies of child and youth development and has received $35 million in funded research grants. Research scientist Katherine Conger worked with the Institute for Social and Behavioral Research at Iowa State University. Her research interests include social processes in family relationships, adolescent development and transition into adulthood. She recently was awarded a major grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study sibling influences on adolescent development. "We're thrilled to have the Congers join our faculty and warmly welcome them to campus," said HCD department chair Beth Ober

 

 

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Chronicle Includes CA&ES on Trend-setting List

In an article appearing February 7, 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle referred to San Francisco as the "culinary capital of the United States." The college was listed as one of 101 reasons why the Bay Area is considered "a culinary trend-setter." Here's what they said: "UC Davis - Located on 5,200 acres of land near Sacramento, the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences houses 19 departments and 400 faculty. The college is one of the top agricultural education facilities in the world, and is well known around the world for research on livestock, wine and how to solve global hunger by increasing food production. The college is responsible for developing most of the strawberry varieties we eat. The enology department is the largest university winemaking and grape-growing program in the country."

 

 

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Ian Garnett Dies at 55

Senior lecturer Ian Garnett, Department of Animal Science, passed away March 3, 2001, following a brief illness. He was 55 years old. Garnett was born in England and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. He received his B.S. in agriculture and M.S. in genetics from the University of British Columbia. He came to UC Davis in 1990 as director of the newly established professional master's degree program in agriculture and management (MAM) and senior lecturer in the Department of Animal Science. In 1999, Garnett was recognized as the college's Outstanding Faculty Adviser. He assisted in developing and teaching several courses that integrated management components with production technologies, and he helped to initiate a field-trip course that took students to California production operations. He led that course for the past two years. "Ian was an outstanding departmental citizen and colleague, making positive contributions to many of the department's activities," said Gary Anderson, department chair. "He will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, his good nature, and his love of family and friends." Garnett is survived by his wife Eleanore of Davis, son Stewart of Roseville, and daughters Lindsay of Sacramento and Christa of Davis.

 

 

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Swine Center Ribbon-cutting Reception

Dean Neal Van Alfen and vice provost and executive vice chancellor Robert Grey joined Gary Anderson, chair of the Department of Animal Science, in a tour of the new Swine Teaching, Research and Outreach Center following a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception on March 13, 2001. The state-of-the-art facility, located on Straloch Road near the campus airport, has 10,000 square feet of indoor space and outdoor roof-covered areas including breeding/gestation pens and growing/finishing pens. The facility replaces the Hog Barn, which was built on the periphery of the main campus in 1913. Land once used for hog pens is now occupied by Crocker Nuclear Lab, Meyer Hall, Academic Surge, the Campus Data Center, Engineering III and several temporary classroom buildings. "There are many benefits to having a state-of-the-art facility," said Anderson. "Confidence and uniformity in environmental conditions, improved animal welfare, vermin-proof facilities, reduced labor for husbandry, an animal laboratory classroom, space for outreach meetings and quarters for resident undergraduate animal caretakers."

 

 

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April in the Arboretum

Wednesday, April 11 Lunchtime walk with superintendent Warren Roberts 12 noon - south steps of Mrak Hall Friday, April 20 Wild Things! 7 p.m. - Putah Creek Lodge Sunday, April 22 Arboretum Terrace Garden Tour 2 p.m. - Arboretum Terrace Saturday, April 28 Filoli Estate Garden Tour 8:15 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Arboretum Headquarters $40 ($30 for members) includes admission, tour, transportation: Bring a lunch and blanket Sunday, April 29 Desert in Bloom 2 p.m. - Arboretum Headquarters

 

 

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A Fresh Breeze From China

Rui-Xiang Zhang, textile arts and costume design graduate student, experienced a radical change in culture and in her art when she arrived in America from China. While in China, her work was traditional, often using Chinese folk stories as inspiration. In contrast, since living in America, the bright colors integrated into her work reflect the freedom and relaxation she has experienced here. An exhibition of her work is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the International House.

 

Rhonda R. O'Brien

Program Representative

Department of Environmental Design

rrobrien@ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-6223

 

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Works by Katherine Westphal

Internationally known artist and educator Katherine Westphal is exhibiting her newest three-dimensional assemblages alongside some favorite textile pieces in a show titled "Spirit Now and Then: Recent Works by Katherine Westphal." The works will be on display in the Design Gallery in Walker Hall from April 8 through May 11, 2001. Westphal, who taught at UC Davis from 1966 to 1979, is known for transforming ordinary substances and recycled materials into three-dimensional shrines - celebrating past memories and present fantasies. "Through her work, we learn to see the potential beauty of an iceberg lettuce wrapper, a piece of cardboard packing material or a scrap of shiny trash," explains Professor Victoria Rivers, Department of Environmental Design, who has created an outreach program based on the exhibition.

 

Rhonda R. O'Brien

Program Representative

Department of Environmental Design

rrobrien@ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-6223

 

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Chemicals, the Environment and You

The Society of Toxicology is presenting workshops for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade teachers on March 27, 2001, at its annual meeting in San Francisco. The program is co-sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Services and the Center for Environmental Health Sciences. A new curriculum supplement for middle school life science students will be presented; it is titled "Chemicals, the Environment and You: Explorations in Science and Human Health." Ninth- through twelfth-grade teachers will participate in an interactive workshop titled "A Teacher's Guide to Toxicity-testing Basics."

 

Marion G. Miller

Department of Environmental Toxicology

mgmiller@ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-4526

 

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Working Conference for College Faculty

A working conference for college faculty, presented by the Center for Case Studies in Education, Pace University, will be held August 11-15, 2001, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The conference, titled "Enlivening Teaching: Using Discipline-based Cases and Classroom Research to Improve Learning and Teaching," will focus on case teaching, with a special classroom research strand for faculty whose disciplines do not lend themselves to traditional cases. Registration is limited to 100 participants.

 

For more information,click here

 

 

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Agricultural Experiment Station Revisions

With the completion of the AD-421 annual reports, please review your AD-421 checklist. For those AES projects that have an estimated termination date of September 30, 2001, submit revisions to CeCe Krek in the Dean's Office by April 30. If PIs have terminated their Agricultural Experiment Station projects, please remind them that they should submit a new project by the April 30 deadline. AES projects must be peer reviewed in the department prior to submission to the Dean's Office. Funds cannot be assigned to projects until they have been approved by USDA-CSREES.

 

 

 

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Kinsella Memorial Prize

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences established the Kinsella Memorial Prize in honor of Professor John E. Kinsella, former dean. The annual award is given to one or more outstanding individuals who submit Ph.D. dissertation during the spring, fall or winter quarters, immediately preceding the nomination due date. Nominations must include a one-page abstract of the dissertation and a three-page letter elaborating on the following: 1. The quality and originality of the work; 2. The multidisciplinary impact of the research; and 3. The importance of the research to the college's mission to serve agriculture, the environment, and human health and development. Send nominations to Susan Alvarado, CA&ES Dean's Office, 150 Mrak Hall. Deadline: April 13, 2001

 

 

 

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RFP: Pierce's Disease Research

The UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is soliciting a proposals for a peer-reviewed research program for Pierce's disease. The program is funded by a special grant from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) to UC DANR. It is open to qualified public and private research entities where appropriate research expertise exists. Deadline: April 20, 2001

 

Robert K. Webster

Department of Plant Pathology

rkwebster@ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-0316

 

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RFP: School/University Partnerships

School/University Partnerships invite faculty to submit proposals for grants to fund projects designed to boost student achievement and/or promote a college-bound culture at one or more of 24 designated schools. Grant awards range from $3,000 to $15,000. Deadline: April 13, 2001

 

School/University Partnerships online

 

 

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RFP: Presidential Grants in Education

Presidential Grants in Education, administered by UCOP, supports collaborative "action research" and program activities that link UC campuses with local schools and communities while promoting equity and excellence in teaching and learning throughout California. General funding grants for one year range from $10,000 to $28,000. Deadline: April 28, 2001

 

More information availableonline

 

 

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RFP: Catalonian Studies Program

The Autonomous Government of Catalonia and UC Berkeley, pending final confirmation of program renewal, are pleased to invite applications from UC faculty for scholarly visits to Catalan universities and research institutes. The purpose of the exchange visit is to interact with colleagues in Catalonia and give lectures about one's own scholarly work. A facet of the program allows Catalan scholars to be sent to UC. Deadline: April 15, 2001

 

Get more informationonline

 

 

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RFP: Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems Program

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service requests proposals for the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems Program (IFAFS) to support competitively awarded research, extension and education grants addressing key issues of national and regional importance to agriculture, forestry and related topics. Deadline: April 23, 2001

 

Rodney Foil

IFAFS director

CSREES-USDA

rfoil@reeusda.gov

(202) 720-4423

 

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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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