University News

Inside the Quest to Understand the Universe

Anila Mary Lijo — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:43:55 PST

For more than 40 years, physicist John Conway has led research in high-energy particle physics, a field driven by a simple yet profound goal: to understand what the universe is made of and how it works.

He is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May. Conway’s career has been fueled by the thrill of colliding subatomic particles at extraordinary energies and capturing the results with some of the most sophisticated instruments ever built.

Renowned Wireless Communications Expert Wins UC Davis Teaching Prize

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:50:00 PST

On Monday, Dec. 1, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Zhi Ding entered Wellman Hall like any other day, navigating to a near-capacity classroom on the bottom floor to begin his “Signal Analysis and Communications” lecture at the University of California, Davis. As he started teaching, however, he and his students were interrupted by a group of special guests led by Chancellor Gary S. May.

UC Davis Designated Black-Serving Institution

Julia Ann Easley — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:41:34 PST

UC Davis is in the inaugural class of California universities and colleges designated as Black-Serving Institutions, or BSIs, under a state initiative.

Report State Gifts and Dues by Jan. 12

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:09:04 PST

Government and Community Relations is reminding the UC Davis and UC Davis Health communities of the approaching deadline to report gifts made to state officials in October, November and December.

UC Davis’ Most Impactful Stories of 2025

Anila Mary Lijo — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:30:49 PST

In 2025, UC Davis once again proved why it stands among the world’s leading research universities — not only by pushing boundaries, but by telling the stories that help people understand why breakthroughs matter. Many of those breakthroughs start as federally funded projects, and countless members of our campus community jointed together this year to voice support of that work through our From Labs to Lives project.

Alumni Books of 2025

Jocelyn C Anderson — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:02:27 PST

Aggies have you covered for the holiday gift-giving season, tackling myriad topics this year.

Check out UC Davis Magazine’s full list of new books by alumni in 2025.

FICTION

Greg Sweatt ’73 takes readers back to the Civil War, when some battles were fought in little-known locations, for By the Hands of Parties Unknown (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2025).

Among the Academies: Tackling the World’s Challenges

Jose Antonio Vadi — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:00:14 PST

Jonna Mazet arrived at UC Davis as an undergraduate curious about veterinary medicine in 1986, and is retiring four decades of groundbreaking campus initiatives later, having built a legacy of cross-discipline innovation on global health problem-solving, particularly regarding emerging infectious diseases and conservation challenges.

Federal Funding Protects California’s Future

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:00:20 PST

When Tommy Ma and Tiffany Pan adopted a 3-month-old Ragdoll kitten named Lychee in 2022, they expected joy, not heartbreak.

“Lychee was a dream come true,” Pan said. “Growing up, I’d never been allowed to have any large pets. Even cats are considered a large pet in my family.”

Just weeks after coming home, Lychee fell gravely ill. He began showing signs of feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP, a disease that was once fatal for cats.

Chemist Carlito Lebrilla Elected as National Academy of Inventors Fellow

Cody Kitaura — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:00 PST

Distinguished Professor Carlito Lebrilla is among the 185 academic and institutional inventors newly elected to the National Academy of Inventors, or NAI. The fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors and celebrates success in translating research into products and services.

Suspected Case of Mumps Identified on UC Davis Campus

Julia Ann Easley — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:24:56 PST

Out of an abundance of caution and consistent with recommendations from the California Department of Public Health, UC Davis offers the following public health information:

An individual with a suspected case of mumps was on the Davis campus on the evening of Dec. 3, 2025.

Checking in With Chancellor May: How Our Research Partnerships Serve the World

Cody Kitaura — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:00:00 PST

To the UC Davis community:

What’s Open, What’s Closed: Winter ’25

Jose Antonio Vadi — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:00:00 PST

It’s that time of the year to think twice about where to find food and drink options, and other services on campus. Fall quarter ends Friday (Dec. 12) and winter break is right around the corner. Here's a guide to what’s open and closed on campus until the first day of winter instruction begins Monday, Jan. 5.

11 Join the Ranks of Hellman Fellows

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:45:00 PST

Eleven faculty members are receiving support for their work through this year’s Hellman Fellowships, and it comes right when they need it most: early in their careers.

“It can be immensely helpful to provide direct research funding to faculty members after their second or third year, when their work is ramping up but initial funding is running out,” said Phil Kass, vice provost of Academic Affairs. “This support helps provide a boost for their work and is vital in securing external funding.”

Grants this year range from $15,000 to $40,000, for a total of $320,000 awarded.

Lighting Strongly Influences People’s Experience While Listening to Music, a New Study Suggests

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:11:27 PST

When you go to your next concert or listen to your favorite music on an app, you might first consider the lighting around you.

Music is widely known for its ability to arouse, change moods or trigger a cathartic emotional release in people. A multidisciplinary team from three universities found that indoor lighting of various hues so strongly influences listeners’ experiences that musical venues, health-care settings and even homeowners might wish to reconsider their lighting choices for maximal effect and enjoyment of their music.

Employees Can Claim 2 Tickets to Saturday’s Quarterfinal Football Game

Cody Kitaura — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:00:00 PST

The UC Davis football team is set to host a quarterfinal playoff game this weekend, and each employee can claim a pair of complimentary tickets while supplies last. Additional tickets are available at a discount.

The NCAA Football Championships Subdivision matchup is set for 2 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) at UC Davis Health Stadium against Illinois State. The two teams also met in last year's playoffs, with the Aggies coming out on top.

UC Davis Degree To Be First for Family, Birthday Gift

Julia Ann Easley — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:47:16 PST

Editor’s note: Tickets are required for admission to commencement; to cover the ceremony, email jaeasley@ucdavis.edu or text 530-219-4545.

Trading smiles, Melissa Segura and her mother, Monica Segura, playfully warn each other not to start crying — either will set the other off.

Federal Budget Cut Halts Solar Heat Technology Project

Andy Fell — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:35:11 PST

A project to capture solar heat for industrial use — with potential spinoffs in other energy areas, including nuclear power — has been canceled by the U.S. Department of Energy on the cusp of its final phase. The University of California, Davis, received a letter from the federal agency stating that the work “does not effectuate the Department of Energy’s priorities.”

Plant Biologists Win VinFuture Prize for Developing Self-Cloning Crops

Andy Fell — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:11:16 PST

Two researchers at the University of California, Davis, have been awarded a VinFuture Prize in recognition of their work developing self-cloning crops, a breakthrough for sustainable agriculture.

New Study Charts How Cartel Violence Increases Risks for Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:25:50 PST

As the U.S. government turns its attention to drug cartels in Mexico, new research from the University of California, Davis, suggests that violent competition among criminal organizations increases the risks migrants face at the northern border.

“Migrants face significant dangers across all border regions where criminal organizations operate, but when rival groups fight for territorial control, those dangers escalate sharply,” said Oscar Contreras-Velasco, the study’s author and an assistant professor of sociology in the ��ý of Letters and Science at UC Davis.