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Anya Brown, a National Geographic Explorer and assistant professor of evolution and ecology, will be featured in the upcoming film Expedition: Saving Our Seas, premiering Friday, November 13, at 9 p.m. EST on National Geographic and streaming November 14 on Disney+ and Hulu. The film spotlights the work Brown has done with Rachael Bay, an associate professor of evolution and ecology, and Teina Rongo, their collaborator at the Cook Islands-based nonprofit Kōrero O Te ‘Ōrau.

When they’re first born, baby Amazon mollies aren’t super social, but after about three weeks, something switches and they become socially attuned to their schoolmates. A new study led by researchers from the University of California, Davis, shows that groups of fish develop idiosyncratic group dynamics, even when the groups are genetically identical.

The annual CBS Dean’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) supports students who wish to stay on campus—and in the lab—over the summer terms.

Normally, undergraduates leave campus for the summer if they are not enrolled in classes. They often do this to work and save funds for the start of the next academic year. SURP consists of several different donor-funded undergraduate research awards and allows students to continue their research projects over the summer.

It’s been less than a month since the students returned to campus, and fall quarter started even more recently. It was my privilege to welcome over 500 transfer students, 1,600 first-year students, and nearly 60 new graduate students to our college this year. In every category, these are substantial incoming classes, and, as I told each group, I cannot wait to see what they accomplish during their time on campus. 

A male fruit fly aspiring to mate faces steep odds. First, he must spend up to 20 minutes maniacally buzzing and dancing. Even then, his success or failure hinges on a single split-second maneuver, when he vaults onto the female, parts her wings, and connects his abdomen to hers. If the gymnastics go awry, the female delivers a powerful mule-kick — sending him tumbling away. 

For Peter Wainwright, the academic path was simple: he simply followed his fascination with fish.

"I dare say there wasn't a lot of deep thought about what direction I should go in my life," he said. "It was more, I like fish, let's see if I can do something with fish. It was all very organic."

A. Kathleen Grey, 86, a recipient of the 2026 UC Davis Medal and a beloved member of the campus community, passed away peacefully at home on September 5. Her death came just four months after the loss of her husband of nearly 65 years, Robert D. “Bob” Grey, a molecular and cellular biologist who served as provost and executive vice chancellor and the inaugural dean of the Division of Biological Sciences.

A new study from UC Davis researchers shows that when oak trees die, it triggers major changes to the community of soil microbes living beneath them. These changes have implications for soil health that could ripple out to impact entire ecosystems, especially given the recent rise in tree deaths due to droughts and wildfires.

Two students from the College of Biological Sciences have been awarded the UC President's Pre-Professoriate Fellowship. The highly competitive fellowship supports professional development in exceptional Ph.D. candidates who are alumni of California-based Hispanic Serving Institutions as part of the UC-Hispanic Serving Institutions Doctoral Diversity Initiative. 

Interacting with animals can make people feel calmer and less lonely and anxious. A new study from the University of California, Davis, shows that animals play an active role in shaping these interactions and their outcomes.