Campus & Community

From the Dean: It's That Time of Year

Though there is much turmoil in the higher education landscape—and though it will continue, and may even worsen—one thing remains the same: commencement is a joyful time.

And it’s that time of year. Students are in their caps and gowns, families are here and the stage is set. This year, UC Davis commencements will see approximately 8,000 students complete their undergraduate journeys.

From the Dean: Thinkers, Leaders and Innovators

Spring began just two months ago, and already here in Davis it’s starting to feel like summer. There’s just about a month of the quarter left, during which our students will be preparing for final exams and then, for many, commencement. There’s still much to do between then and now, but the excitement of graduation season is already being felt in our classrooms, labs and across campus.

Inaugural “Under the Microscope” Spotlights UC Davis Cancer Researchers

Researchers in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) are driving breakthroughs in one of the thorniest problems in science: understanding and combating cancer. 

On April 29, the first webinar in a new series called “Under the Microscope” will offer the public an inside look at their innovative research, which is changing our understanding of breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. 

From the Dean: Inspiration and Hope

Spring quarter just started, and the trees outside Green Hall are in bloom. There’s pollen in the air (and on the cars — a quintessentially Davis occurrence) and our students are back. It’s always a welcome and comforting sight to see our CBS Aggies on their bikes and scooters, in the classroom and lab, and studying in our lobby. It helps us remember that things continue to move forward.

CBS Department and Graduate Group Faculty Among the 2024-25 UC Davis Chancellor's Fellows

Meet the eight faculty members who comprise the newest class of Chancellor’s Fellows, given to early career academics doing exemplary work in their fields. One of the new fellows, Kassandra Ori-McKenney, is a an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and four others are affiliated with the college's interdisciplinary graduate groups. 

From the Dean: We Keep Moving Forward

Our nation is reckoning with unprecedented threats to the future of discovery, advancement, and innovation. But we are not without hope. 

Though the scientific and research landscape has weathered significant upheavals lately, scientists persevere. Necessity is the mother of invention, after all, and with changing circumstances comes the need to innovate in new and different ways. And that’s just what researchers in the college have been doing. 

From the Dean: Creativity, Ingenuity and Dedication

Well, we’ve come to the end of the year—and it feels sudden. That’s what happens on campus. Summer is hot, then fall arrives with the return of our students, and as soon as we’re done welcoming them, it’s midterms and then finals, which just concluded last week.

From the Dean: A Comforting Rhythm

It’s not an exaggeration to say that this fall has seen a great many things come to pass. Whether events on the national stage, or advances in the life sciences, you’ve no doubt had a lot to watch.

Meet the 2024-25 BioBooster Student Club Officers

If you’ve ever walked by tables of College of Biological Sciences apparel, including soft hoodies, baseball caps, t-shirts, and quarter-zips, chances are you’ve just passed by BioBoosters. The longstanding and popular student club responsible for pop-up swag sales of CBS apparel is back for the 2024-25 year with a slate of student activities, including, of course, more swag sales. 

What Makes Queen Bees So Smart?

A bumblebee’s brain is smaller than a sesame seed. But it can still accomplish quite a bit.

“You don’t need a big brain to learn well,” said Felicity Muth, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior and a National Geographic Explorer who studies cognition in bees and other animals. “Bumblebees are capable of many of the same cognitive feats as many vertebrates.”