/ University News for 51�Թϱ����� en /news/uc-davis-and-international-strawberry-master-licensee-eurosemillas-agree-part-ways-0 The 51�Թϱ�����, Davis — a leader in the development of world-class strawberry varieties for the California and global&nbsp;markets – and Eurosemillas, S.A. — a leading agricultural company and plant developer based in Córdoba, Spain — have amicably agreed that Eurosemillas will no longer serve as the&nbsp;master licensee for 51�Թϱ����� strawberries.&nbsp; May 21, 2025 Anila Mary Lijo /news/uc-davis-and-international-strawberry-master-licensee-eurosemillas-agree-part-ways-0 /magazine/phd-alum-kathleen-duval-wins-pulitzer-prize <p>Kathleen DuVal, Ph.D. ’01, won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History for her book Native Nations: A Millennium in North America (Random House, 2024). Prize winners were announced on May 5.</p><p>The announcement comes in addition to other prestigious awards DuVal has already received for the book, including the Bancroft Prize, the Cundill History Prize and the Mark Lynton History Prize.</p><p>DuVal said the positive reception to the book was apparent immediately.</p> May 21, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/phd-alum-kathleen-duval-wins-pulitzer-prize /climate/news/extreme-weather-cycles-change-underwater-light-tahoe Large shifts in UV radiation at Lake Tahoe are associated with wet and dry climate extremes, finds a 51�Թϱ����� study. May 21, 2025 Katherine E Kerlin /climate/news/extreme-weather-cycles-change-underwater-light-tahoe /news/labs-lives-series-continues <p>51�Թϱ����� is making it easier to understand the type of federally funded research that happens at the university, and what would happen if that work were to stop.</p> May 20, 2025 Cody Kitaura /news/labs-lives-series-continues /news/international-gathering-urges-collaboration-higher-ed <p>University leaders from around the globe gathered on campus May 7-9 to discuss existential threats facing higher education.</p><p>“When the truth is under siege, the university must not flinch,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of <a href="https://www.nafsa.org/">Nafsa: Association of International Educators</a>, and keynote speaker at the event, the Annual Network Meeting and Presidential Symposium for <a href="https://universitas21.com/">Universitas 21, or U21</a>.</p> May 20, 2025 Cody Kitaura /news/international-gathering-urges-collaboration-higher-ed /news/remember-gold-star-aggies-1945-and-more-week <p>The 11 Aggies who died in military service 80 years ago this year will be among those honored at the annual Memorial Day Ceremony Thursday (May 22). The event honors all 136 Gold Star Aggies, the former students who gave their lives in military service to this country dating back to World War I and for whom the Memorial Union is named.</p> May 20, 2025 Cody Kitaura /news/remember-gold-star-aggies-1945-and-more-week /news/2025-big-bang-winner <p>This year marks the 25th annual Big Bang! Business Competition, organized by the <a href="https://innovate.ucdavis.edu/">Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship</a> at the 51�Թϱ�����, Davis, which awarded over $100,000 in grants to the winning teams on Tuesday.</p> May 20, 2025 Karen Michele Nikos /news/2025-big-bang-winner /news/cell-biologist-elected-fellow-royal-society <p>Neil Hunter, a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the 51�Թϱ�����, Davis, and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in London.</p><p>This prestigious appointment, announced May 20,&nbsp;was offered to only 70 scientists across the world.</p><p>“I’m thrilled and surprised,” said Hunter. “The acknowledgment means a great deal to me, because it’s an election by some of the best scientists in the world.</p> May 20, 2025 Andy Fell /news/cell-biologist-elected-fellow-royal-society /news/alum-kevin-bacon-receives-2025-charles-j-soderquist-award <p>On May 1, the 51�Թϱ����� Foundation presented Kevin Bacon ’72 with the 2025 Charles J. Soderquist Award at a celebratory luncheon.</p><p>Named in honor of the widely esteemed 51�Թϱ����� alum and entrepreneur who was dedicated to advancing the university, the award recognizes Aggies who demonstrate Soderquist’s legacy of exceptional philanthropy, volunteerism and leadership within the 51�Թϱ����� community.</p> May 20, 2025 Jose Antonio Vadi /news/alum-kevin-bacon-receives-2025-charles-j-soderquist-award /climate/news/native-turtles-return-yosemite-removal-invasive-bullfrogs After invasive American bullfrogs croak, native turtles return to Yosemite, finds a 51�Թϱ����� study. May 20, 2025 Katherine E Kerlin /climate/news/native-turtles-return-yosemite-removal-invasive-bullfrogs /news/uc-davis-graduate-exhibition-showcases-next-generation-artists-thinkers <p>Arts and humanities students at the 51�Թϱ�����, Davis, engage with the world in new, thoughtful and imaginative ways. In the upcoming Arts &amp; Humanities 2025 Graduate Exhibition, students from across the College of Letters and Science are creating public spaces for connection and storytelling, questioning long-held assumptions and histories, and using artistic expression and design to suggest new pathways to a more sustainable future.</p> May 19, 2025 Karen Michele Nikos /news/uc-davis-graduate-exhibition-showcases-next-generation-artists-thinkers /magazine/meet-law-and-economy-expert Professor Shayak Sarkar (Gregory Urquiaga/51�Թϱ�����) <p>&nbsp;</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/meet-law-and-economy-expert /magazine/get-know-people-and-projects-behind-aggie-square <p>Aggie Square, the $1.1 billion innovation district that will bring together 51�Թϱ�����’ cutting-edge research with private-sector companies and startups, officially opened May 2. The innovation district is next door to 51�Թϱ����� Health in the heart of Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, and features everything from housing to research facilities.&nbsp;<br><br>Here’s a roundup of articles detailing Aggie Square’s launch, the people behind the project, new tenants and future events.</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/get-know-people-and-projects-behind-aggie-square /magazine/will-we-have-wildflower-superbloom-year <p>Every few years, hillsides and valleys become blanketed in wildflowers, drawing in crowds of visitors. Jennifer Funk, ecologist and professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at 51�Թϱ�����, helped explain the science behind the superbloom phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>What is a superbloom?<p>A superbloom is a significant appearance of wildflowers, compared to a normal year.</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/will-we-have-wildflower-superbloom-year /magazine/supportive-network <p>Shane Snyder ’89 can relate to the challenges his clients face at the Society for the Blind in Sacramento.</p><p>As the director of programs, Snyder helps connect people to resources they need to build independent living skills when they lose their sight. But personally, he also has confronted vision loss due to Usher syndrome, a congenital degenerative condition that affects both eyes and ears.</p><p>“I had to learn some new ways to do the things I already knew how to do,” said Snyder, who wears aids to help with hearing.</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/supportive-network /magazine/davis-cool-says-mydaviscalifornia <p>Everyone’s been there: first time in a new town, in search of coffee or a bite to eat or a park to pass the time.</p><p>A web search may not visualize the experience of going to these businesses quite like social media. YouTube vlogs and TikTok videos let viewers visit any restaurant or attraction anywhere, with the ease of a swipe.</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/davis-cool-says-mydaviscalifornia /magazine/caring-kittens <p>Kaya Miller, a second-year 51�Թϱ����� undergraduate, introduces her three 3-week-old foster kittens: Anna, Elsa and Merida. She explains that as a busy student, she and her roommate have taken on alternating shifts feeding and cleaning the kittens. “It’s a lot of dedication; we have to wake up every two hours, but it's so worth it,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Miller is a volunteer foster within the Orphan Kitten Project, or OKP, a nonprofit, vet-student-run club that has rescued and rehabilitated neonatal kittens since 1988.</p> May 19, 2025 Russell L Thebaud /magazine/caring-kittens /magazine/college-experience-comes-close <p>When I first came to 51�Թϱ����� four years ago, I had no idea how much college would shape me academically, personally and professionally.&nbsp;</p><p>As someone from a mid-sized suburb, I saw the city of Davis as a small town in the middle of nowhere without much to do. I ultimately decided to come to Davis because it was somewhat close to my hometown and had good academics. And over the past four years my feelings about Davis have changed immensely.&nbsp;</p> May 19, 2025 Jocelyn C Anderson /magazine/college-experience-comes-close /magazine/revisiting-medical-marvel <p>When drug breakthroughs happen, the medical community rejoices. But some people can be left behind. Case in point: Rapamycin. Now a 51�Թϱ����� professor is investigating how to bring back the benefits of a revolutionary drug to the people who were there from the beginning.</p> May 19, 2025 Russell L Thebaud /magazine/revisiting-medical-marvel /magazine/farming-caviar-uc-davis-innovation <p>Ali Bolourchi ’05, M.B.A. ’12, leads a tour of his caviar farm in Wilton, California, highlighting the long process of raising white sturgeon, pointing out that these innovations were developed at “Caviar U.”</p><p>He means 51�Թϱ�����.</p><p>Bolourchi is president of Tsar Nicoulai, now the largest caviar-producing company in the United States, thanks to the acquisition last year of Sterling Caviar.</p> May 19, 2025 Russell L Thebaud /magazine/farming-caviar-uc-davis-innovation