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CA&ES Currents Newsletter
February 18, 2000
CA&ES Web Site Featured by DANR
The
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is featuring the
college's award-winning Web site during the month of February.
DANR's website
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Julian Alston Chosen AARES President-Elect
Professor
Julian Alston, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, was
elected president-elect of the Australian Agricultural and Resource
Economics Society (AARES). The announcement was made at the
organization's annual conference in Sydney, Australia. Alston begins
his term as AARES president in January 2001. Alston joined UC Davis in
1988. His primary research interest is in the economic analysis of farm
commodity programs and other domestic and international policies
affecting agriculture. In the area of consumer demand analysis, he has
worked closely with other ARE faculty members on econometric models of
demand response to advertising and studies of economic impacts of
mandated generic commodity promotion campaigns for California
agricultural commodities.
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Gurdev Khush Wins Wolf Prize
CA&ES
alumnus Gurdev Khush, principal plant breeder and head of the Plant
Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Division of the International Rice
Research Institute, was awarded the 2000 Wolf Prize for Agriculture. He
was selected for his "extraordinary contribution to theoretical
research in plant genetics, evolution and breeding, especially of rice,
with regard to food production and alleviation of hunger."
Khush and his colleagues established the first molecular genetic map of
rice and tagged many genes for disease and insect resistance, as well
as for stress tolerance. The genetic maps of molecular and traditional
markers in rice that Khush and his team developed are used widely in
studying the origin and evolution of other important grain crops such
as wheat, maize and barley. Khush also was honored on India's Republic
Day with the Padma Shri Award for contributions to food security.
India's president will present this prize to Khush at a ceremony in
Delhi in March.
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Biotechnology Communications Workshop
The
California Institute for Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR) is
sponsoring a Biotechnology Communications Workshop for Food and
Agriculture on March 6, 2000, at the Buehler Alumni & Visitors
Center. Topics include improving public understanding of food safety,
nutrition and health; an insider's view of communicating biotechnology
to the media; and communicating risks and benefits. There will be a
food and agriculture industry panel and discussion groups. Registration
is $75.
Registration deadline: February 29
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Lower Colorado River Tour
How
do the Lower Colorado Basin states - Arizona, California and Nevada -
use and manage Colorado River water to meet agricultural, urban,
environmental and industrial needs? This question is the focus of a
three-state Lower Colorado River Tour. The tour, leaving from Las Vegas
at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2000, travels from Hoover Dam to
the Salton Sea. It ends at the Ontario International Airport at 6 p.m.
on Friday, March 31. Activities include a private tour of Hoover Dam
and a boat ride on Lake Mead.
Registration by March 3 - $525; after March 3 - $950
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Shopping Bag Exhibition
Opening
Reception: February 27, 2000, 2-4 p.m. - Design Gallery, Walker Hall
Panel Discussion: February 27, 2000, 1-2 p.m. - 176 Everson Hall "The
Shopping Bag: 20 Years of Visual Communication" will feature hundreds
of international shopping bags from the collection of Dolph Gotelli,
professor, Department of Environmental Design. He has been collecting
the bags for over 30 years. According to Gotelli, besides utilitarian
properties, shopping bags are graphic design statements that can be
fun, silly and avant-garde. They can advertise a business, celebrity or
political candidate. They are colorful accents to the urban landscape.
All top retailers in the country use shopping bags to reflect a
corporate identity or to advertise a fashion mode. "Art meets design on
the street," explains Gotelli when describing his collection and this
exhibition.
Gotelli is curator of the exhibition and will moderate a panel
discussion among Christopher McKenna, visual manager, Neiman Marcus San
Francisco; Lewis Sykes, special events director, Saks Fifth Avenue; and
Mary Islip, regional visual manager, Macy's West.
Cost: $10 per person; free to students with student ID.
Dolph E. Gotelli
Professor
Department of Environmental Design
degotelli@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-2589
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SF Billboard Campaign
"Eating
Disorders in a Disordered Culture," a public awareness project
developed by assistant professor Kathi Sylva, Department of
Environmental Design, and collaborator Robin Lasser of San Jose State
University, has attracted national attention since it began in 1997. A
14' x 48' billboard designed by the team is on display on Bryant near
4th Street in San Francisco through April 2000. Images from the project
are on display at the UC Davis Women's Resources and Research Center
through February 29, 2000. Sylva and Lasser were in Boston during
Eating Disorder Awareness Week, February 12-19, to take part in a
multimedia visual arts campaign and panel discussion on eating
disorders at Boston College. They also participated in a forum,
"Culture, the Media and Eating Disorders: Empowerment Through
Self-expression," at Harvard University.
According to Sylva, the project attempts to retain the emotional
intensity of those experiencing eating disorders while conveying
information about the disorders themselves. The project utilizes three
venues: the World Wide Web (www.eating.ucdavis.edu); public art spaces,
such as billboards and bus shelter posters; and exhibitions in
galleries and museums.
Kathryn G. Sylva
Department of Environmental Design
kgsylva@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-0440
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FELT2000 Exhibition
FELT2000
is an exhibition of experimental hand felting by Annie Farley, MFA
student in textile arts and costume design, Department of Environmental
Design. The exhibition runs February 28 through March 15, 2000 at the
MU Gallery. Farley's pieces explore textural innovations by combining
wool with other materials. An opening reception will be held Thursday,
March 2, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Rhonda R. O'Brien
Program Representative
Department of Environmental Design
rrobrien@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-6223
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Executive Committee Election
Academic
Senate representation is needed for the Divisions of Environmental
Sciences and Human Sciences. Academic Federation representation is
needed for the Division of Human Sciences. Elected members serve a
three-year term.
Nomination deadline: March 24, 2000
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"What Qualifies You as an Expert?"
February
13, 2000
hello my name is robbie woodard, i go to holland hall school in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. i'm study about plants and i need some help, i would like to
know what qualifies you as an expert. and the sooner you can send back
that would be helpful
Robbie-I became very interested in plants and biology when I was in
junior high school. In college, I became interested in the fact that
plants get diseases, just like people. After I completed college, I
went to graduate school to study plant pathology. I do research to find
cures for plant diseases. I work on problems that help farmers and
homeowners. I teach a class on diagnosing plant diseases, and another
class that helps students learn about fungi. I am an expert on a few
subjects, because they are things that I have studied in depth for many
years. But in many ways, I am still a student. I learn new things every
day. That is what is fun about working at a university. I hope this
answers your question. Jim MacDonald, professor of Plant Pathology
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Development Highlights
Prominent
Ventura agriculturist Alvin F. Aggen recently donated $10,000 to the
Joe A. Heidrick, Sr. Western Center for Agricultural Equipment
campaign. This gift brings his total campaign contribution to $25,000.
In response to this gift and his long-term support of the Department of
Biological & Agricultural Engineering, the lobby of the new
facility will be named for Aggen.
Rick A. Swantz
Director of Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
raswantz@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-7961
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Student Regent Application Program
Applications
are available for the position of Student Regent for the 2001-2002
academic year. The Student Regent is a voting member of the Board of
Regents of the university, attends all meetings of the board and its
committees and serves a one-year term, commencing July 1, 2001.
All university fees are waived for the selected student for the year of
service as Student Regent and for the prior year during a
"regent-designate" phase. Applications are available at the Office of
the Vice Chancellor - Student Affairs, 476 Mrak Hall; Student Programs
and Activities Center, 457 Memorial Union; and the MU Information Desk.
More information is availableonline
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California Women for Agriculture Scholarship
The
Sutter Buttes Chapter of California Women for Agriculture is offering
scholarships for junior college and university students majoring in
agriculture or an agricultural-related field. Applicants must be
residents of Yuba and Sutter Counties or Butte County students from the
Gridley and Briggs areas. Students from Colusa County also will be
considered. Applicants may attend the accredited college or university
of choice; however, they must enroll as full-time students for the
2000-school year.
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Farm Bureau of San Diego County Scholarship
The
Farm Bureau of San Diego County is offering scholarships to any student
pursuing a degree in an agriculture major or closely related field with
permanent residence in San Diego County. Scholarships range from $250
to $2,000.
Students entering or attending a two- or four-year college or
university are eligible; however, students must be pursuing a course of
study in agriculture or a closely related field and must have permanent
residence in San Diego County. Primary criteria for awards are academic
achievement, career goals and a commitment to study agriculture.
Secondary criteria are extracurricular activities, financial need and
written expression.
Deadline: March 15, 2000
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RFP: California Crop Improvement Association
The
California Crop Improvement Association (CCIA) requests alfalfa, beans,
cereals and Pima cotton research proposals for 2000-2001 that will
enhance the economic, environmental, and food and fiber quality of
California crops. Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a
technical committee consisting of UC researchers and CCIA research
advisory committees. Projects addressing these goals may be proposed in
the following categories:
Deadline: March 10, 2000
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RFP: SAREP
The
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
announces RFPs to support educational events and graduate student
projects. SAREP is particularly interested in funding proposals that
address the sustainability of crop and livestock systems or the
connections among farmers, consumers and communities in sustainable
food systems.
Grants will be awarded in two categories: (1) educational events
supporting workshops, field days, symposia and seminars ($1,200 per
event) and (2) Sustainable Agriculture Graduate Awards ($3,000 per
student).
Deadline: April 11, 2000
Bev A. Ransom
SAREP
baransom@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-8546
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