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CA&ES Currents Newsletter
June 04, 2004
WHO May 30, 2 p.m., Tour: Too Hot for Flowers? Garden With Texture and Foliage Information: UC Davis Arboretum
Judith Stern Receives Prestigious USDA Award
Joy Mench Recognized with Poultry Welfare Research Award
Anita Oberbauer Honored with Companion Animal Biology Award
IN THE NEWS
Forest Restoration is Fire Prevention
Action Against Mountain Lion May Have Saved Lives
Lake Tahoe Clarity Declined in 2003
Landmark Water Pact Expected In California
Effective Fiber: How Much is Too Much TDN?
WHAT
Converting Urban Waste to Usable Products
Conference Reflects Unique Partnership
New Book on Offshoring of Manufacturing Jobs
WHAT
Friends of Environmental Toxicology Day, June 4, 2004
2004 Annual CA&ES Spring Meeting, June 10, 2004
Arboretum Events
Judith Stern Receives Prestigious USDA Award
Judith Stern, professor, Department of Nutrition,
is the recipient of a 2004 Secretary's Honor Award, the most
prestigious award presented by the US Department of Agriculture. The
award recognizes outstanding contributions to agriculture, to the
consumers of agricultural products, and to the ability of the USDA to
serve rural America. The award, to be presented in Washington D.C. on
June 25, 2004, is given to Stern in the category of “Improving the
Nation’s Nutrition and Health.” Carl Keen, nutrition department chair,
said, “…Stern’s efforts have led to new health policy, particularly in
the area of obesity and public awareness of nutrition’s importance.”
Judith S. Stern
Professor
Department of Nutrition
jsstern@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-6575
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Joy Mench Recognized with Poultry Welfare Research Award
Joy Mench, professor, Department of Animal Science,
has been selected as recipient of the 2004 Poultry Welfare Research
Award presented by the Poultry Science Association (PSA). The award
will be formally presented at the national PSA meeting this July. Mench
is an acknowledged national leader in welfare teaching, research, and
policy of agricultural animals. She is the sole non-veterinarian to sit
on the Council for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal
Care, the national oversight group for animals used in teaching,
research and outreach. Mench was recognized by the Humane Society of
the United States with its national 2002 Animals and Society Award.
Joy A. Mench
Department of Animal Science
jamench@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-7125
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Anita Oberbauer Honored with Companion Animal Biology Award
Anita Oberbauer, professor, Department of Animal Science,
is the recipient of the 2004 Corbin Companion Animal Biology Award
given by the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS). This national
award is presented annually to one researcher in recognition of her
contributions to companion animal biology. Oberbauer's accomplishments
in research have focused on genetic disorders in dogs. When Animal
Science added companion animals to its curriculum, Oberbauer stepped
forward to develop new courses. The curriculum she developed has become
the model used by other universities. In 2002, Oberbauer received the
UC Davis Distinguished Teaching Award.
Anita M. Oberbauer
Professor
Department of Animal Science
amoberbauer@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-4997
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Forest Restoration is Fire Prevention
“A
restored forest is the first and most important line of defense against
wildfire,” says, Thomas Bonnicksen, visiting professor in the
Department of Environmental Horticulture, in his commentary on
approaches for dealing with the California wildfire crisis (Contra
Costa Times). In a related Los Angeles Times front page story,
Bonnicksen comments on his recent examination of Big Bear Lake, "I saw
a level of tree mortality greater than I anticipated, and a dying
forest with homes and businesses inside it," he said. Dr. Bonnicksen
developed science-based strategies in 1994 and 1995 to deal with the
wildfire threat in San Bernardino Mountain forests and San Diego County
brushlands of California. He served on the Congressional fact-finding
mission for the 1988 Yellowstone fires and the 2003 Southern California
wildfires.
Dr. Bonnicksen Bio
Contra Costa Times
The Los Angeles Times
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Action Against Mountain Lion May Have Saved Lives
Palo
Alto police stood by their decision to kill a mountain lion as it
reclined in a neighborhood tree last week. Lee Fitzhugh, wildlife
management specialist, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation
Biology, said that “a tranquilizer would not have sedated the mountain
lion right away, and it could have jumped out of the tree and escaped
-- too big a risk with three elementary schools nearby.”
San Jose Mercury News
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Lake Tahoe Clarity Declined in 2003
Following
several years of incremental improvement, Lake Tahoe's clarity declined
in 2003, researchers at the UC Davis Tahoe Research Group announced at
the Tahoe Research Symposium this month. However, the decline was
considered within normal ranges of the natural cycle of ups and downs.
“I view this as neither good nor bad news, but it reaffirms the
critical need for processes such as the Environmental Impact Program,
the Tahoe Maximum Daily Load and the Regional Plan Update," said John
Reuter, a researcher with the UC Davis Tahoe Research Group.
UC Davis – photo and article
Reno Gazette-Journal
Tahoe Research Group Information:
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Landmark Water Pact Expected In California
The
Metropolitan Water District will soon approve a landmark agreement that
will divert agricultural waters in two Southern California counties for
urban use. “…we live in a Mediterranean, fluctuating climate, and we
have to change the use of water to match fluctuating supplies,” says
Richard Howitt, professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource
Economics.
The Los Angeles Times
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Effective Fiber: How Much is Too Much TDN?
The
Department of Animal Science’s Professor Richard Zinn and Extension
dairy specialist, Peter Robinson are quoted extensively in this
California Farmer article on the balance of fiber and nutrients in beef
and dairy cattle feed.
California Farmer
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Converting Urban Waste to Usable Products
Ruihong Zhang,
associate professor, and Zhongli Pan, assistant adjunct professor,
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, will collaborate
with Richard Evans, specialist in Cooperative Extension, Department of
Environmental Horticulture, on a project to develop and commercialize a
bioconversion technology that potentially could convert over 6 million
tons per year of California’s organic wastes into multiple valuable
products, including 2,800 GWh of electricity per year. The project will
involve building a digester system on campus that can process 3-tons of
waste per-day and another 25 ton-per-day unit in City of Industry,
California. The project, funded by the California Energy Commission and
industry collaborators, is expected to have significant implications
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and offer environmental
protection, public health benefits and renewable energy production.
Ruihong Zhang
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
rhzhang@ucdavis.edu
(530) 754-9530
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Conference Reflects Unique Partnership
“Bringing
Functionality to the Market” was the theme of the recent California
Institute of Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR) conference, held in
partnership with the UC Davis Office of Research and UC Davis CONNECT
(a program focused on technology and entrepreneurship). Held on May
25-26 in Sacramento, this conference addressed food functionality in
terms of flavor, health, and well being with a focus on food
technology. Sharon Shoemaker, executive director of CIFAR, organized
the conference, which featured 30+ national and international
presenters, including 12 faculty from the College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, representing the departments of Nutrition,
Vegetable Crops, Food Science and Technology, and Animal Science.
(See: CIFAR Conference XIX - Bringing Functionality to Market)
UC Davis News
Conference Information
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New Book on Offshoring of Manufacturing Jobs
Martin
Kenney, professor, Department of Human and Community Development, has
co-edited a new book that studies the trends in the movement of U.S.
manufacturing jobs to other countries. The Sacramento Business Journal
featured a write-up on his new book, Locating Global Advantage:
Industry and Dynamics in the International Economy. Kenney recently
addressed the National Academy of Engineering in Washington, D.C. on
his research related to the off shoring of service and research jobs to
India. He also addressed the American Legislative Exchange Council,
comprised of state legislators, in Austin, Texas.
Sacramento Business Journal
UC Davis News
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Friends of Environmental Toxicology Day, June 4, 2004
The
annual “Friends of Environmental Toxicology Day,” hosted by the
Department of Environmental Toxicology, will occur Friday, June 4,
2004, on campus in the Robert Mondavi Center Studio Theater. This
event, open to the general public, members of industry, state agencies
and environmental groups, offers an opportunity to share research,
ideas and concerns about environmental issues affecting Northern
California.
Free admission. Registration required.
Schedule and Registration
“Friends” Information
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2004 Annual CA&ES Spring Meeting, June 10, 2004
The
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will hold its annual
spring meeting on June 10, 2004, 4-6 p.m. in the AGR Room, Buehler
Alumni Center. All faculty are encouraged to attend.
Sharon A. Berg
Administrative Specialist
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
saberg@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-3483
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Arboretum Events
May 29, 11 a.m., Tour: Edible Plants in the Arboretum
Meet at Putah Creek Lodge.
Meet at the Gazebo
(530) 752-4880
http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/calendar.htm
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