Spotlight

Alumnus Bob Fletcher dies at 101; helped Japanese-Americans

cydoval — 2013-06-10T22:14:07Z

Ignoring the resentment of neighbors, Bob Fletcher quit his job in the middle of World War II to manage the farms of Japanese families forced to live in internment camps.

University of California, Davis
June 10, 2013

[The following article about UC Davis alumnus Bob Fletcher, by William Yardley, is reprinted from the New York Times, June 6, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/us/bob-fletcher-dies-at-101-saved-farms-of-interned-japanese-americans.html?_r=0]

: Bob Fletcher in 2010. (photo: Randall Benton/Sacramento Bee)

Bob Fletcher, a former California agriculture inspector who, ignoring the resentment of neighbors, quit his job in the middle of World War II to manage the fruit farms of Japanese families forced to live in internment camps, died on May 23 in Sacramento. He was 101.

His death was confirmed by Doris Taketa, who was 12 when Mr. Fletcher agreed to run her family’s farm in 1942, the year she and her extended family were relocated to the Jerome War Relocation Center in Arkansas.

“He saved us,” Ms. Taketa said.

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the United States government forced 120,000 Japanese-Americans on the West Coast out of their homes and into internment camps for the duration of the war.

Near Sacramento, many of the Japanese who were relocated were farmers who had worked land around the town of Florin since at least the 1890s. Mr. Fletcher, who was single and in his early 30s at the time, knew many of them through his work inspecting fruit for the government. The farmers regarded him as honest, and he respected their operations.

After President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order in February 1942 that made the relocation possible by declaring certain parts of the West to be military zones, Al Tsukamoto, whose parents arrived in the United States in 1905, approached Mr. Fletcher with a business proposal: would he be willing to manage the farms of two family friends of Mr. Tsukamoto’s, one of whom was elderly, and to pay the taxes and mortgages while they were away? In return, he could keep all the profits.

Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Tsukamoto had not been close, and Mr. Fletcher had no experience growing the farmers’ specialty, flame tokay grapes, but he accepted the offer and soon quit his job.

For the next three years he worked a total of 90 acres on three farms — he had also decided to run Mr. Tsukamoto’s farm. He worked 18-hour days and lived in the bunkhouse Mr. Tsukamoto had reserved for migrant workers. He paid the bills of all three families — the Tsukamotos, the Okamotos and the Nittas. He kept only half of the profits.

Many Japanese-American families lost property while they were in the camps because they could not pay their bills. Most in the Florin area moved elsewhere after the war. When the Tsukamotos returned in 1945, they found that Mr. Fletcher had left them money in the bank and that his new wife, Teresa, had cleaned the Tsukamotos’ house in preparation for their return. She had chosen to join her husband in the bunkhouse instead of accepting the Tsukamotos’ offer to live in the family’s house.

“Teresa’s response was, ‘It’s the Tsukamotos’ house,’ ” recalled Marielle Tsukamoto, who was 5 when she and her family were sent to the Jerome center.

Ms. Tsukamoto is now the president of the Florin chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. Her mother, Mary Tsukamoto, was a teacher, activist and historian who, with Elizabeth Pinkerton, wrote “We the People: A Story of Internment in America.”

Mr. Fletcher’s willingness to work the farms was not well received in Florin, where before the war some people had resented the Japanese immigrants for their success. Japanese children in the area were required to attend segregated schools. Mr. Fletcher was unruffled by personal attacks; he felt the Japanese farmers were being mistreated.

“I did know a few of them pretty well and never did agree with the evacuation,” he told The Sacramento Bee in 2010. “They were the same as anybody else. It was obvious they had nothing to do with Pearl Harbor.”

After the war, resentment against the Japanese in Florin continued. If Mr. Tsukamoto tried to buy a part at the hardware store only to be told that the part was not in stock, he would ask Mr. Fletcher to buy it for him.

Robert Emmett Fletcher Jr. was born in San Francisco on July 26, 1911, when the city was still rebuilding after the great earthquake five years earlier. He attended the University of California, Davis, and later managed a peach orchard before taking the job as a state shipping point inspector.

Survivors include his wife, the former Teresa Cassieri, to whom he was married for 67 years; their son, Robert Emmett III; three granddaughters; and five great-grandchildren.

The Fletchers bought their own land in Florin after the war and raised hay and cattle. Mr. Fletcher was a volunteer firefighter in Florin for many decades before becoming the paid fire chief. He was also active in historical groups.

He was never much for celebrating his role in the war, and he noted that other Florin residents had helped their Japanese neighbors.

“I don’t know about courage,” he said in 2010 as Florin was preparing to honor him in a ceremony. “It took a devil of a lot of work.”

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences contact:

Ann Filmer, Senior Director of Communications, (530) 754-6788, afilmer@ucdavis.edu

UC Davis Ranks No. 1 in the World in Agriculture

cydoval — 2013-05-08T20:02:55Z

The University of California, Davis, is No. 1 in the world for teaching and research in the area of agriculture and forestry, according to QS World University Rankings.

University of California, Davis
May 8, 2013

The University of California, Davis, is No. 1 in the world for teaching and research in the area of agriculture and forestry, according to rankings released today by QS World University Rankings.

This is the first year that the organization — which provides annual rankings in 29 other subject areas — has produced rankings in agriculture and forestry.

UC Davis this year also placed 12th in environmental sciences and 25th in biological sciences in the worldwide university ranking. Both of these subject-area rankings reflect significant advances from 2012, when UC Davis ranked 39th in biological sciences and below the top 50 institutions in environmental sciences.

"We are thrilled and excited by this evaluation, and it is gratifying to see that the ranking data validate the breadth and depth of our agricultural programs, which represent a variety of disciplines," said Mary Delany, interim dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

"At the institutional level, this ranking signifies rich teaching and research programs that developed and were built during our more than 100 years of service," she said. "And at the personal level, it reflects the devotion of more than 300 faculty members who are passionate about their fundamental, translational and applied research, and thoroughly devoted to training the next generation of scientists and agriculturalists."

The college was founded in 1905 as the University of California's University Farm. Today, it has more than 5,800 undergraduate students in 27 majors and more than 1,000 graduate students in 45 graduate groups and programs. More than 3,000 acres of UC Davis' 5,000-acre campus are devoted to agricultural research.

Its programs have characteristically received top-tier rankings from the Chronicle of Higher Education, U.S. News and World Report and ISI Essential Science Indicators.

UC Davis, overall, ranked eighth among public research universities nationwide in the U.S. News & World Reports' 2013 America's Best Colleges rankings.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject are prepared by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British firm that previously was the data provider for the annual Times Higher Education rankings. The firm is widely considered to be one of the most influential international university rankings providers. This is the third year it has produced its own world university rankings, independent of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

For this third edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, the firm evaluated 2,858 universities and ranked 678 of those institutions in 30 subject areas.

Previously, it used three measures to rank universities within subject areas: the number of times research publications from the institution were cited by other researchers in professional journals, opinions of other academics in the field and opinions of employers in the field.

This year, the organization added a fourth ranking measure — the H-index — which measures the number of research papers published as well as the number of times those papers have been cited by other researchers, thus rewarding both the quantity and quality of research.

About the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis

The leading college of its kind in the nation, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences addresses critical issues related to agriculture, food systems, the environment, communities, and human and social sciences through cutting-edge research, top-ranked undergraduate and graduate education, and internationally recognized outreach programs. An overarching goal is to develop solutions to produce a better world, healthier lives, and an improved standard of living for everyone.

Media contact:

Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences contact:

Ann Filmer, Senior Director of Communications, (530) 754-6788, afilmer@ucdavis.edu

View this story on the Web at

http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10590

Wheat geneticist elected to the National Academy of Sciences

cydoval — 2013-05-06T17:18:31Z

Plant geneticist Jorge Dubcovsky's work on wheat's massive genome has allowed breeders to develop hardier, more disease-resistent varieties to feed a hungry world.

: Plant geneticist Jorge Dubcovsky's work on wheat's massive genome has allowed breeders to develop hardier, more disease-resistent varieties to feed a hungry world. (Steve Yeater/photo)

University of California, Davis
May 3, 2013

Jorge Dubcovsky, an internationally acclaimed wheat geneticist at the University of California, Davis, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors bestowed on scientists and engineers in the United States. He joins 21 other UC Davis members of the academy.

Dubcovsky is a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation investigator.

Over the years, Dubcovsky has become a national and international leader in wheat genomics research, and has helped distribute improved wheat seeds to countries around the world.

Born and raised in Argentina, Dubcovsky began his career teaching middle school science and math classes, and earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Buenos Aires in 1984. He continued taking university-level courses to deepen his understanding of the disciplines in which he was teaching.

He then became intrigued by scientific research and enrolled in a doctoral program, studying the genetics and evolution of Patagonian grasses, which have evolved to withstand the windy, arid and cold environment of Argentina’s uplands. He realized that, in order to develop hardier, more productive crops, plant breeders must understand the evolutionary path followed by the crop’s ancestors.

Dubcovsky earned his doctoral degree in biological sciences in 1989 from the University of Buenos Aires. He came to UC Davis in 1992 for a research fellowship, interested in the techniques that were becoming available in the growing field of molecular biology. Employing such techniques, he and fellow researchers were able to use molecular markers to mine new information about plant biology and generate the first molecular genetics maps in wheat.

He spent the following two years doing research in Argentina, but returned in 1994 to direct the wheat-breading program at UC Davis.

During the past two decades, Dubcovsky has conducted pioneering research in mapping, isolating, and cloning genes in wheat’s massive genome. He and his laboratory colleagues have identified and cloned genes involved in disease resistance, protein content, flowering and frost tolerance. Identification of these important genes has enabled researchers and breeders to use conventional breeding techniques to develop hardier, more nutritious wheat varieties.

A product of the 1960s and ‘70s, Dubcovsky says that the social ideals of that generation, combined with his exposure to poverty in his homeland, impressed upon him the importance of working to ensure that science makes tangible, positive impacts on the world.

In 2011, he received a multimillion dollar U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to lead researchers, plant breeders and educators from 55 universities and 21 states in an investigation of the biological and environmental stresses on wheat that are caused, in part, by alterations in weather patterns associated with global climate change.

That same year, he was named among the first-ever class of Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation investigators, and received a USDA Honor Award, the most prestigious award given by the agency’s secretary in recognition of exceptional leadership in science, public policy and management vital to guiding the nation’s food and agricultural system.

About UC Davis

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of nearly $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers inand terdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Media contact(s):

Jorge Dubcovsky, Plant Sciences, (530) 752-5159, jdubcovsky@ucdavis.edu
Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu

UC Davis leads education in program to aid Pakistan

cydoval — 2013-04-22T20:53:42Z

UC Davis is taking the lead on the graduate education component of an innovative project to modernize agriculture in Pakistan. The four-year, $30 million Agricultural Innovation Project is designed to improve the economy in Pakistan, creating a brighter future for its people.

UC Davis is taking the lead on the graduate education component of an innovative project to modernize agriculture in Pakistan. The four-year, $30 million Agricultural Innovation Project will work to improve management practices and productivity of the livestock, horticulture and grains grown in Pakistan, in turn improving the economy and creating a brighter future for its people.

“It’s a fantastic project,” said Jim Hill, associate dean for international programs with the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “I’m thrilled that UC Davis will head the human capacity development, educating the agricultural leaders Pakistan needs to advance its agriculture sector.”

The project was launched recently by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC). CIMMYT will be the lead agency, overseeing contributions from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and UC Davis.

UC Davis will receive $5.2 million, $4.5 million of which will fund placing some 14 Pakistani M.S. and Ph.D. students in U.S. land-grant universities where they are best suited. With its expertise in agriculture, UC Davis will likely land many of those students.

UC Davis will also work to improve horticulture production in Pakistan by helping farmers grow more high-quality perennial crops and by creating better postharvest technology. UC Davis will also help Cooperative Extension specialists in Pakistan develop electronic systems for delivering agricultural information to farmers.

Agriculture is vital to Pakistan’s economic development. With more 187 million people, Pakistan is the sixth-most populated country in the world.

“Higher education in agriculture is dismally low in Pakistan and the recent turmoil hasn’t helped,” Hill said. “Pakistan’s agricultural issues are very similar to those in the western United States, such as the impact of climate change on irrigation and other water issues, which is another reason UC Davis is so well suited to provide the agricultural education they need.”

In addition to the education component, USAID will sponsor research to encourage adoption of new technologies such as laser land leveling, zero tillage, residue management and introducing short-duration legumes into rice-wheat cropping systems.

UC Davis and PARC will form a committee in May to select students who will begin graduate studies in the United States as early as 2014.

Media contact:

Diane Nelson, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (530) 752-1969, denelson@ucdavis.edu
Jim Hill, International Programs, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (530) 754-9600, jehill@ucdavis.edu

Animal science students take the Dairy Challenge

cydoval — 2013-03-26T19:35:38Z

UC Davis sent a team of animal science undergraduates to participate in the Western Regional Dairy Challenge contest. Students spent months preparing for the event by visiting dairies to learn about farm management, cow health, nutrition, reproduction, housing, and other aspects of the industry.

March 26, 2013

For the first time, UC Davis sent a team of animal science undergraduates to participate in the annual Western Regional Dairy Challenge contest. The event, a three-day educational competition designed to prepare students for dairy careers, was held February 28–March 2 in Everett, Washington, hosted by Washington State University.

UC Davis participants Maaike Clapham, Marc Hyman, Stacy Williams, and Vania Leonardes were coached by animal science professor Russ Hovey and UC Davis alumna Stacy Wrinkle.

: From left, coach and UC Davis alumna Stacy Wrinkle, students Vania Leonardes, Marc Hyman, Maaike Clapham, Stacy Williams, and Professor Russell Hovey at the Western Regional Dairy Challenge contest.

“Participating in Dairy Challenge was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said animal science senior Vania Leonardes, who spent months with her teammates preparing for the event by visiting dairies to learn about farm management, cow health, nutrition, reproduction, housing, and other aspects of the industry. “It was a unique opportunity to be surrounded by people with such a passion for dairying. At the competition, every student had worked with dairy cattle, knew what they were talking about, could relate to your experiences, and even got excited when they brought out the chocolate milk cartons.”

At the event, students worked in mixed-university teams of five or six. Participants were asked to assess all aspects of a 1,100-cow dairy farm, including facilities, nutrition, financials, reproduction, and animal health. Students collaborated to prepare a 20-minute team presentation that detailed their observations and recommendations to a panel of judges. Teams were ranked based on how well their assessment matched the judges’ evaluations of the dairy operation.

Talks and tours were also part of the educational event. “Although this was a competition, it almost felt more like a family get-together,” said Leonardes. “It was a great way to meet the future of the dairy industry.”

Nutritionist finds clues to saving citrus from dreaded disease

cydoval — 2013-03-06T22:39:52Z

A nutrition expert at UC Davis has discovered important clues to the deadly attack strategy of a puzzling plant pathogen that has destroyed hundreds of thousands acres of citrus, perhaps paving the way for safe, effective ways to treat and prevent the spread of HLB.

March 6, 2013

: Associate Professor Carolyn Slupsky enjoys fresh citrus beside a lemon tree in the Good Life Garden at UC Davis.

A nutrition expert at UC Davis has discovered important clues to the deadly attack strategy of a puzzling plant pathogen that has destroyed hundreds of thousands acres of citrus across the world. The novel research by Carolyn Slupsky, associate professor with both the UC Davis Department of Nutrition and the Department of Food Science and Technology, and her team may pave the way for safe, effective ways to treat and prevent the spread of citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing or HLB.

“HLB is not just bad for growers and for the economy,” said Slupsky, who also has an appointment with the UC Davis Agricultural Experiment Station. “The loss of fresh oranges and other citrus could seriously impact our health.”

HLB is a disease caused by a microbe called Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny insect that feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus trees. There is no cure yet for HLB, so once a tree is infected, it will slowly die. The disease has decimated citrus groves in Asia, Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Florida has lost one-third of its citrus to the disease. Both HLB and the Asian citrus psyllid have recently been spotted in California.

HLB is a silent killer – an infected tree can live for years without symptoms, allowing the pathogen to spread undetected to other trees. Symptoms emerge over time, as a tree’s fruit starts to turn green and misshapen, with a bitter, metallic taste.

Is there a way to spot HLB before visual symptoms occur? The microbe that causes HLB can sometimes be found in a leaf sample, but since the pathogen isn’t evenly distributed throughout the tree, results can be misleading.

“Just because the pathogen doesn’t show up in one leaf, that doesn’t guarantee the tree isn’t infected,” said MaryLou Polek, vice president of science and technology for the California Citrus Research Board. “So when you sample a leaf, there’s a high probability of a false negative result.”

Slupsky and Andrew Breksa, research chemist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service based in Albany, Calif., tried a different tack, searching for clues in a tree’s chemical fingerprint. They used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the amino acid composition of juice from three types of citrus: fruit from healthy tress, symptom-free (asymptomatic) fruit from HLB-positive trees, and fruit with symptoms from HLB-positive trees.

“We found major differences in the chemical fingerprint among healthy, asymptomatic and symptomatic fruits,” Slupsky said.

With further research, the profiles may prove to be a reliable, rapid, and early indicator of the presence of the HLB pathogen. With early detection, growers and regulators can know which trees might need to be removed before the disease spreads throughout the orchard (and beyond).

“These findings are huge for citrus growers, backyard gardeners and everyone who loves fresh citrus,” Polek said.

And there’s more. While analyzing the amino acids, Slupsky and Breksa discovered what looks like a mechanism underlying the microbe’s mode of attack.

“The pathogen responsible for HLB seems to cause havoc with a tree’s ability to defend itself from infection,” Slupsky said.

Trees need amino acids for growth, development and defense. From Slupsky and Breksa’s studies, it looks like the HLB pathogen affects the trees’ ability to create, use and recycle some of those amino acids. For example, a tree can convert the amino acid phenylalanine into cinnamic acid, a precursor to compounds important to the tree’s defense systems. But juice from oranges of HLB-positive trees had significantly higher concentrations of phenylalanine. Also, juice from oranges grown on HLB-infected trees contained a lot less of the amino acid proline, which a tree usually synthesizes when it knows something is wrong.

“It could be that the pathogen is outsmarting the tree by undermining its defenses,” Slupsky said. “That’s a spectacular discovery, because when we understand the mechanisms behind the attack, we have a chance at blocking them. Maybe we can find ways to enhance a tree’s natural immunity.”

As tough as HLB has been on citrus in Florida, the stakes are even higher in California where so much of the world’s fresh citrus is produced.

“Florida’s citrus industry produces mostly orange juice, and they can use additives and filtration to adjust for the bitter taste of HLB-affected fruit,” Polek said. “It can be reduced to sugar water, essentially, and then built back up to taste like orange juice. We produce fresh citrus here in California, and chemistry is not an option.”

Losing fresh citrus is a real possibility if HLB spreads throughout California, and that prospect is the driving force behind Slupsky’s research.

“From a nutritional standpoint, it’s hard to beat the importance of fresh citrus,” Slupsky said. “Oranges provide energy, pectin, and a wide variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They’re one of the most consumed fruits in the United States. I can’t imagine life without fresh citrus.”

Slupsky and Breksa collaborated with Thomas G. McCollum of the ARS Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida, along with Anne Slisz and Darya Mishchuk of Slupsky’s lab. A peer-reviewed article on their findings was published in the Journal of Proteome Research in June 2012. You can access the article here.

Videos explore future of farming

cydoval — 2013-02-06T21:00:33Z

‘Nine billion mouths to feed’ explores innovative ways to meet growing need for sustainably producing safe, abundant food.

Pop Quiz: About 7 billion people live on Earth today, and that number is expected to hit 9 billion by 2050. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. What’s the best way to reform our global food production to meet the rising demand?

Invest in technology, plant breeding, soil science and seed genetics to make our finite farm land more productive.
Increase sustainability, so farm land can remain productive in the future.
Encourage more people to get into farming.
Help farmers manage climate change, water supply and pest control.
All of the above and a whole lot more.

Yep, the answer is 5. All of the above and a whole lot more. Many of the challenges and solutions are explored in a new video series on YouTube called “9 Billion Mouths to Feed: The Future of Farming.”
Produced by UC Davis in cooperation with University of California’s “UCTV,” the four ten-minute videos provide an excellent overview of modern problems facing our food supply.

: Sara Kosoff, Anthony Waldrop and Eric Lynn enjoy harvest day at UC Davis Student Farm.

“There’s a growing population and we’re going to need to produce more food in a sustainable way to feed them all,” says Genevieve Lipari, a UC Davis student featured in the videos. “And it’s not just agriculture, it’s food access, health, nutrition and so much more.”

Indeed, agriculture isn’t just about sowing the land. The videos bring that fact to life, showing the work California farmers and UC Davis students and researchers are doing to ensure an abundant food supply that’s healthy, tasty and safe.

The videos are perfect for students young and old, and anyone interested in finding innovative ways to feed the world without depleting our limited resources.

We might not have all the answers on how to feed a growing population, but the videos shine light on some of the many farmers, scientists and students working together to try to meet that growing need.

You can access “9 Billion Mouths to Feed” at www.uctv.tv/farming

Mary Delany and Richard Bostock are new AAAS fellows

cydoval — 2013-01-10T21:28:43Z

Two CA&ES faculty join 15 other UC Davis faculty in becoming new fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Mary Delany

: (Mary Delany)

Animal science professor Mary Delany, a distinguished avian geneticist and interim dean of CA&ES, has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of 17 faculty members from UC Davis to receive the honor this year.

Delany was recognized for her contributions to poultry genetics and genomics, administrative leadership in the agricultural sciences, and service in science policy and conservation of avian research resources. Using chickens as a research model, she studies the biology of telomeres, DNA regions that cap the end of chromosomes and have important implications for aging and disease in humans as well as birds and other animal species.

Delany is among 702 new fellows, honored for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Delany and other new fellows will be formally recognized in February during the association's annual meeting in Boston.

Richard Bostock

: (Richard Bostock)

Plant pathology professor Richard Bostock has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of 17 faculty members from UC Davis to receive the honor this year. Bostock was recognized for his distinguished contributions to basic research in plant-microbe interactions and exemplary leadership in the National Plant Diagnostic Network, a surveillance and diagnostic program designed to protect plants against serious pests and diseases that could be introduced accidentally or through bioterrorism. His research focuses on fungal diseases of orchard crops and on root- and crown-rot diseases caused by the destructive Phytophthora species, using various research plants including tomato, Arabidopsis, peach, walnut and rhododendron.

Bostock is among 702 new fellows, honored for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Bostock and other new fellows will be formally recognized in February during the association's annual meeting in Boston.

Pollution-detecting Aircraft Surveys PG&E Pipeline for Gas Leaks

cydoval — 2012-12-27T19:48:44Z

University of California, Davis, atmospheric scientist Stephen Conley is flying over the spine of California, tracing 600 miles of Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s natural gas pipeline for methane leaks. Specialized instruments on Conley's plane allow UC Davis researchers to detect gas leaks several miles downwind from the source.

“What sets us apart is we use atmospheric science to solve the problem,” Conley said. “We can do things with a little plane that you can’t do any other way.”

Once the plane detects the pollution sources, PG&E workers can repair the leak, which reduces the amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, released into the air.

PG&E’s transmission pipeline is routinely surveyed each year, typically by ground crews. But accessing rural areas with difficult terrain can be time consuming, expensive and unsafe for crews on the ground. Aerial surveys often look for dead vegetation as an indicator of gas leaks.

Researchers say, however, that airplane surveys conducted with scientific instruments enable them to gather the information more accurately, quickly, cheaply and safely than other available methods.

“This has implications for pipeline operators across the country,” said UC Davis atmospheric scientist Ian Faloona. “If we can do aerial control with instrumentation, it could be replicated throughout the nation and world.”

But not just any plane can detect natural gas leaks.

The research plane’s technology includes a greenhouse gas analyzer, an instrument that measures methane plumes in real time. Conley also developed a differential GPS system to get precise wind readings. Accurate wind readings play a vital role in detecting sources of greenhouse gases, such as methane.

UC Davis’ partnership with PG&E to survey the pipeline began in late 2011, with three test flights over 300 miles of transmission lines. The current surveying project began in November and is expected to be complete in December. The project area stretches from Sonoma to Fresno. The data collected will be used to enhance pipeline safety throughout PG&E’s service area.

The plane’s ability to source pollutants has also been used to detect leaks at fracking operations and investigate the amount of ozone pollution that enters the United States from distant sources.

The $200,000 project is funded by the Pipeline Research Council International, with principal backing from PG&E.

About UC Davis

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of nearly $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Additional information:

Online press kit and b-roll footage:

Media contact(s):

Stephen Conley, UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, (916) 217-1107, saconley@ucdavis.edu
Ian Faloona, UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, (530) 752-2044, icfaloona@ucdavis.edu (cell: (415) 847-7773)
Kat Kerlin, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-7704, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu, cell: (530) 750-9195

View this story on the Web at: http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10408

UC Davis plant scientists honored for humanitarian rice research

cydoval — 2012-11-13T21:21:24Z

About half of the world’s people eat rice every day. Unfortunately, about 50 million acres of rice is grown in flood-prone regions of the world, and rice plants die when submerged for more than three days. But that’s changing, thanks to researchers from the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Rice is one of the globe’s most important food staples. About half of the world’s seven billion people eat rice every day. Unfortunately, about 50 million acres of rice is grown in flood-prone regions of the world, and rice plants die if they’re completely submerged for more than three days.

But that’s changing, thanks to the work of two plant scientists from the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Professor Pamela Ronald with the Department of Plant Pathology and the Agricultural Experiment Station, and David Mackill, adjunct professor with the Department of Plant Sciences, have helped develop a submergence-tolerant variety of rice which is producing yields up to five times greater than conventional varieties, improving life for rice growers around the world.

To honor their efforts, Ronald and Mackill have been named laureates of The Tech Awards 2012, two of 12 people from around the world celebrated this year by The Tech Museum in San Jose, Calif., for using technology to benefit humanity and spark global change.

“It’s a wonderful honor,” said Mackill. “It’s very rewarding to know our work is making a difference.”

Ronald, Mackill and former postdoctoral fellow Kenong Xu, now an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at Cornell University, teamed up to identify a gene that enables rice to survive flooding and introduced that gene into a high-yielding rice variety. The result was a submergence-tolerant variety known as “Sub 1 rice” which one million farmers planted in 2011, producing yields two-to-five times greater than conventional varieties.

: Rice farmers in India

The submergence-tolerant rice has the same taste, feel and harvest schedule as traditional rice. That’s one reason farmers – who themselves did extensive field tests of the rice in India and Bangladesh – are now using it.

Flooding is not much of an issue for rice farmers in California, but it is a concern for growers in the southern United States, who are showing interest in the new variety. In the meantime, “Sub 1 rice” is saving lives in poor, flood-prone parts of the world.

“It’s estimated that two billion very poor farmers live in these flood-prone areas in Asia, and 75 million live on less than a dollar a day,” Ronald said. “So even a small change in the quantity of grain that can be harvested can have a huge impact on their families’ lives. I talked with several women in South Asia who told me the new variety is providing enough yield to feed their families and provide extra rice to sell.”

Ronald is now working on identifying other genes that confer tolerance to stress or resistance to disease – major causes of crop loss worldwide. Mackill worked at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines where the new rice varieties were developed. Now based at UC Davis, Mackill is helping rice farmers throughout California, the nation and the world sustainably produce rice with good yields and great taste.

Ronald, Mackill and Xu – who has also been named a laureate of The Tech Awards 2012 – will be honored at an event at the Santa Clara Convention Center on November 15. More information about The Tech Awards is available at http://thetechawards.thetech.org

Almond crop climbs in value, thanks in part to CA&ES expertise

cydoval — 2012-10-23T15:27:25Z

The UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has played a key role in the California almond industry’s leap into second place in the latest annual valuation of the state’s agricultural commodities, beating out grapes for the first time.

October 22, 2012

Video runs 1 min 40 sec
Videography by Mike Poe/UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

The state crop report for 2011 is not due out until next month, but UC’s Agriculture and Natural Resources division is already reporting on the success of the almond crop — based on data from the federal government.

The state's almond crop has nearly doubled over the last 20 years, and ANR is crediting grower ingenuity and scientific work by the likes of Professor Patrick Brown and Cooperative Extension Specialists Bruce Lampinen and Larry Schwankl, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences affiliates who work in the areas of canopy management, irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer.

In the 1980s, a good yield averaged 1,400 pounds of shelled almonds per acre. In 2011, the industry recorded an average yield of 2,670 pounds per acre — for a harvest of about 2 billion pounds, a record, and still not enough to meet demand.

"Higher density plantings of almonds and a trend towards less pruning, and improved water management have led to much higher yields,” said Lampinen with the Department of Plant Sciences and the Agricultural Experiment Station.

The California crop — representing 100 percent of almond production in the United States, and 75 percent to 80 percent of global production — brought in $3.87 billion in 2011, compared with $3.86 billion for table, wine and raisin grapes. Both commodities trailed dairy.

Forty years ago, California farmers produced less than 100 million pounds of almonds from orchards covering a total of about 200,000 acres.

Today, the crop covers about 760,000 acres in the Central Valley, as farmers benefit from mechanization, improved irrigation efficiency, and advances in insect and disease management, plus research on pruning and fertilization.

Cutting back on pruning

As almond acreage expanded, farmers new to the industry tended to do too much pruning — based on prior experience tending fruit trees. In a pruned orchard of fruit trees, more sunlight reaches the fruit — giving it better color.
In almonds, however, more canopy generally means more yield, Lampinen said. “Today, most almond growers only prune when branches are growing in the way of tractors or other equipment,” he said.

UC research also determined that almond trees could be planted closer together, at an average density of 110 per acre, instead of the old standard of 60 to 70, and still get enough sun.

But there is a point of diminishing return, too, according to research that looked at the orchard floor — where the almonds land after being shaken from the trees, in the traditional method of harvesting.

“If the orchard floor becomes too shaded by trees planted too densely, the orchard floor temperature and humidity become optimal for growth of pathogens that could become a food safety problem,” Lampinen said.

“You want enough sunlight to hit the orchard floor to reduce potential pathogens, like salmonella,” he said. Otherwise, such pathogens could migrate to the almonds when they are sitting on the ground, prior to being swept up.

More efficient irrigation systems

Schwankl, of the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, said many almond farmers are also watering their trees in more efficient ways, as opposed to flood irrigation.

These microsprinkler and drip systems are more efficient because they apply water and fertilizer more precisely, as shown by Cooperative Extension advisers and specialists in demonstration plots around the valley.

Joe MacIlvaine, president of Kern County’s Paramount Farming Co., one of the state’s largest growers of almonds, pistachios and pomegranates, said: “Twenty years ago, we simply guessed at the amount of water that the trees needed, and we applied it on a calendar basis.

“Today, we are delivering water and nutrients directly to the root zones when they are needed.”

Another change in almond farming deals with the application of nitrogen fertilizer.

Two decades ago, farmers generally applied it in granular form in the fall, after which irrigation water and winter rain would take the fertilizer into the soil. But the fertilizer would not go to work until spring and summer.

The end result? An efficiency factor believed to be about 40 percent.

Today, standard practice has the fertilizer going through the irrigation system during the growing season — for efficiency as high as 85 percent, according to Blake Sanden, a Cooperative Extension adviser in Kern County, who joined Brown in running nitrogen trials at Paramount Farming. Brown is a professor of plant nutrition in the Department of Plant Sciences and a pomologist with UC's Agricultural Experiment Station.

MacIlvaine acknowledged Cooperative Extension’s role in helping the almond industry move up in the crop rankings.

“The University of California has been a wonderful partner in improving our farming practices,” he said. "The whole system is not only more efficient, but more sustainable at the same time.”

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources contributed to this report.

Doctoral candidate wins prestigious plant breeding award to help improve rice

dcheung — 2012-10-11T17:32:55Z

Daniel Caddell, a Ph.D. candidate in plant biology at the University of California, Davis, is one of 14 fellows in the prestigious Monsanto Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program (MBBISP) for 2013.

October 5, 2012

: Caddell, a native of Oceanside, Calif. near San Diego, is passionate about using his research to help meet society’s farming needs.

Through the program, Caddell will research ways to improve the yield and health of rice crops, working to make the rice varieties available to farmers, especially in developing countries. MBBISP will also put Caddell in touch with collaborators and rice experts in fields and laboratories worldwide with the common goal of producing improved rice varieties.

“Having the opportunity to study abroad with MBBISP will keep me focused on what aspects of my research will be the most beneficial to farmers throughout the world,” said Caddell, who works with Professor Pam Ronald in the UC Davis Department of Plant Pathology. “With a growing global population and less land devoted to agriculture, we need to find new and innovative ways to improve yields and improve rice varieties to grow in areas they may not have been able to survive previously.”

Caddell, a native of Oceanside, Calif. near San Diego, is passionate about using his research to help meet society’s farming needs.

“I hope my research is able to make a difference to farming in the future by reducing the amount of crops that are being lost to disease while further reducing the need for pesticide applications,” said Caddell. “Although I didn’t grow up farming, I have a great appreciation for the men and women who toil year in and year out so that the rest of us have food on our tables.”

Established in 2009, the fellowship program began in honor of two of the world’s most pre-eminent rice and wheat breeders: Dr. Henry Beachell and Nobel laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug. Their lifelong work laid the foundation for the tremendous increases in rice and wheat production that continue to help feed the world today. MBBISP has provided 38 scholars from 19 different countries the opportunity to pursue their Ph.D. degree at leading universities and to collaborate with research institutions around the world.

As part of the company’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, Monsanto pledged $10 million through the MBBISP to provide fellowship opportunities to highly motivated individuals seeking their Ph.D. degree in rice or wheat plant breeding. Through the fellowship, Caddell will gain the leadership skills, education and tools to positively impact rice farmers around the world and improve the future of agriculture. In addition, Caddell and other scholars will experience unique learning experiences including:

Scholar-developed applied research programs that include experiential learning in both developed and developing countries
Participation in the World Food Prize and Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa
Opportunities to interact with leaders in government, research, academia, and industry

MBBISP scholars receive a generous student stipend, tuition, applicable fees, health insurance, research fees and travel, as well as funds for the collaborating institution and advising professor.

For more information about the program, visit www.monsanto.com/mbbischolars

Switzer fellow brings unique approach to sustainable agriculture

cydoval — 2012-09-25T18:42:11Z

Ildi Carlisle-Cummins, a UC Davis graduate student pursuing her passion for sustainable agriculture, has been awarded a fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.

September 25, 2012

: As part of her graduate studies, Ildi Carlisle-Cummins works on a chile pepper project at the UC Davis Student Farm to teach fellow students and the public about the importance of plant diversity and breeding. Photo by John Stumbos/UC Davis

Ildi Carlisle-Cummins, a UC Davis graduate student pursuing her passion for sustainable agriculture, has been awarded a fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.

Each year, at least 20 promising environmental leaders from around the country are awarded $15,000 each to complete master’s and doctoral degrees to advance their skills and develop their expertise addressing critical environmental challenges.

Carlisle-Cummins traces her love of food to the afternoons and evenings of her youth helping her father prepare meals. But it was a study abroad trip to Costa Rica in 2001 that brought her interest in food and agriculture into sharper focus.

“I was sitting in a chicken barn on an organic farm listening to a lecture about compost when my class received the news about the terrorist attacks on 9/11,” she said. “Trying to make sense of what had just happened, I looked hard for positive ways to make the world a better place. In a world that suddenly seemed much harsher, I saw organic and sustainable farms as living laboratories where people were solving practical problems that improved the environment while addressing the most basic social injustices.”

In 2003 she earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan in her self-designed degree, combining ecology and social science with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Over the course of the next 10 years she worked on the front lines of the community food systems movement. She ran a nutrition education campaign at a community resource center, compiled a food security guide for a local food bank, and chaired the board of Life Lab Science Program, a Santa Cruz, Calif., nonprofit specializing in farm- and garden-based education.

In 2005, Carlisle-Cummins went to work for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers to run the Farm-to-School Program. “I put my whole heart and mind into building a program that could share my love of sustainably produced food with elementary school children,” she said.

In addition to getting locally grown produce into school cafeterias across Northern California, she also brought farmers into the classroom and school children out for farm visits to increase youngsters’ agricultural literacy. “Children rarely learn about agriculture in schools,” she says. “I knew if I could get fifth-graders to be excited about rutabagas, I knew I could get other people thinking about food issues.”

Before long she was making the case for sustainable agriculture in front of local and statewide audiences and giving media interviews to the likes of National Public Radio. “I was honored to be recognized for my expertise in farm-to-school programs in California and was called upon to share my knowledge with a wide variety of audiences—from medical societies to philanthropic groups to farming conferences and school boards,” she said.

Still, something was missing. “I often felt that I was ‘winging it’ without the depth of understanding of the history of the food system that I would have liked,” she said.

In a program sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, she learned about the unique history of California’s Pajaro Valley and how the Croatian families who settled there started apple and produce businesses that carved up the region into smaller parcels of land that distinguish it from farms in the Salinas or Central valleys. “I was inspired to head back to school to keep learning about the development of California agriculture,” she said.

She entered UC Davis as a graduate student working toward her master’s degree in community and regional development in fall 2011, intent on studying California’s agricultural past and present. In her first quarter she discovered a large body of academic research on community food systems and is starting a graduate-student working group focused on food systems.

David Campbell, a Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Human and Community Development, is Carlisle-Cummins’ faculty adviser. He’s been impressed with her quick grasp of new knowledge and her ability to make points of connection between theory and practice. Her academic work examines the complex ways in which conventional and alternative food systems are interconnected and mutually transforming, leading not only to conflict but to bridge-building possibilities.

“She’s an outstanding listener who quickly reads new situations,” Campbell said. “Her organizing skills were evident from the first day she landed in our community development program. The Switzer Fellowship is a well-deserved opportunity for her to explore leadership opportunities on a larger stage.”

Jan Hopmans, associate dean in the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is impressed with Carlisle-Cummins’ unique approach—learning about California’s agricultural past to seek out success stories offering solutions for intensive agricultural food systems that minimize impacts on the surrounding ecosystems and natural resources. “This is yet another fine example of why students are seeking out our college, campus, and land-grant university, and commit in contributing to a better society,” Hopmans said.

Carlisle-Cummins is the latest UC Davis graduate student to be awarded a fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. She joins five other UC Davis graduate students who have been awarded one of the prestigious fellowships within the last three years: Mark Elbroch (ecology), Tavis Forrester (ecology), Karrigan Bork (ecology), Kathy Deiner (ecology), and Matthew Hamilton (international agricultural development).

The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, established in 1986, identifies and nurtures environmental leaders who have the ability and determination to make a significant impact, and supports initiatives that will have direct and measurable results to improve environmental quality. The foundation accomplishes this by awarding academic fellowships and project grants, sponsoring professional development activities, and fostering a growing network of Switzer fellows, environmental practitioners, and organizations.

"The 2012 Switzer Environmental Fellows are preparing to address the most complex environmental issues of our time through academic disciplines at the cutting edge of science and policy,” said the organization’s executive director Lissa Widoff. “These individuals share a determination to actively apply their problem-solving abilities and innovations in the environmental realm.”

Carlisle-Cummins also plans to simultaneously complete a professional concentration in conflict resolution at UC Davis to build facilitation and leadership skills. “With a master’s degree I intend to jump back into the field with new direction and informed opinions about where the sustainable agriculture movement should go next,” she says. “And, of course, I will continue to savor every bite.”

CONTACTS:

John Stumbos, senior writer, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, (530) 754-4979, jdstumbos@ucdavis.edu.
Lissa Widoff, executive director, Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, (207) 338-5654, lissa@switzernetwork.org
Lauren Hertel, communications manager, Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, lauren@switzernetwork.org

Mary Delany named Interim Dean of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

zopeadmin — 2012-09-10T12:31:12Z

Mary Delany, a distinguished avian geneticist who has served as an associate dean of the University of California, Davis, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences since 2009, has been named interim dean of the college.

September 10, 2012

Delany will serve in the post until the university appoints a permanent successor to outgoing dean Neal Van Alfen. A comprehensive international search will begin soon.

"We are delighted that Mary Delany has agreed to serve as interim dean," said UC Davis Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter. "As a distinguished researcher, she embodies the excellence and global impact of UC Davis' work in agricultural and environmental science. As a respected longtime member of the UC Davis community, her appointment ensures stability and continuity."

Delany first joined UC Davis in 1995 with a joint faculty appointment in the departments of Avian Sciences and Animal Science (the departments merged in 1997). She chaired the Department of Animal Science from 2005 to 2009 and was named to the John and Joan Fiddyment Endowed Chair in Agriculture in 2009.

"I look forward to working with our campus and college leadership and collaborating with faculty, staff and students to support our various missions and engage with our stakeholders," Delany said. "UC Davis and its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have so many strengths and such forward momentum; it was a pleasure to accept this appointment."

Delany's research focuses on avian telomere biology, using the chicken as the primary study organism. Her projects address Marek's disease virus, a DNA herpesvirus, which induces a lethal T-cell lymphoma in chickens. The disease is of enormous significance in the poultry industry, but also serves as an important model for human herpesvirus infections and associated conditions.

Delany also is involved in gene mapping and genome organization of the chicken and turkey, mapping and gene analysis of limb and craniofacial malformations, and the conservation of poultry and avian genetic resources for researchers.

Delany has served on the board of directors of the Poultry Science Association and serves on editorial boards and review panels. She recently chaired the Federation of Animal Science Societies Science Policy Committee. She also is a past member of the International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium.

She received her bachelor's degree in biology from Montclair State College, New Jersey, and earned master's and doctoral degrees in animal genetics from Cornell University, New York.

UC Davis is Nation's "Coolest School"

dcheung — 2012-08-27T17:36:26Z

Sierra magazine has named the University of California, Davis, the nation's "Coolest School" for its efforts to address climate change and operate sustainably.

University of California, Davis
August 14, 2012

UC DAVIS IS NATION'S 'COOLEST SCHOOL'

Sierra magazine has named the University of California, Davis, the nation's "Coolest School" for its efforts to address climate change and operate sustainably.

The 5,300-acre campus, internationally acclaimed for its research in environmental sciences, ranked No. 1 among the 96 top colleges and universities surveyed.

"At UC Davis, sustainability is one of our core values," said UC Davis chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi. "I am very proud of the students, faculty and staff who have worked so hard to make this achievement possible and to invest in a more sustainable future for our campus."

In bestowing the "Coolest School" ranking, the Sierra Club's official publication praised UC Davis for establishing rigorous green purchasing standards; diverting nearly 70 percent of campus trash from landfills; and offering an extensive transportation system that includes the student-run Unitrans bus service, which serves the campus and adjoining city with 49 natural-gas-powered buses that carry 21,000 riders a day, 42 miles of bike paths and more than 20,000 bicycle parking spaces.

"I'm going into my senior year, and for the past few years, I've seen UC Davis grow in efforts to put sustainably grown food and energy measures on campus," said UC Davis student Tessa Artale, director of the Campus Center for the Environment. "Not only at the administrative level, but at the student level, I've seen a commitment to making UC Davis a model for green universities. At UC Davis, you can take a class about sustainability, you can go on a field trip with the professor, join a club, get involved in the Student Farm. Sustainability is a really important topic, and UC Davis is a good place to learn about it."

UC Davis drew international attention for its commitment to sustainability last fall, when it officially opened the doors to UC Davis West Village, the nation's largest planned zero net energy community. The 130-acre development, which will house about 3,000 students, faculty and staff, is designed to generate as much electricity as it uses over the course of a year.

UC Davis has also established itself as a leader in environmental sustainability through:

A Climate Action Plan that has reduced campus greenhouse gas emissions below year 2000 levels and expects to reach year 1990 levels by 2020.
A $39 million Smart Lighting Initiative that is on track to reduce campus electrical use by 60 percent by 2015, saving $3 million on the annual electricity bill. In June, UC Davis became the first campus in the nation to introduce adaptive, networked exterior lighting, a project that alone will save $100,000 annually in electricity costs.
Planning that helps 85 percent of students and 46 percent of employees to use sustainable transportation (walking, bicycling, carpooling, riding a bus or taking a train) as their primary means of commuting to and getting around on campus.
Aggressive recycling, composting and reuse efforts that in 2011-12 prevented nearly 75 percent of campus waste from entering landfills annually. Aggie Stadium has won the EPA's Wastewise Game Day Challenge diversion rate championship for the past two years. In 2011, the stadium diverted more than 93 percent of its waste on challenge day. Throughout the year, the stadium prevents about 80 percent of its waste from entering landfills.
The campus spends more than 20 percent of its $5.6 million food budget for residential dining services on local products, buys organic items such as poultry and grains, and sources olive oil and tomatoes from campus farms.

Visitors to campus can take a self-guided tour of these and other sustainability highlights by downloading a map or obtaining a print version on campus. A website, Sustainable 2nd Century, launched in 2009 to celebrate UC Davis' first 100 years, also catalogues sustainable achievements.

In another major initiative, UC Davis is taking the principles of its arboretum -- ranked one of the 10 most beautiful gardens in the U.S. by Stylist Home -- to transition the 900-acre central campus into a public garden that features sustainable maintenance practices and native plants.

Four UC Davis building complexes are certified LEED Platinum, the highest ranking awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council and more than any other UC campus. Among them is the world's first LEED Platinum winery, brewery and food processing facility, in which a new generation of students is learning to produce fine wine and beer using less water and electricity.

In addition:

UC Davis research informs state water, transportation, lighting, construction, and air quality policies, which often influence national policy.
UC Davis is the home base of Andrew Frank, hailed as the "father of the plug-in hybrid." The longtime professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering built the first plug-in hybrid and launched what has become one of the foremost centers of research aimed at advancing the plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle market.

"Over the last six years, Sierra has been privileged to connect with and learn from traditional institutions evolving in nontraditional ways," said Bob Sipchen, Sierra magazine's editor-in-chief. "With their ever-growing emphasis on environmental responsibility, these schools are channeling the enthusiasm of their students, who consistently cite climate disruption and other environmental issues as the most serious challenges their generation must confront, while demonstrating leadership for other civic institutions."

Sierra Magazine's top 10 schools of 2012 are:

University of California, Davis (Davis, Calif.)
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Ga.)
Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.)
University of Washington (Seattle, Wash.)
University of Connecticut (Hartford, Conn.)
University of New Hampshire (Durham, N.H.)
Duke University (Durham, N.C.)
Yale University (New Haven, Conn.)
University of California, Irvine (Irvine, Calif)
Appalachian State University (Boone, N.C.)

About UC Davis

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget that exceeds $684 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Additional information:

Media contact(s):

Kat Kerlin, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-7704, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu, cell: (530) 750-9195

View this story on the Web at http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10304