Speaker at podium on conference stage with large green-themed presentation screen
Aggie experts travel the globe. Professor Maeli Melotto took part in the One Health in Agrifood Systems Forum in China recently. The plant sciences professor moderated a panel on evidence-based decision-making and participated in panels, including one on preventing salmonella and other foodborne illnesses.
Three smiling farm workers pose by field; man holds yellow squash; pumpkins on soil.
Dean Ashley M. Stokes and Associate Dean Anne Todgham attended a field day at Hollar Seeds, a subsidiary of Syngenta to learn more about their breeding process for specialty vegetable crops. (Caren Weintraub/UC Davis)
Six smiling people under a canopy on grass, woman holding a small bottle of olive oil
Let’s have some fun at the Yolo County fair! Dean Ashley M. Stokes, Associate Deans Anne Todgham and Amanda Guyer joined the UC Davis Olive Center at their olive oil tasting booth. It was a great opportunity to connect with community members, alumni, friends and supporters—and to share a little of what makes our region and the college so special.
Photo collage: smiling fair attendees by colorful agricultural display and staff
CA&ES was thrilled to be part of the California State Fair’s Ag Day celebration! There were many agricultural partners on hand to recognize this critically important sector for California, the U.S. and the world!
Outdoor UC Davis mural showing sheep, faces, hills and colorful flowing ribbons
Everyone's favorite campus grazers are now mural stars! Check out the colorful mural across from California Hall. The artwork celebrates our campuswide commitment to reducing carbon emissions and creating a more sustainable future with bikes, biodiversity, habitat restoration and, of course, our beloved baa-rilliant landscapers, the UC Davis Sheepmowers! (Tiffany Dobbyn/UC Davis)

A Message From the Dean - August 2026

  • by Ashley M. Stokes

Happy summer, Aggies!

It’s been a busy summer, with students and researchers working on so many interesting projects and discoveries. Here in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, we have taken this time to reflect on the past academic year and are using this period to prepare for the next class of students arriving this fall.

In July we spent the day at Ag Day at the State Fair where we met with prospective students, watched FFA and 4-H students show their livestock, and spent time celebrating the bounty of California food and agriculture, the environment and the joy of communities coming together with Sacramento leaders. It was a wonderful reminder of our work and the importance of our research, extension and outreach throughout the state.

Last week we were excited to experience the Seed Field Days in and around Woodland. We are so fortunate to have so many seed companies located close to campus. Events like this strengthen connections between university research and California’s seed industry, and provide opportunities to share knowledge about crop performance, production practices and emerging technologies that benefit growers throughout the state and around the world. It was great to see new crop varieties and plant-breeding innovations firsthand and to see so many Aggie alums putting their expertise to work at these companies!

We’re excited to announce three new department chairs: Johan Leveau for plant pathology, Jorge Mazza Rodrigues for land, air and water resources and Steven Sadro for environmental science and policy. And a big congrats to Amanda Guyer, who is representing UC Davis on the Board on Health and Human Sciences within the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

This summer we continued to celebrate many research stories. A new study found that queen bees will pass pesticide contamination on to her eggs to save herself when worker bees are overwhelmed. These findings could help beekeepers, growers and pest-management planners better consider pesticide exposure during key periods for colonies.

Researchers also tested processed foods labeled as made with avocado oil, including chips, mayo and salad dressings to see whether they are made with pure avocado oil. This research demonstrates the important work of our CE Specialists and their diligence in providing accurate information.

Food safety expert Erin DiCaprio explains what’s behind the recent Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce and how to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. The bottom line: The fact that outbreaks are relatively rare is evidence that decades of food safety research, regulation and industry practices do work. 

The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center released its 2026 State of the Lake Report, offering an accessible look at the health of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding ecosystem. 

This summer, UC Davis students spent six weeks developing ideas for San Francisco’s future Courage Museum, creating projects designed to support youth and educators. And a new study out of the Department of Nutrition found that simply labeling culturally relevant foods can make food pantries twice as likely to choose them for the communities they serve.

We are really excited to have all of our students back on campus and look forward to the coming academic year.

Go Ags!

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A Message From the Dean