A Message from the Dean - March 2026
Happy spring, Aggies!
We have many things to celebrate this month—we maintained our No. 1 ranking in the nation for agriculture and forestry by Q.S. World Rankings. The “why” behind our No. 1 ranking is certainly the best part! I brag on our faculty, staff, students and partners each and every day. The true impact of our college is evident locally here in California and around the world!
We recently received a generous gift of $25 million, made possible by a bequest from the late philanthropist and local businessman Dan G. Best II. This gift will transform the advancement of agricultural technology and innovation for generations to come. Our donors continue to foster excellence in teaching, research and extension.
This month we were so pleased to congratulate our newly admitted first years and transfer students to UC Davis! Each spring, we begin our preparation for the new fall class with admit notifications, and this year we took a moment to read and watch some of their reactions to being accepted. I am truly inspired by our perspective students and their drive and excitement for this next step in their academic career. They are a reminder of why we do this important work.
New research out of our college is changing how we think about food and health, from the grocery store to the farm. A study led by UC Davis researchers on the FDA’s proposed front-of-package nutrition labels suggests alternative designs could better guide shoppers toward healthier choices. Meanwhile a major collaborative effort with the FDA is shedding new light on food safety studies for California’s produce-growing regions. Together, these findings aim to improve both consumer decision-making and protecting our food supply.
A team of scientists have sequenced the genome of the ancient Great Basin bristlecone pine to better understand its remarkable longevity, which could help land managers identify genetic materials that may help these trees adapt to future environments.
And one student-made dairy creation is the cream of the crop! The Food Tech Club hosted a competition where teams of undergrads developed creative fermented dairy products, including a gut-healthy schmear.
We applaud Joanna Chiu with entomology and Gitta Coaker with plant pathology as newly elected American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows! In total, CA&ES has 29 AAAS fellows, which speaks to the excellence of our faculty and their impact.
The college also celebrated its 50th annual Field Day, which brought an estimated 1,650 FFA and 4-H students to campus to participate in 20 contests showing off their agricultural knowledge and leadership skills. The annual event is a massive undertaking that brings together 600 student volunteers, coordinators, judges, advisors, faculty and others to evaluate knowledge in a variety of topics. This month’s Field Notes highlights several student volunteers and their personal experience with past Field Days. I loved hearing the stories from our students about how much Field Day shaped their academic journey and their joy in giving back as volunteers.
For the past several months, I’ve been listening across California, advocating in Sacramento and Washington D.C., meeting with industry and community partners, engaging with students, and developing strategies with our college faculty and leadership team to meet needs in priority areas. I’m even more convinced of the importance of our collaborative work. We are No. 1 for incredible reasons!