Two UC Davis graduate students turned a springtime campus tradition into an unforgettable marriage proposal. On a bright and sunny April afternoon, the UC Davis Sheepmowers were grazing on top of the grassy mounds near the Silo. But one sheep stood out. It was wearing a special jacket with a very important question: “Wool ewe marry me?”

In the middle of the herd, Dylan Moore got down on one knee and asked her girlfriend, Lauren Mabe, to marry her.

Organic food is easy to find these days, from farmers markets to grocery stores. But organic farming covers only a small portion of California’s agricultural land. As the state pushes to make agriculture more climate-friendly, a new UC Davis-led research project is exploring why some regions are successfully shifting to sustainable practices – while others face more barriers to making the transition.

In communities across California, residents are grappling with poor air quality, often without a clear understanding of the pollutants in their environment. In Vallejo, a neighborhood near a cement mixing plant struggles with constant dust on the inside of homes, including kitchen cabinets, counters and tables. Other communities contend with traffic and aircraft emissions, industrial pollution and seasonal wildfire smoke.

At the historic gambling hall named Dai Loy – which translates to "big welcome" – UC Davis landscape architecture students received just that, as they explored the rich history of Locke, a quaint town in the Delta. The landmark was one of the stops on a field trip that immersed students in the community's past, inspiring ideas for future improvements in the region that could benefit the town.

What started as a simple sketch in Brianna Bobadilla’s notebook has transformed into an eye-catching structure – a hanging table surrounded by benches and elevated side tables. Now on display outside Hunt Hall, just steps from Memorial Union, this piece is one of three unique structures crafted by students in the LDA 160 Design and Build Studio course, which challenges students to build a new small-scale project each fall.

The UC Davis Center for Regional Change, or CRC, is entering a new chapter, focused on renewing its mission and driving meaningful change for both the campus and the communities it serves. As part of this new direction, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) has appointed Professor Michael Rios to help guide the CRC’s framework. 

The UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) is pleased to introduce Professor Adrienne Nishina as the new chair of the Department of Human Ecology. She started her new role July 1. 

Nishina has been with the department’s faculty since 2006. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Patsy Eubanks Owens, associate dean of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a professor of landscape architecture, has been elected to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Council of Fellows. This prestigious honor recognizes her exceptional contributions to the profession and broader communities. Owens is one of this year’s 40 ASLA fellows, one of the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members.

Not far from the lush banks of Putah Creek sits a charming cluster of yellow cottages on the edge of campus that serves as a vibrant hub for studying early childhood development. This setting, once dedicated to the practical art of home economics, has evolved into the Early Childhood Lab School (ECLS), a place where the science of growth meets the heart of care. 

In cases of Alzheimer’s disease, it’s common for a spouse to take on the role of caregiver. Research led by the University of California, Davis, suggests that patients can also support their caretakers, and that reciprocated care has mutual benefits.