Volume 31, Number 2 M A G A Z I N E Spring 2014

Picnic Day turns 100 n li a h S ing on nk a • b m tu en m tershed Mo a A W with our thanks

Dear fellow Aggies, parents, faculty and friends,

You are receiving this magazine because you are among a group of UC Davis alumni and friends who have made a decision to remain connected to one of the top public universities in the country. Some of you are doing this through a membership with our Cal Aggie Alumni Association or UC Davis Parents Association, or by making a gift. Others are connected as parents of a UC Davis freshman or as faculty members who are teaching the next gen- eration of Aggie leaders. Bruce Edwards Sending you the print edition of UC Davis Magazine is our way of showing our gratitude. For other alumni and friends, we have converted the magazine to an electronic publication to better support our university’s efforts to be environmentally friendly and economically conscientious. The electronic version will also be available to everyone who receives the print edition. UC Davis Magazine is a highly regarded publication that has informed, entertained and inspired Aggie readers for more than 30 years. This issue is no exception. There are engaging stories that reinvigorate our Aggie Pride, among them: a tribute to the 100th Picnic Day, a uniquely UC Davis tradi- tion; and a feature on how Center for Watershed Sciences researchers help California better manage one of its most precious resources—water. Chuck Nichols If you know of alumni or friends who wish to continue to receive the print edition, please encourage them to contact us so they can find a way to recon- nect with UC Davis in a way that matches their needs and lifestyle. Thank you for your continued support of UC Davis, which allows us to continue to produce UC Davis Magazine as well as pursue our vision to be one of the best universities in the world.

Go Ags!

Bruce C. Edwards ’60 Chuck Nichols ’83, ’84 Chair, President, UC Davis Foundation Cal Aggie Alumni Association

For more information, contact the Cal Aggie Alumni Association at 530-752-0286 or email [email protected]. MAGAZINE Volume 31, Number 2/Spring 2014 FEATURES A Watershed Momentum 16 At a center that brings together hydrologists, biologists, geologists, economists and engineers, water is for collaborating rather than for fighting. by Chris Bowman

Banking on Shan Li 24 One of China’s most influential financial leaders 100 Picnic Days 26 began his economics education at UC Davis. Before joining the centuple Picnic Day, find out what by Kathleen Holder happened at some of the 99 other celebrations.

Departments About the cover: 6 Letters The last time Schatzi, our cover model 7 Calendar (beloved dachshund of Julie Hamil- 8 News ton ’85, of Davis), raced in a Picnic Day Doxie Derby, she ran straight for the 14 Parents crowd instead of the finish line. The 31 Class Notes dachshund races are perennial crowd- pleasers, but this year’s event could be 39 One to One monumental. This will be the 100th Alumni compare notes on KDVS Picnic Day. Photo by Karin Higgins. 40 Sports Cover design by Russ Thebaud.

recycled • recyclable UAC D VIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 1 ADVANCING innovation “Thanks “Thanks 530-754-4438 giving.ucdavis.edu to the fellowship, An translate discoveries to discoveries translate the greater good. greater the advancing innovation foradvancing Gifts to the UC to the Gifts stellar faculty like like faculty stellar real-world innovations.” real-world I study how universities I study how universities Professor PeterProfessor in Lee — Peter Lee technology transfer expert transfer technology UC Professor of law, UC Professor renowned Internationally nual Fundnual support

D avis Chancellor’s Fellow Fellow Chancellor’s avis

Davis Davis

D avis

From the Editor

UC Davis As you flip through the pages of this issue, you’ll notice Magazine we’ve been doing some remodeling. We’ve made some design Managing Editor changes in an effort to make UC Davis Magazine easier and, we Kathleen Holder hope, more enjoyable to read. The changes are in response to com- Art Director Russ Thebaud ments from our reader survey last fall—many of you loved the Designers photos but thought some of the stories were too long and the type- Jay Leek, Laurie Lewis, Lisa Wells ’03 face too small. We listened. Photographers It’s just the beginning of an ongoing effort to make your maga- Karin Higgins, Gregory Urquiaga zine better—not just at informing you about your university, but Multimedia Specialist Joe Proudman also in keeping you engaged with UC Davis. We see the magazine Editorial AssistanT as a medium for dialogue. Please keep in touch. Let us know how Gheed Saeed ’14 we’re doing and update us about what you’re doing. Email us at [email protected] with a class note, a letter, a story idea. We’d love to hear from you. University of California, Davis

Chancellor Linda P. B. Katehi Associate Chancellor of Strategic Communications Luanne Lawrence

UC Davis Magazine (USPS 002723, ISSN 1092-6135) Contributors Published three times a year by Strategic Communications, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA Cheryl Anderson, debuting as parents 95616, for alumni, faculty, parents columnist, is a writer and stand-up comedian. She of students, donors and other friends of the campus. Periodicals has two daughters in college. She lives in Folsom postage paid at Davis, CA. © 2014 with her husband and several animals that her by The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. Persons girls have left behind. Her essay, “Never Can Say wishing to reprint any portion of UC Davis Magazine’s contents are Goodbye,” begins on page 14. required to write in advance for permission. Chris Bowman, a veteran environmental Postmaster and readers: Please email address changes to journalist, writes in “A Watershed Momentum” [email protected], or mail to (page 16) about the UC Davis Center for Watershed UC Davis Magazine, University of California, Sciences, where he now works. As Bowman puts it, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616-8687. the center found him stranded on a gravel bar in All other email correspondence 2012 and pulled him aboard its raft to man the should be sent to [email protected]. communications paddles. Ironically, the California UC Davis Magazine is on the Web at drought has tripled his stroke rate. ucdavismagazine.ucdavis.edu. Phone: 530-752-9607

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 3 One UC Davis

Together, we are one UC Davis

As an Aggie, you know best that there is only One UC Davis. There are many inspiring stories to be told in UC Davis’ new marketing campaign about how, together, we are changing our world for the better. Tell us your story . . .

More than 200,000 Aggies In our campaign, we tell the stories about how togeth- er, at UC Davis, we are changing our world for the better and transforming one another as well as our institution. We are celebrating humanity and nature, and inspiring innovation in California and around the world. This is the essence of the One World, One UC Davis campaign—we’re innovating to make our world better; and in the process, improving and grow- ing ourselves.

Engage One UC Davis Tell us why UC Davis is the one for you. Share a story about someone in the UC Davis community who inspires you, tell us about a unique UC Davis experi- ence you’ve had or share fond memories of the past. Visit ucdavis.edu/one and click “Tell us your story,” or post to your favorite social media site with the tag, #oneucdavis. Let the world know about One UC Davis. Your story could be featured on banners, posters, social media and elsewhere. Of course, we cannot guarantee all information will be used, but we welcome everyone’s participation in continuing the campaign.

4­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014

FACULTY MENTORS

A banner year MENAL NAL NAL

STUDENTS STAFF

The One UC Davis cam- PHEN NAL paign kicked off with

RDINARY INSPIRATI nearly 40 banners across Yiyun Li

Letters and Science EXCEPTI campus honoring some of Amrit Sahota One UC Davis in 30 seconds EXTRAJudy Kjelstrom ONE WORLD Biological Sciences Watch our new promotional video online and, after the exceptional students, ONE WORLD Carly Sandstrom faculty, staff, alumni and Letters and Science that, go behind the scenes to hear some of the Aggie ONE WORLD Tanya Whitlow friends who make UC Davis Engineering stars tell why UC Davis is the one for them. ONE WORLD a one-of-a-kind place. “At UC Davis, the lives that touch us, inspire us,” a Banners have gone up on the Quad, veterinary student says in the opening shot of the along Hutchison Drive and along bike 30-second promotional video. Other scenes include an paths around campus. Take a banner tour—in person underwater view of Lake Tahoe, a doctor’s visit via or online, where an interactive map shows the banners telemedicine and the stage of the Mondavi Center for and their locations. We’re already developing more the Performing Arts. banners, so check back often!

See the commercial at ucdavis.edu/one.

Own it, wear it Find One UC Davis items at the UC Davis Stores: pens, coffee mugs, apparel (coming soon), key fobs and more. Share your UC Davis spirit with family and friends.

Visit ucdavisstores.com.

One World, One UC Davis is you—a global network of people connected to our university. It is the positive impact of our unsung heroes, imaginative research teams and innovative thinkers. What our people share in common is they are transforming lives, celebrating humanity and nature, and inspiring breakthroughs in California and beyond. Letters

ABC connections campus long after my attending such a I read with interest the [fall 2013 “Aggies short time. Remember”] article on Ash Hall, one of Bob Dempel, Cred. ’56 three halls that we called the ABCs back Santa Rosa in the mid-1950s. In 1955 co-eds were housed in all three dorms. One resident, A reader’s goodbye Carla Garrison, was a roommate of my I am in shock with your change in poli- friend, Donna Bice. When you go to the cy on sending out UC Davis Magazine. I MU, a room upstairs is named the Carl loved getting it, and read it from cover Garrison Room after Carla’s father. Carl to cover. You will be sorely missed here. ’33 was president of the Cal Aggie Alum- ni Association twice and also the gen- Suzanne Cross ’75 eral manager of the Porter Estate Co. Alamo In 1976, Porter Estate heirs Benjamin Porter and William Sesnon Jr. donated Editors note: We heard from a number of the Paiute Meadows Ranch in Humboldt other longtime readers who don’t belong to County, Nev., to UC Davis. Carl Garrison the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and Modern-day inner tube water polo is thought to be the person who suggested were disappointed that they will no longer the gift. The ranch was operated by the receive the print magazine. We’ll miss you, Wally refereed most of the games in campus for a short time, then sold. A por- and them too—and hope that, at the least, 1968. There were no rules then. He called tion of the proceeds went to establishing you’ll keep reading the magazine online. the game as he saw it, and there were no UC Davis’ first endowed chair: the Sesnon appeals . . . He also wrote the articles, Chair in Animal Science. The students behind which appeared in the newspaper the Over the years the next generation of inner tube water polo next day. These were always hilarious to the Porter/Sesnon family lost contact with My sister brought to my attention the read—he had a nickname for most every- the campus. One descendant, Jim Cartan, article “Driving Innovation” in the sum- one. His reward was a thorough dunking became a client/friend of mine, and I was mer 2013 issue. It credits Gary Colberg at the end of the season. able to reconnect the family with the with “inventing” inner tube water polo. In the spring of 1970, Wally was chancellor’s office, the College of Agricul- I think this isn’t quite correct. . . . Don’t studying hard for his vet school exams tural and Environmental Sciences, and get me wrong—Gary is a great person and I took his place refereeing many of and certainly greased the skids of the the animal science department. the games and writing the articles for inner tube water polo program. Howev- The Sesnon Chair was recently the Aggie. refilled by Professor Ermias Kebreab. er, the real credit should go to Kent It’s a real credit to Gary and the intra- Both Jim Cartan and I were allowed to “Calf” Calfee ’70 and Randy “Wally” mural program to have overseen the observe the interviews with all of the Wallstrum ’69, D.V.M. ’73—who initially development of a new sport, but Calf applicants—of course, without a vote, acquired the inner tubes from a local tire and Wally certainly deserve to be recog- but what an honor! shop and really got the greatest spectacle nized. Those early days were good fun! My lasting gratitude to Carla and her in intramural water sports going—and roommate Donna for this great connec- also to the members of the 1968 cham- Galen Denio ’70 tion, which has keep me close to the pionship water polo team. Spokane, Wash.

6­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 CALENDAR

Empyrean Ensemble: Tribute to D. Kern Holoman, former conductor of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra who retires this year from the music department faculty. Program includes faculty compositions. Mika Pelo and Kurt Rohde, directors. Mondavi Center, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre April 28

Stage Exhibitions Celebrations Cameron Carpenter, organ UC Davis Film Festival Picnic Day Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall Short films by students. April 12 April 2 Varsity Theatre, downtown Davis More information on page 26. May 21–22 UC Davis Symphony Orchestra Asian Pacific Culture Week Berlin, Leipzig, and Stockholm April 7–11 Christian Baldini, music director and conductor. Program includes world Native American Culture Days premiere of Concerto for Piano and April 14–18 Orchestra by Mika Pelo, assistant professor of music, with artist-in- residence Eric Zivian, piano. Hollingshead Photography Danzantes del Alma Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall Exhibition Annual Show April 26 May 3 1920s and ’30s works from the archives of the late Northern California photog- Guitarist Bill Frisell rapher Paul W. Hollingshead. Curated La Raza Cultural Days by Erin Dorn, M.A. ’14. All We Are Saying: April 28–May 3 The Songs of John Lennon Nelson Gallery Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall April 7–May 4 Black Family Day May 14 May 17

More events

Mondavi Center Visitor Services Design Museum The Art Lounge mondaviarts.org visit.ucdavis.edu designmuseum.ucdavis.edu campusunions.ucdavis.edu Department of Music Arboretum Athletics Richard L. Nelson Gallery music.ucdavis.edu arboretum.ucdavis.edu ucdavisaggies.com & Fine Arts Collection Department of Craft Center Gallery C.N. Gorman Museum nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu Theatre and Dance cru.ucdavis.edu, click on gormanmuseum.ucdavis.edu theatredance.ucdavis.edu Recreation & Activities More event information at ucdavis.edu/calendar.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 7 News Freeing students from textbook costs

The hefty college textbook, “We’re addressing a need out there for ChemWiki began with entries writ- weighty in both pounds and dollars, has vetted information,” Larsen said. ten by students. Then Larsen realized long been a staple of student life. But ChemWiki recently received its first that much of the material he needed chemistry professor Delmar Larsen is on major funding—a grant of $250,000 from was scattered across the Internet, in a mission to replace textbooks with an the National Science Foundation to a course notes, on professors’ websites, online, open e-textbook network. consortium including UC Davis, Sonoma and other locations. Larsen’s ChemWiki, State University, Diablo Valley College, “All the content we need for the first launched in 2008 Contra Costa Community College, Hope two years of undergraduate chemistry on a shoestring College (Michigan) and the University of already exists online—so we went out budget, now Minnesota, Morris. The money will sup- and asked for it,” Larsen said. When nets more than port further expansion of the wiki net- authors responded positively, Larsen 2 million visi- work and the first side-by-side and his student wiki-editors worked to tors a month, comparison of the ChemWiki versus a adapt the material into the wiki format. making it the standard textbook in classroom teaching. Anyone can contribute to ChemWiki: most v i sited This spring quarter, half of a UC Davis “Just email me,” Larsen says. domain among general chemistry class, about 200 stu- So far, he believes, students are using UC Davis websites. dents, will use the standard textbook as ChemWiki as a reference and a supple- their principal reference. The rest, hear- ment to, rather than a replacement for, ing the same lectures from the same their traditional textbooks. professors and studying the same mate- ChemWiki is planning a partnership rial, will use the ChemWiki. The results with UC Irvine’s OpenChem project, a will be evaluated by researchers from collection of free, open-access video the School of Education’s Center for lectures in undergraduate and graduate Education and Evaluation Services. level chemistry. A single general chemistry text- Larsen and collaborators are also book for undergraduates can cost developing wikis for other fields, includ- hundreds of dollars, with new ing math, physics, statistics and geology. (and more expensive) editions He envisions an interconnected “STEM- appearing regularly, Larsen said. Wiki hyperlibrary” across science, tech- Yet the material in such textbooks nology and engineering that meets the is well established, in some cases for needs of both faculty and students. decades, if not centuries. Ultimately, Larsen hopes to transform “The content hasn’t changed, so the textbook industry. “It’s a labor of how do we justify these costs?” he said. love,” he said. — Andy Fell ChemWiki creator Delmar Larsen

Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis

8­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Experiment York New Agricultural State University’s at Cornell Pathology of Plant Department of the faculty face,” said. she community, aglobal as we, that tunities oppor and challenges grand the to solutions develop that collaborations further and continuing foster world. the in institutions research environmental and agricultural top very the among ranked is which for UC leader administrative and academic chief as appointment her by humbled and Sciences. Environmental and of Agricultural College of the dean new the as January UC to home ’79,M.S. Ph.D. returned ’84, Dillard, Helene University, at Cornell administrator Af Aggie de An A leader for the Upon graduating from UC from graduating Upon as well as legacy this upon build to excited “I am honored was she said expert, disease aplant Dillard, UC A his appointment. announcing Chancellor Linda P. experience and vision”experience new center. the lead to of as“perfectscientific blend the described acumen, Karen of Foodand Department state World FoodCenter, from awarm welcome gets R t oger Beachy,oger right, founding director of UC n ac er er

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Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis News

A ‘wake-up call’ from space

The meteor that exploded over orange. Shockwaves from the airburst Professor Ken Verosub, also of the Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013 broke windows, rattled buildings and Department of Earth and Planetary Sci- delivered a punch equivalent to about even knocked people from their feet. ences (formerly the geology depart- 600 thousand tons of TNT, with shock- More than 1,200 people were injured. ment), measured the magnetic properties waves that left a path of damage up to Based on viewing angles from videos of metallic grains in samples. Doug 100 miles wide, an international team of of the fireball, the researchers calculated Rowland, project scientist in the Center scientists report. that the meteoroid entered Earth’s atmo- for Molecular and Genomic Imaging in Qing-zhu Yin, a professor in the sphere at close to 12 miles per second. the Department of Biomedical Engineer- Department of Earth and Planetary Sci- Using modeling, the scientists deter- ing, contributed X-ray computed tomog- ences who participated in analyzing the mined that the rock was about 22 yards raphy scanning of the rock. event, called it “a wake-up call” about the wide and that it exploded at an altitude Put together, these measurements threat of similar meteors in the future. “If of 18.5 miles. For nearby observers it confirmed that the Chelyabinsk object humanity does not want to go the way of briefly appeared brighter than the sun was an ordinary chondrite, 4,452 mil- the dinosaurs, we need to study an event and caused some severe sunburns. lion years old, and that it last went like this in detail,” Yin said. The team estimated that about three- through a significant shock event about Chelyabinsk was the largest meteor- quarters of the meteoroid evaporated at 115 million years after the formation of oid strike felt on Earth in more than a that point. Most of the rest converted to the solar system 4,567 million years ago. century. Its explosion was 150 times dust and only a small fraction fell to the If a catastrophic meteorite strike were bigger than the 2012 Sutter’s Mill mete- ground as meteorites. to occur in the future, it would most orite in California. Yin’s laboratory carried out chemical likely be an object of this type, Yin said. The dust cloud was so hot it glowed and isotopic analysis of the meteorites. — Andy Fell discoveries

were found in local “hotspots,” Frog deformities suggesting that where these problems A 10-year study shows some good occur they have local causes. news for frogs and toads on national wildlife refuges. The rate of abnor- “We now know what the baseline is malities such as shortened or missing and the 2 percent level is relatively legs was less than 2 percent overall— good news, but some regions need a indicating that the malformations first deeper look,” said Marcel Holyoak, reported in the mid-1990s were rarer professor of environmental science than feared. But much higher rates and policy.

10­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 A ‘wake-up call’ from space Nikita Plekhanov/Wikimedia Commons Campus news discoveries Insect $1 billion and counting UC Davis announced in November that cousins Ants and bees, surpris- it reached its goal of raising $1 billion ingly, are more genetically from more than 100,000 donors through related to each other than they are its first comprehensive fundraising to social wasps such as yellow campaign, The Campaign for UC Davis. jackets and paper wasps, a team of The accomplishment was achieved UC Davis scientists has discovered. /JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science/JPL-Caltech/Malin Systems

more than one year ahead of the original A S A December 2014 end date. The Campaign N “Despite great interest in the ecology and behavior of these insects, their for UC Davis is now scheduled to con- Welcome, Earth and evolutionary relationships have never clude on May 31. Planetary Sciences been fully clarified,” said entomol- “This achievement would not have For a department that has received ogy professor Phil Ward. “In particu- been possible without the involvement national attention for its work with fall- lar, it has been uncertain how of our entire university community and ing meteorites and Mars exploration, ants­—the world’s most successful the generosity of a very large network of the name “geology” didn’t quite fit for a social insects—are related to bees strong supporters,” said Chancellor number of its students and faculty. and wasps. We were able to resolve Linda P. B. Katehi. “I am thankful to So, the Department of Geology has this question by employing next- each and every one of them for helping changed its name to the Department of generation sequencing technology Earth and Planetary Sciences. us reach our goal.” and advances in bioinformatics.” Training oceanographers Tobacco-free campus UC Davis has launched a new under- UC Davis became a smoke- and tobacco- graduate major in marine and coastal free campus indoors and out in January. science. Affiliated with a new Coastal All other UC campuses are also going and Marine Sciences Institute, the new smoke- and tobacco-free, or have already major draws on expertise from across done so, under a January 2012 directive the campus, with special emphasis on from then-UC President Mark Yudof. At the land-ocean interface, coastal issues, the time, all five UC medical centers had and human impacts on marine and already gone smoke-free, everywhere. coastal environments.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 11 Health News l l

re entrées become healthier, though they u D t Bodily defense averaged 40 calories lower. er

b Blood clots play an unexpected role in o R protecting the body from the deadly effects of bacteria by absorbing bacte- Obesity rial toxins, researchers have found. Obese women are four times more

“It’s a significant addition to the short likely than obese men to seek weight- list of defenses that animals use to loss surgery, a new study shows. When protect themselves against toxin- they do see a bariatric surgeon, male induced sepsis,” said Peter Armstrong, patients tend to be older, more obese professor of molecular and cellular and sicker than women. biology. “It is important for men to realize that obesity poses a serious threat to their health and life spans,” said Mohamed On the front line Watch a video of a blood clot Ali, senior author of the study and chief capturing a bacterial toxin at of bariatric surgery at UC Davis. of football’s go.ucdavis.edu/clots. brain injury Cholesterol and debate Dining out Despite menu changes at top chain Alzheimer’s High levels of “good” cholesterol and Bennet Omalu, an associate clinical restaurants, the overall calorie and low levels of “bad” cholesterol are professor of pathology who discov- sodium levels in their main entrées good for more than your heart. ered the devastating neurological remain the same, researchers say. disease known as chronic traumatic Researchers have found that they also encephalopathy, or CTE, in the brain “Restaurant menus did not get any indicate your chances of developing of Pittsburgh Steelers legend Mike healthier over time,” said Helen Wu, a Alzheimer’s disease. Webster, appeared in a recent PBS policy and research analyst at the “Our study shows that both higher Frontline documentary, League of Institute for Population Health levels of HDL—good—and lower levels Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis. Improvement at UC Davis Health System. of LDL—bad—cholesterol in the blood- “The inherent risk and dangers of Wu and Roland Sturm, senior econo- stream are associated with lower levels permanent brain damage in contact mist at the RAND Corp., evaluated the of amyloid plaque deposits in the sports are real, especially in chil- nutritional content changes of more brain,” said Bruce Reed, lead study dren,” Omalu said. “We must than 26,000 regular menu entrées author and associate director of the educate ourselves, especially parents, made over a year by 213 major chain UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center. of this risk and the long-term effects restaurants nationwide. in later life.” The documentary aired “Unhealthy patterns of cholesterol They found that the average entrée in last October and again in January. could be directly causing the higher 2010 contained 670 calories and —Carole Gan levels of amyloid known to contribute to remained at 670 calories one year later. Alzheimer’s.” Sodium levels dropped just slightly from Watch the Frontline documentary at 1,515 milligrams per entrée to pbs.org. 1,500 milligrams. Nor did children’s

12­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis The unstoppable Bean

When a young pit bull named band, Associate Professor William Ver- Above: Veterinary gastrointestinal Bean first visited UC Davis’ Veterinary nau, Ph.D. ’00; their two children and specialist Stan Marks, Ph.D. ’96, gets a Medical Teaching Hospital, she had so two other dogs. “We didn’t intend to go kiss from Bean. many health problems that her chances of down this path with her, but she just and veterinary surgeon Bill Culp. Bean adoption—let alone survival—were slim. sucked us in.” now breathes through a small hole cre- Now after groundbreaking treatment The Humane Society of the Silicon Val- ated in her trachea, or windpipe; she gets by specialists in veterinary and human ley brought the rescued dog to the vet- her nourishment via a permanent feed- medicine, as well as biomedical engi- erinary hospital in the spring of 2012 for ing tube with an adapter that was cus- neering, Bean has become a teaching evaluation of her odd way of walking— tom-designed by biomedical engineers. assistant of sorts at the vet hospital and which Vernau said looked “like an old “Through it all, Bean has just been an an ambassador of hope for people who, man wearing flippers.” inspiration to all of us fortunate enough like her, have had their larynx removed. The diagnosis: improperly formed hip to care for her,” Belasky said. “Her will to Along the way, Bean so impressed her joints and neurological troubles. Correc- live, her incredibly kind disposition— care providers with her indomitable spir- tive surgery ensued. Then, in the ensuing considering all she’s been through—it’s it—even through eight surgeries—that a months, veterinarians determined that amazing and hard to put into words. You veterinary faculty couple adopted the dog. she also suffered from muscular dystro- just have to meet her.” “She loves people, and sometimes she phy, a malfunctioning esophagus and a — Jennifer Warren wags her tail so hard she falls on the massive hiatal hernia. ground,” said Karen Vernau, M.A.S. ’07, Among her other corrective surgeries, chief of the veterinary hospital’s Neurol- Bean had her larynx removed last fall by ogy and Neurosurgery Service who surgeon Peter Belasky, an expert on See more about Bean online at brought Bean home to live with her hus- human swallowing and airway disorders, go.ucdavis.edu/bean.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 13 Parents

Never can say goodbye

I’ve always had a problem saying goodbye to my children. Oh, I’ve had plenty of practice. With two girls currently in college, there have been plenty of opportunities to send them off on their adventures with grace and dignity. But I’ve failed time and time again. It started on the first day of kindergarten. We parents were instructed to fill out name tags with our students’ first names and how they would get home that day. I had trouble fitting it all on one sticker, but I managed and gave my daughter her tag. Then I noticed the other children’s: Jill, bus. Eric, walk. My daughter’s:

Yikes. Had I already become a helicopter parent? In kindergarten? This didn’t bode well for the future. So I tried to relax and back off a bit. I read all the parenting advice I could find. I tried to be the bow “from which your children as living arrows are sent forth,”1 but I’ve never done really well with metaphors. After I read that there by Cheryl Anderson are two great things I could give my children, roots and avis

C D wings, I gave them bad dye jobs and sent them to Hooters. U k/

ee Then, in the blink of an eye, it was time for the oldest L to go to college. Where had the time gone? I couldn’t y Jay y Jay

on b believe that she was already leaving home. As we pre- i pared to send her off to school, I went out shopping on

Illustrat my own for her dorm room essentials. I had become

14­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Never can say goodbye

way too emotional in the bedding section, so I wandered involvement). On the other extreme5 is the mom whose around a bit to get control of myself. I noticed a mom daughter had not arranged campus housing ahead of who was getting impatient with her soon-to-be kinder- time, so mom dropped her off at the housing office with gartner who was choosing a backpack. I wanted to grab a suitcase and a “good luck” (the student lived with a that mom and tell her to cherish this moment, that she generous professor for the first weeks of school). My goal had no idea how quickly these days would pass, and that is to find a comfortable place between these extremes. before she knew it she would be buying dorm room Now my youngest is away at college too, and I’m furnishings for that very same little girl! For college! afraid that I’m not yet tear-free when we say goodbye. Then I imagined that if I did try to talk to her, the But, I’m finding that being an empty-nester6 isn’t so bad. mom would later update her Facebook status to: “OMG, So, if you’re a parent who has just sent your first child I was shopping with Morgan at Target and this weird off to college, know that each year seems to get a little lady just grabbed me, started crying, and went on some easier. And I’m finding that I really enjoy having some rant about extra-long sheets!”2 and her friends would extra time to myself. You might be surprised to find how all respond with, “That’s so scary! Are you OK?” much free time you have when you’re not driving car- So I just cried and walked away. pools and wrangling backpacks. I remember that my mom cried when I left for college So while I have threatened my girls that I would be and I didn’t understand it at the time. I was so excited the Blackhawk of helicopter parents, I think (hope) for my new adventure, I didn’t understand why she was that I have found some middle ground. I’m still work- so sad. I just popped in my Eddie Money3 8-track4 and, ing on it though, so if you see me crying at Target, just with “Two Tickets to Paradise,” I was off. I didn’t real- give me some space. I’ll be OK. ize what a milestone I had reached. But my mom knew 1. From On Children by Kahlil Gibran. Do NOT read if and I now realize how hard that was for her. She knew you’re feeling empty-nesty. that from that day forward, nothing would be the same. When I went home again, I was “home for a visit,” never 2. I’m pretty sure the extra-long sheet requirement is a really home. The term, “boomerang-generation” hadn’t conspiracy between colleges and sheet-manufacturers. been invented yet. 3. For those under 40, Eddie Money was a singer before he I’ve heard extreme stories about how other parents was a Geico spokeman handle the college drop-off. On one end of the spectrum 4. Again for the youngsters, an 8-track was kind of like an are helicopter parents, like the mom who attended the old time iPod, that held an amazing 45 minutes of music! first week of her daughter’s classes to take notes so her 5. Free-range parenting daughter could focus on her sorority rush-week activi- ties (professors tend to frown on this level of parental 6. Another metaphor!

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 15 AWatershed Momentum by Chris Bowman ature Conservancy he N T Bridget for Besaw

16­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Watershed Momentum The cramped field researchers’ office carries the faint whiffs of fish, locker room and dog. Louie, the Labrador, snoozes on his tattered mattress under a desk alongside mud-caked wading and hiking boots, a wet bag, dusty backpack and the big sandaled feet of his owner, Carson Jeffres. Jeffres ’02, M.S. ’06, parks at his computer monitors back-to-back with Ryan Peek and parallel with Drew Nichols, M.S. ’08. No

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 17 privacy panels separate the three cozy researchers. The Many universities recognize the value of multidisci- fish biologist, amphibian ecologist and geologist are plinary research programs, particularly for investigat- here to collaborate. The same goes for the entomolo- ing environmental problems. But organizational walls gists down the hall and the economists, hydrologists can thwart needed integration. and engineers around the corner. At UC Davis, some prominent professors found a They’re all part of an environmental research hub at way. Beginning in 1998, they built the research center UC Davis known as the Center for Watershed Sciences, across several colleges, departments and disciplines to a name that reflects its holistic view of rivers, lakes and better understand and solve California’s complex and estuaries. contentious water issues. “If it’s part of a watershed, we study it,” said Jeffres, After 16 years, the Center for Watershed Sciences is speaking unscripted for a recent documentary about California’s leading academic institute on water man- the center, which is aptly located near the Arboretum agement, providing scientific insights for policymakers Waterway at La Rue Road and California Avenue. wrestling with issues critical to California’s health and

18­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Carson Jeffres sets nets, left, to trap fish for measure- ment and identification, shown above. The center’s field and lab director and colleagues are studying how fish are using a restored floodplain in the Cosumnes River Preserve south of Sacramento.

Previous spread: Jeffres snorkels in Shasta River to evaluate efforts by The Nature Conservancy to improve runs of endangered coho salmon in Northern is av

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prosperity. The center’s work influences and informs Jeffres, 35, is one of the rising leaders in the center, legislation, policy and management concerning water which draws dozens of researchers and students from supply, drinking water safety, flood control, agricul- many departments to work with experts from across tural production, hydroelectric power, recreation, and the West and internationally. the survival of salmon and other native fish species. “He was one of our first hires, one of those who showed The university recently received an emphatic endorse- that you could have fun and do research and be very ment of this academic engagement with a $10 million productive in the process,” said Jeffrey Mount, a geology donation to the center. The gift from S.D. Bechtel, Jr. professor emeritus and whitewater rafting enthusiast who Foundation of San Francisco will enable the center to co-founded the center with Peter Moyle, a professor of fish expand its scientific research and public engagement biology who continues to serve as associate director. capabilities as the climate warms and water demands Tall and as sleek as his racing bicycle, Jeffres—as increase, said Jay Lund, the center’s director and a pro- with many of his colleagues at the center—found a fessor of civil and environmental engineering. wonderful blending of avocation with vocation.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 19 Center to lead UC Drought Summit

With California in a major drought, water use 20 percent by 2020. Chancellor Linda P. B. Katehi has tapped With little left of the state’s normally wet the Center for Watershed Sciences to season, it remains remotely possible that organize and lead a UC Drought 2014 will not become a record-setting Summit on April 25 at the state Capitol. drought year. But California’s history is Students, faculty and staff from across punctuated by short and long droughts, UC campuses will engage with other and global warming portends a drier experts and policymakers on how best future for the state. to manage immediate and long-term “Each drought reveals problems and water shortages. becomes an opportunity to focus on The topics will range widely, from agri- improving water management,” Jay cultural production to wildfires, public Lund, director of the center, said in a health and water conservation. UC recent CaliforniaWaterBlog commen- President Janet Napolitano has already tary headlined “Droughts Precipitate called for all campuses to reduce their Innovation.”

“I’m a fish biologist by trade, but, even when I’m not with graduate students developed California’s only at work, I spend most of my time playing on rivers, statewide, integrated water supply model. kayaking and fishing. I One finding from the model showed that the San “Doing research that is have inherent interest in Francisco Bay Area could continue receiving high- expected to be useful to what happens in my local quality Tuolumne River water without Hetch Hetchy policymakers is a daring watersheds. I want my reservoir, albeit at a high cost. That 2003 study by kids to have the opportu- Lund’s then-graduate student Sarah Null, inspired The thing for scientists to do.” nity to use the same Sacramento Bee’s 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning series of —Phil Isenberg, resources that I’ve used,” editorials on reclaiming Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite said Jeffres, who became Valley’s underwater twin. Delta Stewardship Council a father in November. The Hetch Hetchy study speaks to the center’s core The key to preserving those opportunities, Jeffres mission of improving public understanding and dis- said, “is finding creative solutions to deal with the cussion of California’s complex water issues, which are competing needs of environmental water uses and often mired by myths and controversies. human water needs.” Mount delivered a wake-up call in 2005, shortly after State officials have long relied on computer models Hurricane Katrina. He and another UC scientist, Rob- developed at the center for those solutions to assess ert Twiss, published a study concluding that over the potential effects of proposed policies. “There are rules next 50 years, there is a two-in-three chance that a and laws about how water moves and what it’s worth, major storm or earthquake will cause widespread levee and we can represent that technically,” said Lund, who failure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a drinking

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The water level is so low in Folsom Lake, shown av D C here in February, that the Gold Rush-era town of U s/ n Mormon Island has been exposed for the first time ggi Hi

in the reservoir’s 59-year history. n Kari water source for more than 25 million Californians. tion with the Public Policy Institute of California More recently, Moyle and his team of fish biologists (PPIC) on two reports presenting policy options for reported that as many as 82 percent of 121 native fish managing the Delta—including some form of a periph- species are likely to be gone in 100 years as climate change eral canal that would tap water further upstream to accelerates declines of already depleted populations. reduce environmental harm in the estuary. Some of the center’s most influential contributions The reports were pivotal in shaping the state’s historic have focused on the Delta, the heart of the state’s water Delta Reform Act of 2009, which reorganized state man- delivery system and a perpetual battleground for compet- agement of the Delta. “Being perceived as not having a ing agricultural, urban and environmental water inter- particular dog in the fight was key,” said co-author Ellen ests. Phil Isenberg, chair of the state’s Delta Stewardship Hanak, an economist and senior fellow with the PPIC. Council, applauds the center for even entering the water So, too, was the center’s trademark multidisciplinary policymaking arena, notorious for its caustic exchanges. approach. The Delta project brought together five fac- “Doing research that is expected to be useful to ulty, 10 researchers and 28 students from four colleges policymakers is a pretty daring thing for scientists to on campus. do,” Isenberg said. “It requires them to talk to people They all share Jeffres’ approach to complex water who don’t speak the same language, who don’t have the problems: “When you go same time frame and who are motivated by a host of to look for solutions in a factors—science being only one of them. You have to watershed, you have to Watch ‘Center for Watershed Sciences: scratch your head hard to find success stories.” have a team that’s diverse Who we are, what we do’ at One of those success stories is the center’s collabora- if you want real solutions.” go.ucdavis.edu/cws.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 21 The Big Picture

22­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Christopher Fennell, an artist from Alabama, welds during the construction of a shovel head sculpture in the UC Davis Arboretum. The shovels were donated by the community.

Photo by Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 23 Banking on

To grow its economy Shan and raise its standard of living, China needs a modern banking system. A leading Li architect of financial by Kathleen Holder reform in the country is a UC Davis alum.

It’s a long way from Sola- no Park student apartments to the board rooms of China’s larg- est banks—further still when the route leads first to Wall Street and the financial district of London. Shan Li, M.A. ’88, journeyed to the West and back to China, leaving an impoverished upbringing, gaining an educa- tion in Beijing, Davis and Cam- bridge, Mass., and becoming one of his country’s most influ- ential financial leaders.

Carsten Schael/carstenschael.com For the past 16 years, Li, 50, has played a pivotal role came to his aid, giving him a car to make the cross- in privatizing most of China’s major government-run country trip and promising more help. “T.Y. Shen said banks. A native of Sichuan Province, he worked on Wall to me, ‘Don’t worry. . . If you can’t find money, you write Street as a foreign exchange trader at Credit Suisse First to me, I’ll send money to you.’” Boston, then with investment firm Goldman Sachs in New York, Hong Kong and London—rising rapidly from Driven by patriotism economist to executive director of investment banking. After earning his doctorate from MIT in 1993, Li worked He walked away in 1998 from what he said were millions for Goldman Sachs in London. While there, former Tsin- of dollars in stock offerings for a chance at helping his ghua dean Zhu visited London as China’s premier. Li country launch an investment bank. A few years ensued presented him with a proposal to create a Chinese invest- before that effort succeeded, but along the way Li co- ment bank. “I saw that China didn’t have an investment founded his own investment firm and built from scratch bank like Goldman Sachs for the capital deals.” the world’s largest Internet real estate company. Today, Deeply patriotic, Li left Goldman Sachs, despite an he is chief international business adviser of China Devel- upcoming stock option, and worked for China Devel- opment Bank, a national bank that finances large govern- opment Bank, forgoing his salary for 18 months. ment projects, and chairman of Chinastone Capital After the investment bank did not get off the ground, Management, a private equity firm based in Shanghai. Li left CDB to become head of Lehman Brothers China His education in Western economics began at UC Davis. Investment Banking. Last year, he rejoined CDB. Part of a first wave of students sent by the People’s The bank had undergone a dramatic transformation Republic of China to study oversees—and one of the since his first job there 16 years ago. “In 1998, this bank very first selected from a field other than science and was very small. . . . CDB is now three times as big as the engineering, Li arrived at UC Davis in 1986 with an World Bank, more powerful than the World Bank. undergraduate degree from Tsinghua University, the Nowadays, among the top 10 banks in the world, maybe “MIT of China.” three or four are Chinese banks.” At Tsinghua, one of Li’s professors was Zhu Rongji, who served as China’s premier in 1998–2003 and would later Right place, right time recruit Li to help modernize China’s banking system. “China is undergoing a historical transformation, insti- When he arrived at UC Davis, Li had little money and tutional change, new technology, all kinds of new only a poor command of English—but he had the spon- things, exciting things, lots of opportunities. I was sorship of economics professor T.Y. Shen, who gave him probably at the right place at the right time.” money for an apartment and later helped him on his With recent changes in China’s leadership—Premier way to an MIT doctoral program. Li Kequian, who took the country’s top office in March Early on, Li obtained a teaching assistantship, granted 2013, is an economist—Li is optimistic about his coun- on the condition that he pass an English competency test. try’s future. Despite his language struggles, he excelled in his “I feel very fortunate. I feel it’s my duty to go back to studies. He received a Regents Fellowship—the first, Li my country to help the financial system,” Li said. “I said, ever granted at UC Davis to a student from China. really want to make a bigger contribution to this his- After marrying in China over the summer, he and his torical transformation of China, not only into a modern wife, Huarong Wang, lived at Solano Park. economy but into a modern society.” When it came time for Li to leave for MIT, Shen again

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 25 Davis

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100 Picnic Days Mart in Wong/UC Davis This spring, one of UC Davis’ longest-running traditions marks its centuple event. Will you be there?

Pack your picnic basket—or The campus didn’t have a dining com- The first open house come without sandwiches. That quint- mons, a Coffee House or much else in The raison d’ être for the first Picnic Day essential UC Davis celebration, Picnic the way of dining facilities back then, was the dedication of the Day, reaches a historic milestone on though the university did pour free cof- campus’ first dormitory, North April 12—its 100th. But packing your fee and cream that day for visitors who Hall. More than 2,000 people from own lunch is still optional, just like it brought their own cups and spoons. around the state turned out. That may was for the previous 99 Picnic Days. The star of the show back then—as it seem small compared to crowds in always would continue to be over the recent years of up to 100,000. But What’s with the name? next century-plus—was this marvelous consider this: Enrollment in the Farm From its very beginning, Picnic Day was experiment in higher education, a new- School at that time totaled just never so much about the picnic as it was fangled farm school that would grow 18 students. about the day of showing off the campus. into this world-leading research univer- Sure, the very first event held at the Uni- sity you know as UC Davis. By 1916, the Students at the helm versity Farm in May 1909 was a “basket open house was known as Picnic Day. While university administrators orga- picnic” affair, as in bring your own food. nized the first few events, students have been running the show since 1912. Hot dogs Picnic Day has long been billed as the The ever-popular Doxie Derby started in 1972 on Shields largest student-run event in Avenue near the Quad, and moved a decade later to the Rec the nation, and we haven’t heard of Hall, now called the Pavilion at the ARC (Activities and any challenges to that claim. Recreation Center). The sheepdog trials have been a regular event since at least the 1940s.

26­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Davis UC / ng Wo n i art 2013 M 1964 2013

The parade rain-delayed construction of a gymna- Earl Warren attended at least The parade dates to at least 1912, sium needed to house some of the festiv- twice—once in 1953 in his final year as when the main entries were prize ities; and during 1943–45 when the governor of California, and again in livestock. Later years featured elab- campus closed for World War II. (The 1970, a year after his retirement from orate floral floats. 1946 event wasn’t called Picnic Day but the U.S. Supreme Court, when he was Round-up Day.) the parade marshal. Warren was the In 1987, the first-place float ended up parent of two Aggies—Earl Jr. ’52, a in flames. In 2007, a KDVS entry, retired Sacramento County Superior constructed with a small helium-filled Famous guests Court Judge, and Bob ’58, a retired blimp, floated away. Richard Nixon, then a congress- Davis real estate broker. man, was listed on the program as an honored guest in 1952. In July of that Gov. Edmund G. “Pat” Doing the math year, he would be selected as Dwight Brown was grand marshal in 1962. Yes, this year marks the 100th Picnic Eisenhower’s running mate; he was Other state elected leaders have Day, but Picnic Day is more than a elected vice president the following appeared at Picnic Days over the years. century old. The annual event skipped a November. California’s 23rd governor, Hiram few years along the way: in 1924, to Johnson, was a speaker in 1916, just prevent the spread of a hoof-and-mouth Retired Admiral Chester Nimitz, months before he won election to the outbreak that led to the slaughter of who commanded the U.S. Navy U.S. Senate. 77 ’ nearly 110,000 farm animals throughout during World War II, was on the guest oy

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Rockin’ and rollin’ rule dating to at least the 1980s requir- way of Sacramento and Stockton. The Strawberry Alarm Clock and the ing the finale to be the Aggie fight song. feat raised some protests from folks Youngbloods performed at Picnic Day The 2004 battle may have set a record, concerned about Molly’s welfare, but in 1969. Quicksilver Messenger and ending at 2 a.m. her caretakers insisted that she was no Elvin Bishop played in 1970. Taj worse for the wear. Later photos of her Mahal appeared in 1971. Moving, and mooing, showed her looking, well, beefy—and promotions healthy enough to bear calves. Her son, Pete, would retrace her journey in Battle of the Bands In recent years, students have chal- 1921. Legend has it that the Battle of the Bands lenged administrators and state began in the early 1970s, when the Cal lawmakers to a cow-milking In 1917, student A.R. Kramer made a Aggie Marching Band-uh discovered the contest on the Quad or the front 1,000-mile trip by bicycle “to Cal Band playing on the Quad after the steps of the state Capitol as a way of spread Picnic Day publicity material” parade and started blasting tunes back promoting Picnic Day. In older times, from Davis to his home in the Imperial at the Bears in an effort to defend its students—and cows—went to greater Valley. turf. Over the years, the last-band-stand- lengths to publicize the event. In 1923, two students, Richard Barlow ing contest has pitted the Aggie Band-uh In 1920, student W.P. Wing escorted and Dave McMillan, handcuffed them- against rival bands from Stanford Molly the cow on a bovine “race” from selves back-to-back and set out on a University, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Davis to Berkeley. It took five days for 72-mile trek to Berkeley. A Humboldt State University and Oregon the “galloping Galloway,” as the San “Remember When” photo published in State University. The Band-uh claims to Francisco Chronicle called Molly, to the Sacramento Bee in 1976 shows never have lost, perhaps due to a walk the 136-mile route by the pair near South Hall as they left

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The original 1916 Gunrock, namesake of the Aggie’s mascot, was born campus. But no photo so far has surfaced to show whether they made it 100 years ago in Britain. to their destination. The pedigree Thoroughbred,

In 1951, students pushed wheel- after a brief racing career, became barrows to Berkeley. a UC Davis icon during his

In 1972, the Picnic Day committee 1921–31 stay on campus as a got some celebrity help in promoting breeding stud. Gunrock was part that year’s “Remember the First Time” of a U.S. Cavalry program aimed theme. Says Dennis Packer ’72, who at improving military and civilian was committee chair: “We got Gary horse stocks. Students later Withem, the keyboardist and song- writer for Gary Puckett and the Union named the Aggie’s blue mustang Gap, to volunteer and compose and mascot Gunrock in his honor. sing a ditty that we used for radio commercials that went something like, The University Farm “Remember the first time, remember the Circle, a women’s organization first, remember the first time.” that has been providing financial support to students since

Find the full schedule of Picnic Day UC Davis’ earliest days, marked events at picnicday.ucdavis.edu its centennial in February.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 29 Alumni Alumni Calendar Picnic Day Wine Tours and Receptions Golden Society Reunion ASUCD Reunion Members of the Class of 1964 are The Associated Students of UC Davis Amador Wine Tour invited to reunite with classmates will hold a Picnic Day reunion for its Sample old vine Zinfandels and meet and rediscover the campus. A alumni. Aggie vintners at three Amador County weekend of activities includes the RSVP to [email protected] wineries. Vintage Aggies Wine Tasting and Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m.–noon Picnic Day Breakfast. Saturday, May 3, 11 a.m. Student Community Center Friday–Saturday, April 11–12 multipurpose room CAAA Travel Fair Buehler Alumni Center Learn about excursions that are Parents Reception Vintage Aggies Wine Tasting planned for 2015 while enjoying wines Parents and their students are invited provided by our Vintage Aggies Sample alumni wines while viewing a to join senior campus leadership for winemakers. special display of Picnic Day appetizers and conversation. Monday, June 2, 3–5 p.m. memorabilia celebrating the 100th Saturday, April 12, Picnic Day. Buehler Alumni Center 1–2 p.m. Friday, April 11, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Buehler Alumni Center, Shields Library Moss Patio

Pancake Breakfast Enjoy this time honored tradition— CAAA’s 31st annual Picnic Day breakfast and the last to be held at Freeborn Hall, which is slated to close later this year. Saturday, April 12, 7:30–9:30 a.m. Freeborn Hall

For more CAAA events, visit alumni.ucdavis.edu

30­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Class Notes

1960s and 1970s Dare, a young adult/adult science fiction story with artwork by Shuman, and Spi- Were you among UC Davis students der in the Ark, a children’s story set in who volunteered for National Institutes Noah’s ark about a spider with an atti- of Health clinical trials in Bethesda, tude problem. Md., during the 1960s and 1970s? Laura Stark, an assistant professor of medicine, health and society at 1970 Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Children’s author Erin Dealey, Cred. ’72, Rita Anya Nara ’00 Tenn., is seeking people who served as has written a new picture book. Deck the Senior environmental “normal control” research subjects for Walls (Sleeping Bear Press, 2013), illus- scientist for the California oral history interviews about their trated by Nick Ward, is a classic Christ- Environmental Protection experiences. Contact her at 860-759- mas carol turned upside down. Agency, and travel writer 3406 or [email protected]. 1971 After struggling with a panic disorder for many years, Rita Anya (Hypna- 1967 Libby Balter Blume was recently Yosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story, a named editor-in-chief of the Journal of rowski) Nara ’00 confronted her travel picture book by Ginger (Evarts) Wad- Family Theory & Review. She is a profes- fears head on: visiting 40 countries and sworth with illustrations by Daniel San sor and the director of the developmen- all seven continents. Souci, was released by Yosemite Con- tal psychology undergraduate program servancy in March 2013. It is her 26th at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her new book, The Anxious Traveler: book for young readers. Visit her web- How to Overcome Your Fear to Travel site at gingerwadsworth.com. 1974 the World (Antareura Media 2013), chronicles her journey and the strate- Harry Dorn, Ph.D., a professor of chem- 1969 istry at Virginia Tech, has been reap- gies she learned to manage her anxiety Two books by Steve Shuman are avail- pointed as the Dr. A.C. Lilly Jr. Faculty along the way. The book, her first, has able in paperback and digital format Fellow in Nanoscience. The fellowship received widespread media coverage. through Amazon: The Great Keldorian appointment is for three years. A world authority on nanomaterials, Dorn has “There’s a natural human tendency to try to control our fears by controlling Keep in touch published more than 160 peer-reviewed Send class notes to [email protected] articles and holds three U.S. patents. our environment,” Nara said. “But if you do that, then traveling and a lot of Contact the alumni Max Rothschild, C.F. Curtiss Distin- guished Professor in Agriculture at other activities become difficult, if not association Iowa State University, this fall conclud- impossible. If you want to change the Phone: 530-752-0286 or 800-242-4723 ed 20 years as leader of the U.S. Pig way you think, and overcome your Email: [email protected] Genome Coordination Program, part of fears, then you need to do it in a differ- Web: alumni.ucdavis.edu an international effort that sequenced ent environment. Travel gives you that the swine genome. He also serves as co- President: fresh eye, that different environment, chair of Iowa State’s Global Food Secu- Chuck Nichols ’83, ’84 rity Consortium. while enriching—not disrupting—your Vice President/President-Elect: life. When you come back home, you’re Ramak Siadatan ’99, M.B.A. ’06 not the same—and it’s for the better.” Executive Director: 1975 Richard Engel ’90, Cred. ’91 Doug Dodge retired in 2012 after more — Gheed Saeed ’14

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 31 Alumni than 35 years with the Bureau of Land strawberries, ornamental plants and Patrick ’89, have lived in Lake County Management and the U.S. Forest Ser- other coastal crops, as well as food safe- since 1995, when he joined his family’s vice. He and his wife, Leslie, now travel ty. Koike has been the plant pathology pear packing business. the country, dancing and teaching ball- farm advisor for the UC Cooperative room dance. The couple taught ball- Extension Monterey County since 1989. 1983 room dance on a cruise from Florida to John Jelesko, an associate professor of Copenhagen last April. Doug is also a 1979 professional leadership coach. plant pathology, physiology and weed Martha (Pultz) Amlin retired from the science at Virginia Tech, has been U.S. State Department in October. A For- named a fellow of the American Associ- 1976 eign Service officer since 2000, she served ation for the Advancement of Science Mary “Molly” Kretsch, Ph.D., has in the Philippines, Mexico, Afghanistan for his contributions to the understand- retired as deputy administrator for and Washington, D.C., working in man- ing of plant metabolism. nutrition, food safety and quality for the agement, consular and refugee assistance U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agri- positions. She previously worked as a 1985 cultural Research Service. In April 2013 meeting and event coordinator for Stan- she received the nation’s highest civil ford University, UC Davis School of Medi- Ann (Holman) Grimaldi has opened service award, the Presidential Rank of cine and California’s Administrative Grimaldi Law Offices in San Francisco. Distinguished Executive and Distin- Office of the Courts. She lives in Arling- Her practice focuses on chemical and guished Professional. ton, Va., but misses California. product law.

Marilyn (Oliver Burlando) Lagier, Susan (Anderson) Rockwood and her 1977 Cred., MA ’81, retired in May after husband, Frank, have launched Rock- Adrian Driscoll joined the San Francis- 39 years of teaching—34 years as a wood Pacific, a Berkeley-based consult- co law office of Murphy Pearson Bradley high school English teacher and the ing firm that helps mission-based & Feeney this fall as a senior trial coun- last five years as a home economics nonprofits and entities develop senior sel. His practice focuses on business and teacher. She lives in Stockton with her healthcare and housing projects. The commercial litigation and white collar husband, four cats and two dogs. Rockwoods have two teen daughters. criminal defense. He also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Judge Advocate David Pefley is CFO for Adaptive Plan- 1986 General’s Corps, U.S. Army Reserve, and ning, a cloud corporate performance James Meuer wrote Damaged: A First is an adjunct professor at the University management service with more than Responder’s Experiences Handling Post- of San Francisco School of Law. 1,800 customers in 85 countries. Traumatic Stress Disorder (WestBowPress, 2013). He was a paramedic and firefighter 1978 1980 for 26 years in California, Texas and Dan Curran has had his first novel Jon Sommer, M.S., M.S. ’83, celebrated Saudi Arabia before retiring with a physi- published. The Golden Gift (The Adven- his 20th year as a top real estate profes- cal disability and post-traumatic stress tures of Baxter Heavytread). The epic sional in Denver, where he is a managing disorder. He lives in Vacaville. fantasy fiction work is available as an broker at Your Castle Real Estate. He is e-book through Amazon or Barnes and also a seminar leader for Landmark 1987 Worldwide. Noble. Curran is a senior airline captain Anne McMillin received a Nevada Press based in Miami. Association 2013 award for explanatory Steven Koike, M.S. ’80, received the 1982 journalism for her article about curricu- 2013 Excellence in Extension Award Michelle (Dencer) Scully is the inau- lum changes at the University of from the American Phytopathological gural executive director of Marymount Nevada School of Medicine. “Training Society for his applied research and California University’s new extension Physicians in the 21st Century” education in plant pathology. His work Lakeside Campus in Lake County. She appeared in the fall 2012 issue of the focuses on diseases and other problems previously taught biology at Mendocino medical school’s Synapse magazine. The that affect cool season vegetables, College. She and her husband, school’s public relations manager, she is

32­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 the 2014 president of the Sierra Nevada Newsletter Contribution from the article is titled “The Brilliance Behind Chapter of the Public Relations Society Floodplain Management Association. the Plan to Land Curiosity on Mars.” of America. Klasson, a self-employed environmental A new work of fiction by Tom Stohl- planner and certified floodplain manag- gren, Ph.D., The Battle of the Black Hills, er, served on the California Water Plan 1989 is available on Amazon in paperback Update 2013 Flood Caucus. Jonathan Dyer, J.D., who served as a and digital format. A resident of Wind- Russian linguist at Field Station Berlin Enrico Pucci is administrator of Com- sor, Colo., he works as a scientist by before studying law at King Hall, had munity Christian School, a private K–12 day, and a novelist/screenwriter by the first two volumes of his Nick Tem- school in Charlotte County, Fla. From night. His website is tomstohlgren.com. ple File series published. Switchback 2008 to 2013, he served as principal of and The Heraklion Gambit are spy thrill- Westlake Christian School, a private 1991 ers set during the Cold War. Publisher K–8 school in Pinellas County, Fla., Jaime Avila, now retired, is a volunteer Carta Studios plans to release at least that received the 2012 National Blue docent for California State Parks and two more books in the series in 2014. Ribbon Award from the U.S. Depart- appears in living history events in the His website is jonathanpdyer.com. ment of Education. San Luis Obispo area re-enacting Cali- Articles by Mick Klasson on setback NASA engineer Adam Steltzner was fornia’s 12th governor, Romualdo Pache- levees in the Sacramento Valley and res- featured in the December issue of Smith- co (1831–99). The state’s first Hispanic toration of the San Joaquin River earned sonian magazine as one of nine Ameri- governor, Pacheco went on to serve two a Goddard Award for Outstanding can Ingenuity Award winners. The terms as a congressman representing

2014 Dmal atian Coast “These trips are life affirming, life expanding, Kenya 5 Baltic Marvels 5 Including Samburu Reserve and Maasai Cruise from Stockholm to St. Petersburg to and really life changing if you go about it to Mara National Park Copenhagen and everywhere in between learn and explore. The alumni who go on May 30–June 12 • From $5,395 Aug. 13–24 • From $2,699 these trips really add a lot to these trips from their personal experiences.” Coastal Life along Discover Switzerland the Dalmatian Coast Aug. 27–Sept. 11 • From $4,545 —Ramon Urbano ‘66 A cruise adventure Aggie Adventures Traveler June 18–26 • From $3,895 For a full list of Aggie Adventure travel opportunities, in-depth trip details and up-to- 3 Machu Picchu to the Galapagos July 8–22 • From $8,395 date deadlines and cost, visit alumni. ucdavis.edu/travel, call 530-752-4502 or email [email protected].

Prices are subject to change. Explore. Connect. Learn. Alumni

San Luis/Santa Barbara in the 1880s. programs at the Amador County Com- site is matthewkennedybooks.com. Avila and his wife, Linda, live in Arroyo munity Development Agency located in Kris Vardas is an environmental plan- Grande. Jackson. He worked in medical/pharma- ner for Pacific Gas and Electric Compa- ceutical sales in the Central Valley before After nine years covering professional ny on California’s Central Coast and a becoming a California registered environ- basketball for the New York Times, How- Pismo Beach City Council member. He mental health specialist in 2001. ard Beck joined Bleacher Report this previously worked as a land-use consul- fall after the sports website was tant and as a project manager with the acquired by Turner Network. His tran- 1992 California Department of Water sition received widespread coverage by James Dante’s debut novel, The Tiger’s Resources and the State Lands Commis- national sports media. USA Today’s “Big Wedding, a love story set in Korea, was sion. He is a vice-chair of the San Luis Lead” blog called Beck “one of the best released by Martin Sisters Publishing in Obispo Local Agency Formation Com- NBA writers in newspapers.” March 2013. He lives in Northern Cali- mission, and board member of the Cali- Marcia Harvey blogs about art and fornia, teaches adult education classes fornia Coastal Coalition. other topics at wayofthedodo.org. Her and is writing a second novel, set in paintings can be seen at her website, Moscow. His website is jamesdante.com. 1993 marcia.harvey.name. Matthew Kennedy, M.A., wrote Road- Scott Feller, Ph.D., a chemistry profes- Jim McHargue was recently promoted to show! The Fall of Film Musicals in the 1960s sor and natural sciences division chair director of solid waste and safety (Oxford University Press, 2014). His web- at Wabash College, has been selected to

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All UC Davis Stores profits go to university programs and services. You can also support UC Davis by doing all your online shopping through davis.amazon.com. It’s the same Amazon site you love, but a portion of sales support UC Davis students.**

*Limited to imprinted clothing and gifts. One discount per customer. Campus produced, electronics, and health system merchandise excluded. **Learn more about the UC Davis/Amazon collaboration at ucdavisstores.com ucdavisstores.com, or email [email protected]. become dean of the Indiana men’s liber- al arts college in July. He taught at UC Davis and Whitman College before joining the Wabash faculty in 1998.

A second edition of Innosanto Nagara’s ABC board book, A is for Activist, was

released in November by Triangle Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis Square Books for Young Readers. A Winemaker Profile: Spanish edition, adapted by Martha Gonzalez of the Grammy award win- Eben Drucker ’02 ning band Quetzal, is due out this year. National sales and marketing director for Spotlight Brands, Nagara, founder of Design Action Col- lective, is married to Kristi Laugh- vintner at Carrier Wines lin ’92, an interfaith organizer in Eben Drucker ’02 began learning year because all my money’s tied up in Oakland. They have a 3-year-old son. about the wine business as a UC Davis product,’” Drucker said. “They needed Mark Nunez, D.V.M., has been appoint- student—from a fellow Aggie while someone out there representing them. ed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the Califor- teaching a photography class at the I saw that as an opportunity.” nia Veterinary Medical Board. Nunez is Experimental College. In 2011, he cofounded Spotlight an associate veterinarian at the Veteri- nary Care Center in Los Angeles. Those informal lessons from his Brands—a sales and marketing com- friend, a viticulture and enology major, pany for small premium wineries in 1994 led Drucker to take a job at a tasting California. Clients include Caraccioli After nearly a decade in management room and to add UC Davis and Exten- Cellars, DeSante Wines, Peay Vine- roles at the Cal Aggie Alumni Associa- sion wine courses to his cultural yards, Arietta and Vineyard 7&8. tion, Janice Corbett became the new anthropology and economics studies. In 2013, soon after the birth of his business manager for the Associated Soon after graduation, Drucker co- son, Asher, Drucker saw another Students of UC Davis last fall. She lives founded West Coast Wines. Within opportunity to grow—this time as a in Davis with her husband and two four years, the brokerage had grown vintner. Partnering with a Santa Lucia children. into a multimillion-dollar wine distri- Highlands vineyard, he launched Lisa Harper An article by , M.A., bution house. Carrier Wines. Ph.D. ’98, defending club soccer, “The “I was only 22 years old when I Named in honor of the messenger Crazy, Intense Schedule of Competitive Youth Soccer? Bring It On,” appeared in started, and I’m not quite sure how I pigeons used in World War I and the online edition of the New York Times did it, but I did,” Drucker said. World War II, Carrier wines cur- in October as part of a “Taking Sides” In December 2008, Drucker sold his rently makes Pinot Noir and Char- debate with parenting blogger KJ Dell’ partnership and began a consulting donnay and is looking to add a Antonia. and marketing firm, Tova Beverage Cabernet this year. Luis Rios Jr. was elected to the North Group—just as he and his wife, Page “Our mission for Carrier is to sell American Academy of the Spanish Lan- (Fairbank) ’03, welcomed their first good wine that everyone can enjoy,” guage, a branch of the Spanish Royal child, Ellie, into the world, and the said Drucker. Academy. As a correspondent member, U.S. economy entered a recession. Rios co-chairs the California delegation overseeing the sociolinguistics of the “I had all these small wineries tell For more information about the Spanish language in the state. He also is me, ‘I can’t get any traction on my prod- UC Davis Alumni Wine Program, visit editor of Boletin Octavio Paz. uct and now I can’t buy grapes for next alumni.ucdavis.edu

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 35 Alumni

1996 Kim Newlin joined the board of direc- tors of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association this past fall. New- lin was inducted as a fellow in the asso- ciation in 2010, and leads the California Central Valley PCNA Chapter. She prac- tices as a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist and adult nurse practitioner Aggie fans in Germany: Patrick, 8, and Peter, 5, sons of Laura Bruhn at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Freudrich ’97, show off their Aggie pride while enjoying Nutella waffles at a Roseville. Christmas market in Ludwigsburg, Germany. “We live here in Ludwigsburg but visit Davis often, as my parents and brother and family live in Davis,” Laura says. “The 1997 boys just love Davis and the campus.” Laura met her husband, Roland, a German Rikki (Butler) Davenport graduated native, while earning her master’s degree at Michigan State University, but they got from The Citadel, The Military College married at UC Davis’ Buehler Alumni Center. of South Carolina with a Master of Edu- cation in Educational Leadership. She also holds a Master of Arts in Educa- tion, Curriculum and Instruction. Dav- husband, Jim, live in Cheyenne with married in Berkeley on New Year’s Eve enport is the curator of education at their daughter, Loriana. day. They live in Corvallis, Ore. Drayton Hall, a National Trust for His- toric Preservation historic site. She and 2001 2007 her husband, Scott ’94, have one child, David Schmale III, an associate profes- Ari Warmerdam and Samar Mahbou- Caleb, 7, and live in Charleston, S.C. sor of plant pathology, physiology, and ba ’10 became engaged in San Francis- weed science at Virginia Tech, was Kyle Pierce’s long-standing passions for co in December. They never met on named one of Popular Science’s 2013 biological sciences and art collided this campus, but were brought together by a “Brilliant Ten” in October for his year when he was selected to create a mutual friend and immediately hit it off 43-foot mural for the Smithsonian’s research using drones to explore micro- during a discussion about A Street, the National Museum of Natural History in bial life in the atmosphere. Silo, the ARC and the Davis Farmers Washington, D.C. The mural leads visi- Market. Warmerdam, who helped lead tors into a new 10,000 square-foot edu- 2003 the Aggie men’s basketball program cation center called Q?rius (pronounced Disneylanders, a middle-grade/young during its transition to Division I and “curious”), which opened in December. adult novel by Kate Abbott, was pub- holds the single-season record for high- An illustrator and photographer, Pierce lished last year by Theme Park Press. est free throw percentage, is associate lives in San Francisco with his wife, The coming-of-age story is set in Dis- director of business development for Jennifer, and their sons, Henry, 8, and neyland park. United Way of the Bay Area. Mahbou- Auden, 6. ba, a Bay Area native, works at McKes- 2000 2004 son in San Francisco and serves on the Jon Ruel, M.S., has been promoted to Arab Cultural and Community Center Lorrell (Kenney) Walter is public rela- president of Trefethen Family Vine- board of directors. They live together in tions manager for High West Energy, a yards in the Napa Valley. San Francisco and are set to marry in not-for-profit electric cooperative in summer 2015. Pine Bluffs, Wyo. Walter recently relo- cated from upstate New York, where she 2006 served as the director of public relations David Schary and Lisa Ladouceur, 2008 for the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syra- who met in the dorms (Castilian South) Tsegereda Mulugeta developed Pal cuse for nearly seven years. She and her on the first day of freshman year, E-Cards, a website where users can

36­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 personalize a variety of digital cards 2 011 2012 with their own photos and messages, John Garrison, Ph.D., teaches English Veronica “V” Martinez is international and download, print, email or share on literature at Carroll University in program coordinator for Camp Coun- Facebook for free. Mulugeta says devel- Waukesha, Wisc. In 2012–13, he selors USA’s work experience program, oping pal-ecards.com is a hobby that received research fellowships from the which places young people from around lifted her spirits while looking for work. Folger Shakespeare Library, American the world in seasonal jobs. Marshall Roberts has been promoted Philosophical Society and the Beinecke to project engineer in the Oakland Library at Yale University. His first 2013 office of engineering design firm book, Friendship and Queer Theory in the Sarah Lamborn, D.V.M., was featured Thornton Tomasetti. Renaissance, was recently released by in an article in the Stockton Record Routledge. newspaper in October for her efforts to 2009 Willie Fong is serving a year as an turn around the overwhelmed Stockton Lizette Mata, of Stockton, was recently AmeriCorps member with nonprofit Animal Shelter. appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown as depu- College Possible Portland, helping 40 Gianna Zappettini, Cred., teaches sec- ty director of special projects at the low-income high school juniors in Port- ond grade at Gardner Bulls Elementary state Department of Motor Vehicles. She land, Ore., improve their ACT scores School in Los Altos Hills. She is work- previously held a number of communi- and prepare for the college application ing on a master’s degree at UC Davis. cations positions for state lawmakers, process. He previously served a year most recently for the California Latino with AmeriCorps National Civilian Legislative Caucus and for Sen. Ricardo Community Corps helping to clean up Lara, D-Bell Gardens. after hurricanes Irene and Sandy. in memoriam George Nuckols ’41, Camarillo, age 95, Thomas Aldrich ’49, Colusa, age 90, George Thoukis ’53, Ph.D. ’58, Nov. 28. World War II Army Air Corps Oct. 24. A World War II Army veteran, Modesto, age 83, Dec. 11. Retired vice veteran, retired farmer and founding receiving Bronze Star, and retired UC president of winemaking, E&J Gallo director of local water districts. Son: Tom Cooperative Extension farm advisor. Winery. Son: Gerard ’97. ’66; daughter-in-law: Joanne (Flicker) ’71. Edward “Ted” Tolman, Cred. ’49, Nice, Claire (Rominger) Stark ’54, Winters, Frank Sagehorn ’42, Cloverdale, age 93, age 88, Oct. 15. World War II Army and age 81, Jan. 14. Retired teacher. Broth- Aug. 17. World War II Navy veteran and retired U.S. Forest Service timber man- ers: Richard Rominger ’49, Donald retired rancher. ager. Son: Russell ’79. Rominger, Cred. ’49.

Glenn Wilkins ’41, Del Rey, age 94, Walter “Whitey” Schlabes, Cred. ’50, Leo Stringfellow ’56, D.V.M ’58, St. Sept. 13. World War II Army Air Corps Davis, age 86, Aug. 30. World War II Navy George, Utah, age 82, Sept. 25. Retired veteran and retired farmer. and Korean War Marine Corps veteran, veterinarian, New Zealand and South- ern California clinics. John Alexander, Cred. ’48, Woodland, retired agricultural consultant, Yolano Ag age 91, Nov. 23. World War II Army vet- Products and Bank of America. Ruth (Adams) Wingate ’60, Redding, age eran and retired farmer. 74, June 5. Husband: Len Wingate Jr. ’61. Donald Martinelli ’53, D.V.M. ’55, Sac- Stanley Corda, Cred. ’48, Salinas, age ramento, age 86, Dec. 23. Retired veteri- Deborah (Haynie) Sharp ’74, Little 92, Sept. 27. Retired farmer. narian, Ben Ali Veterinary Clinic. Rock, Ark., age 61, July 14. Retired

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 37 Alumni

Social Security Administration employ- 63, Aug. 13. Retired from a career in Julie Anne Escoto-Munoz ’93, Sacra- ee and special education teacher. corporate finance. mento, age 43, Oct. 30. Peace Corps alum and Sacramento County social Sheldon “Shel” Smith, M.A. ’62, Los Michael Cocks ’75, Bluffton, S.C., age worker. Gatos, age 82, Nov. 27. Korean War 64, Nov. 11. Vietnam War Army veteran Navy veteran and retired NASA’s Ames and property manager. David Magnan ’02, Sacramento, age Research Center scientist. 34, Aug. 29. Marine Corps veteran and Richard Neale ’76, Sunnyvale, age 64, attorney. Gary Wilson ’62, Bakersfield, age 73, Dec. 4. Senior software release engineer, Oct. 12. Owner of Wilson Ag farm com- Palantir Technologies. Christopher Bocian ’11, Woodland, pany. Wife: Patricia (Pensar) ’61. age 28, Oct. 28. Anne La Londe-Berge ’77, Santa Rosa, Gloria (Salsedo) Everett Collins ’65, age 58, Sept. 17. Teacher, special educa- Rebeca (Lopez) Castellucci ’12, Wood- Sacramento, age 70, Oct. 9. Telecommuni- tion administrator. Sister: Therese land, Aug. 21. Teacher. cations executive, Globalstar, AirTouch, La Londe ’82. Christopher Levy ’13, Scotts Valley, age and others. Sister: Nancy (Salsedo) Mey- 22, June 24. Aggie’s baseball relief ers ’69; brother-in-law: professor emeritus The Rev. Daniel Parsons ’77, Cred. ’74, pitcher. James M. Meyers ’68, M.E. ’76. M.A.T. ’74, North Las Vegas, Nev., age 64, Dec. 12. Retired Lutheran pastor, Robert “Rob” Smith ’66, Fairfield, age special education teacher. Faculty 69, Nov. 12. Former Benicia restaura- Donald Bath ’54, M.S. ’56, Ph.D. ’64, an teur and Concord real estate broker. Matthew Yeo ’77, Roseville, age 58, Extension dairy nutrition specialist Nov. 26. Retired finance director. Wife: from 1964 to 2003, died last October. Jack Lovell Jr. ’67, Sacramento, age 68, Carol ’77. A St. Helena resident, he was 81. Sept. 14. Civil trial attorney. Dane Steele, ’79, Sacramento, age 63, He authored 350 publications, includ- Barbara Edgeworth ’69, Mountain June 9. Middle school teacher. ing the widely used textbook Dairy Cat- View, age 66, Aug. 27. Retired teacher. tle: Principles, Practices, Problems, Jeremy Sommer ’80, San Francisco, age Profits. As an undergraduate, he quar- Ronald Mack ’69, San Francisco, age 45, Aug. 19. Founder of Zocalo furni- terbacked the Aggie football team and 65, Aug. 10. Pediatric dentist. ture company. Brother: Jon, M.S. ’80, served as president of the Sigma Alpha Douglas Miller ’70, Carmichael, age 65, M.S. ’83. Epsilon fraternity, then known as the Nov. 4. Labor attorney, labor relations Karen Steinmetz ’80, Pacifica, age 55, IOTA Chapter. director for Sacramento Regional Tran- Aug. 19. Toxicology director, SRI Inter- Professor emeritus John Whitaker, a sit District. national. world authority on food enzymes who Michael Broderick ’72, Sacramento, Mark Raine ’82, El Sobrante, age 54, worked to strengthen connections age 64, November. California Justice Sept. 30. Paving contractor. between UC Davis and foreign institu- Department manager who helped devel- tions, died in September at a Woodland op state’s online database of registered Sandra Brown Yakel ’86, New Berlin, retirement center. He was 84. A food sex offenders. Ill., age 49, Jan. 1. Former Aggie basket- science faculty member since 1956, he ball team captain, school teacher. Hus- wrote more than 270 scholarly articles Carolyn Raab, M.S. ’72, Corvallis, Ore., band: Donald Yakel Jr. ’86. and edited or co-edited 12 books. In age 63, Dec. 6, 2012. Retired Oregon 1980, he wrote the first official agree- State University Extension Service food Doug Weismann ’86, Monterey, age 50, ment of cooperation between UC Davis and nutrition specialist. July at Lake Tahoe. Network engineer, and foreign universities. He also held UC Santa Cruz. Margaret Saari, D.V.M. ’72, New York, several leadership positions with the age 74, Aug. 4. Retired veterinarian, Frank Myers ’87, San José, age 59, UC MEXUS program, which facilitates American Society for the Prevention of Aug. 26. academic exchanges and collaboration Cruelty to Animals, member of Ameri- between the UC and Mexico. Lynn (Clopper) Losch ’80, Rescue, age can Spaniel Club Hall of Fame. 55, Sept. 6. Former Aggie softball player Thomas McCart Jr., ’73, San Rafael, age and clinical lab scientist.

38­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 One to One Aggies compare notes on working at KDVS radio

Elisa Hough ’08 Todd Urick ’97*

The first time I went to I’ve been involved with KDVS was fall quarter of my KDVS for about 20 years. I was freshman year to see my friends’ station manager for two years, band play on Live in Studio A. I and I also managed engineering was bowled over by the size of projects there. In 1997 I worked the station’s music collection, to upgrade the station’s broad- and the studio techs running the show were really cast power from 5,000 to 9,200 ‘We were at times the funny and cute. But the clincher was seeing a poster on watts. During the last 10 years, the wall for a KDVS Presents show in the Coffee House: I worked with the students to only station in the nation Green Day, circa 1990, for only $5. I thought, this has upgrade the station’s coverage playing the stuff we to be a good place to be. by moving its broadcast tower. were playing.’ I began volunteering with no intention of hosting a I have many fond memories of radio show. I was too shy, hated public speaking. But the place. In 1996, another student, Rick Ele, and I did the more time I spent there—hearing new music and long programming shifts. During one overnight on-air meeting inspiring, outrageous, creative people—the stint, Rick fell asleep in the record stacks. He woke up more I wanted the whole experience. By spring quarter with a UPS man nudging him to sign for a package, the I had my own 2–4 a.m. show. end of the record skipping on the air. . . . Sometimes we’d My junior and senior years, as well as the year after work all night at KDVS, then drive to Vallejo for an all- I graduated, I worked as one of two publicity directors. you-can-eat breakfast buffet at an old 24-hour dive called I often said that I had the best job on campus. Rod’s Hickory Pit. The waitress there thought we were Through my explorations of the KDVS library, I got locals. Rick and I used to drive down to Bay Area record interested in traditional music from around the world. stores looking for the newest punk and garage releases, This led me to taking ethnomusicology classes, and bringing them back to donate for airplay on KDVS. We joining the Indonesian gamelan and Brazilian samba were at times the only station in the nation playing the drumming ensembles and the Hindustani vocal choir. stuff we were playing. The station also introduced me to Smithsonian Folk- With my experience there, I moved on to start a ways Recordings. I would play the albums on my show nonprofit, Common Frequency, that is forming a new and read their informative liner notes during air noncommercial radio network in California—public breaks. Last summer I got to intern at Folkways in radio geared toward people in Washington, D.C., and at the end of the summer, the their 20s and 30s. Smithsonian Institution offered me a job. I’m now an Watch a video about * Urick finished his one remaining editor/writer for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife KDVS’ longtime volunteer English class to get his degree in 2007. and Cultural Heritage, and I know I wouldn’t have got- Ed Martin at go.ucdavis. ten here without the experiences I had at KDVS. edu/kdvs.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 39 Sports

Racing for a third title The women’s track team is a force to be reckoned with after winning back-to-back Big West Conference championships the past two years. Junior Ashley Marshall, a sprinter who won two conference titles and captured the league’s Track Athlete of the Year award in 2013, is among the team’s returning student- athletes. She holds school records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. UC Davis will host the Big West Conference championship meet for the first time on May 16–17. For more information about the team, visit www.ucdavisaggies.com and click on “Track & Field” under the “Sports” tab.

40­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Hall of Famers 2013 brought a series of major honors for two former coaches and an early alumnus.

Jim Hunt, former cross country and Joenagraphy / ’13 track and field coach, was inducted Aggie a N

into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross oe Idol J Country Coaches Hall of Fame in Aggie student-athletes are a multitalented December. lot—and for a number of years, they’ve been using Hunt coached the Aggies in 1989–93 after a legacy- their artistic gifts to raise money for charitable creating 1967–86 tenure at Humboldt State University. causes. Senior tennis player Megan Heneghan, Under Hunt, the Lumberjacks earned six Far Western above, was among the performers in last year’s Conference titles and the 1980 NCAA Division II men’s Aggie Idol, a charity talent show hosted by the cross country title, and produced 64 All-Americans and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Six shows 11 national champions. At UC Davis, he guided the since 2007 have raised a total of $11,717 for groups women’s cross country program to a runner-up finish at such as Heifer International, Special Olympics the Division II championships with four All-Americans. Northern California, Invisible Children and Team The men’s cross country team finished fourth that same Davis, a local nonprofit organization serving season and had two All-America selections. After a people with disabilities. Heneghan, a former con- 1993–2000 stint at Sierra College, Hunt returned to testant on TV’s American Idol, has placed either UC Davis as an assistant coach until his 2003 retirement. first or second in each of the last two Aggie Idol Colby “Babe” Slater ’17 was inducted into shows. Details for this spring’s event were in the the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame last June, a year after he works as the magazine went to press. Last year’s was named to the International Rugby Board’s Hall of was held in May in Freeborn Hall. Fame. Slater was a member of the 1920 U.S. Olympic gold medal winning rugby team and captain of the 1924 U.S. men’s gold medal winning rugby team. Former UC Davis assistant coach Ralph Rago was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches’ Associa- tion Hall of Fame in Chicago in January 2013. He joined UC Davis in 1987 after coaching high Learn more about hall-of-famer avis Enterprise D school for more than three decades. He Babe Slater and watch a video k/ helped lead the Aggies to their first-ever of the 1924 Olympic gold lcoc i T College World Series appearance in 1995 medal winning rugby match at ne ay

W after three straight regional appearances. go.ucdavis.edu/slater.

UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 41 Associate professors

Davis Karl Jandrey, left, and UC /

ga Michael Kent uia Urq ory g Gre Modern family estate planning by Debra Minnema-Dingman

UC Davis veterinarians Karl Jandrey and Kent’s Jewish family practiced tzedakah, which he Michael Kent each grew up in families that taught the described as a fundamental obligation to do what is concept of “giving back” as one of their core values. right by giving to those in need as a respectful act of Now a landmark Supreme Court ruling is making it justice. The family had a decorated coffee can at their easier for same-sex couples like Jandrey and Kent to dinner table and each Friday the children would put a practice that principle through their estate gifts. portion of their allowance into it. Kent said he remem- The nation’s high court last June struck down a key bers being excited about choosing where the money provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. This would go when the can was full. fall, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Inter- Now, as associate professors who work in different nal Revenue Service announced that same-sex married clinical services at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical couples will be treated the same as opposite-sex cou- Teaching Hospital, Jandrey and Kent get just as excited ples for federal tax purposes, including income and gift about the scholarship they also created with current and estate taxes. gifts for veterinary students at UC Davis, which they “This will make estate planning easier,” said Kent, named in memory of their dogs, Caesar and Lucy, and D.V.M. ’97, M.A.S. ’07, who along with Jandrey, their cat, Gabbie. M.A.S. ’09, has made an estate gift to the School of At the time, Jandrey said, tuition was escalating and Veterinary Medicine. many people they knew were talking about what they A couple for 21 years, Kent and Jandrey had long ago could do—“but it was just talk. We wanted to act and consulted legal and professional advisers on how to do something to help,” he said. best ensure their futures. They said the IRS ruling— With contributions from students, family and friends, which applies to legally married same-sex couples the scholarship fund became endowed within a couple whether or not they live in a state that recognizes same- of years. It now totals more than $25,000—which, as sex marriage—adds certainty to their future plans and Jandrey exclaimed, means “it will happen forever!” makes taxes fair. California is one of 14 states that recognize same-sex marriage. Both men grew up in families that, while not wealthy, gave back to their communities. Jandrey said his fam- If you’d like more information on how planned giving can ily volunteered for church activities and other causes. benefit you, visit plannedgiving.ucdavis.edu.

42­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Your legacy is our future.

UC Davis is a premier university that is addressing society’s most important issues. Make a lasting impact on the future of our world with a planned gift to UC Davis.

Maceo Contreras, class of 2030

To learn more about how you can unite your legacy with the future of UC Davis, visit plannedgiving.ucdavis.edu. Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis The sky’s the limit by Sarah Colwell

Gaganpreet Kaur ’17 says she has never had pursuing a degree in international relations with the a teacher who could pronounce her name correctly goal of becoming a lawyer and then a diplomat for the (Gug-in-preet) on the first try. But every time her name Indian embassy. was mispronounced, Kaur “Most parents in my culture want their kids to be “My name reveals that my made the most of the doctors or engineers, but my parents told me I could do spirit stretches as high as the chance to share a bit about anything I wanted,” said Kaur, whose father emigrated sky and is endless.” herself and her Punjabi to the U.S. from India with only $21 and the clothes on culture with instructors. his back. “The most important thing I can accomplish “My first name means heavenly sky,” said the Man- is to make my parents proud by being who I really am.” teca native who is known by friends on the soccer field In recognition of her leadership, the Cal Aggie as Gagan. “My name reveals that my spirit stretches as Alumni Association awarded Kaur its 2013–14 Blue and high as the sky and is endless.” Gold Scholarship, which totals $10,000. Kaur said that repeated act of educating authority “When I found out that I got a scholarship from the figures on the meaning of her name strengthened her alumni association for leadership, I was overwhelmed,” belief in gender equality, pride in her culture and faith, said Kaur, who wants to be a source of inspiration for and passion for leadership. her two younger siblings—especially her younger sis- In high school, she served in numerous leadership ter. “To think there are people out there, who I’ve never roles including in student government, on sports teams met, who are recognizing me as a leader and saying that and at her temple. Now a UC Davis freshman, she is they have faith in me—it’s just overwhelming.”

44­ UC DAVIS MAGAZINE / Spring 2014 Debra Bakerjian— Improving patient care, together

AS A YOUNG NURSE, Debra Bakerjian sought better-coordinated care for her nursing home patients. Today, as a faculty member at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, she brings that same team philosophy to her students. UC Davis provides the only programs in

the U.S. that teach future nurse Debra Bakerjian practitioners and physician assistants side by side. “The more they are co-educated together, the better they work as a team in treating patients. When they work better as a team, patient outcomes improve.”

One Journey

The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Getting more than one copy of UC Davis Magazine? Moving? Let us know. Please send your mailing label or labels and current address information to UC Davis Magazine, University of California, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616-8687. Or send the information via email to [email protected]. All other email correspondence should be sent to [email protected].

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PiD cnic ay Around the World Picnic Day is Global! UC Davis alumni and friends from around the world will be joining in the Aggie tradition by hosting their own Picnic Day festivities in April and May. To find a celebration near you or to host one in your hometown, visit alumni.ucdavis.edu/picnicday or call 530-752-0286.

Share your Picnic Day photos in social media using #100picnicday.

Cal Aggie Alumni Association