Winter quarter is rolling right along. In fact, we’re somehow already in the second month of what still feels like an hours-old year. That’s the sign of having been busy. On campus, students are all around us. Our faculty are teaching, publishing and mentoring, and in the Dean’s Office we’ve been hard at work on several notable things.

I’m very pleased to share the announcement of a major philanthropic contribution to our college. CBS has received a $1 million gift from UC Davis alumni Kamaljeet Singh-Khaira and Ravinder Khaira, which will support a broad coalition of priorities throughout the college. I am deeply humbled by the Khairas' generosity and vision, and I am inspired by their charitable and compassionate spirit.

There have been notable rankings for the college, too. From placing 2^nd in the nation for graduate study in evolutionary biology, to the exceptional percentages of students who enjoy positive outcomes after studying in the college, I invite to you take a look at our rankings and distinctions, and join me in applauding our faculty, staff and students.

February is Black History Month. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has curated a list of events in honor of this month. Especially in light of recent tragic events, honoring Black Americans seems ever more important. A raised fist has long been a symbol of resistance to oppression. I raise mine in solidarity with all those who have suffered, and in honor of the many Black scientists whose contributions to our nation are undeniable. 

Valentine’s Day is in two weeks. Let’s all reflect on those we love, and the gratitude that comes with having them in our lives.

______________



Mark Winey, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Biological Sciences

Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology 

Featured image: The single-celled Tetrahymena sp. uses a different set of proteins for respiration from plants, animals or yeast. The discovery, made by Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology researchers, revealed unsuspected diversity in how living things carry out fundamental processes. (Wikimedia)



New research from the Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Plant Biology has shed light on the structure of proteins vital to energy production in mung beans - insights that may help determine how biofuel crops could grow more rapidly.

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Researchers in the Department of Plant Biology have found that the circadian rhythm of sunflowers is optimized to attract visiting pollinators.

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Researchers in the Department of Plant Biology have developed a method to propagate hybrid rice as cloned seeds, which could lower the cost of hybrid rice seed, making high-yielding, disease resistant rice strains more available worldwide. 

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Graduate students in the "Scientific Filmmaking" course, offered through the Department of Evolution and Ecology, made short films that explore their ecology-related research topics through the lens of visual storytelling.

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