May 2021
Dean's Message: On the Verge of Summer

Somehow, next month is summer already. With time passing as quickly as it has, we're excited to return to near-normal operations come fall quarter. Chancellor May released an update last week with details about our anticipated return to campus. You can read more about those plans here.

Meanwhile, the past month has seen several notable accomplishments in the College. First, we received significant recognition from the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with prestigious appointments to both. This is a tremendous achievement, and a source of pride for our College and our campus. More on the faculty honorees below.

I'm also pleased to say that for the second year a CBS graduate student has won the UC Davis Grad Slam competition. Amelia Munson, who presented her research on the behavior of zebrafish (like the one above), will now compete in the UC-wide Grad Slam competition with winners from the other 9 UC campuses on Friday, May 7. Congrats, and good luck, Amelia! You can watch her presentation below.

On a different note, the College has launched a new website focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the life sciences. There are reading lists, events, opportunities and more. Take a look!


Until next month,


Mark Winey, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Biological Sciences
Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology 
News Highlights
MCB Chair Elected to National Academy of Arts and Sciences
Jodi Nunnari, a distinguished professor and chair in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, was among four UC Davis professors elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). She is recognized as a pioneer in the biology of mitochondria.
Center for Population Biology Faculty and Alumnus Among Electees to the National Academy of Sciences
Michael Turelli (pictured), a distinguished professor who studies disease-carrying mosquitos; Anurag Agrawal, an alumnus who studies the monarch butterfly; and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, who studies human behavior and relationships, are among those elected this year to the National Academy of Sciences – one of the highest honors in the scientific community.
Fact or Fiction: What Doesn't Kill You Makes Stronger
Amelia Munson, a Ph.D. candidate in animal behavior, has won the 2021 UC Davis Grad Slam Competition. This marks the second year a CBS student has won the competition! You can watch her presentation and tune in to the UC Grad Slam website on Friday, May 7 to see the final UC-wide competition!
New Resource for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The College has created a CBS diversity, equity and inclusion website – a platform we’ll be using to disseminate anti-racist educational tools, materials, and courses to help create academic spaces within the College that are open and welcoming to all facets of human diversity.
A Record Year for Giving
Give Day 2021 proved to be a record year for the College! Thanks to all those who supported the campaign and promoted our challenges. The College raised $613,661 from 370 donors, which more than doubles our totals from last year—or any year previous!
Storer Lectureship in the Life Sciences
Mucosal Immunity Against Viruses: From Disease Pathogenesis to Vaccine Strategy
Mon., May 10 @ 1:10pm
Akiko Iwasaki has made major discoveries that have resulted in paradigm shifts in our understanding of the immune response to pathogens. She is also well known for her advocacy for women and underrepresented minorities in the science and medicine fields.