May 2018
A Message from the Dean: Celebrating Excellence
In less than a month, we'll present diplomas to more than 1,000 graduates, welcoming each of them into the proud ranks of UC Davis alumni. It's a time of year to recognize the amazing accomplishments of our students as they set out to build their careers and continue their education.

If you can't make it to campus for commencement, you can follow along with a live-stream video of the CBS Commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 17 at 9 a.m.

We'd also like to recognize Lois and John Crowe as recipients of the UC Davis Medal. As researchers and philanthropists, the two were instrumental in helping UC Davis become one of the top-rated biological science programs in the nation.

Finally, each year the college honors our top students with awards for their academic and research achievements. I invite you to read their inspiring stories below.

UC Davis is truly one of a kind, and we're proud to celebrate with all of you—our Aggie family.

Go Ags!




Mark Winey, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Biological Sciences
Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology 
Recognizing Our Graduating Seniors
College and campus awards showcase top undergraduate talent
College Medalist Kelsey Klein Eyes Medical Industry and Charity after Graduation
Last year, Kelsey Klein began a project close to her heart, and her idea to create a prostate cancer nonprofit took shape. Klein, a neurobiology, physiology and behavior senior, is recognized with the College of Biological Sciences Medal for her outstanding community service, research activities and scholarship.
Outstanding Student Research Earns Undergraduate Bita Shahrvini Multiple Awards
Biochemistry and molecular biology senior Bita Shahrvini spends her time in the lab studying enzyme movement and disease development. For her research excellence, Shahrvini is leaving UC Davis with two of the college’s top accolades, the Undergraduate of the Year Award and the Ronald and Lydia Baskin Award. 
Passion for Research Leads to Baskin Award for Benjamin Mallory
For excellence in biological sciences research, biochemistry and molecular biology senior Benjamin Mallory is one of two recipients recognized with the Ronald and Lydia Baskin Award. Mallory studies DNA repair in the Heyer Lab.
A Mind for Service Earns Connor Grant the Veloyce Glenn Winslow Jr. Award
In high school, Connor Grant discovered a love for medicine during a visit to the emergency room. Grant, a neurobiology, physiology and behavior senior, is recognized for his outstanding leadership and scholarship with the Veloyce Glenn Winslow Jr. Award. 
News Highlights
Perfect Chemistry: CBS Faculty Are Partners In and Outside the Lab
After a long day of teaching and research, biochemists Richard McKenney and Kassandra Ori-McKenney usually find themselves on their patio discussing topics like the cytoskeleton and motor proteins. It’s shop talk for the couple, both assistant professors in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Using DNA Databases to Track Down the Golden State Killer Suspect
Was it luck that investigators got a break in the Golden State Killer case thanks to the genealogy database, GEDmatch? UC Davis population biologists Graham Coop and M. D. “Doc” Edge explain the science behind the search.
EMRAP: Undergrads on the Front Lines of Emergency Medicine
UC Davis Health's ER serves approximately 80,000 patients each year. Through the Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program, undergraduate students get hands-on experience in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
UC Davis Mourns Loss of Marine Biologist and Ocean Health Advocate
Faculty, staff and students gathered at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory in late April not for their weekly seminar, but to remember their colleague Susan Williams who died in a car crash while en route to the Davis campus to teach.
Discovering Curiosity
Explore how passion for science propelled our faculty on the path to research
Learning Genetics through Family Illness with Mark Winey
CBS Dean Mark Winey became fascinated by science at an early age. But the draw to biology—specifically, genetics—was prompted by Winey’s younger sister Christine, who as an infant was diagnosed with an inherited metabolic disease called galactosemia.
Art at the Zoo with Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez
Before delving into the world of endocrinology, Assistant Professor Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez wasn’t following the path of a traditional scientist. A mystery at the Dallas Zoo ignited her passion for animal behavior.

Follow Us on Instagram

Love science? Connect with the College of Biological Sciences ( @UCDavisBiology) and explore the photogenic world of life sciences at UC Davis, including:

  • Faculty and student research
  • Campus views
  • Alumni profiles
  • Larger-than-life, under-the-microscope views
  • And lots more great science stuff

Be sure to tag us in your biology-related posts, and we'll share the best content.