Science is the passion that drives us, and our students share this passion through their many talents.

To compliment her microbial research on coral bleaching, Natascha Varona uses her artistic talents to raise awareness about ocean health. From petri dish to digital paintbrush, she brings new perspectives to help fight a global problem.

On the science communications front, last week Katie Murphy, a plant biology Ph.D. student, was named the UC Davis Grad Slam Champion. Her three-minute talk on corn stress resistance and global food security eloquently—and urgently—brought home the message for the public crowd.

Campus is bursting with multifaceted students like Natascha and Katie. We hope you’ll join us April 13 for Picnic Day to explore UC Davis and see firsthand what makes the Aggie experience so unique.

Our university thrives by paying it forward to create opportunities for future Aggies. So we’re asking for your help during the 29-hour event, Give Day, which also happens on April 13. If there is a time to make a gift, this is it. Lending your support on Give Day magnifies the impact and helps us meet time-sensitive challenges.

Go Ags!

Transfer student Timur Katsnelson has gone all in on the Aggie experience. He’s a member of the UC Davis ice hockey club team, has worked as an undergraduate researcher and volunteers as a junior editor with The Aggie Transcript, a student-run life sciences journal. 

Tropical species near San Francisco? New range limit records indicate the future face of the California coast. According to UC Davis researchers, southern species that were absent or rare from Bodega Bay in the 1970s are now fairly common in the area.

Assistant Professor Jennifer Gremer showed an interest in plant life at an early age, but her path to scientific research wasn’t straightforward. She dabbled in many fields related to plant sciences, from working as an interpretive ranger in Yosemite National Park to performing botanical surveys for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.