April 2020
Dean's Message: Fighting Back with Biology

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings from the College of Biological Sciences at UC Davis during this extraordinary time. It brings so much of what we do into sharp focus.

I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. I appreciate your support and understanding as we launch into the 2020 spring quarter via remote instruction. Patience, flexibility and resilience are essential as we collectively navigate this uncharted path. Like scientific inquiry, our methods will continue to evolve as we determine the best steps forward.

Our faculty and staff have worked extremely hard to ensure each one of our 6,100 students receive the best education possible during this uncertain time. We’ve adapted quickly and created a course for our seniors to utilize their biology skills in real-time. The newly-minted COVID-19 Capstone online lab explores the virus from five interdisciplinary angles. In addition to participating in lectures and lab modules, students will create a video public service announcement about coronavirus as a final project.

The course hosted its first town hall last Wednesday, which featured insights on the coronavirus crisis from Assistant Professor Sam Diaz-Munoz, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Professor Brad Pollock, Department of Public Health Sciences Chair, School of Medicine. 

For more resources specific to CBS undergraduates, please visit the Biology Academic Success Center COVID-19 FAQ page . Graduate students are encouraged to visit the Graduate Student COVID-19 information page.

Please continue to help and support one another until we can all meet again in person.
 
Go Ags!


Mark Winey, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Biological Sciences
Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology 
P.S. We are calling on all Aggies to support one of the direct-to-student emergency funds suggested by Chancellor Gary May as we approach UC Davis Give Day on April 17-18 . I am utilizing some funding from our CBS Dean’s Circle to address some of the most pressing needs of our students hit hardest during these times.
News Highlights
Equipped to Fight in 2020: College of Biological Sciences Launches Capstone COVID-19 Virtual Lab Course
The newly minted “CBS COVID-19 Capstone” course explores the biological intersections of virology, evolution and ecology, computational biology, molecular genetics and other disciplines to give upper-division students an opportunity to investigate and deconstruct the coronavirus crisis.
The Science of Ireland’s Sea Monsters: Searching for Sharks with Animal Behavior Graduate Student Alexandra McInturf
For years, Alexandra McInturf has traveled to Ireland to investigate the behaviors of basking sharks. Though they’re the second-largest fish on the planet, this leviathan is shrouded in mystery. She's working to crack the code on shark social behavior.



On the Social Side: Students Share Spring Break Social Distancing Plans

Need some social distancing tips? Assistant Professor Celina Juliano, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, recently asked her students about their spring break plans. She shared their answers via her lab's Twitter account @Juliano_Lab .