A digital noticeboard celebrating achievements and highlights in the college, from grant updates to best paper awards.
Take a bite of some byte-sized news.
Federally Funded Research Keeps Bridges, Buildings and Communities Safer
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Jason DeJong studies how earth materials behave to reinforce the design of durable bridges and buildings with state-of-the-art modeling tools. Without the National Science Foundation’s support, the impact of DeJong’s work will be lessened, leaving communities vulnerable to infrastructure failures.
Industry Leaders Support Coffee Center’s Research Mission with Donation to UC Davis Library
Starbucks co-founder Gerald Baldwin, President of Hacienda La Minita Russ Kramer and the Specialty Coffee Association have contributed collections of books, photographs and archival materials documenting coffee's evolution from commodity to global product to the UC Davis Library, bolstering the Coffee Center's role as a leader in coffee research.
Research Team Uses 3D Printing to Help Children Run, Jump and Play
A three-year NSF grant is supporting Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Jonathon Schofield and his collaborators in using continuous-fiber 3D printing to create activity-enabling prosthetics for children. “We are bringing together researchers in movement mechanics, advanced materials manufacturing, and pediatric lower-limb prosthetic care and incorporating the lived experience of children and families,” Schofield said.
Loss of Federal Funding Powers Down Energy-Efficiency Breakthroughs
Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Vinod Narayanan directed a multi-institutional, interdisciplinary project to develop a new design and manufacturing process for a device aimed at increasing energy efficiency, which was funded by the Department of Energy. The next phase, scaling up, was about to begin when funding was pulled, putting the U.S. at a loss in energy security.
Marina Leite Named 2026 Distinguished Lecturer for IEEE Photonics Society
The society selected Leite for her exemplary contributions to the field of photonics and the technical programs of the IEEE Photonics Society Chapters. Leite’s contributions include developing optical materials for thermophotovoltaics, alloying metals to control the electromagnetic spectrum and more.
Learn about Leite's Technical and Professional Development Talks
Newly Appointed Faculty Member Leads Breakthrough in Bio-Inspired Soft Robots
Incoming Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Wenzhong Yan is the first author on a new paper that details the development of an insect-inspired soft robot made of a polymer material that uses the power of light to jump continuously. Such robots could be deployed into hard-to-access spaces or aid in wildfire monitoring.
Learn more about Yan's insect-inspired robot in Advanced Materials
Alum Receives Visionary Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard Chuang, a UC Davis electrical engineering alum and Dean’s Executive Committee member, was honored with the prestigious award at the ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia. Chuang is an Academy- and Emmy-winning innovator known for his pioneering work at Pacific Data Images (PDI).
Computer Scientist Explores Consensus in New Book
Associate Professor of Computer Science Mohammad Sadoghi, whose research on blockchain is centered on consensus theory, investigates the concept of consensus from a moral, epistemological, religious and sociological standpoint, as well as the computational perspective, in the new book, The Problems of Consensus, published by Springer.
Marina Leite Presents Keynote Address at Nature Conference
The professor of materials science and engineering gave a keynote talk at the Nature Conference on Advancing Perovskite-Based Photovoltaics, which brought together academic and industry leaders to explore the progress and challenges of bringing perovskite-based solar cells to market.
Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez Named CAMPOS Scholar
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez was inducted into the new cohort of the Center for Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science, or CAMPOS, part of UC Davis Inclusive Excellence.
Assistant Professor Recognized as ‘Rising Star’ in Neuroscience
The Transmitter has named Jie Zheng as a rising star pushing the field of neuroscience forward both in and out of the lab. Zheng researches the neural mechanisms underlying human cognitive functions, especially memory. Her goal is to advance knowledge of the human nervous system and develop next-level treatments for conditions like dementia.
TIME Magazine Names UC Davis-Created Tech a Best Invention of 2025
Associate Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Mason Earles and UC Davis computer science alum Kia Behnia cofounded Scout, a vineyard management software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze vintners’ photos and geolocations, creating an interactive map that offers key insights into plant health, yield and performance.
