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Training Naturalists Behind Prison Walls

Jocelyn C Anderson — May 18, 2026 - 9:15am

A kestrel swoops to grab a smaller bird on the wing and eats it, right in front of a group of men in the garden at California Health Care Facility, or CHCF, a prison in Stockton, where the garden has become both a thriving ecosystem and a science classroom for people incarcerated there. As the feathers fly, 51�ԹϺ�� Davis researcher Laci Gerhart pulls out a bird guide and shows the incarcerated men how to identify the bird by its size and coloration, noting that kestrels are North America’s smallest raptor and one of the few that are sexually dimorphic.

Meet 4 Students from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis’ Newest Major

Jocelyn C Anderson — May 18, 2026 - 9:10am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis launched an undergraduate business major in the 2025-26 academic year.

Out of more than 8,500 applicants, only 150 students enrolled in 51�ԹϺ�� Davis’ inaugural business major cohort. The program is watching that carefully selected class begin to make its mark.

Farming with Animal Welfare in Mind

Russell L Thebaud — May 18, 2026 - 9:09am

A gate swings wide at the auction ring at the Yolo County Fairgrounds. A group of goats and sheep hesitate, then shuffle through. They move as a group; their bodies pressed against each other. Beneath it all is their ruminant instinct of wanting to return from where they came. Rancher Nathan Medlar, with NM Ranch in Auburn, has arranged these gates to accommodate that instinct.

6 Ways to Research Love at 51�ԹϺ�� Davis

Russell L Thebaud — May 18, 2026 - 9:04am

Attraction, attachment, being in love: These topics have all been fodder for magazine articles in publications as varied as Nature, The Knot and Cosmopolitan. In fact, multiple 51�ԹϺ�� Davis researchers have been quoted in hundreds of stories to talk about the science of love. Turns out, most people — and many animal species — are geared toward pairing up. And life — and often, living well and healthy — depends on these bonds. At 51�ԹϺ�� Davis multiple labs are investigating these unions.

A Century of Roland Petersen: Art That Endures

Jocelyn C Anderson — March 31, 2026 - 9:10am

Inside their home in Pacifica, south of San Francisco, Roland Petersen and Caryl Ritter Petersen have amassed a trove of treasures — an eclectic mix of fanciful hats, surrealist photography, original paintings and secondhand finds. It's clearly a home occupied by working artists.

A Brewing Reunion at a Turning Point for Beer

Russell L Thebaud — February 17, 2026 - 9:34am

The American beer industry is at an inflection point. Sales have slowed. Younger drinkers are choosing other beverages or none at all. Many craft breweries have closed in recent years, pressured by fierce competition and changing consumer habits. But in a moment of uncertainty, a gathering of 51�ԹϺ�� Davis alumni at the Anheuser-Busch InBev pilot brewery offered a reminder of how the industry arrived here and who helped build it.

Risks of AI Mirror Social Media

Jocelyn C Anderson — November 17, 2025 - 10:41am

Artificial intelligence is already blurring how we think about what is real, even when we know the truth.

A recent study at 51�ԹϺ�� Davis had AI chatbots send messages to people’s phones to remind them to get their steps in. Those messages were interactive. Sometimes the chatbot would tell a joke based on this example provided by the research team:

Do you know what a sloth's favorite exercise is?

Running late!

5 Ways 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Says AI Is Surprisingly Good

Russell L Thebaud — August 18, 2025 - 9:27am

The capabilities of artificial intelligence are expanding every day. 51�ԹϺ�� Davis is harnessing AI in many beneficial ways. Here, researchers in veterinary medicine, health, climate science, engineering and education ask how AI can help in their fields — and discover the good side of the growing technology.

Statewide Study Taps 3,000 Students for Salmon Research

Russell L Thebaud — August 18, 2025 - 9:22am

In addition to predators, river diversions, and reduced spawning grounds, California salmon now face a new challenge: Thiamine Deficiency Complex, or TDC, a nutritional deficiency that leads to neurological problems and early death. Thankfully, more than 3,000 high school students offer a way forward in tackling this urgent issue.

Is the American Dream Dead?

Russell L Thebaud — August 18, 2025 - 9:12am

White picket fences. Green, manicured lawns. Children on bicycles.

The “American Dream” conjures images of a suburban ideal and elicits hope and optimism, especially for immigrants and for those fighting for democracy in their own countries. At the same time, entire segments of society have been denied equality, freedom and life. Even today, the promise of the American Dream for millions remains completely out of reach.