Face to Face Content

From Classroom to Lab: Mentorship and Discovery in Regenerative Biology

Anila Mary Lijo — April 28, 2026 - 9:57am

Scientific breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation. They are built through mentorship, curiosity and hands-on discovery. In this month’s episode of Face to Face With Chancellor May, undergraduate researcher Azucena “Zucy” Virgen and Celina Juliano, an associate professor of cellular and molecular biology, share how their collaboration is advancing regenerative biology while shaping the next generation of scientists.

How Curiosity and Mentorship Shaped Dean Mark Winey’s Scientific Journey

Anila Mary Lijo — March 31, 2026 - 10:37am

For Mark Winey, the path into biology was deeply personal from the start. Watching his sister live with an inherited metabolic disease sparked a curiosity about genetics that would shape his entire career.

He is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.

Funding the Future of Maternal Health

Anila Mary Lijo — February 24, 2026 - 1:08pm

Federal funding supports much of the research aimed at improving maternal health outcomes and reducing long-standing inequities, according to Leigh Ann Simmons, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

She is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May, where she described how public research dollars make it possible to study pregnancy not only as a short-term medical event but as a predictor of lifelong health.

2 First-Gen Scientists on Curiosity, Community and Discovery

Anila Mary Lijo — January 27, 2026 - 3:48pm

Megan Dennis, associate professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and Siobhan Brady, professor in the Department of Plant Biology and the Genome Center, are more than an just office neighbors — they share a similar journey at UC Davis shaped by curiosity, resilience and a commitment to scientific progress. They are this month’s guests on Face to Face with Chancellor May.

Inside the Quest to Understand the Universe

Anila Mary Lijo — December 16, 2025 - 11:43am

For more than 40 years, physicist John Conway has led research in high-energy particle physics, a field driven by a simple yet profound goal: to understand what the universe is made of and how it works.

He is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May. Conway’s career has been fueled by the thrill of colliding subatomic particles at extraordinary energies and capturing the results with some of the most sophisticated instruments ever built.

Supporting Cognitive Health Through Technology

Anila Mary Lijo — November 04, 2025 - 4:02pm

In the latest episode of Face to Face With Chancellor May, Alyssa Weakley, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Health Department of Neurology, discusses her work at the intersection of neuroscience, technology and caregiving.

UC Davis Grad Student Steps into Key Role as UC Student Regent-Designate

Anila Mary Lijo — September 30, 2025 - 10:26am

Miguel Craven, a current graduate student at UC Davis, is stepping into one of the most influential student leadership roles in the University of California system: student regent-designate. He is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.

UC Davis Alumni Discuss Splash Tech

Anila Mary Lijo — August 26, 2025 - 12:51pm

This month’s Face to Face With Chancellor May features Splash Tech, a forward-thinking startup tackling one of the most overlooked problems in home maintenance: swimming pool chemical management.

Rain Sun and Sam Louderback of Splash Tech said their company is seeking to build a smart, sustainable technology that helps pool owners measure and manage chemicals with accuracy. Their goal is to save time, money and the environment.

Empowering Mothers Through Innovation

Anila Mary Lijo — June 24, 2025 - 12:54pm

Ijeoma Uche, a third-year MD and Ph.D. student at UC Davis, is blazing a trail at the intersection of medicine, technology and health equity. Ijeoma is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.

Student-Led School Empowers 1,200 Afghan Girls

Anila Mary Lijo — May 27, 2025 - 1:23pm

In 2022, Walid Jailani, an undergraduate at UC Davis, launched an initiative to combat educational inequality in Afghanistan. Jailani is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.