On Campus Content

Misdiagnosis Led This UC Davis Researcher to Study Ovarian Cancer

Jocelyn C Anderson — June 08, 2026 - 11:02am

Elizabeth Neumann wears a blue coat, gloves and safety glasses as she stands next to Bruce, a matrix-assisted desorption/ionization mass spectrometer, or MALDI-MS.

From Eras Tour to Classroom: Teaching Taylor Swift as Literature

Jocelyn C Anderson — June 08, 2026 - 10:45am

UC Davis students are examining the folklore and mythology of Taylor Swift lyrics, and all in the name of modern literature.

“Folklore and Fairytales: the Literary Words of Taylor Swift” is a one-unit first-year seminar that treats Swift’s songwriting as a serious object of literary study, incorporating readings, discussions, creative analysis, and, of course, listening sessions. The course is open to all undergraduates, with preference given to first-years, and is offered through the Office of Undergraduate Education.

Teaching Students AI Literacy

Jocelyn C Anderson — May 04, 2026 - 3:35pm

Professionals and students alike are contending with a rapidly shifting work environment brought on by the rise of artificial intelligence, or AI. In our modern, technological world, AI literacy is no longer an option; it’s foundational.

What Does it Mean to Remember Just About Everything?

Jocelyn C Anderson — March 09, 2026 - 9:38am

Marilu Henner can immediately remember everything she did Feb. 24, 1977. It was a Thursday. She was living in New York. She had just come back from a trip to shoot a TV pilot, and that day she was auditioning for a movie role. She can remember what she was wearing and the fight she had with her boyfriend at the time.

For Henner there was nothing particularly special about that day. Charan Ranganath, a UC Davis neuroscientist, chose the date to demonstrate Henner’s memory for his students during his PSC 130: Human Memory class in Young Hall 49 years later.

How a Beaked Whale Made its Way to UC Davis

Jocelyn C Anderson — February 17, 2026 - 9:49am

Long ago, on a faraway Aleutian island, a pair of rare beaked whales got stranded. One was saved by biologists and swam back to sea. The other perished, and its skeleton now hangs in the atrium of Storer Hall at UC Davis.

Over the 40 years that it has hung there, the whale has become a mascot of sorts, even donning seasonally appropriate accessories — a witch’s hat in October and a graduation cap in June.

But where did it come from?

Staffer to Serve as Picnic Day Parade Marshal

Jocelyn C Anderson — February 17, 2026 - 9:45am

Paul Cody, Ed. D ’17, prepares to take his place as this year’s Picnic Day parade marshal, a role that celebrates his more than two decades of dedication to the beloved tradition. Picnic Day is set for April 18, 2026.

“It’s an honor,” said Cody, a senior research associate in Student Affairs who served as staff advisor for Picnic Day in the Center for Student Involvement for 25 years. “I take great pride in serving as the marshal.”

A Campus Connection

Jocelyn C Anderson — November 17, 2025 - 9:32am

Newly appointed UC Davis fire chief Nate Hartinger ’00 identified his career path by the time he graduated with dual degrees in communication and sociology. He’s since worked with the campus fire department for 25 years and counting.

Touchdown Tower Transformed

Jocelyn C Anderson — November 06, 2025 - 2:15pm

UC Davis has not one, but two water towers — and while most people recognize the one along Interstate 80, it’s the other tower near UC Davis Health Stadium that’s now stealing the spotlight. Affectionately known as “Touchdown Tower,” this 162-foot utility landmark just completed a full restoration and now features two UC Davis logos and programmable LED lighting, transforming it into a new symbol of Aggie pride.

Law Professor Moderates Groundbreaking PBS Series

Jocelyn C Anderson — October 14, 2025 - 9:53am

In an era of extreme division, Aaron Tang, law professor at UC Davis, as found a national — and creative — platform to encourage civil discourse.

Celebrating 100 Years of Graduate Education in Davis

Jocelyn C Anderson — August 18, 2025 - 9:20am

On a crisp fall morning in 1925, a dozen graduate students in white button-down shirts with their slacks cuffed over worn brogans arrived at the University Farm in Davis. They were united by a shared ambition: to pursue advanced studies in agriculture at what was then the research extension of UC Berkeley.

It was a quiet beginning for graduate education in Davis — seeding what would grow into one of the top graduate education programs in the country.