UC Davis doctoral student Samjhana Khanal received a $50,000 Schlumberger Foundation grant for her research on disease-resistant lettuce using CRISPR. Her work aims to reduce crop losses and support sustainable agriculture, including in Nepal.
Doctoral student Marie Klein, of the Department of Plant Sciences, was part of a team that took first place in the UC Davis Food and Agriculture Business Case Competition. The event brought together teams from several universities to solve a business challenge for global seed company Hm.Clause. Here, team member and MBA student Danielle Kleiner-Kanter describes their journey to first place. She also offers three tips that helped them grow their business plan from idea to presentation.
Leslie Roche has received the Outstanding New Academic Award from University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources. Roche is an associate professor of Cooperative Extension, based in the Department of Plant Sciences. Her research looks at the agricultural, environmental and social aspects of ranching and livestock production.
Researchers have developed best practices for handling walnuts to maintain quality and prevent rancidity. Their award-winning recommendations include timely harvesting, cold storage, and using a color guide to match nuts to the best markets.
UC Davis agronomist Bruce Linquist was named a 2024 Soil Science Society of America Fellow for his leadership in sustainable rice farming. His research on reducing tillage and water use helps farmers cut costs while improving soil health.
Four students connected to the UC Davis Department of Plant Science have received grants from the Milton D. and Mary M. Miller Plant Science Award, which supports learners interested in careers with Cooperative Extension. The 2024 awardees are Maya Shydlowski, Erika Escalona, Sam Dudley and Ben Baldi. All four students said they are eager to share what they are learning with people in the field who need solutions for everyday problems.
Venkatesan Sundaresan has won a Wolf Prize in Agriculture for developing "synthetic apomixis." The method for creating clonal seed at greatly reduced cost is a boon to agriculture, especially for farmers in developing countries.
UC Davis professors Patrick H. Brown and Cai-Zhong Jiang have been honored by the American Society of Horticultural Science. Brown won the 2024 Outstanding Researcher Award, while Jiang was named an ASHS Fellow. They will be recognized in September.
Two undergraduates in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences – Khushi Chawda and Deysi Alvaro Ceja – have been named to the Borlaug Scholars class of 2024. The National Association of Plant Breeders’ Borlaug scholarships pair students with an NAPB mentor.
Richard Michelmore, UC Davis molecular biologist and founder of the Genome Center, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his work on plant disease resistance and COVID-19 testing. His research advances crop resilience and genomics.
