University News

Wells Fargo Scandal Drove Borrowers to Fintech Lenders, ɫ��ɫ Study Suggests

Karen Michele Nikos — July 03, 2025

The Wells Fargo financial scandal in 2016 diminished consumer trust in traditional banks while driving homebuyers to fintech lenders for mortgages, a ɫ��ɫ, study suggests.

The paper, “Trust as an entry barrier: Evidence from FinTech adoption,” was published online in the Journal of Financial Economics. The paper was written by Keer Yang, an assistant professor in the ɫ��ɫ Graduate School of Management specializing in finance and financial technology.

Plants Seek Friendly Environments Rather Than Adapt

Andy Fell — July 01, 2025

As jewelflowers spread into California from the desert Southwest over the past couple of million years, they settled in places that felt like home, according to a new study from the ɫ��ɫ. The work, published July 1 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that the ability of plants and animals to adapt to changing climates might be more limited than it appears.

Charles Melton ’08 Named UC Alumni Regent

Cody Kitaura — July 01, 2025

Charles Melton, a ɫ��ɫ, alum and public policy leader, has been appointed to serve on the UC Board of Regents, representing more than 2 million graduates worldwide.

Study Suggests Remembrances of Dead Played Role in Rise of Architecture in Andean Region

Karen Michele Nikos — July 01, 2025

Archaeologists have long thought that monumental architecture — large, human-built structures that emphasize visibility — were products of societies with power structures, including social hierarchy, inequality and controlled labor forces. But this notion is being questioned as researchers uncover evidence that hunter-gatherer groups also built such structures.

Aggies at the Helm

Russell L Thebaud — June 25, 2025

What begins at ɫ��ɫ doesn’t stop at graduation. For these three alumni, it led all the way to the president’s office — shaping the future of higher education at universities across the country.

Meet Ellen Granberg ’84, president of George Washington University (GW); Doug Girod ’81, chancellor of the University of Kansas (KU); and Carol Folt Ph.D. ’82, president of the University of Southern California (USC).

Health Professions Students From Disadvantaged Backgrounds Often Faced Childhood Adversity

Amy M Quinton — June 25, 2025

ɫ��ɫ graduate health professions students from socially disadvantaged groups are more likely to have had encountered adversity in their childhood.

ɫ��ɫ and Proteus Space to Launch First-Ever Dynamic Digital Twin into Space

Andy Fell — June 25, 2025

The Center for Space Exploration Research at the ɫ��ɫ, has partnered with Proteus Space to launch a US government-sponsored satellite into space with a custom AI-enabled payload in a brand-new, first-ever rapid design-to-deployment small satellite.

The team will launch the satellite and payload in October 2025 from Vandenberg, CA. From the time the project was fully approved, the design and launch will occur within an unprecedented 13 months. (The normal pace for small satellites is often measured in years.)

Disposable E-Cigarettes More Toxic Than Traditional Cigarettes

Katherine E Kerlin — June 25, 2025

They may look like travel shampoo bottles and smell like bubblegum, but after a few hundred puffs, some disposable, electronic cigarettes and vape pods release higher amounts of toxic metals than older e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, according to a study from the ɫ��ɫ. For example, one of the disposable e-cigarettes studied released more lead during a day’s use than nearly 20 packs of traditional cigarettes.

Public Comments Invited on Police Accreditation

Andy Fell — June 24, 2025

A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, or IACLEA, will visit campus July 7 to examine all aspects of the ɫ��ɫ Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operation and support services. The visit is part of the process to renew the department’s accreditation, a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence.

Empowering Mothers Through Innovation

Anila Mary Lijo — June 24, 2025

Ijeoma Uche, a third-year MD and Ph.D. student at ɫ��ɫ, 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.

ORG CHART: Arboretum and Public Garden, Career Center, Department Chairs

Cody Kitaura — June 24, 2025

The ɫ��ɫ Arboretum and Public Garden has a new director, the Career Center has an interim executive director, and two departments in the College of Engineering have new leadership.

ɫ��ɫ Faculty and Staff Announce Retirement

Anila Mary Lijo — June 24, 2025

ɫ��ɫ bids farewell to a distinguished group of faculty and staff who have dedicated decades of service to the university and have left lasting impacts on their departments and the campus community. Congratulations to all, and thank you for your service to ɫ��ɫ.

Among the Academies: Building Stronger Bones and Brighter Futures

Cody Kitaura — June 24, 2025

Physician-scientist Nancy Lane says you have to understand a disease before you can intervene.

“Research really allows us to carefully evaluate where we are and how we can do better,” she said. “It helps me to treat my patients because I understand the mechanisms of their diseases. Research and science are the building blocks of everything.”

Big Bang! Business Competition Celebrates 25 Years of Empowering Entrepreneurs

Jocelyn C Anderson — June 24, 2025

Benjamin Wang ’06, a medical doctor, brought his life-saving innovation to the ɫ��ɫ Big Bang! Business Competition in 2014. His team won first place — and Wang credited the experience with helping him launch the venture.

After witnessing a patient die from an antibiotic-resistant infection, he developed NEVAP — a breathing tube designed to prevent bacterial infections in ventilated patients.

"Winning the competition helped to validate the idea that creating a better breathing tube was possible and viable as a business," Wang said.

Massive Burps of Carbon Dioxide Led to Oxygen-less Ocean Environments in the Deep Past

Andy Fell — June 23, 2025

New research from the ɫ��ɫ, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Texas A&M University reveals that massive emissions, or burps, of carbon dioxide from natural earth systems led to significant decreases in ocean oxygen concentrations some 300 million years ago.

Vegetation Fire at Interstate 80-Highway 113 Junction

Andy Fell — June 21, 2025

A vegetation fire that broke out this afternoon (June 21) near the junction of Highway 113 and Interstate 80 led to traffic restrictions on freeways in the area.

The ɫ��ɫ Fire Department responded just before 5 p.m. The fire burned about 15 acres, and its forward progress was stopped by about 6:30 p.m.

At the time of this writing, there do not appear to have been any impacts to people, animals or structures.

ɫ��ɫ Researchers Honored by McKnight and Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Cody Kitaura — June 19, 2025

Three ɫ��ɫ researchers have been honored with prestigious awards from two major institutions.

In a rare honor, two of the 10 McKnight Scholar Awards will go to ɫ��ɫ neuroscientists this year. Theanne Griffith and Sergey Stavisky both received the prestigious early-career award.

ɫ��ɫ Experts on Immigration, Citizenship, Labor and Human Trafficking

Karen Michele Nikos — June 18, 2025

The following ɫ��ɫ, experts on immigration policy are available to speak to the news media. Keep an eye on this and other current expert lists at www.ucdavis.edu/news/experts . These resources will be updated regularly. This list was updated in June 2025.

Lake Tahoe Clarity Report: Trend Stable, Not Improving

Katherine E Kerlin — June 16, 2025

ɫ��ɫ Tahoe Environmental Research Center releases its annual Tahoe Clarity Report.

Checking In With Chancellor May: Research Mentorship Powers Undergraduate Success

Cody Kitaura — June 13, 2025

To the ɫ��ɫ Community:

Today marks the beginning of the most exciting weekend of the year, as we celebrate a class of just over 8,000 students poised to continue their incredible growth and impact in careers and graduate schools with a diploma from ɫ��ɫ in hand.

As they step onto the stage, they understand that learning is not just about acquiring individual knowledge. It's about forging connections with mentors who expand knowledge, open new avenues of thinking and encourage students to transcend the boundaries they set for themselves.