American Essays and Interviews

Welcome to Books of the Month: The list kicks off with a newly published collection by Zinzi Clemmons, associate professor of English and director of creative writing at UC Davis. "Freedom: Essays" was published on June 9, 2026, just a month ahead of the 250th birthday of the U.S.

BioInnovation Lab Connects UC Davis Undergraduate Students to Real-World Research

A maker space for undergraduate research, the BioInnovation Lab provides a place for students to learn basic lab skills, experiment, innovate and contribute to research while also providing access to technologies they might not otherwise have. Explore how College of Letters and Science faculty are using the space in their classes.

From Eras Tour to Classroom: Teaching Taylor Swift as 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.

David E. Olson Appointed Editor-in-Chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience

David E. Olson, a professor of chemistry, and biochemistry and molecular medicine at the University of California, Davis, was recently appointed editor-in-chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience, a transdisciplinary publication of the American Chemical Society that focuses on the use of chemical and molecular tools for understanding the nervous system and identifying new neurotherapeutics.

June Media Mentions

Every day faculty and students from the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis are highlighted in the news media, having their research featured and commenting on the most pressing issues facing the world. Check out some of these news media highlights from the past month.

Campaign Spotlighting UC Davis Research Impact Wraps Up

UCDavisDelivers was launched by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Letters and Science, College of Biological Sciences and the Office of Research just after Memorial Day 2025, as federal research funding was threatened in Washington, D.C. The campaign wrapped up at the end of May with more than 335 social media posts spread across Instagram, LinkedIn, BlueSky, Facebook and other platforms.