‘The Question is the Point’

The imaginative life of 15th century artist, inventor, scientist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci takes center stage in Ken Burns' latest documentary. The two-part documentary titled Leonardo da Vinci premiered Nov. 18 and 19 on PBS stations. UC Davis Associate Professor of Design James Housefield and art studio alumna Julia Couzens (M.F.A. ‘90) led a discussion on da Vinci at an advanced partial-screening of the documentary at PBS KVIE in Sacramento on Nov. 14. 

Erik Contreras Combines Design, Sustainability and Open-Source Innovation in Engineering

While pursuing a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Davis, Erik Contreras, whoalso received a Master of Fine Arts degree from UC Davis' Department of Design felt a need to reconnect with the "why" behind their engineering efforts. In this Q&A, Contreras talks about their venture into the world of design and centering humanity in their engineering research.

Can a Board Game Save Lives? UC Davis Professor Thinks So

By creating a board game designed to simulate a wildfire evacuation, UC Davis Associate Professor Thomas Maiorana and his team hope to help communities at-risk for wildfires think-through evacuation strategies in a low-stress environment, long before their lives are in danger. The prototype, "Tomales Resilience," was recently tested in the community that inspired it.

Slowing Down Fast Fashion: Alum Uses Mushrooms to Change Clothing Industry

Alejandra Ruiz, M.F.A. ’23, is using mushrooms to turn fast-fashion waste into reusable, eco-friendly materials. Ruiz is focused on addressing critical issues in fashion and textile culture, envisioning a sustainable and responsible future for the clothing production industry. In her role as a teaching assistant at UC Davis, Ruiz advocates for sustainability through education

UC Davis Student Directors Discuss Inspiration for Short Films

Students and recent graduates of the College of Letters and Science discuss the 2024 Film Festival at UC Davis, sharing the inspiration behind their films and the films themselves. The festival is produced by students in “CDM 189: Where Do Films Go: Film Festivals and Distribution,” which is taught by Associate Professor of Cinema and Digital Media Julie Wyman.

Improving Our Lives Through Design

Inside an L-shaped room in Cruess Hall, surrounded by workstations, 3D printers, sewing machines, tools and mannequins wearing prototypes, Gozde Goncu-Berk builds the future. It’s a future of many possibilities, but those possibilities share a common thread. They’re all based around humanity’s increasing use of wearable technology.

Designer, Astronomer and Linguist Named Chancellor's Fellows

Three faculty members from the College of Letters and Science are among UC Davis' newest class of Chancellor's Fellows, a title given to early career academics doing exemplary work. The Chancellor’s Fellows program was created in 2000, and this year’s class brings the total number of recipients to an even 200. Recipients carry the title for five years and are awarded $25,000 in unrestricted philanthropic support for research or other scholarly work.