With the unveiling of the UC Davis ceramic-mosaic mural, The Secret Life of Vineyards, life in a Napa Valley organic vineyard is no longer "a secret."

The 10 x 6-foot mural, which graces an outer wall of the Matthiasson Winery on Dry Creek Road, Napa, depicts more than 80 arthropods (insects, spiders and centipedes), several bird species, mammals (bobcat, deer, rabbits, squirrels, a pocket gopher), a gopher snake, mycorrhizal fungi and even earthworms, according to the three project leaders, UC Davis distinguished professor Diane Ullman and assistant professor Emily Meineke, both of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, and retired lecturer Gale Okumura of the Department of Design.

The project is the culmination of a spring quarter class, Entomology 001, “Art, Science and the World of Insects,” taught by Professors Ullman and Meineke. Ullman, founding co-director of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program, described the project as “a collaboration between students and instructors in ENT 001; community members from Davis, Woodland, and Napa, and Matthiasson Winery; and the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program."

"This mural is a perfect example, showing how UC Davis and the Napa Valley community joined together to create a work that will inspire generations," UC Davis Chancellor Gary May told the crowd. "It's not just the colors and textures that draw you in. There's a fascinating story here about sustainability and environmental stewardship. It's about the connectedness of insects, microbes and humans that are at the heart of Napa wine country--and the world beyond. As you look at the mural, you'll see how the ecosystem in an organic vineyard progresses through the harvest season. The artwork contains more than 80 insects, mammals, several bird species and so many other creatures that contribute to biodiversity and balance in the ecosystem."

Also in his address, Chancellor May discussed how UC Davis "is on the leading edge of innovation in the wine world. One of the first things visitors see as they enter our campus is a 120-acre vineyard that's used for grape breeding programs, rootstock trials and other research. Our researchers are conducting groundbreaking research that will help vintners manage the effects of climate change and develop drought- and pest-resistant rootstocks. We are also developing the winemakers of the future. Our Teaching and Research winery is home to state-of-the-art technologies for studying fermentations and the science that goes into winemaking. This sense of innovation applies to all parts of a UC Davis education. This includes the Art/Science Fusion Program. By showing the connections between the natural world and the creative mind, this program inspires change and innovation in learning for people of all ages."

Praising the Arts/Science Fusion Program, the chancellor said the program "helps advance some of UC Davis' key goals, which are outlined in the university's 10-year strategic plan, titled 'To Boldly Go.' That first goal is to provide an educational experience that prepares all our students to address the needs and challenges of a diverse and changing world. The type of course that produced this mural helps advance this goal, by connecting art and science to enhance student learning in a truly innovative way. Another key goal is for UC Davis to be a role model for diversity. This program's strategy for teaching always includes community engagement, which attracts diverse students and fosters inclusivity through hands-on learning and collaborative teamwork. I also appreciate how the Arts/Science Fusion Program fosters community engagement."

In her presentation, Professor Ullman described the project "a testimony to the power of collaboration, community effort, creativity and collective will. This expressive, beautiful and educational artwork celebrates the synergy created when art meets science, and people observe the world around them with fresh eyes, testing their ideas and transforming those ideas into new concepts and new insights, and then share their epiphanies with others through design and art."

Ullman noted that the general education class, "Art, Science and the World of Insects," was founded in 1996. It's been taught ever year since, "attracting students from every major offered on the UC Davis campus," she said. 

The course--"taught with the notion that patterns, harmonies, symbols, and perceptions are shared across borders and disciplines--creates accessibility and inclusion for people that would otherwise fear science, or fear art," Ullman told the crowd. "Not only does this paradigm provide a new and innovative classroom learning experience, it creates collaborations between different kinds of students and the community."

The concept of an art/science paradigm "opened the door for students and community members to interpret the scientific endeavors of the campus and science of entomology," said Ullman, praising the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences "that supports this innovative method of teaching and extending knowledge to the public."

Ullman and Meineke, both entomologists and artists, said the process of creating the art began with research. They launched the project with a visit to the vineyard, resulting in "many discussions between Jill and Steve Matthiasson, Gale Okumura, Emily Meineke and me. After learning a great deal from the Matthiassons about sustainable and organic growing of a vineyard, about their passion for biodiversity and creation of rich ecosystem around the vineyard, we began to design."

After advancing from research to a primary design, "the next step was to translate our research into visual narratives using design principles we learned from Gale," Ullman said. "With our designs in hand, the process of fabricating the artwork from clay began. Clay is a rich material with great memory, coming from the earth near Davis. In our classroom, every piece is used, recycled and carried forward."

"Once all the pieces of have been sculpted, glazed and fired in a kiln, assembly of the mosaic begins," Ullman related. "Everyone, students and community members contributed to assembly and grouting of the mosaic—truly a mosaic of human intention, creativity and will. We mixed our own grout and each color is custom designed after experimentation and consideration. Most artists would ask for 6 months to a year to complete a project of this size and scope. We completed the process in a mere 10 weeks, the scope of a quarter at UC Davis."

Ullman said that the 83 UC Davis students involved in the project "worked hard, learned about entomology, and the interactions between insects and people."

Meineke, an urban landscape entomologist, was unable to attend the Aug. 16th unveiling. Meineke and her husband Joe Kwon just "brought our newest Aggie, Genevieve Se Hwa Kwon into the world," Ullman told the gathering. 

In a joint statement, Ullman and Meineke related that The Secret Life of Vineyards was designed to reflect the ecosystem within and around an organic vineyards as it progresses from early spring to harvest. A Cabernet Sauvignon vine is the centerpiece of the mural, shown from the first bud in the spring to harvest time in the autumn...The work is an ode to the importance of biodiversity and balance in the ecosystem in which wine vines are grown and reflects the passion of the Matthiasson Winery for sustainable viticulture.” 

The professors credited artist Amanda Larson of Half Moon Bay "with the engineering and building of the hanging system, as well as the installation."

Resources:

• UC Davis Mural to Be Unveiled, news story, published Aug. 8, 2023, on the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology website
• PowerPoint detailing the project from start to finish. This includes artist statements.  

"Your day has finally arrived. And it's truly a great day.  It's not just the musical strains of Pomp and Circumstance and all the cheers that make the day feel so good. I am thrilled for where you will go next, who you will become and how you make your mark on the world," so began UC Davis Chancellor Gary May when he addressed the Graduate Studies Class of 2023 at its commencement on Thursday afternoon, June 15 in the University Credit Union Center (formerly the ARC Pavillion).

"Graduate Studies Class of 2023, you give us faith that a better tomorrow is possible," Chancellor May told them. "You are the innovators, the researchers, the scientists, the artists, the leaders and the visionaries of tomorrow. The world needs you and you have so much to offer."

"No matter what field is your specialty, UC Davis has prepared you for the next chapter," he continued, adding that "Each of you has one thing in common. You graduated from a world-class university that fully embraces intellectual curiosity and versatility."

The chancellor then asked the graduates to remember "three things":

1. "You are not alone. You are an Aggie. You are part of a community of 290,000 members spanning the globe."
2. "With a little imagination, collaboration and concerted effort, you can change the world."
3. "Everyone has their own unique super powers. Continue to use yours for good."

Chancellor May concluded: "The future is yours.  You have already demonstrated you are tenacious and resilient. Whatever path you're pursuing now, and whatever goals you have planned for the future, knock it out of the park. Make it great. Congratulations, Graduate Studies Class of 2023." (Watch YouTube for the livestreamed coverage of the commencement)

Smiles, laughter, and cheers punctuated the event. Some of the graduates decorated their mortarboards. Entomology students favored insect antennae.

It was especially heartwarming for Charlotte Herbert Alberts, who enrolled in the UC Davis doctoral program in 2015. During her studies, she married her sweetheart, George Alberts, in 2018;  moved cross-country in 2020 during the COVID pandemic; gave birth to two children (Griffin, now 3, and Marcy, 7 months); and published two of her dissertation chapters. The family lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Griffin could hardly wait to see "Mama become a Wizard." Following the commencement, he delighted in trying on what he called "Mama's Wizard Hat." The next day, when his grandparents asked him his favorite part of the ceremony, he quickly responded: "Watching Mama become a Wizard!"  

"It was great closure to walk across the stage!" said Alberts, who enrolled in the entomology graduate program in 2015. "It was a non-linear adventure, with many bumps and hurdles along the way. But it's amazing feeling to finally cross the stage and be done! Especially with my parents, George, and my children watching! I couldn't have done it without their--and many others'--support! I currently work at the Smithsonian publishing my last two chapters of my dissertation. I'm applying to post docs in the fall and taking the summer to enjoy time with my kids as much as possible!"

Here are photos from the commencement shared by graduate students and professors.

Community ecologist Rachel Vannette, associate professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, is one of 13 faculty members selected as a Chancellor's Fellow, a five-year title. Each will receive $25,000 in unrestricted funds for research or other scholarly activities.

“Our newest fellows represent the very best of UC Davis and I congratulate them,” Chancellor Gary S. May said in announcing the new fellows in a UC Davis news release. “The knowledge, expertise and excellence these faculty demonstrate across a range of disciplines positively impacts our university's mission of research, teaching and public service.”

Eleven of the 13 are associate professors and two are professors. Vannette is the only Chancellor's Fellow selected in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Of the 13, five represent the College of Letters and Science. 

"An international leader in microbial ecology, she studies interactions between plants, insects and microbes," according to the news release. "Her research projects focus on the chemical an microbial ecology of plant-pollinator interactions and how microbes influence plant defense and resistance against insect pests. For example her research found that microbial species on plants contribute to floral scent and influence the attractiveness of nectar to pollinators."

"It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. Vannette is a rising star in the biological and agricultural sciences at UC Davis," said Helene Dillard, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

The 2022-23 Chancellor's Fellows:

Marcela Cuellar, associate professor, School of Education

Melanie Gareau, associate professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine

J. Sebastian Gomez-Diaz, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering

Rana Jaleel, associate professor, Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, College of Letters and Science

Wilsaan Joiner, professor, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences 

Xiaodong Li, associate professor, Department of Statistics, College of Letters and Science

David Olson, associate professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Letters and Science

Caitlin Patler, associate professor, Department of Sociology, College of Letters and Science

Jessica Bissett Perea, associate professor, Department of Native American Studies, College of Letters and Science

Zubair Shafiq, associate professor, Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering

Karen Shapiro, associate professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine

Aaron Tang, professor, School of Law

Rachel Vannette, associate professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Vannette, who holds a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology (2011) from the University of Michigan, was selected a UC Davis Hellman Fellow in 2018. 

"All plants are colonized by microorganisms that influence plant traits and interactions with other species, including insects that consume or pollinate plants," she says. "I am interested in the basic and applied aspects of microbial contributions to the interaction between plants and insects. I also use these systems to answer basic ecological questions, such as what mechanisms influence plant biodiversity and trait evolution."

The Vannette lab is a team of entomologists, microbiologists, chemical ecologists, and community ecologists trying to understand how microbial communities affect plants and insects.

“Much of the work in my lab focuses on how microorganisms affect plant defense against herbivores and plant attraction to pollinators,” Vannette related. “For example, we are interested in understanding the microbial drivers of soil health, which can influence plant attractiveness to herbivores and the plant's ability to tolerate or defend against damage by herbivores. In addition, we are working to examine how microorganisms modify flower attractiveness to pollinators. This may have relevance in agricultural systems to improve plant and pollinator health.”

Her recent research grants include two from the National Science Federation (NSF). One is a five-year Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award, titled “Nectar Chemistry and Ecological and Evolutionary Tradeoffs in Plant Adaptation to Microbes and Pollinators.” The other is a three-year collaborative grant, “The Brood Cell Microbiome of Solitary Bees: Origin, Diversity, Function, and Vulnerability.”

"UC Davis has named 191 faculty members as Chancellor's Fellows over the program's 23-year history, with philanthropic support from the UC Davis Annual Fund, Davis Chancellor's Club and the UC Davis Parents Fund," according to the UC Davis news story.

The UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology earlier celebrated two Chancellor's Fellows:

2019: Molecular geneticist and physiologist Joanna Chiu, then associate professor and now professor and vice chair of the department

2015: Pollinator ecologist Neal Williams, then associate professor and now professor

The UC Davis Staff Assembly recently honored dozens of outstanding employees, including entomologist Brennen Dyer, a laboratory assistant at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, and computer specialist Rasilind Berks, formerly of the Phoenix Cluster Information Technology (IT) team that serves the Department of Entomology and Nematology and the Department of Plant Pathology.

Dyer was selected the recipient of the honorable mention award, or second place, in the highly competitive service award category of the Citation for Excellence program, for his service to the Bohart Museum, Department of Entomology and Nematology, and the public.  He was nominated by Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum and a UC Davis distinguished professor of entomology; Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator of the Bohart, and Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. (See Bug Squad blog)

Berks received a Staff Assembly scholarship to work toward her master's degree in cybersecurity at National University. A member of the Phoenix Cluster Information Technology (IT) team since December 2018, she recently accepted a promotion to join the Campus Information and Educational Technology (IET) Security Operations Center. Her last day with the Phoenix Cluster IT team was Sept. 2.

The annual Staff Assembly Award presentation took place Monday, Sept. 12 in the Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of the Walter J. Buehler Alumni Center. Awards presented included citations of excellence, a faculty and staff partnership award, and staff and staff dependent scholarships. (See list of award winners)

UC Davis Chancellor Gary May congratulated the recipients.

In his remarks, Chancellor May told the crowd: "This is truly an exciting time for UC Davis. I hope you heard that we were ranked #2 nationally among public universities in Washington Monthly's 2022 Guide and Rankings. On top of that, UC Davis retained its No. 4 public university ranking in America's Top College List 2022 by Forbes. In some places UC Davis is the top, such as No. 1 for sustainabilty. UC Davis is also ranked No. 1 in the nation for diversity, inclusiveness and internationalization. And, we recently set a university record by attracting more than $1 billion in annual research awards. Fewer than 20 universities in the country can claim this."

"I could go on," the chancellor continued, "but the fact of the matter is that we are doing great work at UC Davis, and each of you are a part of this effort. I know how important your expertise, experience and institutional memory are to advancing the university's success. It's sometimes difficult to appreciate how our individual contributions make a difference in the 'big picture.' But every day, the work of staff are critical to our university projects, our operations and our campus environment."

The chancellor pointed out: "These behind-the-scene efforts are what keep UC Davis humming and in tune with our mission of excellence in teaching, research and public service. They are a big part of what your university and Staff Assembly recognizes and thanks you for today. The individuals and teams we honor this afternoon have gone 'above and beyond' all expectations to make UC Davis a more enjoyable, creative, inclusive and invigorating place to work.

He added: "I am proud of all UC Davis staff, but the individuals and teams we honor this afternoon have gone above and beyond in contributing to the university's success. Thank you so much for your outstanding contributions to UC Davis. Our university is a better place today because of your accomplishments, because of your hard work and because of your inspiring dedication to excellence."

In all, the UC Davis Staff Assembly awarded individual honors in five categories for its Citation of Excellence program: innovation, mentorship, service, supervision, and teaching, as well as a team award and a faculty and staff partnership award. The Staff Assembly also awarded scholarships to campus and UC Davis Health staff and staff dependents.

Jennifer Jackson, chair of the UC Davis Staff Assembly, and Jana Avila, chair of the UC Davis Health Staff Assembly, welcomed the crowd. Jackson serves as the Academic Program analyst in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Dean's Office, and works with undergraduate student data for the college.  Avila is the Affiliate Network manager.