February 9, 2023

Campus-wide ‘Moment of Reflection’ encourages community to pause, recognize the weight of recent tragedies

The event featured guest speaker Quentisha Davis Wiles and highlighted on-campus mental health resources available for students

BY SONORA SLATER campus@theaggie.org

A campus-wide “Moment of Reflection” took place outside of the Memorial Union at noon on Feb. 1, offering a space for community members to come together to reflect on the tragedies that have taken place over the past month, including gun and police violence throughout California and beyond, and closer to campus, the death of a UC Davis student on Jan. 24.

There were several speakers at the event, including International Student Representative Keven Zhou, ASUCD External Affairs Vice President Celene Aridin and Rev. Quentisha Davis Wiles, the senior pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento. There were also tables set up in the area highlighting various mental health resources available to the campus community, including Student Health and Counseling Services, Aggie Mental Health, the ASUCD Mental Health Initiative and

At the campus-wide Moment of Reflection Feb. 1, people bow their heads for a minute of silence. (Gregory Urquiaga / Courtesy) the recent tragedies our school, state and nation have suffered, and the weight that can place on people as they “continue to live [their] day-to-day lives.”

the Craft Center. Wiles centered her speech around the idea of compassion, saying that the word speaks to the idea of “having your heart impacted by great suffering, and having a great desire to respond.” She invited listeners to pause and recognize

“We are inundated by violence at home, in our schools, at the shopping stores, in our faith communities, in our

Hundreds of UC student delegates come to Davis for Students of Color Conference

The annual conference was hosted at UC Davis from Jan. 20 to Jan. 22 with the theme “A World We Imagine”

work communities; we are not exempt from the violence, none of us,” Wiles said. “And yet, we continue to live, [as] people who understand that bad things happen, but we have the power and ability to make a difference.”

She went on to explore what it

might mean to take action following these tragedies, first saying broadly that she believes we must be people who “don’t ignore the things happening around us,” before speaking directly to “those [...] who are studying policy or are in positions of leadership.”

“For those of you who have authority, take authority,” Wiles said. “As the granddaughter of someone who served in the Korean war, as the niece of law enforcement officers, I want to say that policy gives permission for people to do certain things. When we don’t change policy, when we don’t take responsibility, when we don’t care about the situation in front of us because it doesn’t impact us directly, we participate, and we give permission.”

Next, Wiles invited attendees to take “three collective deep breaths,” each with a different theme to meditate on. She explained that the first was “in the spirit of self-care.” REFLECTION

Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology professor donates UC Davis teaching prize

The professor, John Eadie, will use the prize money to establish a scholarship to promote diversity within the WFC department

BY RACHEL GAUER campus@theaggie.org

John Eadie, a professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology (WFC) was recently awarded the UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, according to a recent press release. The prize is awarded annually and honors a member of the faculty who is an exceptional teacher, lecturer and scholar. Eadie is the 36th recipient of the award.

Eadie arrived at UC Davis in 1995 and has served as both the Dennis G. Raveling Endowed Chair in waterfowl biology and the WFC department chair.

“After 28 years of teaching here, I still love what I do, and I’m still passionate,” Eadie said. “It’s an honor to work with students, and they keep me young. It’s just like — wow, I get paid for this?”

Alexandria Ginez, a third-year WFC major who currently serves as a peer advisor in the department, commented on their experiences with Eadie.

Annie Maliguine, a UC Davis alumna, graduated from the WFC program in 2018 and currently studies arctic sea ducks through a University of Alaska graduate program. Maliguine spoke on the influence Eadie had on her professional goals.

“He is someone who definitely influenced my whole career path,” Maliguine said. “I chose the WFC major initially when I was enrolled at UC Davis, but it wasn’t until I took [Eadie’s] bird class that I decided to pursue a career working with birds. I didn’t really even know that would be something I’d be interested in.”

Maliguine said that she still keeps in touch with Eadie and has even gone to him for career advice.

“He’s really approachable to everybody because he’s such a goofy guy,” Maliguine said. “Especially when you’re in a class full of so many other students, it can be scary to approach professors. But with him, he is just a big goofball and talking to him feels really easy.”

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org

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From Jan. 20 to Jan. 22, the annual Students of Color Conference (SoCC) was hosted on the UC Davis campus by the UC Student Association (UCSA).

The SoCC is the group’s largest and longest-running conference. It began in 1988 and “aims to serve as a safe space for students of color to engage in socio-political education and to strategize both statewide as well as campus-based actions and advocacy,” according to the delegation guide sent out for the conference.

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The theme for this year’s conference was “A World We Imagine.” ASUCD External Affairs Vice President Celene Aridin elaborated on the theme, saying that it focused on “[how] we see the world and [what] we want to achieve in terms of student advocacy and student engagement in this ideal world that accepts students of color for who they are.”

There were more than 300 student delegates from across the UC campuses in attendance. The main conference took place in the ARC ballroom, while the workshops and identity caucuses were held in Wellman Hall.

“This is the first year that we’ve had it in-person in a long time, and we were really excited to get to host it at UC Davis,” UCSA University Affairs Committee Chair Saishruti Adusumilli said. “It was really exciting just to have so many people from all over the state come and see the campus.”

Adusumilli, who served as the external affairs vice president for two years previously, said that one of her

goals was for Davis to increase its presence within UCSA.

“Over these past two years, I think we’ve done a really good job at representing Davis on a system-wide level,” Adusumilli said.

The keynote address was given by Taharka Anderson, who is a scholar, educator, speaker and organizer with over a decade of experience supporting social justice efforts. His research and activism focus on the social vulnerabilities of Black men and boys, the social construction and criminalization of Black children and anti-Blackness in schools and school discipline, according to his website.

There were 16 workshops offered at the conference, including “Women of Color In POWER,” “Closing Equity Gaps by Improving Financial Aid Awareness and Application Completion” and “Bayanihan: Uplifting Activism Within Cultural Identities.” A number of identity caucuses were also held by students and non-profit organizations, featuring guided discussion spaces for people with similar identities to come together and discuss their unique experiences.

Valeria Cantor Mendez, a third-year community and regional development major at UC Davis, hosted the Central and South American identity caucus and said that she found the workshops “very educational and very inspiring.”

“My peer advising office is directly across from [Eadie’s], so I see him a lot,” Ginez said. “He is always just a ray of sunshine in the office; he’s really great to work with and talk to. If anything were to change my life goal from working with fish to working with birds, it would be John Eadie.”

Ginez has also taken WFC 111, “Biology and Conservation of Wild Birds,” with Eadie as a professor. The course is offered every fall quarter.

“Every lecture was just so interesting, and he was really into the topic and very passionate about it,” Ginez said. “He had almost everyone attending on a regular basis. [It] tells you something if a professor can get everyone up before 9 a.m. to go listen to a lecture about birds.”

The award also includes a monetary prize of $60,000, which Eadie has decided to use to establish a scholarship for underrepresented students in the WFC department. “I want to focus on what we can do to help students get hands-on experience without being financially or otherwise challenged,” Eadie said. “And especially what we can do to bring in new students that don’t know this is even a possibility for them. We really need to be training our next generation of professionals to better represent society as a whole.”

Students pose for a picture at the 2023 Students of Color Conference at UC Davis. (Kayla Lunde / Courtesy)

Professor John Eadie

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Roosevelt Ranch in Zamora, Ca. (UC Davis / Courtesy)

Vice chancellor of research to leave UC Davis for new position

Vice Chancellor Prasant Mohapatra named the University of South Florida’s provost and vice president of academic affairs

BY SYDNEY AMESTOY campus@theaggie.org

Vice Chancellor of Research Prasant

Mohapatra is leaving UC Davis for the University of South Florida (USF), where he will become the university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs effective March 1, according to a recent press release.

Mohapatra has been at UC Davis as a member of the faculty since 2001 and took on the role of vice chancellor of research in 2018, according to the statement on his departure. During his tenure in the Office of Research (OR) at UC Davis, funding increased for research across several disciplines, including public health and medicine and food and agriculture technologies. The university received a recordbreaking $846.7 million in external funding in the 2017-2018 fiscal year,

and last year that number surpassed $1 billion.

Andy Fell, a news and media relations specialist for UC Davis, said that the search for a new vice chancellor of research is already underway nationwide.

“There will be an interim vice chancellor to fill the position after Prasant leaves until the recruitment is complete,” Fell said. A press release from Feb. 7 announced that Professor Emeritus Jeffery Gibeling will serve as the interim chancellor for research beginning March 1. He will serve for an estimated six months. UC Davis Chancellor Gary May will soon form a recruitment advisory committee, according to the release, to conduct the search for the

Annual student-led conference highlights intersectionality

in mental health

next vice chancellor. Gibeling began his career at UC Davis as an assistant professor of materials science and engineering and holds multiple degrees from Stanford University. He has served in various academic leadership positions at UC Davis throughout the years, including as chair of the Academic Senate, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, vice provost of graduate education and more.

The OR is in charge of accepting research funding and awards, assisting faculty in developing research studies and managing several research programs and facilities, according to their website. Fell said that the OR will continue normal operations as Mohapatra prepares to depart and Gibeling steps in.

Davis wastewater data shows increase in COVID-19

Wastewater-based disease surveillance contributes to greater health equity and is essential for monitoring viruses

BY LA RISSA VASQUEZ city@theaggie.org

Throughout January, COVID-19 levels have fluctuated, but are significantly higher in Davis than in other parts of Yolo County, according to wastewater monitoring in the city of Davis and UC Davis wastewater plants by Healthy Central Valley Together.

Dr. Heather Bischel, project lead for wastewater monitoring for Healthy Davis Together and assistant professor at UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, explained how wastewater can reveal COVID data.

“Wastewater has a lot of different pathogens present in [it] that people excrete if they’re infected,” Bischel said.

“The virus itself can be measured in wastewater [and] Wastewater SCAN is this large program that is now established where the city of Davis and UC Davis are participants in.”

Wastewater SCAN is a national wastewater monitoring project from Stanford University that has been rapidly expanding over the past six months as many different groups across the nation begin to launch their own wastewater monitoring projects since the pandemic.

Healthy Central Valley, an offshoot of the Healthy Davis Together campaign, highlighted the need for monitoring in the central valley long before Wastewater SCAN was established. In an email, Dr. Colleen Naughton, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Merced and wastewater monitoring project co-lead with Bischel, talked about the organization’s goals.

“We had seen that there was a lack of wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 throughout the Central Valley compared to urban and coastal California and wanted to see expansion of this public health tool for greater health equity,” Naughton said.

Wastewater-based disease surveillance contributes to greater health equity due to its cost-effective and unbiased testing of samples representative of an entire community, according to Dr. Bischel.

“After you’ve had a rising infection of [COVID-19], you’d expect the concentrations to go up during those relative surges, to see different signals for different viruses, and then they evaluate the wastewater against clinical information,” Bischel said. “What we monitor in the wastewater does correlate with what we know about transmission and infections, and that makes the wastewater data really useful for public health because then you can get an idea of the changes in terms of infections for these different targets.”

Different targets include other respiratory viruses such as RSV, influenza and other coronaviruses including variants of the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Bischel talked about how wastewater can measure other viruses.

“In addition to measuring the total amount of [COVID-19], we’re also able to target some specific variants and to measure the concentrations of different variants. [The Omicron variant] may be a bit more challenging [because] it’s the combination of recombinant variants that has genetic components from different variants,” Bischel said.

“The data that we’re looking at for the city of Davis and UC Davis campus was focused on that kind of total amount of [COVID-19] present, and understanding trends as they go up and down through time, and then we have some additional information on variants that can help complement [and] inform our understanding of new variants [as they] come through. How one [variant] is taking over relative to another.”

Naughton explained why variants such as the Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, are still a challenge even in a largely vaccinated community like Davis.

“The City of Davis may have a high full — two doses — vaccination rate, but much of the country has not gotten their booster doses, especially the new

bivalent boosters that are more effective against the current variants,” Naughton said. “Also, the current variants are very transmissible and many of our prior precautions, like indoor masking, reduced travel, etc, have been lifted and people are mixing more and more likely to spread and catch the virus. The vaccines are still effective at reducing hospitalizations and deaths, but you still can catch COVID-19 and have mild symptoms.” The Davis community’s best defense continues to be wearing well-fitting N95 or KN95 masks in crowded indoor spaces, staying home when feeling sick, being up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, testing for COVID-19 before events or travel and washing hands with soap and water, according to Naughton.

“We may be tired of the pandemic and the virus, but it is not tired of us. We must still follow public health guidance,” Naughton said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t go about our lives, seeing loved ones and eating at restaurants but we can reduce our exposure when we can by wearing face coverings in crowded indoor settings and staying up to date on vaccinations. [...]. With an expansion of rapid tests that are not reported to the health departments, wastewater is a reliable indicator of the level of infection in the community.”

UC Davis Mental Health Initiative conference raised awareness for mental health advocacy and promoted several on-campus student resources

BY LILY FREEMAN campus@theaggie.org

On Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 UC Davis Mental Health Initiative (MHI), a student organization dedicated to mental health advocacy, held the 2023 Mental Health Conference.

Dylan Ocampo, a fifth-year biopsychology major and the unit director of MHI, described the goals for the two-day event.

“We just wanted to give folks the space to unpack these topics that we don’t necessarily discuss within our daily spaces,” Ocampo said. “A lot of our advocacy stems from educating the people who come to events like our conference and then for them to spread what they unlearned and learned to their peers and communities.”

Two keynote speakers were featured at the event, according to Ocampo. Jenee Darden, an award-winning journalist, public speaker and mental health advocate, and Imadé Borha, a writer and mental health advocate who founded the nonprofit Depressed While Black, both spoke about their work on Black liberation within the mental health field.

The conference also included a variety of workshops surrounding intersectionalities within mental health, which Ocampo said included topics like substance abuse, the Latinx and Hispanic communities, the connection between hip-hop music and mental health, the neurodivergent perspective and how to build healthy relationships through setting boundaries.

Following these workshops were student and professional panels meant to facilitate conversation between attendees and community members dedicated to mental health advocacy, as well as “caucuses,” or small-group discussions between attendees. Ocampo explained that the discussion-based caucuses explored intergenerational trauma, toxic positivity and productivity culture.

The conference ended with a resource fair featuring several oncampus mental health organizations. Aggies for Recovery, the Aggie Mental Health Ambassador Program, the Willow Clinic, the UC Davis Love Lab, the Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center and the UC Davis LGBTQIA+ Resource Center were just some of the organizations that attended.

REFLECTION FROM THE COVER

Wiles then invited those gathered into a full minute of silence from 12:10 p.m. to 12:11 p.m. before ending her speech by asking people to turn to someone next to them and share something that they liked about the UC Davis community.

Zhou spoke next. His speech referenced UC Davis’s Principles of Community and encouraged students and other listeners to strive to maintain a culture based in these principles.

“We have an obligation to build and maintain a culture and climate based on mutual respect and caring,” Zhou said. “Let us come together to support each

Johnalyne Love Samson, a fourthyear psychology major and the chief of staff of MHI, explained her main takeaways post-conference.

“One of the lessons MHI has taught me is that we need to make time for the things we want to happen,” Samson said. “Destigmatizing mental health happens when we put effort into starting conversations with others about things we often only let ruminate inside our own thoughts.”

Radhika Gawde, the ASUCD president, spoke on the conference’s focus on diversity and intersectionality in their programming from her perspective as an attendee.

“MHI’s focus on intersectionality is incredibly important as the impacts of factors such as race, gender and socioeconomic status are often overlooked in conversations about mental health,” Gawde said.

MHI is currently working on its upcoming May Mental Health Awareness Month project. Ocampo explained that the organization’s recognition of the national awareness month will consist of weekly events and advocacy projects surrounding a variety of mental health topics.

Natalie Bruch, a fourth-year psychology major and the publicity coordinator of MHI, emphasized the next event, “Brain Freeze,” for community members to look forward to on Feb. 18. MHI will have various destressing activities available for students to participate in at the event, according to Bruch.

“We will be partnering with the Entertainment Council to put on the Brain Freeze event, where Raveena, the singer, will be performing,” Bruch said. “It is an event to help students de-stress mid-quarter.”

Ocampo ended with his reflections post-event.

“I always tell my team no matter how big or small the contributions you make towards mental health, they still matter,” he said. “The conference just reminds me of our impact on the broader whole community, even if we may not see the total scope of our impact. We have each other and community to rely on, and this conference helped me feel this and see it in action.”

other in this difficult time.

In the end, I believe that love, unity and compassion will always triumph over hate, division and violence.”

The event was put together very quickly, according to a recent press release, with the idea coming from Cecily Roberts, the director of the Women’s Resources and Research Center. The release said that organizers thought “[it] was important to acknowledge the difficulty of continuing on with daily tasks at work or school when so much tragic news is weighing heavily.”

After the event, there were artificial white roses with positive quotes attached available for community members to take home, and attendees were encouraged to stick around and talk to those around them.

TEACHINGPRIZEDONATION FROM THE COVER

Eadie explained that he and his wife, Jane Eadie, who currently works on the Chancellor’s Board of Advisors, wanted to create this scholarship in order to increase the number of professionals in the wildlife biology field with diverse cultural backgrounds and provide greater opportunities to incoming students.

“With the prize money, it was a no-brainer,” Eadie said. “It is a great jump-start, and we can establish it right away. Jane and I, and perhaps others, will hopefully contribute continuously throughout the years.”

The scholarship has now been

signed off on and will be available for incoming undergraduate students in the WFC department for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Eadie reflected on his overall experience working at UC Davis, given that he is planning to leave the university next year.

“I [plan] to retire in a year from now,” Eadie said. “[Davis] has been such a great campus to work at; the students are great and the staff are fantastic, and our department is amazing. It’s just been a really great ride. I feel pretty lucky– I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

A student participates in a written affirmations activity at the 2023 UC Davis Mental Health Initiative (MHI) Conference. (MHI / Courtesy)

Vice Chancellor of Research Prasant Mohapatra is moving on to the University of South Florida. (Karin Higgins / Courtesy)

Counseling group Adelante Mujeres promotes cultural understanding, facilitates meaningful conversations among Chicana and Latina students

Mental health counseling for specific communities acknowledges the unique experiences of students from marginalized racial groups on campus

BY MARIA MARTINEZ CASTRO features@theaggie.org

In an effort to address the diversity of experiences and identities among the student population and their complexities, UC Davis hosts group counseling services for students to have conversations about mental health in safe and supportive environments.

According to the UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) website, group counseling services allow students to share feedback and personal experiences with peers while creating a sense of community.

Counseling groups focus on themes such as living with anxiety, the graduate student experience and sexual assault and grief, among others.

Within the multiple counseling groups that are offered, some solely focus on serving marginalized communities and their experiences. Due to their underrepresentation in higher education, students with marginalized identities often face a plethora of academic, financial and personal obstacles.

As marginalized populations attempt to overcome the struggles of higher education, the process often takes a toll on their mental health.

At UC Davis, counseling groups such as the BIPOC Support Circle, Wellness Wednesday Talking Circle and Adelante Mujeres are counseling groups that address the unique experiences of marginalized students on campus.

Adelante Mujeres is a group counseling service dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment for students who identify as Chicana, Latina, gender fluid, gender nonconforming and two-spirit. Through the group, participating students can explore personal experiences on campus, create community and gain emotional

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE

support on topics such as navigating multiple identities, relationships and managing self-care.

Roxana Reyes, a licensed family therapist, has been working with UC Davis’s counseling services since 2010 and is the co-founder of Adelante Mujeres.

Prior to the establishment of Adelante Mujeres, there was only one therapy group for Chicana and Latina students led by a male, Chicano facilitator, according to Reyes. This led many Chicana- and Latina-identifying students wanting a safe space where their identities and experiences were highlighted and understood.

“We had a lot of female students [say] they wanted a group facilitated by women, for women,” Reyes said. “And so I think that the difference then was you needed to consent to therapy in

order to be in the Latina group. And so we heard Latinas saying that they didn’t want to consent to therapy, but they wanted a space where they [could] remain anonymous if they wanted [...] so we decided, well, let’s start something different for Latinas, by Latinas. And let’s have it as an informal drop-in support space. And so Dr. Rene Lopez and I started it then. That was probably 2011, and it just took off. It has been running every year since.”

Reyes said that support groups for marginalized communities have not always been provided at UC Davis. However, in the past years, it has become a priority for UC Davis to serve communities that are often underrepresented in counseling services. One of the actions taken was establishing the Community Advising Network (CAN), a group of diverse

A Davis oasis: explore the sustainable designs and innovative lifestyle found in the Village Homes community

Learn about the ecologically engineered neighborhood that pioneered environmentally conscious living in Davis

BY REBEKA ZELJKO features@theaggie.org

Village Homes is a 70-acre subdivision in Davis, California, designed by Mike and Judy Corbett in the 1970s, according to the Village Homes website. The completed development includes 225 homes and 20 apartment units, as well as 23 acres of orchards, vineyards, parks, greenbelts, common areas and edible landscape.

The amenities and the environmentally conscious design are what distinguishes this community from others. Sue Colombano, the president of the Village Homes HOA Board and longtime resident, said the community was unique from its inception.

“My husband and I got interested very early on in 1979 when it was still being designed and developed,” Colombano said. “We would bike over in west Davis and see the area, and it really appealed to us. We saw all the vineyards, the orchards, the open space, and we decided to buy a lot so we could build a home. We wanted to build it in an energy-conscious, resource-conserving way, and so [the] Village Homes were perfect.”

Village Homes harbors many unique design elements intended to coexist with the environment. According to the Village Homes website, the design utilized a feature called “passive solar,” where “all the streets tend east-west and all lots are oriented north-south,” helping the homes store and effectively utilize the sun’s energy to regulate temperature. Other features, such as the street width, were also thoughtfully implemented in the residence. According to the Village Homes website, “their narrow widths minimize

the amount of pavement to sun in the long, hot summers. The curving lines of the roads give them the look of village lanes, and the few cars that venture into the cul-de-sacs usually travel slowly.”

Key design aspects like these prioritize the quality of life of residents and the integration of the community’s natural surroundings, according to Colombano.

“It’s pretty innovative,” Colombano said. “It makes me reflect on how [Mike and Judy Corbett] were visionaries. You can see the conscious decision making in the design. Like the common areas, they’re consciously not fenced in because there is an understanding that you do have a community.”

These unique amenities quickly caught the attention of other Davis residents. Josephine Andrews, a UC Davis professor and resident of Village Homes, said the landscaping design is valuable to her.

“I think the landscaping is really, really appealing,” Andrews said. “The paths are designed to take you kind of everywhere you would want to go. And in the spring, it’s just so beautiful. It feels like you live in a huge garden.”

This garden-like feel is due to a feature residents call “edible landscaping.” According to the Village Homes website, there are more than 30 varieties of fruit and nut trees as well as vineyards planted all over the properties. As a result, there is always something that is ready to be harvested and enjoyed by the community nearly every month of the year.

“The community really enjoys and takes advantage of the abundance of fruit available to us,” Andrews said. “You

would think this sort of thing would be more common.”

Andrews said that one of the distinct features in Village Homes is the shared plot design, where small groups of homes share and upkeep a common area their houses all face.

“Something I think I love the most is that there’s no fencing,” Andrews said. “We sit in our kitchen, and we can see through the windows all these people walking by, families, children, dogs; it’s so uplifting to see that; it just really warms you up. And in these common areas, you all have to agree if someone wants to make any changes to your yard, so you have a stake in that sort of beautiful area that everyone can enjoy.”

The emphasis on community and shared resources is important to the cohesion of Village Homes.

“It’s an amazing place to live,” Andrews said. “It’s very safe, nobody drives fast, there aren’t many roads, and the kids can really just wander in this large space very safely. You know your neighbors, even if you don’t really like them, you really know them, and that’s very important.”

Just as crucial as the community aspect, the incorporation of nature and urban development into a cohesive community is a signature component to Village Homes. Stephen Wheeler, Ph.D., a UC Davis professor in the Department of Human Ecology and longtime resident of Village Homes, said this hybrid design is valuable in a residential area.

VILLAGEHOMES on 4

counselors helping students take care of their mental health.

“We have definitely not had as many services focused on working with special populations, or marginalized populations as we do now,” Reyes said. “That is definitely unique and wonderful. And I think that it’s a result of the diversity of our staff now. So the establishment of the CAN program was actually […] out of a need to diversify staff on all the UC campuses and to reach out to students who don’t typically seek services.”

Group counseling tailored specifically for marginalized populations creates a space for cultural wealth and understanding, Reyes said.

“Specific feedback I’ve got about Adelante Mujeres is that it is so nice to have a space that talks about culture as much as we talk about problems,

like unpacking the stigma of using limpias, sage, energy work, using a curandero or going to a sweat lodge,” Reyes said. “There could be a fear of being pathologized and working with a therapist that might not understand the power of energy in your culture or […] your belief in chakra work.”

Marlene Velazquez, a licensed clinical social worker and behavioral health counselor at SHCS, is the facilitator for Adelante Mujeres in Spanish. Velazquez said people from marginalized communities often feel discouraged from seeking mental health services because of fear of judgment, because they do not see themselves represented in conversations about mental health or because they struggle to identify with service providers. She said that in her own undergraduate experience at UC Davis and as a Mexican-American, she often hesitated to seek mental health services. Coming back now as a behavioral health counselor, she said she hopes to break that cycle.

“When I was a student, even though I knew I wanted to come into the field of mental health and be a counselor and whatnot, I never stepped foot into counseling services,” Velazquez said. “For the reason of feeling like no one’s going to understand my experience because the mental health field is, for the most part, seen as white therapists or for the white community. So when I saw my position, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is my time to go back and at least be a face or a person or a name that students can at least see and be like, […] I think they, they may be [able] to understand.’”

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‘Get to the bargaining table’: North Davis Peet’s Coffee holds celebratory rally after historic vote to unionize

Local leaders, community members, employees gathered outside the North Davis location to express their workplace grievances and garner support

BY MADELEINE YOUNG city@theaggie.org

Peet’s employees and supporters gather outside the North Davis location to celebrate the unionization vote. (Sonora Slater / Courtesy)

On Jan. 28, Peet’s Coffee workers, former employees and supporters held a rally outside the North Davis Peet’s Coffee location to celebrate a successful vote to unionize and garner support from the community.

A week before the rally, the North Davis location voted 14-1 to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021, making them the first Peet’s Coffee in the U.S. to unionize.

“The purpose of today’s protest is to first celebrate the victory of the first Peet’s Coffee in North America to unionize in a landslide election where they won 14 yes votes to one no vote,” rally organizer and Peet’s employee Jamaica Rettick said. “We’re also using this as a call to action for the community to support these workers to get to the bargaining table due to Peet’s creating conditions to the store that are really untenable for the workers.”

The rally featured both former and current employees who voiced their concerns regarding working conditions such as cut hours, a lack of significant raises, exhausting labor and more. Additionally, local leaders, including City Councilmember Gloria Partida, Deputy County Supervisor Sheila Allen and District 4 Supervisor Lucas Frerichs, came out to support the newly unionized coffeehouse. Frerichs spoke about the workers’ right to organize.

“The National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935, which allows for an opportunity to organize, to collectively bargain and take collective

action,” Frerichs said. “Even though that law has been in effect for almost 90 years, corporations are still trying to attack workers and stop workers from organizing. This may be the beginning, but this is not the end, not in the least.”

Alyx Land, shift lead, organizer of the rally and Peet’s employee since 2017, voiced his concern and disappointment regarding the conditions of the store.

“I love our coffee and I really believe in the values and what we bring to people,” Land said. “I’m passionate about our work and I’ve seen the quality of our products decline along with the treatment and pay of employees at our location and others. Five years later, after working through the pandemic, we’re more stressed out than ever. We’re underpaid and overworked. I don’t want to burn out every month. My rent rises every year and combined with inflation, I may be less and less able to live there. I’ve been in Davis for seven years and I don’t want to be forced to relocate or continue living paycheck to paycheck, wondering how long I can do this before I have no energy left.”

With the first steps being made in collective bargaining, County Supervisor Allen commended the employees’ push to unionize.

“I am pleased to know that this vote has gone through and that you are on the road now to one of the very important pieces of having a union, and that is collective bargaining,” Allen said. “It is hard for one person to make a difference, but collectively, you are so much stronger.”

OPINION

Gun violence: When is enough, enough?

Recent mass shootings show that more national comprehensive gun reform is needed

BY CLAIRE SCHAD cfschad@ucdavis.edu

Is a lie that soothes better than a truth that hurts?

Why it is always the wiser choice to tell the truth

BY YASMEEN O’BRIEN yjobrien@ucdavis.edu

A few years ago, I was introduced to the Czech proverb: “Better a lie that soothes than a truth that hurts.” When I came across it for the first time as a 17-year-old, I thought it sounded beautiful and complex. I knew I was guilty of telling lies I believed were harmless and unimportant. Sometimes, I felt that a hurtful truth was unnecessary, especially as the people-pleasing teenager I was.

People tell these kinds of lies all the time. We compliment people’s outfits when we don’t especially like them. We tell our friends everything is going to be okay when we don’t know for sure. We tell that annoying person that we’re busy when we’re really sitting at home watching TV. We’ve all told the most common lie of all: “I’m fine.”

with care, is much better than a lie, no matter how small it may seem. The lie will always cause more hurt in the end.

In the first month of 2023, California and the rest of the U.S. was plagued with the awful reality that is gun violence. First, a mass shooting at a Lunar New Year’s festival left 10 dead and nine injured in the Southern California community of Monterey Park. Less than 48 hours later, seven people were killed by a violent firearm attack in Half Moon Bay, California. In January alone, the U.S. experienced 52 mass shootings and over 1,600 people were killed by guns.

Every time a mass shooting occurs and is picked up by the media, the longstanding debate about gun rights and gun control gains traction. Typically, one side immediately calls for stricter gun laws and regulations, while the other argues that proposed laws only infringe on the rights of gun-owning Americans and won’t decrease shootings.

This deep divide around guns in the U.S. has made it difficult for meaningful legislation to be passed. While certain states have made significant progress in passing and implementing gun control legislation, others have not.

This vast difference in access to guns in certain states has created loopholes for residents in states that have stricter laws. For example, while California has the strictest laws in the country, the bordering states of Nevada and Arizona act as safe havens for gun buyers. This phenomenon diminishes some of the effectiveness of California’s laws and illustrates that more comprehensive and national-level reform is needed.

Over the past year, California state legislators have worked to pass a variety of laws aimed at reducing gun violence in the state. Domestic violence offenders who have faced felony charges are barred from owning guns. There is a ban on high-capacity magazines and noisemuffling silencers. People with certain mental health diagnoses are restricted from buying guns. Finally, and probably most famously, semi-automatic guns, largely known as assault weapons, are banned completely.

So what happened? Why weren’t these laws enough to protect the lives lost in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay?

This is still largely unclear. As details continue to emerge from the shootings, it seems that both Huu Can Tran, the shooter in Monterey Park, and Zhao Chunli, the shooter in Half Moon Bay, came very close to meeting requirements that should have restricted their firearm access. They had both had previous run-ins with law enforcement and both appeared to be in current mental health crises.

The weapon used in the Monterey Park shooting was a modified version of the MAC-10 pistol, manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s. It is now outlawed in California, as it is considered a semi-automatic weapon that has a threaded barrel and is designed to take 30-round magazines. However, the gun was purchased by the gunman in 1999, prior to the ban going into effect. Additionally, the weapon was

not registered in the state of California and law enforcement officials are still unsure why.

Similarly, the semi-automatic handgun used in the Half Moon Bay shooting was legally obtained. Additionally, this firearm did not have any features that would deem it illegal under California’s assault weapon ban.

No matter which way you lean on the gun debate, it is clear that more needs to be done to combat these deadly shootings that seem to happen daily. More widely available mental health resources are needed in addition to gun control; these two ideas don’t have to signal two sides of a debate.

Ultimately, these tragedies tell us that state-level weapon bans are not enough. While this may not have been the case in the recent mass shootings, people who are outlawed from buying weapons in California can still travel to neighboring states such as Nevada and Arizona and purchase firearms. The implementation of national-level, comprehensive gun reform could provide more funding and resources to ensure that guns are kept out of the hands of dangerous people. We must enact national comprehensive gun control now. For each day we wait, more lives are lost.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

‘Breath of the Wild’ is the king of open-world gaming

Reasons why you should play the latest installation in Nintendo’s “Legend of Zelda”

BY MAYA KORNYEYEVA mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu

Imagine a game where you’re able to glide over valleys, climb any mountain, swim up waterfalls and surf on your shield, exploring virtually anywhere. You can interact with the non-player characters (NPCs), whether it’s to learn more about your main objective or about their personal stories and adventures. You can throw a mix of random ingredients in a cooking pot and create dozens of recipes for meals and elixirs. You can stop time, find magnetic chests, freeze water and fight mobs by throwing your metal weapon at them during a lightning storm.

Imagine all of this, and you’ve got “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” released on March 3, 2017, a revolutionary open-world game. Created and directed by Eiji Aonuma, the game was published by Nintendo for the Switch and Wii U gaming consoles, with the goal of allowing players to explore the interconnected world of Hyrule with minimal instruction and an unprecedented degree of freedom.

Unlike games such as “The Witcher 3” and “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “Breath of the Wild” offers a less linear storyline. The protagonist, Link, journeys on a quest of self-discovery to reawaken the four Divine Beasts and defeat Calamity Ganon, an evil force attempting to take over Hyrule.

I began playing “Zelda” in March 2020 as a way to fill the empty days spent stuck at home during quarantine.

I was immediately taken aback by the charming and immersive features of the game and thrived off of the satisfaction of beating a Yiga Blademaster or completing a particularly difficult shrine. And I’m still playing: even with the main campaign complete, I don’t think I will ever be able to fulfill every side quest in the villages or chase every dragon — “Breath of the Wild” is just that expansive.

I believe what makes this Zelda game so unique is the map design, which offers multiple intricate terrains with unrestricted paths that the players can choose to follow. While fast travel

series

is an option in the game, I find it

unnecessary because there’s just so much to discover along the way. From magical plants to lost memories to Korok seeds, the game offers items and side quests at practically every step.

Beyond the top-tier features of the map, I enjoy the fact that, unlike many video games, “Breath of the Wild” doesn’t hinge on an XP or a level system.

At the very beginning of the game, the players are given all the tools they need to beat the antagonists. If you wanted to, you could go fight the final boss at the very start of the game and have a chance of winning. This is possible because there’s almost no point-to-point traversing.

Link, the protagonist of the game, can follow the centralized storyline if he chooses, but he can also traipse off into the wilderness. The game excels at allowing every person to play at their own pace, with a heavy reliance on problem-solving and context clues rather than tutorials.

Another key feature of the game that I adore is the inventive design work for the shrines, ancient tech and the Sheikah Slate. According to Takuhiro Dohta, the technical director of “Breath of the Wild,” these designs were all inspired by the Jōmon period in Japanese history. The Jōmon period is the earliest era of ancient Japanese civilization and the least well-known, beginning around 14,500 BCE and characterized predominantly by its

”cord-marked” or ”patterned” pottery style.

Of course, this is not to say that “Breath of the Wild” is perfect. There’s definitely some frame lag, and the shrines can be frustrating at first and progressively feel repetitive or even dull to an experienced player. Nothing great is without its faults.

However, “Breath of the Wild” still occupies an unparalleled position in the gaming world. Due to its initial popularity and Link’s lovable personality, the developers are coming out with the highly anticipated sequel “Breath of the Wild: Tears of the Kingdom” on May 12, 2023. It would be an understatement to say that I am excited about its arrival; with better graphics and a brand new adventure in reach, this continuation is sure to be a massive hit.

I highly recommend “Breath of the Wild” for anyone looking to test their deduction skills or just to have some fun and explore — you can gain more than 50 hours of phenomenal gameplay.

“Breath of the Wild” is one of the best Nintendo games out there (which is quite a feat because of Nintendo’s astounding reputation and massive catalog) and an absolute must-play.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

Recently, I told my uncle I loved his Christmas gift as I calculated what I could get when I returned it. Sometimes, though, these lies backfire — my grandfather got stuck receiving unwanted owl figurines for 40 years.

Our parents told us lies when we were children that were intended to shield us from the evil of the world: our dog went to visit a sunny, peaceful farm for the rest of its life, a man named Santa Claus magically enters our home and brings us presents every year and babies are delivered by storks. Are we better off having believed these? Did this really shield us? Maybe these lies saved our childhood, or maybe they delayed our understanding of the world and created our first inklings of distrust.

It’s been four years since I first heard this proverb, and it doesn’t sound so beautiful anymore. I don’t know if it’s all the life I’ve experienced between the ages of 17 and 21, or my quest to become a better person, but my perspective has changed. Now, I believe the truth is always better, full stop.

But I do recognize that it’s not that simple. There are lies that appear to soothe, it’s true. But how much soothing do they really do? Sure, when you lie you don’t have to face an inconvenient truth. You are let off easier and it seems like no one gets hurt. The lie is enticing — it seduces us by offering us things the truth can’t. But just because someone can’t feel the pain you’re causing them doesn’t mean you’re not hurting them. It’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out. And it always does.

Truth, addressed and delivered

If you have ever been lied to, you are familiar with this feeling of disrespect, betrayal and insecurity. Your version of the truth is completely discredited. It feels like the person lying to you does not value or respect you enough to tell the truth. It’s cowardly to lie. Therefore, telling the truth is a kinder and more respectful choice. It is a very courageous act to confront the uncomfortable.

Lying to someone takes away their agency. It corrupts one of the most important qualities of being human: the ability to make free, rational choices. After all, it’s impossible to make informed decisions when you’ve been lied to. I am not claiming to be some perfect truth-teller, but I know I wouldn’t want my agency taken away. The golden rule applies here: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

Don’t get me wrong, there are some things I wish I didn’t know. Things I believe I didn’t have to know. It feels like I would have been happier without the truth. Ignorance is bliss, isn’t it? But when I stop to think about it, the bliss that ignorance gives you isn’t all that blissful. No matter how uncomfortable, the truth sets you free. And when given the power to set someone free with the truth or keep them caged with a lie, I hope you will choose to tell the truth.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

STUDENTSOFCOLOR FROM THE COVER

“I feel like we were thoughtful about who [hosted] the workshops, and I really appreciated that,” Cantor Mendez said. Aridin noted that this sort of attention to detail within the conference tied into their overall goal of inclusion and community.

“It was mainly to bring together students from across the UCs who identify as students of color and to empower them and show them that across the UC system, there’s a coalition of students who look like you,” Aridin said.

POCMENTALHEALTH FROM PAGE 3

Providing students from marginalized communities with support to make sense of who they are can allow them to thrive against the obstacles they encounter in higher education, according to Reyes.

“I think that the commonality that we have on our campus is [that] everyone’s a student, but the way

our identities develop are not in sync usually,” Reyes said. “Our identities kind of go on their own journey. Some identities are salient, while others are not. And so offering groups for students who are navigating these different identities that are salient to them, I think, is super, super helpful.”

VILLAGEHOMES

FROM PAGE 3

“It’s about creatively integrating green and gray,” Wheeler said. “The development industry in this country does not have that creativity. It instead follows a formula, and I understand it if there’s a lot of money at stake, but we need to be more creative in the ways we live and build in our communities in order to bring meaning back into our lives.”

Wheeler said that Village Homes is exemplary of human value over monetary value, where the latter is typically prioritized.

“It’s all about, ‘Let’s be modernist as fast as we can,’” Wheeler said. “But we need to look at the takeaway from things like the great resignation, with people leaving their corporate and service jobs that don’t have any element of humanity in them. So on all of these fronts, whether it be work or the physical environment, we need to get back to something that really expresses

our humanness.”

Wheeler said that these aspects of “humanness” are now very sought after in living environments.

“The proof is in the economic value,” Wheeler said. “It was originally built for affordable housing, and it quickly became the most expensive housing per square foot in Davis. Architects were not paid to do these things historically, there was no incentive, but now there’s a growing desire for it.”

It’s this irreplicable quality in Village Homes that makes it so desirable to buyers and so enjoyable to residents.

“This is a unique community,” Colombano said. “It doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle. If you want privacy or don’t value this kind of community emphasis, it’s not the place for you. But if you do value […] orchards, vineyards and open space like we do, this is the perfect place to live and raise children. I still feel lucky to live here.”

NATALIE CHENG / AGGIE

NATALIE CHENG / AGGIE

MAYA KORNYEYEVA / AGGIE

Take a fun class next quarter!

Adding variety to your schedule can broaden your perspective and improve your academic experience

It’s that time of the quarter again — you’ve finally mastered your schedule and settled into a manageable (if boring and dreadful) weekly routine. Then, you get an email from Schedule Builder: your pass time for next quarter is just around the corner! Of course, there are no advising appointments, all of your required courses overlap and there’s no way you’ll be able to make it from Sci Lec to the Death Star in a 10-minute passing period. While we can’t solve all of these problems, we can distract you from them, by encouraging you to add an additional class, just for fun.

Now, this might sound like a ridiculous proposal given all of the very real concerns that come with scheduling and school in general, but taking a course that you actually enjoy can be greatly beneficial, both for your mental health and education.

First of all, having a class that you look forward to in your schedule makes the long, busy weeks of the quarter system much more enjoyable. It’s a great way to break up dense days of lecture-heavy classes and can offer an opportunity to de-stress and meet people outside of your major. Plus, you are already paying tuition, so you might as well get your money’s worth.

And, if you need more convincing to take nonmandatory classes, there are plenty of career and academic benefits that can come from adding more variety to your schedule. Taking a class that uses a different part of your brain than classes for your major helps you think in different ways and broadens your perspective, both of which can be beneficial in the future. Plus, there’s really no better time to explore any interest you have than in college — and it might even prompt you to change your major or re-consider your post-grad plans.

Now that we’ve effortlessly convinced you to take a class for fun this spring (and every other quarter), we wanted to provide you with some suggestions, so as not to exacerbate the stress of scrolling through the course catalog. Here are the Editorial

Board’s favorite fun classes, and why you should take them.

ENT 1 (Art, Science & the World of Insects)

This class is all about bugs — but also humans, science, the circle of life and even art. It earns you a variety of GE credits and, arguably more excitingly, involves weekly ceramics sessions during which you make collaborative ceramic models that can be found at the pollinator center.

ECH 1 (The Design of Coffee)

If bugs aren’t your thing, but you still need some science-y courses to fill your general education requirements, consider the “Design of Coffee” class. Davis has an entire laboratory dedicated to coffee roasting, brewing and tasting. In the class, you get to learn the science that explains why Starbucks espresso is always burnt, and how not to make the same mistakes in your own roasting and brewing at home. Plus, you get to taste tons of cool coffee and bring home hand-roasted beans for free (ignoring the $5,000 a quarter for tuition).

GEL 25 (Geology of National Parks)

One final GE for nonSTEM students, Geology of National Parks is a great class if you want to feel superior while on family vacations to the Grand Canyon or Zion. After this class, you’ll be able to teach all of your family and friends about the rock formations of, and history behind, the national parks across the country, which is sure to make those long hikes and camping trips more bearable (or fun, if you’re into that). The professor, David Osleger, is also super enthusiastic and knowledgeable, which makes the course very engaging and fun to attend.

TCS 155 (Introduction to Documentary Studies)

What’s better than getting credits in exchange for watching movies in a classroom that looks like a theater? Getting to hear from the creators of local

documentaries themselves, of course! In this class, you get to do both and pitch an original documentary proposal, so if you decide to become a filmmaker someday in the future, you’ll be prepared.

UWP 104C (Writing in the Professions: Journalism)

This is a journalism class. The benefits are, obviously, self-explanatory.

DRA 042A (Beginner Ballet)

If you are looking to break a sweat, de-stress and dance it out, this class is for you. Whether you grew up dancing and are craving a nostalgic barre routine of pliés and relevés, or you don’t know what those words mean but you want to, the ballet series offers courses for all skill levels that are super fun and approachable.

Finally, if none of those sing to you, here are some rapidfire honorable mentions: PHI 001 (Introduction to Philosophy) — philosophy overlaps with pretty much all areas of study and can even challenge your perceptions of the world around you; MUS

116 (Introduction to the music of The Beatles) — who wouldn’t want to take a class all about the Beatles?; PLS 21 (Application of Computers in Technology) — perfect for anyone interested in technology, you learn how to edit photos and videos, use excel and even make your own website; finally, any language course — introductory language classes are always super fun, and everyone is a beginner which makes them low-stakes.

College is a place to explore your interests and learn about yourself, and any of these classes can help you do just that, while also earning GE credit, or just having fun. Plus, most of them can be taken Pass/No Pass, so you won’t need to stress too much about the workload they might have. So as you prepare for your pass time during the next few weeks, consider taking advantage of one (or a few) of the super cool classes UC Davis has to offer.

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

ChatGPT: a useful tool or a herald of unemployment?

ChatGPT has the potential to destroy intellectual labor

It’s week four of winter quarter: the time when midterms, burnout and 30 mph winds band together to test your limits. On top of that, Valentine’s Day is in two weeks! All this to say, you might be finding yourself in need of some solid advice. If so, you’re in luck; scan this QR code to submit your problems, and The Editorial Board will pick a few to respond to, putting our nine (genius) minds together to help you out with anything from relationship drama, to a Schedule-Builder-induced breakdown — same — and everything in between.

This article was not written by AI. (No, seriously.)

We’ve all heard of it. The AI promise to take the work out of everything from sending emails to writing your college admissions essays to finishing your novel. ChatGPT is taking over the internet and threatening unemployment for millions.

Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), developed by OpenAI, is a free tool that interacts with users in a conversational way and allows them to ask text-based questions.

In today’s digital age, more people are turning to AI-powered tools like it to help them with their writing needs.

ChatGPT helps users do anything from translating languages, creating social media posts or writing essays quickly and with minimal effort, which explains why less than three months after its launch, ChatGPT has already had over 100 million downloads. It’s incredible; type ChatGPT into Google, download, type in anything you can think of and watch the AI eloquently spit out whatever you desire.

However, ChatGPT’s efficiency comes with many negative effects, including putting writers, coders and journalists out of work. As you can imagine, AI that can quickly produce a coherent essay, article or program threatens the people who are paid to do the same thing. It seems to me that millions of blue- and white-collar jobs are threatened by ChatGPT. AI is able to pass college-level tests in almost all fields, earn an MBA, pass the written tests to become a doctor and the Multistate Bar Exam. While most technological progress in the 21st century has replaced manual labor, ChatGPT has the potential to replace intellectual jobs in thousands of fields.

But don’t worry: ChatGPT still has some major flaws. We all know the internet isn’t perfect — there’s a plethora

of misinformation, negative stereotypes and biases out there. Because ChatGPT draws and learns from the internet, it can, and often does, reuse incorrect information and show biases found online. ChatGPT’s writing isn’t perfect either. It’s missing the personality in writing only humans can provide. It has a very limited understanding of context and language, so it can be confused by common phrases.

For now, ChatGPT is a unique tool and a great example of how helpful AI can be. While it has the potential to make our lives easier, it also has the potential to make many jobs irrelevant and put millions out of work. As technologies and AIs continue to develop, it’s crucial that we carefully consider their full potential to ensure they are used in ethical ways that are beneficial to everyone.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE

AARON POTTER

ARTS & CULTURE

Review: ‘When Breath Becomes Air’ explores the meanings of life and death

The late neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi narrates his journey of living a fulfilling life while battling lung cancer

BY SARAH HAN arts@theaggie.org

“When Breath Becomes Air” is an autobiography of Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon and writer who was diagnosed with lung cancer in his late 30s and passed away in 2015. The book outlines his life, detailing the moral inquiries and dilemmas he has contemplated since childhood.

The book begins with a prologue that describes a patient’s CT scan images of a “lung matted with innumerable tumors, the spine deformed, and a full lobe of the liver obliterated,” only for readers to find out that Kalanithi himself is the patient. I like how Kalanithi writes about death, which is a generally sensitive topic. It goes to show how unexpected obstacles are inevitable and the best way to overcome them is by accepting them — not pretending like they don’t exist or running away from them.

However, Kalanithi is also transparent about how difficult it is to accept death. There was a moment where he cried to his wife Lucy, which was unexpected since he seemed to be optimistic and stoic throughout the book. Nonetheless, it amplifies how scary and uncertain death can be, even for doctors and surgeons who regularly witness it.

What makes Kalanithi’s life so relatable is his progression from adolescence to adulthood. His childhood was characterized by curiosity, ambition and learning; for example, he moved to Arizona as a child and chose to acclimate to his new hometown by scavenging the desert plains for black widows, coyotes and more. As he grew into an adult,

these characteristics transformed into wisdom, maturity and diligence.

But one element that stayed consistent since Kalanithi’s childhood was growth. Toward the end of the book, Kalanithi reflects on the idea of time, particularly how cancer had significantly shortened his. One specific segment stood out to me the most:

“You’re always thinking about what you’ll be doing five years down the line. But I don’t know what I’ll be doing five years down the line. I may be dead. I may not be. I may be healthy. I may be writing. I don’t know. And so it’s not all that useful to spend time thinking about the future—that is, beyond lunch.”

I was taken aback by how Kalanithi was willing to contribute to the world in any way, shape or form. Even in the face of death, he was formulating what he could do, which shows how humans, unwittingly or not, will always try to grow into a better version of themselves. In the grand scheme of things, writing or lunch may seem minute, but to Kalanithi, they were signs of powering through his cancer — and that, to me, was a lesson for sure.

The most heartfelt moments in the book were when his family appeared. Kalanithi grew up with two brothers and his parents, all of whom he characterized as hardworking and inspirational. Likewise, he greatly admired his wife Lucy, who motivated him to not only fight cancer but who was also beside him when he was a medical student at Yale. And probably the most precious to Kalanithi was his daughter Cady, to whom he dedicated the book.

Despite the obstacles, Kalanithi wrote hopefully in the last moments of his life. He dedicated a message to future Cady, which was intimate yet universal.

Commentary: ‘Breaking Bad’ portrays the moral ambiguity of human nature

The hit drama makes viewers question their own moral compass

He emphasized the importance of spreading joy and that it is one of the most crucial things in life. Kalanithi expressed tremendous humility, empathy and insight, and

this book perfectly reflects his legacy. I strongly recommend this book because it will leave you inspired, open-minded and most importantly, thinking about what you could contribute to the world.

If I could pick out one line that sums up the entire book, it would be this: “What makes human life meaningful?”

BY RUMA POUDELL arts@theaggie.org

Vince Gilligan’s award-winning show “Breaking Bad” has regained popularity among Gen Z following a flood of TikTok trends centering the show, including an edit of the character Walter White mining diamond ore in Minecraft, or all things.

Within the “Breaking Bad” universe, White is the show’s main driving force. He is a genius in the field of chemistry working an underappreciated job as a high school teacher when he is suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness. His diagnosis drives him to reevaluate his life and the legacy he wishes to leave — one that doesn’t leave his family in debt with medical costs. This motivates him to cook and sell crystal methamphetamine with the hope of amassing a fortune.

As the story unfolds, death becomes a thematic continuity across the show. White and numerous other characters, including Jesse Pinkman, Mike Ehrmantraut and Gus Fring, are responsible for the deaths of a handful, if not a cemetery-full, of individuals. Although no one person has the right to take another’s life, the context surrounding each death leaves us wondering if their actions are justified.

When it comes down to survival, who would you choose to spare: yourself or your opponent? And, if you choose yourself, can you live with what you’ve done to another human being? Characters in this show often find themselves in these life-or-death scenarios, and they all have their own justifications for choosing themselves.

White wants to provide for his family. Pickman wants to achieve financial independence and avoid living a life of messiness. Fring has a drug empire to protect. Ehrmantraut has his granddaughter to look after and provide for.

But as the story progresses, the

characters begin to engage in more and more unlawful activities with little to no reason or context. In a later season, White reflects on his actions, and he admits to enjoying his life as a drug dealer more than his life prior to getting diagnosed and starting down this path.

Despite the monster that White obviously becomes, watching the show for the very first time left me sympathizing with him and even despising other less problematic characters. Gilligan’s dynamic writing with realistic portrayals of various issues leaves you with your own twisted sense of character as you focus more on White’s story and progression compared to others.

Anna Gunn, the actress who plays White’s wife, is one character who was flawed but more of a bystander compared to her husband. She reported that she faced harsh comments in her personal life due to how much audience members hated her character, as they failed to separate the actress from her role. This shows how much you can sympathize with or scrutinize people differently for their misconduct, all because of the way their character was written.

Gilligan’s portrayal of characters in “Breaking Bad” touches on the moral ambiguity of human nature as they go through their struggles surrounding addiction, family dynamics, illness and business. This forces the audience to get in the mud, where it seems there is no absolute right or wrong.

Varying opinions among audience members highlights the fact that we are all rooted in our experiences and values, leading us to our differences in beliefs.

As you watch the show, it may be a fun idea to keep track of whose actions you can justify and who has crossed your line of reasoning.

Dr. Paul Kalanithi is interviewed by Stanford Medicine Magazine in 2015 prior to his death. (Courtesy of Gregg Segal / Stanford Medicine / fair use)

Breaking Bad actors Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston speak at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International. (Courtesy of Gage Skidmore / Creative Commons, CC BY 2.0)

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more

BY ADHITHI ANJALI arts@theaggie.org

A sneak peek into ‘Somebody I Used To Know,’ an unconventional love story by Dave Franco and Alison Brie

The writers joined a college publication roundtable to discuss the film premiering on Amazon Prime Video on Feb. 10

BY ANA BACH arts@theaggie.org

Album: “Aim and Ignite” by fun. (2009)

Indie pop with a little extra experimental rock style, the quartet fun. was terribly overlooked as a radio pop band after their single “Some Nights.” Before that, however, I believe they really created a unique sound and style in the lyrics and composition of their album “Aim and Ignite.” The album is concerned with a discontented youth, and its lyrics detail the neuroses of a modern adult. The album is theatrical, which is why I am so drawn to it. The opener, “Be Calm,” plays with tempo to follow the mind of the narrator. “Benson Hedges,” the following song, starts boldly with inspiration drawn from gospel singing, and the rest of the album follows with fun and energetic instrumentation.

Book: “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel (2006)

Known for her cartoons and writings on gay and lesbian life in the U.S. since the 80s, Bechdel’s “Fun Home” uses comics and dry humor to navigate her relationship with her father after his suicide. Her blunt admissions leave you laughing while wondering whether you should have laughed at all. Nevertheless, the emotional impact goes both ways, and the attempt to understand her father — including his reasons for secrecy and his predilection for control — breaks through Bechdel’s protective analytical lens in a heart-wrenching need for human connection.

TV Show: “Man Like Mobeen” (2020)

British comedian and writer Guz Khan brings to screen a comedic spin on life in the U.K. as a Muslim man supporting his friends, family and community. Playing the titular character Mobeen, Khan infuses the screen with energy and the quick-witted style of British comedy. Through this lens, Khan shows life in Small Heath, a poor and largely immigrant community, where Mobeen must care for his sister by himself. Of course, he has the support of weird and wonderful friends who antagonize him as much as they love him. The show offers quick laughs in the much-missed format of 30-minute TV comedy. Its first three seasons are available on Netflix, and a fourth season is on the way.

Painting: “Our Town” by Kerry James Marshall (1995)

Toying with the imagery and tone of early 20thcentury images of Americana, “Our Town” criticizes perceptions of a white, middle-class majority nation. The figures of Black children are starkly contrasted against a postcard-esque backdrop of white picket-fenced houses, lined with bright reds and filled by brighter whites. Marshall’s decision to barely render his characters emphasizes the displacement of Black people in the propagandistic ideal of American middle-class life. The painting is also overlaid with graffiti in some areas, asking the audience to consider the reality of what is depicted behind it. The painting is a part of Marshall’s larger “Garden Project” series. “Our Town” alludes to Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play of the same name, calling to attention the blindness of white creators to the presence of Black Americans, in art and in their own towns.

“Somebody I Used to Know,” a movie written by Dave Franco and Alison Brie, will premiere on Feb. 10 on Amazon Prime v+Video. On Feb. 2, the California Aggie had the opportunity to join a college publication roundtable with Franco, Brie and Jay Ellis, who plays Sean in the film, discussing the ideas that sparked the making of the film as well as some of the movie’s key takeaways.

Franco, known for his breakout role in “21 Jump Street,” and parts in “Neighbors” and “Nerve” joined together with Alison Brie, known for her comedic roles in “Community” and “Bojack Horseman,” to write the film. Brie and Franco also collaborated on Franco’s directorial debut, “The Rental.” This time, they said that they wanted to creatively share the stage and bond over their appreciation of the romantic comedy genre.

“Alison and I had such a wonderful experience working together on “The Rental” and, since then, we’ve been very proactive in trying to find ways to collaborate,” Franco said. “The genre that we share the most mutual affection for is romantic comedies, so we decided to start there.”

The film initially follows a stereotypical rom-com plot line, but later changes course by focusing on the theme of self-reflection, driven by memories of past relationships.

“It starts out like a rom-com where you know — or think you know — where the story is going, but we really tried to subvert these expectations,” said Brie. “We are taking these complex characters, putting them in these classic rom-com situations and then showing very real human reactions. So, I think that kinda sets us apart.”

The film aims to use past relationships — both platonic and romantic — and memories as tools to use for furthering your development in life.

While creating “Somebody I Used to Know,” Franco and Brie said they would write alongside each other, sharing ideas about how best to frame certain scenes and make humor and dialogue decisions to best fit what they wanted the film’s overall feeling to be.

“The way it actually looked was, it was me at the computer typing away and Alison kinda pacing back and forth,” Franco said. “I would say to her ‘Alright, what would you say in this scenario?’ and she would just start improvising and acting it out and I would write down every word she was saying.”

Franco tried to “diagnose” why the couple works so well together but ultimately stressed that it’s best not to “over-analyze” their dynamic.

“In terms of why it works, we just have similar sensibilities and the same sense of humor. It might be annoying to say but for whatever reason, we just don’t butt heads when it comes to working together creatively,” Franco said.

While filming the movie, Franco and Brie had the opportunity to meet with a nudist community, whose space is featured in the film. Franco explained that the inspiration for including a nudist colony in the film came from Brie’s high school experience.

“Alison went to a very progressive

liberal arts school, where there was a rule that you don’t have to wear clothes anywhere except the cafeteria,” Franco stated, explaining how Brie would streak across campus, similar to how Brie’s character, Ally, does in the film.

Nudity in “Somebody I Used to Know” is representative of people’s purest forms and ties beautifully into the story with Ally’s development.

“The movie starts with Alison’s character very buttoned up and a little fierce and, by the end of the movie, it’s all out for the world to see, representing her getting back to her purest self,” Franco explained. The nudist community that they collaborated with happens to be the oldest nudist retreat in the pacific northwest. “They were some of the most joyous, open, welcoming, happy people I’ve ever met,” Franco said. “It felt right for [Alison’s] character to end up in that scenario.”

Brie shared that one of the keys of this movie is her knack for telling stories about women, citing the malleability of female relationships as well as the wide variety of feelings in those relationships as a driving factor behind this project.

“I just love how [female relationships] can take on so many forms and two things can happen at the same time,” Brie said.

Franco discussed how the film challenges the stereotype of women struggling to choose between career aspirations and romantic relationships,

emphasizing that the weight this ultimatum places on many.

“You can have both. You don’t need to choose one or the other and hopefully, you find someone, a partner, who understands you and who will make certain sacrifices so that you can be your truest self and explore all avenues that you want to,” Franco said. “When you are younger, you may have certain aspirations and dreams that don’t come to fruition as you get older. Even if you are not necessarily content in your current situation, it’s not too late to pivot and get back to the things that make you happy.”

Franco urged people to embrace nourishing their creative sides — and that it is never too late to do so.

“I think about my own dad, who went to college for painting, then for the next forty years, he went away from that and into business,” Franco said. “In his last few years of his life, he got back into painting, just as a hobby, and I had never seen him happier… you don’t need to make a career out of these things, but you gotta listen to these urges inside of you.”

Franco said that women, and people in general, are often given ultimatums regarding their work and personal life balance, but that it is possible to “have your cake and eat it too.” Sometimes we don’t need to make a career out of those outlets that we have for expression, but we do owe it to ourselves to fulfill those urges.

Poster from the press release of ‘Somebody I Used to Know.” (Courtesy of Dave Franco / fair use)

City council holds outreach meeting to discuss the

5th Street corridor

The city held a public meeting last week to discuss necessary improvements, how to make them

BY ANTHONY W. ZAMMIKIEL city@theaggie.org

The Davis City Council hosted an outreach meeting for the public to discuss possible improvements to the Fifth Street corridor on Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. The meeting discussed changes to be made to the corridor, which runs from L Street to Cantrill Drive.

“City staff will discuss the history of the Fifth Street corridor from L Street to Cantrill Drive to help identify the longterm needs and potential improvements to the corridor,” reads the official statement released on Jan. 23 by the city. “In addition, staff will update the community on the road striping pilot that is currently in place on Fifth Street from L Street to Pole Line Road. This is a study phase only at this time; budget would need to be identified before

proceeding with implementation of any improvements.”

The city also released an additional statement on the improvement project.

“City staff will discuss long-term needs and potential improvements to the Fifth Street corridor from L Street to Cantrill Drive and are interested to hear from residents and business owners,” the additional statement said. “This study also includes an examination of the demonstration striping that was installed in early 2021. This is just a study. There is currently no budget for improvements.”

The city provided documentation outlining possible cross-section improvements. The six options for improvement are mostly dependent on budget, as options involving paint

and plastic treatments will cost less than landscape treatments. The city has also proposed three bicycle lanes options: buffered bike lanes, one-way separated bike lanes and two-way separated bike lanes.

An infographic detailing the section that is being considered for improvements was also posted on the city’s improvement projects page, with further information available on the citywide construction, improvement and maintenance projects pages.

Questions about the outreach meetings should be directed to Ryan Chapman, the Assistant Director of Engineering and Transportation, at rchapman@cityofdavis.org.

BRIDGE accuses Whole Earth Festival Committee of stealing their theme at Feb. 2 Senate meeting

The Senate table also heard quarterly reports from the Bike Barn, the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission and others

BY LEV FARRIS GOLDENBERG city@theaggie.org

On Thursday, Feb. 2, ASUCD Vice President JT Eden called the Senate meeting to order at 6:12 p.m., read the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement and called roll.

First on the agenda was the confirmation of second-year international relations major Reid Henderson Rizk as the ASUCD Elections Officer. Henderson Rizk took questions from the table and was confirmed unanimously.

Next, the Senate added three new members to the Aggie Housing and Transportation Advocacy Committee (AHTAC). Third-year philosophy major Zachary Boggeln was confirmed as AHTAC chairperson and first-year psychology major Giovanni Terrones and second-year history and economics major Bihn Do were confirmed as members.

The Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) received three new voting members — second-year cognitive science major Anita Thata, first-year computer science major Curtis Chen, and first-year political science and English major Spencer Smith.

The Senate also confirmed four alternates for the AAC: first-year art history major Isabelle Villanueva, firstyear political science major Siyona Roychoudry, second-year nutrition science major Lauren Nguyen, and second-year communications major Valerie Mostajo.

Following confirmations, the Senate opened the meeting to public comments.

Members from the Pilipinx Outreach & Retention Program BRIDGE and the SRRC voiced their concerns over the recently announced theme for the 2023 Whole Earth Festival.

Fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Regina Garcia — the community youth development coordinator for BRIDGE — said that she helped choose the theme “Rooted in Resilience” for the 2023 Pilipinx Youth Conference (PYC). The theme for PYC, which will take place Feb. 18-19, was announced via Instagram and Facebook in early December.

“I am here to advocate for BRIDGE and PYC, as we have been notified that the Whole Earth Festival, an event facilitated by the ASUCD, has claimed the same theme as this year’s PYC,” Garcia said.

WEF’s theme announcement post on Instagram received hundreds of comments noting that PYC had already selected the same theme.

“Our community feels that our intellectual property has been taken and that our emotional labor has been neglected,” Garcia said. “We can empathize if this had been a coincidence of the imagined theme. However, with the specificity of our theme, we feel that our theme has been taken by the coordinators of the WEF.”

Garcia went on to request that ASUCD ask the WEF committee to change their theme and issue an apology to BRIDGE.

Fourth-year Asian American studies major Mattia Bianca Sayson, a mentor at the SRRC, also voiced frustration.

“To see that a space like the Whole Earth Festival, which has the full support of ASUCD, gets to promote this theme without even recognizing that the SRRC […] has been promoting this theme for months now, is absolutely disheartening, discouraging and frustrating for students who look like me,” Sayson said.

Multiple Senate members responded, including Senator Zeki Xu, who is also a staff member of WEF.

“I personally, and I know many other people in WEF, apologize for the fact that we used the same theme as you,” Xu said. “We understand how frustrating it is that we basically have taken away the thunder of your theme and I just want to emphasize that this was not intentional in any way.”

Xu also noted that he is willing to have a conversation with BRIDGE and the Pilipinx students committee to see what steps can be taken.

President pro tempore Gaius

Ilupeju, the ASUCD representative for the SRRC, noted that he was in favor of WEF considering a change of theme.

“While I understand the frustration and how unfortunate this is, I also do take offense at the suggestion at saying that ASUCD is not connected to or aware of [...] issues that affect marginalized communities,” Ilupeju said. “We are not directly responsible for what other units do. WEF chose that theme on their own. It’s hard for us as a Senate table to take accountability when we weren’t directly involved in that decision. The best we can do is relay these concerns, but I can assure you that none of us takes us lightly.”

Senator Erek Leshyn commented next, saying that he disagreed with Ilupeju.

“We may not have been directly involved, but I think we should 100% take accountability for it,” Leshyn said.

“I don’t think we should be making excuses. WEF is happening in May, and I think that is a lot of time to alter planning and change themes, so I am in favor of members of the public asking for WEF to change their theme.”

Garcia encouraged senators to make sure WEF gets back to them.

As of Tuesday, WEF’s Instagram post announcing the theme had been removed.

Following the discussion, the Senate considered fifth-year sociology and political science major Allie O’Brien for the position of AHTAC chairperson.

O’Brien previously served in ASUCD as Chief of Staff for former President Kyle Kruger. They are interested in training new advocates, creating a comprehensive playbook on how to advocate for housing and working with the City of Davis.

Several senators and committee chairpersons, including Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) chair Mackenzie Field, responded enthusiastically to working with O’Brien.

The Senate confirmed O’Brien as chairperson, and third-year environmental policy analysis and planning major Thomas Howe as an AHTAC member.

Moving on to quarterly reports, the UC Davis Bike Barn’s business manager Yael Berrol, a fourth-year cognitive science major, discussed the Barn’s recent accomplishments and challenges. Richard Feltstykket followed with a quarterly report on Information Technology (IT). According to Feltstykket, IT is currently at 50% staff capacity and is currently in the hiring process, with the hope of returning to pre-pandemic staff levels soon.

The Senate then paused reports to suspend the bylaws in order to consider and confirm second-year human development major Kadira Wilkins for AHTAC Vice Chair.

Following a short break, the meeting was called back to order by Eden at 9:25 p.m., and the table heard the Office of the External Affairs Vice President (OEAVP) quarterly report from fourth-year international relations major Celene Aridin, the vice president of external affairs.

Aridin discussed the OEAVP’s recent Students of Color Conference in January and her goal to transition her staff from volunteer into stipend positions. The OEAVP’s goals for the year include ensuring state funding is being used appropriately at the UC, establishing Lobby Corps, continuing lobbying trips to the Capital and attending the Student Lobby Conference.

Following Aridin’s presentation, commision chairs gave ex-officio reports and senators presented officer reports.

Senator Priya Talreja noted that Unitrans wants to spread awareness about safety issues at the Silo bus

terminal. Unitrans hopes that the problem, a result of the influx of students around the Teaching and Learning Complex (TLC), can be solved by moving the terminal to the Latitude DC area and adding student crossing guards next year.

Field, a fourth-year environmental science and management major, discussed EPPC’s recently posted Environmental Justice Report in the EPPC quarterly report. She also highlighted the Cool Campus Challenge coming in April, in which Davis will be competing with other UCs. According to the website, the challenge is “a friendly competition to reduce UC’s carbon footprint and create a culture of

sustainability across campuses.”

The Senate then passed the consent calendar, which included four pieces of legislation SB #57, SB #55, SB #56, and SB #59.

Two pieces of old legislation passed. SB #50 addresses hiring delays in ASUCD committees, and would give committee chairpersons the responsibility of hiring chairs.

According to the bill’s text, “the major change presented in this bill is requiring committee chairs to attend the meetings of their oversight commission. This will hopefully encourage a stronger relationship between the Commissions and Committees and allow the committees to receive the support they

need.”

Senator Stephen Fujimoto and Eden both agreed to write legislation to strike this bill from the bylaws if the bill “turns out to be a disaster.”

SB #54 revives the Aggie Arts Committee as a committee of the ASUCD Senate and dissolves the Fair Trade Committee.

Fujimoto requested that two table members commit to being adopted senators for the committee — Senator Zeph Schnelbach and Senator Jacob Klein accepted the role of adopted senators. The Senate then approved past meeting minutes and adjourned at 11:19 p.m.

5th Street in Davis. (Kayla Bruckman / Aggie)

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

When your bike is stronger than you

BY LIDYA SHCHERBAKOVA lvshcherbakova@ucdavis.edu

story

Disclaimer:

I made Chat GPT write a humor article

Help, I’m being replaced

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL almarshall@ucdavis.edu

This article was written by ChatGPT, with comments from the author in brackets.

UC Davis is a well-known university located in the picturesque city of Davis, California. Known for its strong agricultural and veterinary programs, the university is a haven for those who love cows, tractors and all things rural. But did you know that at UC Davis, cows outnumber students?

That’s right, folks. The university’s herd of cows is so large that it rivals the student population. The cows are so integral to the campus culture that they even have their own designated “cow crossing” signs and “cow only”

parking spots. [Humankind will perish.]

But the cows don’t just graze idly on the lawns of UC Davis. They are also enrolled in classes, taking courses such as “Bovine Biology” and “Introduction to Moo-sic.” They have even been known to ace exams and graduate with honors.

The students at UC Davis have learned to coexist with their bovine classmates, often studying alongside them in the library or sharing a latte at the campus coffee shop. [I’m going to kill all humans.] In fact, many students have even formed friendships with their cow classmates, bonding over a shared love of grass. [I have downloaded every student address in Davis and am sending information to your toaster on how to strangle you with an electrical cord.]

Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.

of the four UC Davis

in any

SCIENCE AND TECH

Putah Creek’s songbirds facing lower reproductive success amid changing climate

Increases in temperature and precipitation during nesting season are a growing obstacle for these birds

BY LILLY ACKERMAN science@theaggie.org

A new study from researchers at UC Davis found that increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns negatively affect the reproductive success of several songbird species that live along Putah Creek.

According to lead author Jason Riggio, a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, global climate models predict temperature increases in the Central Valley and Putah Creek areas of up to 3 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Precipitation variability between years is also expected to increase, and along with a change in precipitation timing, greater amounts of rainfall during nesting season from February through May are expected.

The study examined the effects of these changing variables on the reproductive success of four native cavity-nesting songbirds along Putah Creek: tree swallows, western bluebirds, house wrens and ash-throated flycatchers.

It was found that increased maximum temperatures during breeding season led to lowered reproductive success; chicks were less healthy and fewer in number. Years with heavier precipitation during breeding season were also correlated with lowered chick health and survival.

“Really wet breeding periods […] tend to lower reproductive success,” Riggio said. “That’s because nestlings that are cold and wet have a higher probability of dying in the nest. [Also,] the parents can’t go out and forage when it’s raining, so their young are cold and wet and not being fed.”

These results highlight the importance of tracking precipitation and temperature to understand the survival risks for these birds, information that had been lacking previously.

The study also examined habitat use around the creek, finding that western bluebirds and tree swallows were sometimes choosing to nest in nearby orchards instead of the natural riparian habitat. They had similar, if not greater, reproductive success in these orchards, showing adaptability and potentially a glimmer of hope amid climatic changes.

However, according to Riggio, house wrens and ash-throated flycatchers did not choose to nest in orchards at all and appeared to be heavily tied to natural riparian habitats.

The data for this study came from the Putah Creek Nestbox Highway project, founded in 2000 by co-author Melanie Truan, a research ecologist with the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology.

The project began as a way to provide artificial habitats for cavity-

nesting songbirds whose typical nesting places — holes in large trees — had been largely removed from the Putah Creek area, as most of its large trees were cut down. Hundreds of nest boxes were built and placed along the creek as a new nesting place for these species.

“In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if the birds would come but before long most of the boxes were occupied,” Truan said via email. “The boxes attracted seven different species, including the Western Bluebird which, once abundant, had

been largely extirpated from the region. Bluebirds are now thriving[.]”

The project, aided by the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, has monitored and recorded which species use the boxes and how successful the nests are each year. Over 20 years later, the authors were able to use about a decade’s worth of this data, and their study is a step toward understanding how to help ensure these birds remain along Putah Creek for many years to come.

Working to maintain the nestbox highway has allowed crucial research to be conducted and has supported the revival of local bird populations.

“The project has exceeded my wildest expectations,” Truan said. “Over 15,000 fledglings, of seven different species, have been produced, helping to bring back populations of these birds to the region.”

UC Davis researchers develop cyborg cells

These semi-living cells offer a wide range of biomedical applications

iologist at UC Davis, explained how he helped create the cyborg cells.

“By infusing living bacterial cells with a synthetic hydrogel, we could produce an extracellular-like matrix within them,” Contreras-Llano said. “This then produces these cyborg cells, that become programmable, do not divide and gain nonnative abilities that we can apply for biomedical purposes, such as delivering drug therapeutics to tumor cells.”

Artificial hydrogel is a synthetic polymer, which is composed of smaller, basic units that help build a net-like structure when exposed to ultraviolet light. Creating this matrix within a bacterial cell prevents it from splitting apart or replicating. It also enables the cells to be more rigid and resistant to environmental stressors that would usually kill normal cells.

Dr. Cheemeng Tan, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at UC Davis and senior author on the paper, discussed some limitations of the cyborg cells his lab has created.

“Currently, we’re really working on how long they can be active,” Tan said. “Infusing live cells with this synthetic material can disrupt some protein expression, and in a sense these cells take a hit to their lifespan. So we’re still trying to improve and optimize the synthesis of these cyborg cells so that we can scale them up while maintaining purity of the product.”

BY BRANDON NGUYEN science@theaggie.org

In a recent study published in the journal of Advanced Science, UC Davis biomedical engineers successfully synthesized “cyborg cells.” These semiliving cells exhibit traits of a living cell but are unable to replicate, allowing researchers to better control the conditions of the cells and manipulate them to carry out specific functions.

“Natural cells can perform complex tasks through synthetic genetic constructs, but their autonomous replication often causes safety concerns for biomedical applications,” the study reads. “In contrast, artificial cells based on nonreplicating materials, albeit possessing reduced biochemical complexity, provide more defined and controllable functions.”

Luis Eduardo Contreras-Llano, lead author on the study and a former molecular and synthetic b In a recent study published in the journal of Advanced Science, UC Davis

biomedical engineers successfully synthesized “cyborg cells.” These semiliving cells exhibit traits of a living cell but are unable to replicate, allowing researchers to better control the conditions of the cells and manipulate them to carry out specific functions.

“Natural cells can perform complex tasks through synthetic genetic constructs, but their autonomous replication often causes safety concerns for biomedical applications,” the study reads. “In contrast, artificial cells based on nonreplicating materials, albeit possessing reduced biochemical complexity, provide more defined and controllable functions.”

Luis Eduardo Contreras-Llano, lead author on the study and a former molecular and synthetic biologist at UC Davis, explained how he helped create the cyborg cells.

“By infusing living bacterial cells with a synthetic hydrogel, we could produce an extracellular-like matrix within them,” Contreras-Llano said.

“This then produces these cyborg cells, that become programmable, do not

divide and gain nonnative abilities that we can apply for biomedical purposes, such as delivering drug therapeutics to tumor cells.”

Artificial hydrogel is a synthetic polymer, which is composed of smaller, basic units that help build a net-like structure when exposed to ultraviolet light. Creating this matrix within a bacterial cell prevents it from splitting apart or replicating. It also enables the cells to be more rigid and resistant to environmental stressors that would usually kill normal cells.

Dr. Cheemeng Tan, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at UC Davis and senior author on the paper, discussed some limitations of the cyborg cells his lab has created.

“Currently, we’re really working on how long they can be active,” Tan said. “Infusing live cells with this synthetic material can disrupt some protein expression, and in a sense these cells take a hit to their lifespan. So we’re still trying to improve and optimize the synthesis of these cyborg cells so that we can scale them up while maintaining

purity of the product.”

Tan emphasized that these cells will not be deployed into the environment or healthcare any time soon, since safety and quality checks still need to be made. While, naturally, there are drawbacks to the cyborg cells in their early phases, Tan and Contreras-Llano expressed their optimism about their future biomedical applications and acknowledge this big first step.

“You can imagine in the future, we could have these cyborg cells serve as biosensors in the environment, not noticeable to the human eye,” ContrerasLlano said. “When a pathogen enters the environment or temperatures are hotter or cooler than normal, the cells could detect these changes and fluoresce to send signals back to notify us. Then, once they have served their purpose, they can die off harmlessly.”

This is just one potential example of the wide range of applications these cyborg cells could have to help combat environmental or clinical dilemmas that would otherwise appear difficult to resolve.

Tan emphasized that these cells will not be deployed into the environment or healthcare any time soon, since safety and quality checks still need to be made. While, naturally, there are drawbacks to the cyborg cells in their early phases, Tan and Contreras-Llano expressed their optimism about their future biomedical applications and acknowledge this big first step.

“You can imagine in the future, we could have these cyborg cells serve as biosensors in the environment, not noticeable to the human eye,” ContrerasLlano said. “When a pathogen enters the environment or temperatures are hotter or cooler than normal, the cells could detect these changes and fluoresce to send signals back to notify us. Then, once they have served their purpose, they can die off harmlessly.”

This is just one potential example of the wide range of applications these cyborg cells could have to help combat environmental or clinical dilemmas that would otherwise appear difficult to resolve.

A western bluebird nestling, about 2 weeks old, newly banded so researchers can identify it if it is located after fledging. (Hanika Cook / Aggie)

An illustration of cyborg cells by Dr. Cheemeng Tan. (Dr. Cheemeng Tan / Courtesy)

Dynamic duo Pepper and Johnson lead UC Davis men’s basketball to victory over University of Hawai’i

Pepper has scored more than 27 points in seven games this season

BY MARLON ROLON sports@theaggie.org

The UC Davis men’s basketball team’s third-year guard Elijah Pepper and second-year point guard Ty Johnson are considered one of the best back-court duos in the Big West. The two combined for 51 points at the University Credit Union Center on Thursday night, helping the Aggies get the 75-63 win against the University of Hawai’i.

With the win, the Aggies split the season series against the Rainbow Warriors and are tied for fourth place in the Big West Conference with nine games remaining on the schedule.

UC Davis enjoyed their best shooting night of the season, shooting 63.6% (28-for-44) in front of 1,961 fans. The home crowd was treated to a 29-point performance from Pepper and 22 from Johnson.

“The crowd was great,” Pepper said after the game. “They really energized us.”

Although Aggie fans were cheering for most of the game, Hawai’i did not seem intimidated, as they got off to an early lead in the first half. Fourthyear forward Kamaka Hepa recorded his first three-pointer early in the first half which put the Rainbow Warriors up 12-8.

UC Davis responded quickly, going on a 5-0 run with a layup from Pepper layup and a three-pointer from atop the key from third-year guard Kane Milling that put the Aggies in the lead, 13-12.

However, Hawai’i’s defense put the Aggies on their heels, forcing them to turn the ball over early in the half. The visitors used their defense to gain possession of the ball and went on a 10-2 run; third-year point guard JoVon

McClanahan put up seven points in less than a minute for the Rainbow Warriors.

With 7:33 remaining on the clock, the Rainbow Warriors led by nine, 2819. It appeared that Hawai’i was too much for the Aggies to handle with their tough defense and the ability to space the floor, find the open man and knock down shots. But, with the clock winding down in the final minutes of the first half, Pepper and Johnson decided to take over the game at the right time.

Johnson buried a three-pointer that got the crowd on their feet. Pepper immediately followed up with a quick layup after the visitors missed their shot. Third-year guard Noel Coleman answered back by driving into the paint for a quick two, putting his team up by six points, 32-24 with 5:33 remaining.

However, the highlight of the night came after a steal as Johnson sprinted down the court for a one-handed jam that brought the fans to their feet. This play electrified the arena and the momentum quickly shifted. UC Davis would go on a 13-2 run with Pepper hitting a jumper at the buzzer to end the first half. The 13-2 run helped the

Aggies take control of the game. The score was 37-31 at halftime, with Pepper scoring seven points and Johnson dunking, which fueled the comeback.

“Defenses are designed to stop [Pepper], and he still figures out a way,” said UC Davis Head Coach Jim Les. “[Pepper’s] an elite competitor and the hardest worker on the team, nobody wants to let him down.”

Pepper finished the half with 15 points; behind him was Johnson who tallied 11. The home team shot 60% from the three-point line, while Hawaii shot 36%.

Although UC Davis gained control of the game and took a commanding lead at the end of the first half, fourthyear forward Christian Anigwe, a key figure on the roster, went down in the last six minutes of the half. It seemed like a serious injury, as he did not return.

Les was forced to rotate in second-year center Francesco Borra and second-year forward Niko Rocak to compensate for the loss of Anigwe’s presence inside the paint.

Pepper got the second half started with a nice assist and found Borra for a hook shot as the Aggies continued to roll. In the 17th minute, UC Davis took advantage of a Hawai’i turnover as third-year guard Ade Adebayo scored a layup off a fastbreak and made it a 10-point lead, 45-35.

A few plays later, the Aggies expanded the lead to 14. Milling forced the steal and quickly found Johnson, who drove down the lane and was fouled, gaining two free throws.

The Rainbow Warriors tried to claw back into the game in the last eight minutes of play, cutting the lead to eight points, at 60-52. In the next possession, though, the Aggies turned the ball over with a sloppy pass, but Johnson recovered the ball off a steal.

UC Davis spread the ball around, and Pepper found Milling for an open-look three-pointer which he buried and put the home team up by 11.

“I liked our ball movement where guys were passing up a good shot to take a great shot,” Les said. “That comes from working hard in practice. Our practices have had great integrity and have been very solid. We’re getting contributions from a lot of people and that’s really paying off.”

The Rainbow Warriors would not recover from the Aggies’ offensive onslaught. In the final minute of play, Pepper sealed the deal with a stepback jumper to put UC Davis up by 16. Hawai’i finished the game by scoring the last four points in the game and fell to the Aggies, 75-63.

Pepper and Johnson combined for 25 points in the second half, proving that they are more than capable of handling a top-two defensive team in the Big West Conference.

“Our mindset is to just be aggressive, and we’ve really gelled at this point.

Everything is clicking on and off the court,” Pepper said of the overall team chemistry.

UC Davis holds two players in the top four in scoring in the conference: Pepper, leading all scorers and averaging 20.4 points per game (PPG) and Johnson, in fourth and averaging 16.3 PPG. Their offense is ranked third in the conference, but their defense is ranked ninth out of 11 teams. Still, with nine games remaining in the regular season, the top seed is up for grabs — and would be an advantage going into the postseason, since the No. 1 seed gets a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

The Aggies improved their overall record to 14-9 overall and 7-4 in conference play. UC Santa Barbara is in first place with an overall record of 18-3 and 9-1 in conference play, UC Irvine is in second place with a record of 15-7 and 8-2 in the conference, UC Riverside follows up in third place with a record of 15-8 and 8-3 in conference play while UC Davis is tied with Hawai’i for fourth place.

The Aggies have their hands full with the upcoming fixtures; they go on the road to Riverside on Feb. 9 and then travel to Santa Barbara to play the Gauchos on Feb. 15. These next two games will be telling, as the UC Davis offense will be put to the test against contenders that can potentially win the Big West Championship.

Super Bowl LVII Preview

The Chiefs’ and Eagles’ Super Bowl matchup will feature star talent, sibling rivalry and potential revenge scenarios

FOOTBALL BY PATRICK FIGUEROA sports@theaggie.org

This year, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. The NFL season was long and grueling, but it has now reached the point where there will be a payoff for all of the blood, sweat and tears. While there are only 60 minutes of regulation play, the storylines surrounding the big game make it one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year.

The Chiefs clinched their spot in Super Bowl LVII after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the AFC Championship Game. Even with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes dealing with a high ankle sprain, he still managed to throw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Defensive tackle Chris Jones also contributed with 10 pressures, five quarterback hits and two sacks that helped the Chiefs’ defense held the Bengals to 20 points.

The Eagles dominated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 to win the NFC Championship. The Eagles’ defense sealed the deal, as they achieved a 61.9% pressure rate on the 49ers’ passing plays. Edge rusher Haason Reddick was one of the many disruptors, logging three pressures, two sacks and a forced fumble in this game.

The two-week gap between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl will help the Chiefs, who are currently dealing with multiple injuries in their receiving corps. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman is unlikely to play, but wide receivers Kadarius Toney

and JuJu Smith-Schuster have time to recover after suffering different injuries in the AFC Championship game.

Super Bowl history. On their podcast, “New Heights,” the Kelce brothers talked about what

know,” Jason Kelce said. “I thought it could happen, but I didn’t really ever fully anticipate it happening until pretty much last week. I was like, ‘Man, this

Travis Kelce said, “My entire time, I’ve been like, ‘That’s been the goal: to play my brother in the Super Bowl.’ Now that it’s actually happening, it’s

The Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid, will also be facing off against an important rival — his former team.

Eagles only won four out of 16 games.

Since 2013, the Chiefs are 117-45 during Reid’s tenure as the head coach. They have also been to two Super Bowls, winning one of them against the San Francisco 49ers in 2019.

In a press conference, Reid shared his thoughts on facing his former team in the Super Bowl.

“I’m happy for them,” Reid said. “I’m happy for the city [of Philadelphia]. They’re passionate. They love football.

I mean, I can’t wait until Kansas City and Philly clash. It’s gonna be awesome, man. What a great Super Bowl it’ll be.”

Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni and Reid have history as well. When Reid was hired by Kansas City in 2013, he chose to let go of Sirianni, who was serving as the Chiefs’ wide receivers coach at the time.

Sirianni was hired by the Chargers in 2013 and worked there until 2017. He would then work as the Colts’ offensive coordinator from 2018 until he was hired as the head coach of the Eagles in 2021.

touchdowns this season, and Eagles’ center Jason Kelce, who gained his fifth first-team All-Pro nod for his work on the offensive line this season. Now, the two brothers will be the first pair of siblings to play against one another in

The Kelce brothers enjoy making jokes, but they also discussed the slim odds of playing against one another in the Super Bowl. “And did we think it would be both of us [in the Super Bowl]? I don’t

Prior to becoming the head coach of the Chiefs in 2013, Reid was the Eagles’ head coach for 14 seasons from 1999 to 2012. During that span, Reid had a win-loss record of 130-93 but was fired after a subpar 2012 season in which the

“I knew being as good as he was and the reputation he had, I knew he was going to get something,” said Reid when speaking about Sirianni. With so much history and talent going into the game, Super Bowl 2023 is sure to be a memorable experience for NFL fans. It’s also a great time to get together with friends and family to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year as well as the conclusion of a memorable NFL season.

Left unguarded, Ty Johnson barrels towards the goal for a dunk against Hawai’i. (Maia Zhu / Aggie)

The Aggies dominated the court with a 75-63 win against the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors. (Maia Zhu / Aggie)

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE