January 27, 2022

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VOLUME 140, ISSUE 14 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

STUDENTS CALL FOR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OF UC DAVIS ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR Previously, Christian Baldini was temporarily removed without pay after substantiated allegations of sexual harassment toward an undergraduate student

BY JENNIFER MA campus@theaggie.org Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual harassment which some readers may find disturbing.

In September 2017, a university investigation was conducted and found that Christian Baldini, the UC Davis symphony orchestra conductor, sexually harassed a female undergraduate student.

Baldini was temporarily removed without pay for four months before returning to campus, and the undergraduate student left the university after the incident, according to an article in The California Aggie from 2018.

In December 2021, a petition was created calling for Baldini’s removal. The petition states that the university should not wait for future misconduct to pursue dismissal. As of Jan. 21, 5,888 people have signed.

“Baldini creates an unsafe and uncomfortable environment for UC Davis students, causing many to avoid joining orchestra,” the petition states.

Alumna Alana Joldersma shared her experience as a member of the orchestra prior to the allegations and the university investigation in 2017.

“I joined the UC Davis symphony orchestra my freshman year,” Joldersma said. “After I competed [in the concerto competition] and then before a concert in spring quarter, we had a few hours of downtime from rehearsal until performance. Baldini came up to me and was like ‘Hey, you did a great job performing at the concerto competition, and I just want to commend you on doing that as a freshman.

Would you like to talk about your results, would you like any feedback?’”

Instead of talking backstage, Baldini took her to his dressing room and closed the door but did not lock it.

“During the 20 minutes I was there, we didn’t talk about my performance,” Joldersma said. “He was just asking me a bunch of weird,

UC Davis Music Building in January 2021. (Quinn Spooner/ Aggie) personal questions that didn’t pertain to my performance at all. Like where I’m from, what ethnicity I am, do I have a boyfriend, what does this tattoo on my arm mean. Definitely made me feel uncomfortable. I do remember him taking my arm to point at a tattoo.”

Joldersma ended up not joining the symphony orchestra the following year; she attributes it to multiple factors, including a busy schedule and this experience.

“Maybe what he did was not intentional, maybe he can blame it on whatever he wants to blame it on, but, at the end of the day, him being here, if it creates an environment where students are uncomfortable and don’t want to join the orchestra or drop out of UC Davis, that’s not fair,” she said.

A first-year undeclared major, who was granted anonymity to protect her identity, also shared her experience, which occurred after the university investigation. She previously auditioned for orchestra but afterward decided not to join because of time and money constraints.

“I told [Baldini] that I didn’t want to do [orchestra] and my reasons,” she said. “I found it really strange that he still came to me after and said ‘Even though you’re not playing proficiently yet at a college level, we can take you in and develop yourself later on.’ I told him no on that, but I gave him my musical background information, just basically said my mom’s already put in so much money and effort into musical education. And he started to say, ‘You’re so

talented, I don’t want to lose you.’”

According to the student, she found it odd that he said she was talented, as he had previously told her she was not playing proficiently.

“That’s when he told me he would sponsor my lessons, like pay $100 out of the $300 required for 10 half-hour lessons,” she said. “I also told my family and friends. There was this one girl who I knew, she was in the school orchestra and she felt scared for me. She said it was like he was trying to get a handle on me, so I didn’t [accept the offer].

I just didn’t want anything else to do with him; I didn’t reply to his emails after that.”

The student said she signed the petition because many music majors are required to take classes that he teaches, and she does not want other students to feel uncomfortable like she did.

While Baldini declined The Aggie’s interview request, he directed The Aggie to Melissa Lutz Blouin, the director of news and media relations, who emailed a letter written by the university to ASUCD on Jan. 3.

“Reopening the investigation without new information would not result in a changed outcome, nor were there any deficiencies in the original investigation that would merit reopening it,” the letter states. “Moreover, as a public institution, we are not legally permitted to discipline an employee twice for the same conduct. However, we are firmly committed to ensuring an environment free of sexual harassment and will promptly address new allegations of sexual harassment involving Professor Baldini, including commencing an investigation if appropriate.”

Dana Topousis, the chief marketing and communications officer at UC Davis, shared the same letter with The Aggie when approached for comment.

Students can contact the UC Davis Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) to report incidents of sexual harrassment and sexual violence.

Additionally, the Center for Advocacy, Resources, and Education (CARE) provides free, confidential crisis intervention, advocacy and accompaniment services for all UC Davis student, staff, faculty and others who experience sexual violence in the context of a university program.

Other off-campus resources include empoweryolo.org for local resources and rainn.org, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

UC DAVIS’ AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF TOP 10 RESEARCH STORIES ACROSS ALL UCS UC Davis discovered a way to reduce methane emissions from

BY AARYA GUPTA science@theaggie.org

Professor Ermias Kebreab with the Department of Animal Science at UC Daviswith dairy cows at the UC Davis dairy barn. A previous experiment also found a reduction in emissions from feeding cows seaweed. (Greg Urquiaga / UC Davis) An article published by the University of California Office of the President deemed UC Davis’ research on the effects of feeding cattle seaweed on greenhouse gas emissions one of the top 10 research stories of 2021.

Professor and Sesnon Endowed Chair of the Animal Science Department Ermias Kebreab and graduate student Breanna Roque published the results of their study in March 2021 in the PLOS One Journal.

“We have been working on methane reduction [for] two decades already,” Kebreab said via email. “The renewed interest in climate change gave us the opportunity to continue in this line of work. Livestock contributes [a] considerable amount of methane so we wanted to find [a] solution for reduction.”

According to an article published by UC Davis, the number one source of greenhouse gases emitted from the agriculture sector is cattle. In particular, one cow can emit 220 pounds of methane each year. In comparison to carbon dioxide, methane is 28 times more potent.

“The state of [California] has a mandate to reduce methane emissions by 40 percent by 2030,” Kebreab said. “As a public university, UC Davis is charged with finding solutions to our stakeholders and to our state in general. So it is important that UC Davis find solutions to help farmers reduce their carbon footprint.”

Kebreab and Roque’s experiment followed a completely randomized design, and collected data from 21 Angus-Hereford cross beef steers, which were all randomly assigned to three different treatment groups.

“The main take-away is that by using such a small amount of seaweed[,] we can reduce emissions by over 80 percent, which is the first time such reductions were observed in livestock,” Kebreab said.

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CITY OF DAVIS MEETS TO DISCUSS DECENNIAL REDISTRICTING PROCESS The first district map drafts were presented at city council in the third hearing out of five concerning city district boundaries

BY LEVI GOLDSTEIN city@theaggie.org Every ten years, it is required by federal law that voting districts are redrawn to reflect the population data gathered by the Census.

Districts with well-balanced population numbers ensure that every elected representative has an equal number of voters, and that voters have equal representation and voting power.

The City of Davis is currently undergoing the redistricting process for city council member voting districts.

On Tuesday, Jan. 11, the first official draft maps for new city district boundaries were brought to the Davis city council. This was the third public hearing in a series of five that began in Nov. 2021. The final hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 15, during which the council will vote to officially adopt the final district map.

According to Assistant City Manager with the City of Davis Kelly Stachowitz, the city converted to a district election system in 2019, based on districts that were drawn according to 2010 Census data.

The council must approve maps that reflect changes in population between the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census. For the maps to be viable, the population difference between the districts with the smallest and largest populations cannot deviate from the target (the total city population divided by the number of

KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE districts) by more than 10%.

“We have to make sure that it works with population numbers,” Stachowitz said. “If you add to one district in one place, you may have to take away someplace else from the district in order to keep the districts relatively even. It’s just kind of a puzzle that you have to put together.”

REDISTRICTING on 7

UC DAVIS STAFF TO DEVELOP PLAN ENDING FOSSIL FUEL USE BY LATE 2022 This plan is a big step forward for UC Davis, following a series of other actions and efforts to reduce on-campus emissions

Fossil Free UCD climate march on Sept. 24, 2021. (Professor Stephen Wheeler, Professor in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis / Courtesy)

BY SHRADDHA JHINGAN city@theaggie.org In a meeting held on Jan. 4, Chancellor Gary May directed staff to create a plan to eliminate the use of fossil fuels at UC Davis by the end of the year. This decision comes after members of the Davis community had signed a petition encouraging UC Davis to end the use of fossil fuels as an energy source by 2030.

Stephen Wheeler, a professor in the department of Human Ecology and who is also involved with Fossil Free UCD, the organization behind the campaign and petition, said that this new step forward will also “help lead all the UCs” and could make UC Davis the first college to completely end the use of fossil fuels.

The Fossil Free UCD’s FAQ page provides a background into how the approach to fossil fuels within the UC system has evolved over the years. According to the website, UC campuses were required “to reach 2000 GHG emissions levels by 2014, 1990 levels by 2020, and carbon neutrality eventually at an unspecified date.”

Then in 2013, Janet Napolitano, the UC President at the time, announced the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, which means that UC campuses committed to emitting a net zero of greenhouse gasses by 2025. For UC Davis, this process has been staged in “scopes”.

Scope 1 emissions refer to “direct emissions from a source owned or controlled by an organization,” which at UC Davis are those from “campus operations,” according to UC Davis. Scope 2 however “are indirect emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by an organization’ for UC Davis these are purchased utilities, primarily electricity.” Lastly, Scope 3 emissions refer to “emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by the university but related to campus activities.”

This was followed by faculty across all UC campuses voting to request UC Regents to end investments in fossil fuels, known as fossil fuel divestment, which the UC Chief Investment Officer approved.

As of 2020, $215 billion in investments were fossil free, however in order to meet the Carbon Neutrality Initiative goal by 2025, UC campuses would have to depend heavily on carbon offsets. Thus, climate activists aimed to completely end the use of fossil fuels across the UC campuses.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

UC DAVIS RESEARCHERS USE HIGH-TECH METHODS TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE New project hopes to combat effects of climate change in African countries by combining technology and agriculture

BY MAYA SHYDLOWSKI features@theaggie.org UC Davis researchers in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are using plant genetics, artificial intelligence and three-dimensional (3D) modeling to develop new varieties of crops that will be able to withstand future climates.

The name of the project is GEMINI, which stands for GxExM Innovation in Intelligence for climate adaptation. The acronym GxExM is a common abbreviation in agricultural science that relates plants’ features as a function of genotype, environment and management. The team is focusing on three major crops grown and consumed in various African countries: common beans, black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas, and sorghum. The team hopes that with the help of this new technology, they will be able to predict the effects of future and ongoing changes in climate and then develop varieties that will be

best suited to grow in those conditions. To do this, three researchers are utilizing their different strengths to tackle this issue.

Christine Diepenbrock, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, has a lab that focuses on abiotic stress tolerance and improving the nutritional quality of crops through understanding crops’ genetics and genomics. Abiotic stresses are nonliving conditions like drought and high temperatures that may reduce a plant’s function. These are the types of stresses that the GEMINI project aims to address, especially as the world’s changing climate puts new and evolving stresses on agriculture.

“I am on what we call the pre-breeding and genetics side of the project, where we are working with breeding partners in West and East Africa,” Diepenbrock said. “We are partnering with breeders in Senegal, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania on ways to further inform and improve the sorghum and grain legume, namely the

Agriculture. (Aggie File)

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FOUR PIECES OF LEGISLATION PASSED AT JAN. 20 SENATE MEETING The Senate confirmed commission and committee members and heard quarterly reports from Unitrans and two committees

BY SONORA SLATER campus@theaggie.org

AGGIE FILE On Thursday, Jan. 20, at 6:10 p.m., the Senate meeting was called to order by Internal Vice President Juliana Martinez Hernandez.

Following roll call and the reading of the land acknowledgement, candidates Amanda Clark and Kevin Andrew Liu were confirmed as members of the Judicial Council.

“I really like the community at Davis, and I want to give back to it the way it’s given to me,” Clark said.

Jaisey Grace Joseph was then confirmed as the Internal Affairs Commission vice chair.

Next, Stephen Fujimoto, the chair of the ASUCD Research and Data Committee, gave a presentation informing the Senate about student government volunteers, focusing on internal tracking issues and the possibility of instituting pay for current volunteer positions.

According to Fujimoto, the presentation sought to provide information about the potential benefits of paying volunteers and encourage the Senate to seriously consider pay, rather than providing a committee stance on whether volunteers should be paid.

President Ryan Manriquez responded to the presentation.

“We are having these very real conversations,” Manriquez said.

“We want to make sure to explore avenues to make sure students are paid fairly, and students are paid for their time.”

Nic Riani, Christopher Tun, Kaytlin Kobayashi, Cynthia Juarez and Claudia Nava provided an update on CALPIRG, a student public interest activism group. They presented information on the organization’s activity during fall quarter, with a focus on 100%

renewable energy, ending oil drilling and affordable textbooks, and plans for this quarter, with a continued focus on affordable textbooks and a push to ban unnecessary plastics.

Following the CALPIRG presentation, UC Davis Fire Chief Nathan Trauernicht gave a presentation on Health 34, a mobile, integrated health initiative that, according to Trauernicht, seeks to “deliver what people need, when they need it, right where they are.”

“We’re not therapists, we’re not psychologists, we’re just people who can come and be with you in a moment, and then introduce you to resources,” Trauernicht said. “Health 34’s goal is to remove barriers from people not getting the help they need.”

Next, Malerie Hurley was confirmed as a member of the Gender and Sexuality Commission upon recommendation by Chairperson Ashley Chan. Ellie Hanssler, Britney Sun and Alexis Vlavianos were confirmed as alternates.

Hurley will seek to address issues of economic instability and lack of financial resources that face LGBTQ students.

Nine members were confirmed as a part of the Research and Data Committee, as recommended by Fujimoto.

One of the new members, Anchal Lamba, noted that they aspire to “bridge the gap between data science analysis and social impact.”

Kavika Kapoor was confirmed as an Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission member by recommendation of Chairperson Jared Lopez.

Jeffrey Flynn, the general manager at Unitrans, provided the unit’s quarterly report.

Winter quarter plans to restore 30-minute service on E and F lines and 15-minute all-day service on the West Village V line, as well as to launch a new line in West Village called the V Express, were put on hold after a return to remote learning and increased COVID-19 cases led to a significantly reduced available staff.

“A lot of the gains we made during fall have been completely erased, so as of now we are not going to be putting into place any of the improvements we planned for winter,” Flynn said. “Our goal is to try to keep fall service levels going for winter quarter starting the 31st. However, we may have to go back to summer service level depending on what the status of our workforce is.”

Flynn also gave an update on Unitrans’ ongoing transition to more sustainable operations, announcing that electric buses, which will replace the current gas buses over the process of 12 years, have begun production, but their arrival has been delayed to April 2022.

Mariah Padilla, the vice-chair of the Student Sustainability Career Fair Committee, gave the committee’s quarterly report.

Padilla recapped the organization’s fall quarter activities, including various sustainability-based social media campaigns and an inperson networking event, as well as detailing plans for winter quarter.

These plans include a continued online presence, welcoming new committee members, a virtual screening of “Coming Clean — A Demand for a Fossil Free UCD” and an Internship and Career Center Resume Workshop.

Brooke Isrow provided the AggieMentors Committee’s quarterly report, stating that the program has focused on remaining consistent throughout the school year so far.

Isrow also announced that AggieMentors is looking to hire a temporary chairperson to fill her position while she travels abroad during the next academic year.

After the elected officials provided individual updates about their progress throughout the week, the meeting shifted into Public Announcements.

Fujimoto shared that a survey asking students what mode of instruction and accommodations they want to see during winter quarter is now available.

The meeting then moved into Public Discussion.

Manriquez relayed feelings from the administration that the Senate table’s passage of resolutions may be too frequent. Members of the Senate then expressed opinions on the issue.

“I think a lot of times people don’t like to hear things, and I get that, but it is the Senate’s prerogative to write whatever [...] we would like to write,” Senator Owen Krauss said. “So with all due respect, I will continue to write resolutions.”

Next, the Senate moved into reviewing the status of previous legislation.

SB #35, which allocates $470.76 from the Senate reserves to the salary of the student advocate for winter quarter, passed automatically. Manriquez signed SB #36 which proposes changes to the ASUCD Champagne Award, and SR #19, which calls on faculty and the Academic Senate to not make use of proctored exams during remote learning winter quarter.

The table then moved into the introduction of new legislation.

SB #37 calls to establish an executive board of the ASUCD Lobby Corps, and the bill went to commission.

The Senate then moved to consider old legislation.

SB #32 passed unanimously. The bill will allocate $400 to Aggie Reuse for the purpose of making the EcoHub an occupiable space by funding a dumpster service to collect waste.

SB #38, which will provide a revised vision of the ASUCD Personnel Committee and further define its role, passed unanimously.

SR #20 recognizes January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The bill passed unanimously.

SR #21, which urges UC Davis administration, faculty and staff to recognize the barriers that menstrual pains and complications can present to academic success and provide accommodations accordingly, passed unanimously.

Senator Radhika Gawde adjourned the meeting at 10:26 p.m.

WALMART EGG PRICE-GOUGING CASE SETTLED IN YOLO COUNTY Walmart will pay $10,200 to the Yolo County Food Bank and $70,798 for the investigation cost and penalties

BY RACHEL SHEY city@theaggie.org On Jan. 5, the Yolo County District Attorney posted a press release describing the settlement of a Walmart price gouging case.

“As part of the settlement, Walmart agreed to pay a partial reimbursement for investigation costs and civil penalties totaling $70,798.00,” the press release read. “Walmart also agreed to pay $10,200.00 to the Yolo County Food Bank to support its mission to advance the quality of life of vulnerable county residents by elevating food security.”

The story of this case begins with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-44-20. The executive order prohibited the sale of food and other items “for a price that is more than 10 percent greater than the highest price charged by that person or entity for that item on February 4, 2020.”

The complaint in the Walmart case stated that Walmart had increased the egg price by over 10% in Yolo County. This was not just a complaint about Yolo County, nor was it just a complaint about Walmart. In a separate case, filed with the US District Court of the Northern District of California, the plaintiffs found that eggs were “grossly marked-up” at nearly every major grocery outlet in the US, among which were Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Amazon and Albertsons.

Not only does this violate the executive order, it also violates Penal Code Section 396, which states that during a state of emergency, it is “unlawful for a person, contractor, business, or

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE other entity to sell… any consumer food items or goods… for a price of more than 10 percent greater than the price charged by that person… immediately prior to the proclamation or declaration of emergency.”

What was the actual egg price increase?

According to Urner Barry, a dozen eggs cost $1.55 in California on March 2, 2020. On March 27, 2020, that price increased to $3.66.

This doubling in price looks like price gouging.

Urner Barry director Brian Mosoguiri told Reuters that this is just a normal function of the

economy. Most likely, people were worried about the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to shop ahead, buying more eggs than usual.

“People see a sharp increase in prices and assume they’re being gouged, but it’s just a function of the market,” Mosoguiri said in the article. “Egg prices are up because demand is up sharply. Suppliers are seeing four, five, six times the level of demand as before, and there’s essentially a fixed supply.”

According to the executive order, the increase in price is not considered unlawful if the seller

can show that the cost of making the goods has increased or if the item was on sale on Feb. 4, 2020.

Wholesale prices of eggs did increase to $3.09 in March 2020, and the rise in prices among grocery stores, including Walmart, was likely due to this wholesale price increase being passed along to consumers, according to Reuters.

Had grocery stores kept the same prices as before, they would have lost money on the eggs. A spokesperson for Trader Joe’s told TODAY that the grocery store did indeed lose money on eggs in March.

“Even while our costs were rising, we chose not to raise our prices on eggs during the time referenced,” the spokesperson told TODAY. “In fact, for a period of time, we lost money on eggs because of this.”

Walmart did not admit any wrongdoing, according to the press release, but agreed to pay reimbursement and give money to the food bank, in lieu of reimbursing the actual consumers. The stipulation states that it would be unfeasible to contact and reimburse every single consumer individually, and the overall cost would “far exceed the benefit consumers would gain.”

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig was pleased with the open communication with Walmart’s team.

“Our office is proud that communications with Walmart remained professional and constructive, that price discrepancies were corrected, and the Yolo Food Bank will have additional funds to support its mission,” Reisig said in the press release.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 | 3

SCIENCE AND TECH UC DAVIS NURSING STUDENTS ENHANCE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, CLINICAL PRACTICES IN INTIMATE SIMULATIONS Three different simulation spaces at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing provide a plethora of real-life scenarios for nursing students to prepare and apply their clinical knowledge

Nursing student participates in simulation in one bedroom apartment, tending to patient (mannequin) and patient’s partner, played by Terri Harvath (on the right). (UC Davis Regents / Courtesy).

BY BRANDON NGUYEN science@theaggie.org From tears and grief to newfound intimacies and growth, students at UC Davis’ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing are placed into authentic, complex simulations to apply clinical practices learned in the classroom. As part of the nursing school’s curriculum, these dynamic simulations are created by faculty — sometimes even involving them as actors — to create potential real-life scenarios that nurses may

encounter.

Terri Harvath, a professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and a nurse educator for over 20 years, is the mastermind behind developing simulations for the nursing students and has guided countless nursing students toward applicable real-life practices.

“Clinical practice of tasks has always been a part of nursing education, but I would say in the last 20 years, we’ve really been looking at how to introduce simulation, and we’ve gotten more and more sophisticated over time with how those

simulations can emulate real life situations,” Harvath said. “What we know about the research that’s been done in simulation as a part of nursing education is that the more authentic the experiences are, the more students learn and the more they grow in both their psychomotor and their interpersonal skills.”

To reproduce real-life experiences, faculty have focused on creating an environmental atmosphere in which nurses would most commonly find themselves. In Moore Hall on the UC Davis Sacramento campus, there are three different simulation spaces. The first involves a setup similar to that of the inpatient hospital unit that looks like an eight-bed hospital ward. The second simulation space comprises a 15-room primary clinical care space that patients typically enter to see their primary care providers. Unique to the UC Davis campus, the last space has been deliberately set in a one-bedroom apartment that emulates the home environment as health care shifts more into the community to tend to elderly patients, according to Harvath.

Megan Hansen, a communications and marketing specialist supporting several departments at UC Davis Health including the UC Davis Health Center for Simulation and Enhancement, has played the role of the partner of a dying patient in a simulation and reflects on the powerful experiences that simulations offer for both the students and herself.

“End-of-life care and death can be such a taboo topic in American culture, so I’ve been impressed by how this training session handles those discussions while imparting valuable knowledge and information to the students,” Hansen said via email. “I was so impressed with the students’ reactions. They were so soothing and kind, one even asked if she could hold my

hand. I felt cared for and their sincere care and concern was so evident to me.”

How the nursing students handled the simulations impressed Hansen, and she emphasized the importance of empathy in the health field.

“This [simulation] exemplified for me the types of warm, sensitive, caring and incredibly capable students we have at the nursing school,” Hansen said via email. “These are just the types of people we want out in the real world caring for our loved ones and us.”

The simulation Hansen volunteered to partake in involved a two-part end-of-life care situation that two nursing students immersed themselves in as the other students watched. The first part involved a woman in the hospital who decided to end treatment for cancer and go on hospice care. She was supported by her partner, which was the role that Hansen played. During this training, the two women discussed next steps with the care team.

In the second part of the simulation, which was held in the one-bedroom apartment environment, a woman who was ill was in her final moments and died while the nurses were visiting. It was up to the nurses to tell the partner that she had died.

Emily Boone, a second-year graduate nursing student, was one of the nursing students in this same simulation who had to deliver the news of the recently passed patient to Hansen.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

NEW PLANT DNA RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MUTATIONS ARE NON-RANDOM Research done at UC Davis and the Max Planck Institute discovered mutation bias in Arabidopsis thaliana plants

BY SONORA SLATER science@theaggie.org Grey Monroe, who is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis and principal investigator at the Monroe Lab, was a postdoctoral student in Germany at the Max Planck Institute when he made a surprising discovery — one that led to three years of plant genome research.

The research, published on Jan. 12 in the journal Nature, challenges the theory that DNA mutations are random.

“You’ve probably heard in biology class at some point that mutations are random,” Monroe said. “What we found is that the places that have very low mutation rates are actually the places in the genome that are responsible for the most important biological functions of the plant.”

According to a recent press release about the study, researchers spent three years sequencing the DNA of hundreds of Arabidopsis thaliana, or thale cress. Monroe said that this commonlystudied plant is the “fruit fly of plant research” due to its relatively small genome.

The press release went on to explain that researchers grew specimens in a lab environment, “which allowed plants with defects that may not have survived in nature [to] be able to survive in a controlled space.” When the genomes were then

sequenced, analysis of the mutations revealed a non-random pattern.

Detlef Weigel, the scientific director at Max Planck Institute and senior author on the study, talked about what “random” means when it comes to mutations.

“What is generally accepted is that mutations are random with respect to being ‘good,’ ‘bad’ or ‘neutral,’” Weigel said. “We assume that’s random, and then natural selection produces that pattern that we see. But this showed that instead, there are fewer mutations to begin with in those really important genes.”

However, even after seeing a pattern of non-random mutation, explanations other than mutation bias remained.

“How do you know you’re not just accidentally observing natural selection?” Monroe said. “Because we would expect natural selection to remove that bias anyway. So without getting into the weeds too much, no pun intended, we spent a lot of time doing analyses that were able to show that that was not what was going on.”

According to Mariele Lensink, a secondyear graduate student at UC Davis and one of the authors of the paper, they did this through running theoretical experiments and eventually creating a statistical framework to show support for evidence of mutation bias.

“I developed a way for us to confidently say that the results were due to mutation bias rather

Arabidopsis thaliana, or thale cress, grows in a controlled lab environment. Researchers used this plant to analyze patterns of mutation. (George Wang / Courtesy). than purifying selection,” Lensink said.

Monroe described one of the ways the results of this study might be applied to future research.

“Mutation is the source of cancer and genetic disease,” Monroe said. “If we can fully understand how this plant is protecting its most important places of the genome from mutating, understanding how that works and how that

evolves… it’s not going to cure cancer, but it just leads to a bunch of new questions that could inspire research.”

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STUDY SHOWS DRIED GOJI BERRIES MAY PREVENT AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION UC Davis researchers found that eating only a handful of dried goji berries increases protective pigments in the eye consistently consumed about 28 grams or a handful of berries for 90 days had an increase in the density of the pigments. According to the study, these pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, not only protect the eye against AMD but also filter out blue light. They act like sunscreen for the eyes. Meanwhile, the other group of participants, who took a commercial supplement did not see the same increase in density.

“The higher the concentration of these pigments in the eye’s retina, the more protection you have,” Xiang Li, the lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate for the Nutritional Biology program, said. “Their concentration is positively associated with cognitive performance.”

The study initially started with goji berries and their association with traditional Chinese diet and medicine. Li was born and raised in Northern China. Knowing that goji berries have “eye-brightening” qualities, Li was even more interested in researching the benefits of the berries.

BY MONICA MANMADKAR science@theaggie.org Consuming only a handful of dried goji berries can increase the density of protective pigment in the eyes, according to a study by UC Davis researchers. With a regular intake, these berries can help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is a disease that can cause central vision loss and affects one’s ability to read and recognize faces. It has affected over 11 million people in the U.S. and is the most common cause of vision loss for older people.

“If we would all live to 300 years old, then we would all have AMD at some point in our lives,” Dr. Glenn Yiu, an associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Life Sciences and a co-author on this study, said.

“It’s just that some people, especially those who smoke a lot and have light-colored eyes and skin, are more likely to develop AMD in their life during their sixties and seventies.”

During the small study conducted, researchers found that participants who

Xiang Li, the lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate for the Nutritional Biology program, holds goji berries, which were the focus of her study. (Prae Charoenwoodhipong / Courtesy).

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4 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

OPINION

LET’S CHANGE THE NARRATIVE SURROUNDING POST-GRADUATION PLANS

THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

EDITORIAL BOARD ANJINI VENUGOPAL Editor-in-Chief MARGO ROSENBAUM Managing Editor SOPHIE DEWEES Campus News Editor MADELEINE PAYNE City News Editor

It is important for graduating seniors to enjoy the last few months of college and not stress too much about the future

EDEN WINNIFORD Opinion Editor KATIE DEBENEDETTI Features Editor ALLIE BAILEY Arts & Culture Editor

The five months until spring commencement will pass swiftly, especially for graduating seniors. The stressful, anxiety-inducing — yet also quite exciting — search for jobs after college has already begun for many Aggies set to graduate this spring. While it is exciting to ask friends and classmates about their post-graduation plans, students should be conscious about these questions to not further worry students.

One of the most distressing parts of graduating for many students is the uncertainty of where to go, what to do next and how to support oneself after college. Graduating is an incredibly thrilling (but also, scary) time for students to have more freedom to start something new. For many, their lives up to this point have been planned out and directed by school, but now there are more opportunities. Post Commencement Stress Disorder (PCSD) affects some recent graduates “facing the task of choosing, changing or pursuing a career beyond the protective bubble provided by the traditional college campus,” Psychology Today reported.

It can be hard for students to feel excited about these new opportunities when they are so wrapped up in the application process. Whether they are applying for jobs, internships or graduate schools, the process is quite taxing and requires ample time, effort, energy and even money. It takes an average of three to six months for college students to secure a job after they graduate. With many requiring unique cover letters, letters of recommendation or personal essays, applying to jobs is a job in itself.

With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, many students fresh out of college must apply to many jobs to be hired for just one of them. While there are some programs specifically for recent graduates, many job listings recommend or require several years of experience. These extensive prerequisites inherently disadvantage new graduates, especially those who do not have prior work experience. It can be challenging for students to find time in their busy schedules to apply to many jobs, which heightens the stress and anxiety of students.

Some of the anxiety induced by graduation also comes from

feeling judged at the kind of work students want to go into right after college. Some students are not looking to get a professional 9-5 p.m. desk job right away — or ever. Some students need a financially stable job right after college; some want to return home to be with their families; some want to take time off. Regardless of what students decide to do, it is important to remember that they do not have to land the most prestigious job right after college.

Students should never feel judged by their plans as there is no right way to spend time after graduation.

We understand the excitement of asking about your friends’ and classmates’ post-grad plans, but for many, these questions heighten the already intense anxiety. Likely the best way to avoid stressing someone out is to wait for them to tell you. But, if you must ask, bringing up these questions casually can help prevent them from sounding judgemental or like an interrogation session. Everyone will have different preferences for how they like to be asked about their plans — or if they even like to be asked these questions at all.

It is important to be conscious of others’ body language during these conversations, and if someone looks uncomfortable because of the questions, it is best to ease up on asking.

Supporting oneself after graduation takes a lot of different forms depending on so many factors and will always differ from person to person. Students must also take care of themselves during the job application process. With so much time and effort demanded by applications, students should make decisions about how to best support themselves — and not to please others — throughout the process.

It is important to think about the future after graduating, but it is not worth stressing too much about these plans. There is not one correct direction for students after college and everyone will find a path that works best for them. In their last few months at UC Davis, graduating Aggies should be enjoying the end of college, because for many, this will be their last time going to school or living in Davis.

OMAR NAVARRO Sports Editor MICHELLE WONG Science & Tech Editor

KATHLEEN QUINN New Media Manager BENJAMIN CHENG Photo Director KATHERINE FRANKS Design Director JOELLE TAHTA Layout Director ANNE THISELTON-DYER Copy Chief SABINE LLOYD Copy Chief ANTHONY NGUYEN Social Media Manager JOSHUA GAZZANIGA Distribution Manager JENNA HEATH Marketing Manager JELENA LAPUZ Outreach Director LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

HUMOR

RESOLUTIONS

WHAT HAPPENED TO READING?

BY SEANNE JAVIER sajavier@ucdavis.edu

Books offer a lot more than you think KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE

BY ALEX MOTAWI almotawi@ucdavis.edu

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

Almost nobody reads for enjoyment anymore. Reading used to just be a part of life, but it feels like those days are gone now. It was less than a decade ago when you could have a casual conversation about books with almost everyone.

I remember showing up to school to talk about developments in the classics like “Percy Jackson” and “Harry Potter” or having to rush to finish the last book in the “Divergent” series before it was spoiled in passing. Moving into the science realm, people all over were enamored with authors like Malcolm Gladwell and Jared Diamond in a way that just doesn’t happen anymore. The love for books is gone.

People have abandoned books during their leisure time in favor of streaming and games (with television still being relevant for now) and are missing out because of it. Reading is a form of entertainment that is healthy, feels good and is just as enthralling as your screen — people who are not reading are missing out big time.

Science fiction and fantasy books are the sources behind so many successful shows standing in the spotlight. Producers are scooping up the rights to turn books into hit TV shows all the time now, and while the shows often end up good, they rarely give the original books their due. Hop on the hype trains before they leave the station by reading the books first! It keeps your brain growing, gives you a break from screens, shows your favorite characters in depth unrivaled

by TV and follows the plot that the author intended. Here are a few recent book franchises that have turned into successful shows topping the lists of your favorite streaming sites: “Game of Thrones,” the “Foundation” series, “The Witcher,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Expanse and Dune,” along with a “Lord of the Rings” TV show in production.

If you like any of those shows on TV, give the actual books a shot and try some similar books; you won’t regret it. If you want some fiction from popular franchises and legendary authors, here are a few options I highly recommend:

“The Foundation Trilogy” (series called the genesis of science fiction by Isaac Asimov), “The Licanius Trilogy” (a James Islington highfantasy series), “Star Wars: Phasma” (requires no “Star Wars” knowledge to be worth reading), “Wake of Vultures” (gender-inclusive) and “Mistborn” (incredible book series with a movie in production).

In addition to being self-improvement simply by choosing a book over a screen, psychology and self-improvement books can be used to really turn your life around if you invest just the slightest bit of your leisure time. I know many of you have never picked up a book like this before, so before you cringe and run, let me remind you that they are not textbooks. They are written by actual authors to stretch your brain in a way that’s actually enjoyable. Even if you are just leafing through a brain-health book to congratulate yourself on the advice you already follow, you are getting way more out of reading than you would be staring at a screen. You can find good books from quality authors on almost every subject, but some books that everyone will enjoy are “Freakonomics,” “Blink” and “Talking to Strangers.”

Reading has been steadily decreasing for decades now, but its benefits are so worth it that we need to fight for a resurgence. Maybe textbooks and the idea of reading for school as compared to reading for entertainment has blemished the shine of relaxing with a good book, but with school being entirely through a screen nowadays, taking a break with a book is a great refresher. If nothing else, authors have been writing classics for hundreds of years while showrunners have only been creating streaming originals for a couple. The horizon of great books to read is endless, and with everything books offer, it would serve you well to take a few steps toward it — trust me, it’s worth it.

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.

ARTS & CULTURE THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 | 5

ZENDAYA IS LIVING EVERY CHILD ACTOR’S DREAM The former Disney channel darling has blossomed into a successful actress and activist

BY CLARA FISCHER arts@theaggie.org The 2000s child actor to A-lister pipeline has produced some extremely successful celebrities, including the likes of Ariana Grande, Keke Palmer, Nick Jonas and Olivia Rodrigo.

One member of this club who is currently experiencing a major moment of pop culture relevancy is Zendaya.

Before garnering fame, the Bay Area native attended Oakland School for the Arts, a K-12 institution that combines college preparatory material with visual and performing arts.

Coincidentally, she shares the alma mater with her “Euphoria” costar Angus Cloud, though when asked about their high school relationship in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Cloud stated, “We had some of the same friends I guess, but I didn’t really know her.”

After booking some roles in her local theater (including a silkworm in her school’s production of “James and the Giant Peach”) and being part of a hip-hop dance group at the tender age of eight, Zendaya got her big break in 2010 as one of the lead roles in Disney’s “Shake It Up.” On the show, she starred as Rocky Blue, 14-year-old dancer and best friend to Bella Thorne’s CeCe Jones.

After “Shake It Up” ended its successful three-year run, Zendaya had a brief stint away from the Disney bubble, appearing on the 16th season of major reality TV show “Dancing With the Stars” as well as launching a short-lived (but fairly successful) music career. She ultimately came back to the company in 2015, but on her own terms this time around.

“The only way I was going back to Disney Channel was if I was in a position of more power,” said Zendaya in an interview with Cosmopolitan.

“One thing that is really important to me is diversity on the channel.”

KELLIE LU / AGGIE

BY SIERRA JIMENEZ arts@theaggie.org

She took on a dual job, both producing and starring in “K.C. Undercover.” The series focused on K.C. Cooper (played by Zendaya), an uber intelligent, black-belt wielding teenager who gets recruited to be a superspy, and the typical Disney channel shenanigans that ensue. Though still with Disney, Zendaya’s work on the show marked a pivotal moment in her career, proving not only her skills as a more mature actor, but also establishing her as someone not afraid to create necessary change in the industry.

And it’s exactly this fearless willingness to speak on issues that matter to her that sets Zendaya apart from her peers. Through her pure outspoken nature, she has become a spokesperson for diversity in the entertainment industry.

Zendaya herself has commented on the nature of her position a number of times.

Notably, in a discussion at 2018’s Beautycon Festival, she stated, “I am Hollywood’s acceptable version of a Black girl, and that has to change…

As a light-skinned Black woman it’s important that I’m using my privilege, my platform, to show you how much beauty there is in the African-American community.”

Another key aspect of her growth from child actor to well-respected A-lister was her use of fashion to represent her newfound maturity.

ZENDAYA on 7

THE HEARTWARMING HISTORY OF ‘SESAME STREET’ This loving community of humans and puppets from all walks of life promotes comprehensive early education for all

BY ANGIE CUMMINGS arts@theaggie.org Recently, an adorable red monster went viral on Twitter for his feud with a rock, reminding many of the quality entertainment they consumed almost daily as children. With the world-famous cast of muppets — including Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie and many more — “Sesame Street” has captivated audiences (both toddlers and adults alike) and provided educational entertainment across the U.S. for over 50 years.

Besides offering an enjoyable TV show, “Sesame Street” was founded on basic principles that at the time of its creation in 1969 were almost revolutionary. Instead of children’s programs revolving around selling breakfast cereal or the newest toy, the creators of “Sesame Street” (Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrissett) founded their public access show on providing researchbased education for all children. The show was actually created as an initiative to close the educational gap that began at the pre-K level for children in low-income families.

In addition to the typical TV producers, writers and artists, the show had a team of developmental and educational researchers, child psychologists and other specialists to not only teach children their ABCs and 123s, but a myriad other crucial skills many would otherwise miss out on during these formative years.

From skits of the muppets modeling conflict resolution to segments tackling abstract and difficult concepts like grief, “Sesame Street” has been helping children understand the world and people around them in a much deeper way than most TV.

From the very beginning, the show has known the importance of having a realistic reflection of who is watching their content on the screen.

In 1970, “Sesame Street” was banned by the Mississippi State Commission for Educational Television for being too integrated. Unlike the majority of TV or movies, the diversity on “Sesame Street” has always been unapologetically realistic. Besides having a diverse human cast that appropriately reflects the people who live in this country, the show has continually brought in muppets experiencing things many children do but never get to see represented in the media.

We all know the phrase “representation matters,” and when it comes to a show watched by the majority of this country’s population in their formative years, representation is a crucial part of identity formation and acceptance. In 2015, the show introduced a four-year-old muppet by the name of Julia, who was their first autistic character, providing neurodivergent children with an example of someone like them being accepted and understood, rather than ostracized or made the butt of a joke as so often used to be the case in entertainment.

There are segments and characters that help children understand familial homlessness, dealing with a loved one affected by drug-addiction and incarceration — topics typically entirely avoided by anything made for children, branding them unspeakable or shameful. Teaching about the things thousands of children and adults go through and helping them get through it is what “Sesame Street” is all about. The show’s history and continuing legacy inclusion and accessible education fosters a renewed sense of hope for future generations of audiences who are gaining skills that some adults have yet to learn.

Barbara Bush in a 1989 taping of Sesame Street at United Studios. *(Courtesy of George Bush Presidential Library and Museum)

Movie: “The Power of the Dog” dir. by Jane Campion (2021) Within five minutes — yes, five minutes — I was drawn into the Western allure and ominosity of this Netflix film. Benedict Cumberbatch does it again, playing extremely complex and mysterious characters effortlessly. A Western addict myself, this film incorporates the classic themes that we all know and love: toxic masculinity (although we don’t love this, per se, it tends to be a crucial part of Western film), a life of outdoors and freedom and some type of war waged between characters. What makes this Western film special in particular is the exploration of queerness in an typically hetero and rugged macho-man genre. The inclusion of a rather unfamiliar influence on a masculine-driven Western creates a domino effect on the psychological intricacies of the film’s plot. Pay close attention to detail in this film. Nothing is randomly placed, nothing is randomly said. It all connects in a strange way with an even more strange and disturbing ending.

TV Show: “Peaky Blinders” Thomas Shelby has been stuck on my Netflix watch list for a while now, almost begging me to engage in the Peaky Blinders gang life himself through his watchful eyes and secretive presence. Despite the series’ hype, I have not dabbled in the British criminal world until now, and I think it’s safe to say that I am now addicted. Whether I am cooking, taking a break between classes or just wanting to relax and wind down before bed, I’m a fiend for the captivating British crime drama. This series has mystery, romance, humor, drama, violence and pretty much every adjective possible all wrapped up into five thrilling seasons. The suave and sophisticated chaos makes the viewer wish they could join the family of the Peaky Blinder gang: a life full of adventure, family loyalty, trickery, gambling and booze-filled pubs with whiskey and cigarettes. Highly recommend (if you are of legal age) to sip on your favorite whiskey on rocks while getting blown away by the intoxicating cinematography, acting and soundtrack of the series — it makes you feel the prestige and control of being a Shelby yourself.

Album: “Pulp Fiction: Music from the Motion Picture” (1994) The iconic song “You Can Never Tell” from the infamous dancing scene at Jack Rabbit Slims naturally makes you shake your hands and feet like the duo Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega, but coupled with the legendary snippets of dialogue that seem to mistakenly be attached to the album, it elicits a fullbody experience. The movie can’t be encapsulated by the simplicity of a few songs, perhaps because it is not a film but an experience. The bridge between song and spoken word come together to create a chaotic masterpiece. Classic Quentin Tarantino: unpredictable yet brilliant. If accessible, slap the vinyl on and indulge in the patchworked soundtrack that will surely transport you into the “Pulp Fiction” experience without a need for visual aid — the scratch of the record, bangers from all ages and dialogue that sends shivers down your spine as if the characters from the film were talking directly to you.

Book: “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley (1932) A dystopian world where humans are hatched and citizens are engineered into an intelligence-based society, you wouldn’t think that this novel was published in 1932. Although these concepts may seem foreign, the science fiction novel depicts a technologically advanced futuristic society in which humans are dependent on a tech-driven world. Sound familiar?

Written as a plea for help, Huxley essentially predicts a drastic future of an industrious and accelerating society that is so obsessed with progress that it ends up being its own downfall. It is an interesting and relevant read despite its antiquated terminology, especially with the rise of environmental degradation and dependency on technology for everyday life. If the film series “The Matrix” didn’t do it for you, try to digest this one, then get back to me.

IS HARUKI MURAKAMI ‘POP’ OR ‘LITERARY’?

And does it even matter?

BY JACOB ANDERSON arts@theaggie.org As has been remarked by pretty much everyone, there are increasingly few writers of literary fiction that have ascended to the throne of worldwide icon in the previous two decades or so. One could make a compelling case for the likes of Jonathan Franzen or David Foster Wallace or take-your-pick-of-other-whitedude-postmodernist, but in the last 10 years?

Five years? Sally Rooney comes to mind, but the pool of truly well-known literary authors is undeniably evaporating. Reasons are myriad, and many now find it occasionally challenging to identify an iconic living writer without asking in their head for a moment, “Wait, is that dude/ chick still alive?”

For convenience, there has to be a name one can blurt out and be assured with near absolute certainty that the listener has read, one preferably not part of high school curriculum.

Enter Haruki Murakami: one of the few living rockstar fiction authors, whose every neatly terse sentence has been ingrained within a western reader, whose numberless first-person narrators and Beatles references have defined the American perception of Japanese literature for the majority of his life. Ignoring Murakami’s torpedoing of the Japanese literary canon in American minds, he offers one of the last modern points at which the wide spectrum of readers can converge with some sort of opinion. And it’s not surprising that he’s so popular: His style manages to achieve the difficult state of being both effortlessly readable

Haruki Murakami giving a lecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005.

Murakami is a Japanese author known for his magical realism books. (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) and almost spiritual. It evades all obfuscation and pushes the action of each work into a less conscious plane. It allows a pure communion with that undercurrent of supernatural logic that defines even his realistic novels.

As with any widely read author, Murakami of course has his detractors, and many of them not without sense. His unguided method of composition (in which the organization of each first draft consists of “sit down and write,” according to his book “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running”) can sometimes produce clunkers, and one gets the sense, especially in his later works, that his ego has grown to slimy proportions. But a consistent criticism (if it can be called that) is that his works are pop rather than literary.

MURAKAMI on 7

6 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 | 7

FOSSILFUEL

CROPBREEDING

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The meeting held on Jan. 4 represents the most recent development in this process and is a major step forward for reducing greenhouse gasses and their effect on the environment. There were previously other actions taken as well to work towards this goal. For example, in 2020 3,375 staff, faculty and students across the UC campuses signed a petition, with endorsement “by two major unions representing 50,000 staff” and “sponsored by Green New Deal,” known as the UC Energy Systems Petition, according to the FAQ page.

Stephanie Holden, a psychology Ph.D. student and member of Green New Deal, San Diego explained in a video that “we’ve experienced about 2 degrees Fahrenheit of Global Heating since the Industrial Revolution began.”

In a presentation by Fossil Free UCD held on Dec. 15, 2021, members of the organization noted that “our group today represents a much larger collaboration of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and researchers who want to see UCD play a global leadership role by ending its GHG emissions.”

In that presentation, they also noted that the UC system has been focusing on the 2013 Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI). This is not a viable solution however because “carbon neutral is not as good as fossil free. On-campus emissions

are not going down at any UC. The CNI depends on carbon offsets after 2025.”

Wheeler noted that other universities such as Stanford University are “ahead.” Stanford for instance aimed to use 100% renewable electricity in the form of solar power by 2021. UC Davis however is also making huge strides in this aspect.

In another Fossil Free UCD meeting held on Jan. 18, they debriefed on the meeting with the Chancellor and further discussed “climate efforts” at UC Davis.

The presentation notes that “Davis has made progress in reducing Davis campus emissions[...], but heating and cooling emissions (from gas) remain high, as do Sacramento campus emissions.” However, UC Davis has made great progress in buying cleaner electricity.

Wheeler said that an Advisory Sustainability Task Force was recently formed and will “oversee the planning process.” It is led by Director of Sustainability Camille Kirk and Jim Carroll, the associate vice chancellor who handles design and construction management.

Ultimately, the plan that will be developed by the end of 2022 will not only provide the details for “a road map for ending fossil fuel use,” the presentation said, but will also be a major advancement for combating climate change at UC Davis.

BESTRESEARCH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 After feeding the beef cattle seaweed, researchers concluded that cattle that consumed approximately 80 grams of seaweed emitted 82% less methane into the atmosphere, while gaining the same amount of weight as other cattle in their herd, according to the article.

“It is incredible to learn about how UC Davis is researching ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and discovering novel sustainable practices to improve the livestock industry overall,” third-year animal science major Azra Mahic said.

These results pave the way for a more sustainable production of beef and dairy products. Kebreab and Roque’s study also uncovered that seaweed had no effects on the taste of beef or milk.

“The main greenhouse gas from cattle is

methane so by reducing methane from livestock we can have [a] much more environmentally sustainable production system,” Kebreab said.

Similarly, third-year design major Emma Smith said she was intrigued by the applications of seaweed in animal sciences after learning about seaweed farming as a sustainable crop in her classes at UC Davis. Smith is also minoring climate science and policy and sustainability in the built environment.

“It is really exciting to hear that researchers here at UC Davis are using the superpower of seaweed to contribute to more sustainable practices when it comes to cattle,” Smith said.

“Not only is seaweed an important carbon sink, but it is super exciting to hear that it can reduce methane emissions from cows.”

REDISTRICTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 City council has been meeting with Redistricting Partners, a contracting firm that aids in the redistricting process. Their purpose is “to make sure that the population numbers [...] are meeting both the spirit and the intent of the law,” according to Stachowitz.

Paul Mitchell, a data consultant and Redistricting Partners’ owner, said during the city council hearing on Jan. 11 that in addition to equal population sizes, districts must be contiguous, keep communities of interest together, follow designated geographic boundaries such as highways and remain compact.

A community of interest is a “contiguous population that shares common social and economic interests,” according to the city’s redistricting website.

The city council has paid special attention to protecting communities of interest, including communities of renters versus homeowners, minority communities and specific neighborhoods.

“We want to make sure that if there was a community of interest [...] we put that community of interest in one district so that they’ll have a larger percentage of the voice, versus spreading them throughout two or three districts where their voice might be diluted,” Stachowitz said.

The city has provided various opportunities for public input during the process, including a public workshop on Dec. 13, 2021, a community of interest survey that closed Dec. 31, time allotted for public comment during hearings and an email address (districts@cityofdavis.org) to which residents can send comments and submit draft maps for consideration.

Most of the input the city has received is from residents of Aggie Village, a neighborhood in Davis that is considered a community of interest.

Aggie Village is currently zoned in District 5, which consists of South Davis, Olive Drive and a small piece of downtown.

“What they said was, ‘We believe that we are much more closely aligned in our needs and our interests and our issues with other downtown residents, and we believe that we should be in

a district with those residents, rather than where we are currently,’” Stachowitz said. “Both option A and option B of the draft maps [...] do take into consideration that input and include that neighborhood with the downtown area that they requested to be in.”

City council also considers the direct effects of redistricting on Davis residents when discussing draft maps. The main impact they’re concerned about is a result of staggered council member elections. Three out of five districts voted in Nov. 2020, before redistricting, and the remaining two will vote in Nov. 2022, with voters zoned based on the new district maps that will be approved this year.

Staggered elections are beneficial to the city because they allow for continuity on the council, according to Stachowitz. However, because some voters will change districts between elections, they could end up voting twice, or not at all. “‘Accelerated’ means that you voted in the last election but then your district got changed around and you’re actually going to vote again in the next election,” Stachowitz said. “The other way would be ‘deferred’, which is the exact opposite. It means that you didn’t vote in the last election but then your district was changed and wherever you are now is also not voting in the current election.”

Stachowitz said that the city council will try their best to limit the number of voters that are deferred.

The redistricting process is going smoothly thus far. However, one concern that was discussed during the hearing on Jan. 11 is that the city’s version of the city boundary lines don’t match up with the county’s version. Plans for the city’s Mapping and Geographic Information Systems staff to meet with Yolo County to discuss those inconsistencies and create a synced map based on taxpayer records should solve that issue. For now, it is causing a delay in the drafting process.

The final district draft maps will be released on Jan. 25. The fourth city council hearing is on Feb. 1. The finalized maps will be released on Feb. 8, which will be voted on at the final hearing on Feb. 15.

ZENDAYA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 “I wanted to create who I was as a person outside of my Disney character… Fashion helped with that,” Zendaya said in an interview with Janet Mock for Marie Claire. “My stylist, Law Roach, and I created a world beyond what I was known as through clothes.”

This approach worked, and Zendaya is now also famous for turning out some iconic fashion moments. Who could forget her hot pink breastplated Tom Ford dress for the 2020 Critics Choice Awards, or the plethora of showstopping Met Gala looks she and Roach have produced over the years? It’s safe to say that the young actress has already made a name for herself in the fashion industry.

Since her departure from Disney Channel, Zendaya has landed an astonishingly high rate of high-profile roles, including leads in Marvel’s

“Spider-Man” trilogy, “Dune” and “The Greatest Showman,” working with other big names like Tom Holland and Timothee Chalamet. She also stars in HBO’s hit teen-drama “Euphoria,” the show which led her to become the youngest recipient of the Emmy award for the “Best Actress in a Drama Series” category.

Suffice it to say, Zendaya is a shining example of how to successfully translate childhood fame into a rewarding career. As she puts it in her conversation with Mock, “Sometimes you build your platform to step off so others can step on, and that’s what honestly motivates me.”

Balancing the pressure of growing up in the spotlight with the gritty challenges of normal life is no mean feat, but that may just be part of the reason the public loves Zendaya — she makes it look easy.

Breeding is a huge industry worldwide, and working on staple crops like sorghum and grain legumes is crucial for feeding the world now and while the climate changes and population grows.

Meanwhile, Mason Earles, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Department of Viticulture and Enology, is working on a different aspect of the project. Earles is focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) sensors to speed up the existing phenotyping process for new potential crop varieties.

“The process of making measurements of different traits that are potentially desirable for breeding is called phenotyping,” Earles said.

“That phenotyping process usually consists of some form of sensors, whether that be cameras [...] or other types of sensors that measure various things that could be desirable. You want to find a way that you can speed up that phenotyping process.”

The way they want to speed up phenotyping is through machine learning and AI. Although most people do not think of agriculture as a high-tech industry, AI has helped growers and scientists improve the industry in a variety of sectors, including pest management and harvesting — which helps to feed the world’s growing population and makes it easier on farmers. Earles’ sensors will do that too. Using AI sensors will cut down on the time and cost of labor, as well as help assess traits that require special machines to measure.

Brian Bailey is the third leg of this team and an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, working on 3D modeling to predict how all the changing climate conditions will affect crops and what traits will be most resilient and necessary as the world faces these changes.

“My portion is about developing the modeling, specifically biophysical modeling tools, to complement and enhance some of the things that Mason talked about,” Bailey said.

“There’s really two veins of that. One of them is helping to — more accurately and across a wider range of conditions — extract those traits from those sensor measurements.”

Bailey is essentially using modeling to predict how different traits will affect the measurements from the AI sensors that Earles is working on.

The modeling will also help predict how plants will react under different climate conditions that are expected to become the norm in these African countries.

“The other part is about predicting the future,” Bailey said, “so being able to say which traits will be advantageous or what we might breed for the future.”

Diepenbrock said that combining her breeding and genetics knowledge with the AI sensing from Earles and the 3D modeling from Bailey gives the GEMINI project a lot of promise.

“I think that the tools that Brian and Mason bring to the table, separately and in collaboration with our team, is a really interesting combination,” Diepenbrock said. “It’s something new coming to the breeding process. I’ve worked with a different type of crop modeling, but I think the approach that Brian and the team have is very unique and gives us a lot of strengths that are going to be really interesting to deploy.”

The three researchers are also working with collaborators around the world to aid them in their endeavor. One of these is CGIAR, a

global research organization whose mission is to build a “food-secure future” through research developments and collaborations. They have a large network of breeding and agronomy centers around the world that work on breeding crops to have increased abiotic stress tolerance. While the organization focuses mainly on abiotic stress tolerance in staple crops, Diepenbrock said they have done some work on specialty crops and increasing the nutritional value of crops as well. Members of CGIAR will help test the new technologies as the GEMINI team develops them.

In the U.S., the GEMINI team will collaborate with UC Riverside and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Researchers at UC Riverside have conducted experiments and published a notable amount of work specifically on black-eyed peas, one of the crops GEMINI focuses on. The USDA-ARS has collected information and data on the common bean, another crop that the project is targeting. With the help of the various organizations and sources that will collaborate with the team, GEMINI has huge potential to make a big contribution to agricultural productivity and sustainability in West and East Africa.

So, why these crops and why these countries?

While these crops may not be commonly consumed in the U.S., they are staple crops in other countries. Sorghum is a grain crop, part of the grass family like wheat and oats. Its grains are good sources of protein, iron and zinc, and it is commonly grown in West African countries instead of other cash crops like corn because of its ability to grow in very dry conditions. Sorghum stalks can also be used as fiber for materials.

The black-eyed pea, or cowpea, is a legume crop that is popular in many African countries.

It is high in protein and also withstands hot, dry conditions. Legume crops have additional benefits as they can fix nitrogen in the soil with the help of beneficial soil microorganisms.

Similarly, common beans are also legumes and high in protein, and according to the USDA, the common bean is one of the most important food legumes around the world. All three of these crops provide consumers with high nutritive value, especially in terms of carbohydrates and proteins. They also provide an abundance of micronutrients, especially iron. These crops have the potential to not only feed but also nourish the people of these countries as long as agriculture can keep up with the growing population and withstand the changing climate.

Many hot, dry countries in Africa are already feeling the crippling effects of climate change.

According to the United Nations, West Africa is considered a “climate-change hotspot” that will experience the most dramatic effects in the near future. Growers are already dealing with rising temperatures and drier seasons, which are hurting crop growth and yield which will continue to impact food security and nutrition for people in those and surrounding areas. Breeding is one important tool for being able to keep yields of these crops high and growing efficiently now and in the future.

New technologies and collaborations will be needed to feed people globally with the ever-changing conditions of the world, and the GEMINI team said they believe that their work can have lasting effects on agriculture in Africa and beyond.

MURAKAMI CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 So what makes an author pop? There are some easy criteria to throw out. Genre authors are certainly pop (Stephen King, Brandon Sanderson), and so are adaptations (film novelizations, if those still exist). But of course genre fiction still usually has literary elements, and the distinction isn’t always clear. This is the point at which many get an urge to plagiarize Justice Potter Stewart (“I know it when I see it”!), but if we defer, we’ll get to the somewhat obvious conclusion that the two categories are not mutually exclusive. But Murakami doesn’t write genre fiction or film novelizations. In fact, it appears initially that the only basis for his assignment of “pop author” is his popularity — and why not, doesn’t “pop” mean “popular”?

Rather than a coherent category, the assignment of “pop” in relation to art usually has to do with the public’s impression of an artist’s goal: if it’s to make money, that’s pop. The term is often pejorative obviously, intending to draw whatever is being discussed into the cabal of soap operas and Marvel movies and Top 40 music, but the term at its simplest level is a symbol of one’s impression of an artist. When people apply the term to Murakami, there is a justification. His orderly prose, while it has undeniable utility from an artistic perspective, has a perhaps greater utility in widening the audience for his books. If that sounds specious, let’s take a counterexample: Imagine a college student walking into Barnes & Noble — someone intelligent but busy who hitherto has not had the time nor motivation to dive seriously into literature.

It’s 2015, and in keeping with the notions of contemporary newspaper critics, this student encounters a copy of Joshua Cohen’s “Book of Numbers,” the 180,000-word hardcover that Mark Sarvas of the New York Times has declared “a digital-age ‘Ulysses.’” If this student flips to a random page in Cohen’s pleonastic, boomerish novel, they’re immediately invited to navigate the words “inconcinnous,” “bordelloized” and “microphenoms.” Imagine now a parallel

universe in which this budding reader instead grabs “Kafka on the Shore” and opens it to the immensely pleasing sentence: “Nakata visited the vacant lot for several days.” In which of these worlds does the student read the first chapter, find themselves charmed and bring the novel home with them? Judging by the relative Goodreads ratings of “Kafka on the Shore” and “Book of Numbers” — 368,229 and 1,146 respectively — this fantasy has already played out several times.

While the unwieldy diction and quintuple prepositional clause-ridden dexterity of many properly literary authors is generative and allows for a greater range of expression, there’s not much to say in their defense from an economic point of view. Murakami is easier to read, and his novels are nourishing, pleasant and melancholy and put the reader in a world they very much want to be in. Joshua Cohen probably has a thesaurus next to his keyboard but can’t properly punctuate a dependent clause to save his life.

But intentional or not, Murakami’s financially gratifying prose, when mired in a world of difficult books, leads some to view his deviation as more innate. It’s a difficult perspective to dismiss when the numbers tell such a convincing story. By choosing to write the way he does, Murakami has invited this paradox of categorization, despite its dubious importance, one which grows more ubiquitous as the number of young writers aping his prose grows with his popularity.

Making readable fiction is not condemnable, and Murakami is doubtless a better writer than Cohen. But in engaging with writing in his distinctive way, Murakami has opened both doors at once: those of popular acclaim and genuine artistic achievement. Whether those were ever mutually exclusive is an even worse conversation and one to which the answer is almost certainly a definitive and meaty “no.”

8 | THURSDAY, JANURARY 27, 2022

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SPORTS

COLLEGE ATHLETICS IS EXPERIENCING DEJA VU The entire NCAA is feeling the effects of the latest COVID-19 outbreak NAME / AGGIE

The UC Davis Softball team plays its home games at La Rue Field on the UC Davis Campus. (Photo by Diana Li / Aggie File)

BY KATHERIN RAYGOZA sports@theaggie.org As we enter 2022, the omicron variant of COVID-19 has created new obstacles and challenges for athletes all across the globe.

Despite the emergence of COVID-19 almost two years ago, many athletes have recently been experiencing a lot of similar feelings as they did in 2020. Once again, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has updated their protocols and has gone as far as canceling a few games due to the easily transmissible omicron variant.

During the first few days of January, the NCAA released new guidelines for winter sports

during the pandemic. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated their protocols, the NCAA has created a 2022 Winter Training and Competition document.

“The omicron variant has presented another surge of cases across the country,” NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline said. “This guidance was designed to align with the latest public health directives. Given how the pandemic continues to evolve, it’s important that staff on member campuses continue to work with their local and state health officials on protocols most suitable for their locations.”

One of the biggest changes includes that the NCAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group developed a “new” definition of fully vaccinated.

Being fully vaccinated now means that athletes and coaches must have all of the booster shots.

A third shot is required within two months of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, five months after receiving the Pfizer vaccine or six months of receiving the Moderna vaccine.

“The omicron variant has presented another surge of cases across the country,” NCAA chief medical officer Brian Hainline said. “This guidance was designed to align with the latest public health directives. Given how the pandemic continues to evolve, it’s important that staff on member campuses continue to work with their local and state health officials on protocols most suitable for their locations.”

The NCAA also shortened the amount of

days individuals must quarantine. Athletes are allowed to quarantine for only five days if they tested positive, and if on the sixth day, they no longer are showing signs of symptoms, they can return while wearing a mask. If on the preceding five days they are tested negative, they can return to athletic activities permitted without a mask, but those that have been around that person must test within five days.

Five college football bowl games were canceled, one that featured UCLA and North Carolina State. The game between the Bruins and the Wolfpack was set to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at Petco Park in San Diego, but UCLA announced internal COVID-19 protocols prohibited the team from playing. Seven more bowl games were impacted because of the rise in COVID-19 cases. More than 140 D-1 mens’ basketball teams have had their games canceled.

Across the U.S., omicron has impacted the rest of college winter sports as well.

“We are extremely grateful to the Holiday Bowl, students, fans, sponsors, and the people of San Diego for their support this week,” Martin Jarmond, a UCLA athletic director, said in a statement on Twitter. “We are deeply disappointed for our young men in the football program that worked extremely hard for this opportunity. My heart goes out to them. The health and safety of our student-athletes will always be our North Star.”

As for the UC Davis Aggies, the mens’ and womens’ basketball season has faced the challenge of canceling their games. So far, both teams have canceled four of their games. As for their latest games, the UC Davis men were scheduled on Jan. 13 against the Roadrunners in Bakersfield at 7 p.m., while the women were set to play in Davis at 6 p.m., but both were canceled due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols CSU Bakersfield program.

Despite having new rules, the NCAA is planning on continuing other conference games as long as the surveillance of COVID-19 testing is low within their communities. Although it may presume that winter sports will not have a season, it has been assured that with proper rules, COVID-19 cases can be maintained so that the season can start anew.

KLAY DAY REINVIGORATES THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS, THEIR FANS Klay Thompson’s return means more than just basketball KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE

BY GABRIEL CARABELLO sports@theaggie.org On June 13, 2019, Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. This led to Thompson fully recovering from his major injury during the 2019-2020 NBA season. After recuperating from his ACL tear, many seemed hopeful that the three-time champ and five-time all-star would return during the 2020-2021 season. However, in November of that season, reports about Thompson sustaining an Achilles tear instantly pushed back his return, ultimately making Thompson miss two NBA seasons — a total of 177 games.

Fast forward to December 2021, news about a return — either later that month or early January 2022, started to circulate. Thompson’s return to the court was imminent. Many would say that the world changed so much since last seeing him play, and the Warriors nation was ecstatic.

Warriors fans couldn’t be more ready to see the other “Splash Brother” back in action. Peter

Mazzotta, a UC Davis sophomore and Bay Area Native, was asked about the return. Mazzotta described the shooting guard’s comeback as “exciting.”

Mazzotta continued, “[I] missed seeing him [Klay]. It feels like a completed team. He was the missing part they needed.”

This sentiment was felt by many Warriors fans across the globe, displaying just how much Thompson’s absence meant to the longtime fan.

He was more than just a player — he was a key part of their franchise’s history. Rumors settled on Jan. 8, as Klay Thompson took to Instagram to announce his comeback that on Jan. 9 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Klay Thompson was set to make his season debut.

After over a two-year injury hiatus, Thompson finally laced up his sneakers and set foot on the hardwood. Scoring 17 points off 18 shots and snagging three rebounds, Klay was finally back in front of his home crowd. During the post game interviews Thompson couldn’t be more joyous to return.

“I’m just so happy right now,” Thompson said. “I did not shoot as well as I wanted to, but I am just so happy that I can even look at the

stat sheet and see my name there and all the stats again.”

The positive emotions Thompson felt from just seeing his name on the score sheet, spread throughout the Warriors fanbase. Issac Appiah, a Bay Area native, basketball fan and Warriors fan, summed up how he felt after seeing Thompson make his debut.

“I’m really happy to see him playing,” Appiah said. It’s almost nostalgic since it’s been so long.”

This feeling of nostalgia exemplifies the sentimentality Warriors fans have with Thompson. He’s done so much for the basketball club and individually accomplished so much. It only makes sense that a fan would feel this way after not seeing him play for two seasons.

Thompson’s return is meaningful for Warriors fans from an emotional standpoint but now also adds another element to a Warriors team that is off to a great start this season “Curry will have a high caliber three-point shooter to take pressure off him,” Appiah said.

With Thompson back in the line-up, everything seems good for the Western Conference contender Golden State Warriors.

However, some questions still loom.

Thompson said during his debut postgame interview that he did not shoot as well as he wanted to. Thompson still needs to get back into NBA game shape. Thompson is known for his shooting, but also as a great defender. Being in game shape is crucial for good defenders.

Also, scoring 17 points off 18 shots isn’t exactly efficient, but after his long layoff, it is going to take time and patience before he gets his legs under him again. Another thing the Warriors must figure out is what his comeback means for the other players. Those who helped the Warriors get to where they are now like Jordan Poole, who stepped up during Thompsons absence, and has played well so far this season — how will the team maximize his role with another player taking shots. Will Thompson be able to relieve pressure off of Curry soon?

Playoffs are still a while away, so there is ample time for the Warriors to work out these chemistry kinks. Warriors fans are now eager to see more of the reunited Splash Brothers and what’s to come for their favorite team, as Klay’s return marked a long time coming for everyone — the NBA included.