UC Merced Magazine, Fall 2014 by University of California, Merced

THE MAGAZINE OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

FALL 2014

Valley Fever Researchers Take a 360-Degree Look at a Mysterious Disease

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: RESEARCHERS WANT TO KNOW What Makes People Tick, Politically NEW STUDENTS SPEND A WEEK IN THE WILDERNESS Before Settling in on Campus

WE WANT YOUR OPINION! Take our online survey

STUDENTS IN PROFESSOR KATHLEEN HULL’S CLASS Spend a Lot of Time Banging Rocks

THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

Fall 2014

CONTENTS FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

4 Curriculum | In Professor

3 FAST FACTS | Enrollment

6 Donor Spotlight | Southern

8 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Catch up

Kathleen Hull’s class, being flaky is a good thing

California Edison supports students and research

COVER STORY | Valley fever 14 researchers take a 360-degree

view of the disease ALSO ON THE COVER | The 2014 midterm 20 elections are right around the corner, and UC

Merced’s political science researchers want to understand why people do what they do

figures for Fall 2014 show gains

on campus news in brief and check out the latest videos 11 SPORTS UPDATE | Four student

athletes have helped set the foundation for campus sports 12 HAVING COFFEE WITH

PROFESSOR JENNIFER LU |

Science is just one of her passions

26 Sierra Views | A Week of

30 WHAT’S NEW | the Science and Engineering 2 building exemplifies campus sustainability

28 Our WORLD | Researchers work in the deserts

32 ALUMNI CORNER | Pioneering classes return for the first campus reunion

Wilderness helps ease students’ transition to college

of Africa and the waters of the South Pacific, and lots of places in between

31 Focus on underGraduate Students | Engineering Service Learning team is spreading the green

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Letter from University Communications It’s Fall 2014, the start of UC Merced’s 10th academic year. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Our young university is earning its reputation for educating students and researching issues that matter to the state, the country and the world. One of those issues, valley fever, affects people in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and northern Mexico who inhale the fungus. While most cases resolve themselves or can be treated, sometimes valley fever proves fatal. At UC Merced, researchers in a variety of disciplines are examining the topic, not just from a biomedical perspective, but also from an engineering one, trying to design equipment that can sense the pathogen in soil to warn people of risks. They are also looking at the disease through a social prism, trying to understand why the disease affects the people it does – most often outdoor workers – and how to better educate the public about risks and precautions.

It’s also almost time for the mid-term elections. For political junkies and the political science faculty members at UC Merced, it’s like the World Cup – sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking to see how the different contests play out. In this issue, you’ll read about both topics, as well as a host of other subjects related to our campus. See the newest completed construction project: the second science and engineering building, housing labs, classrooms and offices; learn about what’s going on in the Sierra and the work that takes our researchers around the world; and have coffee with one of our fascinating engineers, Professor Jennifer Lu. As always, thank you for exploring UC Merced! UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Give us your opinion! Let’s make a deal. UC Merced Magazine needs your help understanding how we can better serve you, our readers. What do you get out of it besides the chance to share your opinions?

Just take the survey online. It will take about two minutes to complete, but the feedback we get from you will be priceless.

We’ll give you an issue packed with great information and the beautiful photography you’ve come to expect!

We really appreciate your opinions on the magazine – we can’t do this without you!

So please take a few minutes to tell us what you like, what you don’t like and what you would like to see more of. Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you very soon!

UC MERCED MAGAZINE | Fall 2014 EDITOR IN CHIEF

Lorena Anderson Senior Public Information Representative University Communications PHOTOGRAPHY

Veronica Adrover Trevor Hirst Elena Zhukova MAGAZINE DESIGN

Jennifer Biancucci PUBLISHED BY

University Communications UC MERCED LEADERSHIP

Dorothy Leland UC Merced Chancellor

Thomas Peterson Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Kyle Hoffman Vice Chancellor Development and Alumni Relations

Patti Waid Assistant Vice Chancellor University Communications

Cori Lucero Executive Director Governmental and Community Relations VISIT us on the web

Follow UC Merced online at ucmerced.edu

2 FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Researchers studying valley fever know the pathogen is airborne, and often found in dust kicked up during agricultural operations.

2014 – 15 ENROLLMENT DATA UC Merced began its 10th academic year with steady demand, showing that students and their families value the benefits of a UC education in an intimate, personalized environment. Despite being limited by the amount of classroom, housing and administrative space available, the campus welcomed more than 1,500 freshmen for the 2014-15 academic year. Here’s a snapshot of what this year’s undergraduate and graduate student populations look like.

6,268

TOTAL STUDENTS BY CLASS LEVEL

5,884

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS BY SCHOOL

384

Engineering

21.7%

Natural Sciences

30.4%

Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

35.7%

Undeclared

12.2%

GRADUATE STUDENTS

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS BY ETHNICITY

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS BY GENDER

ETHNICITY

PERCENTAGE

African-American

5.7%

Asian/Pacific Islander

25.2%

Hispanic

45.6%

GENDER

PERCENTAGE

Native American

.2%

Female

51.5%

White

Male

48%

Nonresident Alien

3.9%

Unknown

.5%

Two or More Races

4.4%

14.1%

Unknown/Declined to State

GRADUATE STUDENTS BY ETHNICITY ETHNICITY

African-American

GRADUATE STUDENTS BY GENDER

PERCENTAGE

1.8%

Asian/Pacific Islander

10.4%

Hispanic

11.7%

Native American

.9%

.3%

GENDER

PERCENTAGE

White

39.1%

Female

43.5%

Nonresident Alien

29.4%

Male

56.5%

Two or More Races

4.2%

Unknown/Declined to State

13.5%

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Course: Lithic Artifact Analysis KATHLEEN HULL, School of Social Sciences, Humanites and Arts

C u r r ic u l u m

F I N D I N G B E H I N D

M E T H O D S

T H E

M A D N E S S BY TONYA KUBO

University Communications

“I could lecture on this all day long, but bringing them outside to work with stones themselves gives students an understanding that can’t be duplicated in any other way.”

– PROFESSOR katHleen hull

rchaeology is the study of how humans lived in the past by examining what they left behind.

Hull’s students do this by creating their own collection of stone artifact samples, which they will compare with

Stone artifacts typically stand the test of time and are among the most common objects found in the cultural landscapes of pre-agricultural societies. In Professor Kathleen Hull’s Lithic Artifact Analysis class,

archaeological collections on loan from the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service or other entities. At this stage of the semester, students are learning about

undergraduates learn how to identify and analyze flaked and ground stone

core reduction by using hammerstones to break off sharp

tools using archaeological methods.

pieces of obsidian – or flakes – that could be further

“It’s a hands-on opportunity for students to understand the decisions

refined into arrowheads or other types of stone tools.

people made in the past based on the technology in practice at the time,”

By making their own flakes, students learn the various

said Hull, who enjoys using stone-artifact analysis to help students grasp

factors past humans had to consider in the process, such

the research process from beginning to end. “They learn how to start with

as how far from the edge a rock needs to be struck in

nothing and figure out a research question, which methods to use to answer

order to produce a large flake and how to angle

that question, how to collect data, analyze it and report their findings.”

the blow.

Flint knapping is part of how Professor Kathleen Hull teaches students about the research process.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Elia Hernandez, a junior from Tulare who selected a smaller chunk of obsidian with which to work, learned very quickly that size matters. “Small stones are difficult because it’s hard to find the right spot to hit to break off usable flakes,” she said, adding that “trying to create flakes was a powerful lesson in itself.” “I could lecture on this all day long, but bringing them outside to

Graduate student teaching assistant Erin Ray agrees that the process of learning by doing makes the class material much more meaningful to students. “Many people are hands-on learners but the social sciences do not offer much in the way of interactive lessons,” Ray said. “Lab classes such as this make the subject much more

work with stones themselves gives students an understanding that

engaging for students, allowing them to retain more of

can’t be duplicated in any other way,” Hull said.

what they learn.”

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Donor Spotlight

BY Scott Hernandez-Jason

University Communications

Energy Company Powers

State, Student Success Eight graduate students and 83 undergraduate students have received support from the company. Forty-five student teams participated in last year’s Innovate to Grow competition, which is an annual showcase of student creativity, ranging from partnering with industry to solve problems to developing mobile apps for the student community. UC Merced’s diversity and its focus on Southern California Edison’s support is vital to the annual Innovate to Grow event renewable energy and sustainability attracted showcasing students’ creativity, engineering Southern California Edison’s attention. and project management skills. The state has worked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and one key component of that goal is investing in solar technology, outhern California Edison powers Starck said. millions of California homes and New this year is the company’s businesses — and it’s also helping sponsorship of the University of California jumpstart the careers of nearly 100 UC Advanced Solar Technologies Institute Merced students. (UC Solar), headquartered at UC Merced. “Having innovative, energetic and The partnership supports UC Solar’s imaginative students to help our company solve problems is critical,” said Les Starck, the development of energy-generation company’s senior vice president of regulatory technologies; the facilitation of solar-systems integration at the residential, community policy and affairs. “Without that, we will not and utility scales; and examining solar energy be successful. That’s why we like to invest economics and policy. our money in educational institutions like “UC Merced is totally aligned with our UC Merced, which produce those kinds of commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses students.” Southern California Edison, headquartered and integrate solar into our portfolio of generation technologies,” said Starck, who in Rosemead and a subsidiary of Edison also serves on the UC Merced Foundation International, is one of the nation’s largest Board of Trustees. electric utilities, serving nearly 14 million School of Natural Sciences graduate Californians in a 50,000-square-mile service student Phil Saksa is just one of the students area within central, coastal and Southern who have benefited from Southern California California. Since 2010, Southern California Edison has Edison’s philanthropy. Saksa is pursuing his Ph.D. in supported UC Merced with nearly $500,000 Environmental Systems, looking at how in donations for undergraduate scholarships, forest-management policies affect the Sierra graduate fellowships and the School of Nevada and environs. Engineering’s acclaimed Innovate to Grow competition.

CELEBRATION OF PHILANTHROPic leaders

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

“Does it make a difference if we actively manage the forest by thinning or just let Mother Nature take its course?” he said. Forest management has shifted from firesuppression efforts beginning about 1900, to the past 20 years, when forest managers have let fires run their courses unless they threaten houses or people in order to restore a natural cycle that creates healthier forests. Suppression transformed the landscape, leaving more brush and denser forests — fuels that cause fires to burn stronger and ultimately become more destructive, Saksa said. The Rim Fire last year — the largest recorded in the Sierra Nevada — is a reminder of the policy. Forest management also changes how much water comes out of the Sierra Nevada. Saksa, Professor Roger Bales and other researchers coauthored a paper suggesting water runoff could be increased by thinning forests to historical conditions. The additional runoff could benefit society including farmers, residents, wildlife, utilities and water managers statewide. The plan could also save taxpayers money. Management is a relatively small investment compared to fighting massive fires that damage property and harm the economy. Southern California Edison’s support has been crucial, allowing Saksa to focus on research and not worry about tuition or take out loans. “The support really makes UC Merced more competitive for graduate researchers,” Saksa said. “Having these kinds of businessresearch relationships is a good way to pursue scientific questions that can benefit society and as a result, a company like Southern California Edison can potentially produce more reliable, sustainable energy.”

In appreciation of UC Merced’s generous and loyal supporters, the inaugural Celebration of Philanthropic LEADERS reception and dinner will be held in early 2015. More information is coming soon.

Scholarship money from Southern California Edison supports Phil Saksaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduate research into environmental systems.

UC Merced is totally aligned with our commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses and integrate solar into our portfolio of generation technologies. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; les starck, Southern California edison

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

In Case You Missed It This is the start of another exciting year for UC Merced – its 10th academic year. The campus, its research, teaching and service missions, its sustainability goals and its students, faculty and staff members are thriving here. The campus is growing, as are its effects on the region, the state and the nation. If you choose to read the news stories online, you’ll also notice the campus has a new gateway website – a modern, mobile-friendly site that is still easy to navigate for anyone, in any format.

Take a look at some of the stories you might have missed recently:

Campus Launches Redesigned, Responsive Website

Solar Power Purchase Positions Campus for Total Renewable Energy Use

The campus’s redesigned website

UC Merced is moving toward

features a responsive layout that looks great on phones, tablets and laptops, new and expanded information, a new color palette and wide photo rotators that showcase the campus.

getting 100 percent of its power from

Campus’s Direct Investment in Regional Economy Exceeds $1.1 Billion UC Merced has directly invested more than $1.1 billion into the San Joaquin Valley economy since it opened in July 2000, an increase of $155 million

renewable sources by the end of 2016. The University of California made the largest solar energy purchase by any U.S. higher education institution to help power its campuses, recently buying 80 megawatts of solar power from two solar fields near Fresno.

over the past 12 months. Statewide, the university’s direct investment total now surpasses $2.2 billion. That includes the cumulative University Communications under-

value of all wages and benefits paid,

took the redesign last fall, conducting

construction contracts awarded, and

research and soliciting input and feed-

goods and services purchased within

back from a Web advisory group that

the San Joaquin Valley through August

included faculty members, students

2014. Because each dollar invested

projects on campus – rooftop solar-en-

and staff members. The design was fi-

typically generates two to three times

ergy systems on campus buildings

nalized in April. Writers, designers and

as much in indirect economic expen-

and an expansion of the campus’ solar

developers spent most of the summer

diture, the university’s total economic

farm – would bring the campus to 100

building the site so it could launch in

impact on the region and across the

percent renewable energy by the end

the fall.

state is substantially larger.

of 2016.

Read the whole story.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

The solar buy and two planned

Slain Civil Rights Activist Receives This Year’s Spendlove Prize Viola Gregg Liuzzo, a

Faculty Hires Increase Scope of Campus Research Expertise UC Merced hired 33 faculty

civil rights activist who

members for the 2014-15

was killed by the Ku

academic year, giving the

Klux Klan while driving

campus 212 tenure-track

another activist home

professors who expand the

from the Southern

depth and breadth of

Christian Leadership

research expertise.

Conference in March 1965, has been named the 2014

Excluding student employees, the campus now has about

recipient of the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social

1,300 total staff and faculty members, which also includes 149

Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance.

lecturers. The faculty hires reflect areas of rapid enrollment

UC Merced will award the prize to Liuzzo’s three daughters

growth as well as the greatest potential for interdisciplinary

during a ceremony Nov. 6. The Spendlove Prize, established

collaboration and research. Areas of hire include the cam-

in 2006 through a generous gift to the university from Sherrie

pus’s first Hmong studies expert; chemistry; music; biology;

Spendlove in honor of her parents, honors an individual who

mechanical engineering; economics; English; applied math;

exemplifies the delivery of social justice, diplomacy and

materials science; public health and more.

tolerance in his or her work.

Read the whole story.

Students Battle for Sustainability Supremacy

New Financial Assistance for Middle Class Families About 24,000 UC students qualify for funding through California’s Middle Class Scholarship, which was approved by the Legislature earlier this year and will make its first contributions to eligible students this fall. Targeted at families with incomes up to $150,000, the program is designed to shave a bit off the college tab for those who don’t qualify for other forms of need-based aid. UC students with family incomes below $80,000 who qualify for financial aid have systemwide tuition fully covered through the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, and often receive state and federal assistance. Read the whole story.

UC Merced’s 2,100 resident students are involved in a month-long battle – the 2014 Water Battle – to see which residence hall can save the most water during October. Organizers said they are excited to see what the students can do just by making a few simple changes like fewer, shorter showers and washing only full loads of laundry. The 4-year-old award-winning competition rewards the students who save the most water. The students use a real-time water monitoring system to keep track of their savings. In 2013, on-campus residents saved 44,000 gallons and detected 15 leaks, which saved countless gallons more. Read the whole story.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

In Case You Missed It California Overspends Water Rights by 300 Million Acre Feet California is deficit-spending its water and has been for a century, according to data analyzed by researchers from the University of California. UC Merced Professor Joshua Viers and a colleague explored the state’s database of water-rights allocations, and found that allocations in California exceed the state’s actual water supply by five times the average annual runoff and 100 times the actual surface-water supply for some river basins. In a good year, the state has about 70 million acre feet of surface water available for use. Based on active water rights records, a total of 370 million acre feet have been allocated. Read the whole story.

Climate Change Influencing Freshwater Mountain Runoff, Research Shows

Campus Seeks Students to Address Critical Food Issues

Professor Roger Bales from UC Merced and a colleague found that climate change is causing longer growing seasons in the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada. A longer growing season means plants

UC Merced is recruiting three students to be part of the UC Global Food Initia-

use more water, leaving less to run off

tive, which aims to address how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world popula-

into meadows and rivers for human and

tion expected to reach 8 billion by 2025. The campus is giving out three $2,500 food

animal users.

fellowships to students who make propose the best plans to the UC Global Food

The researchers’ work shows the relationships between plants’ water usage,

Initiative. Recognizing that the UC is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in

temperature and vegetation growth

addressing the related challenges of nutrition and sustainability, the UC system

were similar across a broader area of

launched the initiative this summer to align the university’s research, outreach

the Sierra Nevada, suggesting that the

and operations in a sustained effort to develop, demonstrate and export solutions

impact of climate change on freshwater

— throughout California, the U.S. and the world — for food security, health and

availability could be widespread.

sustainability.

Read the whole story.

The school year always starts with the annual Bridge Crossing.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Learn more about the newly revised Principles of Community that guide the UC Merced campus.

UC Merced has an enduring partnership with Yosemite National Park, and congratulates the park on its 150th anniversary.

Building a Legacy

he 2014-15 academic year marks the start of the fourth year of intercollegiate competition for UC Merced. Four teams — men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country — have laid the foundation for generations of Golden Bobcats to come. Four students have been there for the journey, spending all four of their eligibility years playing for UC Merced. Director of Recreation and Athletics David Dunham is impressed with the progress the teams have made since the campus’s jump to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) play. “Our coaches have done a tremendous job of recruiting student athletes who have contributed immediately to the program,” Dunham said. UC Merced’s first student-athlete recruit, Valeria Martinez, was tapped for her high school varsity volleyball team as a freshman, but she never expected to play at the college level. Her outstanding performance, however, has earned her a place in the All-California Pacific Conference for the past three years. “It’s been a blessing because I was able to make history here and start something new,” said Martinez, a sociology student from Madera. Caroline Mack, who started on the campus’s women’s club volleyball team before it joined the NAIA, shares the same pioneering feeling. “Being able to see the team and program grow over the years makes me proud to say that I was part of that,” Mack said. The psychology major from Los Angeles said competing

Men’s basketball

Women’s volleyball

has given her a well-rounded educational experience. “When I have a practice, it’s like a pause in my everyday school life, a short break from classes, papers and homework,” Mack said. “I also find that the skills that I learn from volleyball — like patience and determination — help me with school.” Kevin Ellsworth, a biological sciences student from Clovis, said being part of the inaugural intercollegiate men’s basketball team has been an honor. “Few people can and will ever say they were the first one to do something, but that’s what I was able to do here,” Ellsworth said. “When I came to campus my freshman year and met the returning club players, I could see how much work had been put in to move the team from the club level to NAIA. “I could also see how excited they were to be finally recognized as a varsity team.” For Ellsworth’s teammate Mitch Flores, playing on the team since its inception has been a life-changing opportunity. “UC Merced has helped shape me into the person I am today,” said the biological sciences major from Stockton. “I have learned a lot about myself and have grown into an individual who is ready to contribute to the world.” Since 2011, UC Merced’s athletics program has added women’s basketball, men’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s soccer, bringing the total number of varsity sports to eight. Dunham looks forward to seeing the campus’s enthusiasm increase as the program continues to grow. “Our students have supported our athletes through strong attendance,” Dunham said. “It is great to see school spirit and traditions begin to develop around our intercollegiate athletics.”

Cross country

Women’s soccer

SPORTSUPDATE

Golden Bobcats

Women’s basketball

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Lu’s Higher Education

1989

Having Coffee with JENNIFER LU BY Donna Birch Trahan

University Communications

Everything starts with materials.

Graduated from Shanghai University with a bachelor’s in materials science and engineering

1993 Earned master’s degree in materials science and engineering from Drexel University

How do we manipulate molecular and nanoscale arrangements to create man-made materials that have the properties that are not offered by nature? – PROFESSOR JENNIFER LU

t’s a sunny morning as Professor Jennifer Lu sits on the patio outside the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library, her fingers

moving quickly across her smartphone’s keyboard.

‘Everything starts with materials’

Lu discovered science in college and specializes in novel nanomaterial design, synthesis and characterization. “My research has components of science and

Lu, with the School of Engineering, talks

engineering,” Lu said. “Everything starts with

1995

about science with excitement. In fact, she’s

materials. How do we manipulate molecular

enthusiastic about many topics.

and nanoscale arrangements to create man-

Completed second master’s

passionate about,” Lu said. “And, if you don’t

degree in macromolecular science and engineering from the University of Michigan

2006 Earned Ph.D. in macromolecular science and engineering at the University of Michigan

2007 Joined the faculty at UC Merced

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

“I advise my students to work hard, not waste time and to find something they’re have a passion, fake it until you make it. Sometimes it takes time to find what suits you.”

made materials that have the properties that are not offered by nature?” That question is at the heart of her research. Lu’s research group is working on materials that enable the conversion of energy from one

form to another, which is key to a wide variety of applications in life science, energy storage, energy conversion and machine intelligence. One of the team’s projects involved generating materials that respond to low-energy light or room-temperature fluctuations. ‘Novel and groundbreaking’

When she joined UC Merced, she had already developed the basic concept for a new material, work she started during her undergraduate studies.

Lu collaborated with UC Merced

rhythm gymnastics, but her body wasn’t

colleagues Professor Erin Johnson,

quite right for that line of work, she said.

a theoretical chemist, and Professor

In her later undergraduate years, Lu

Christopher Viney, an established materials scientist, to propose a new switching unit.

discovered science. “I inherited my curiosity from my father

In 2013, the scientists and Lu’s graduate

and my tenacity from my mother,” she said.

student, Xingyuan “Alex” Shen, shared their

“Science suits me. In fact, science can help

findings in a paper published in Nature’s

you be a good photographer, or a great

Chemistry. Peers described the group’s

chef or a wine maker. Science will help you

work as “novel and groundbreaking.”

better appreciate life.”

The experience showed her that persistence pays off.

Lu’s love of challenges led her to UC Merced.

“You have to just keep trying,” she said.

“I was fascinated at the thought of

“The experience will help you to appreciate

working at a new university,” she said.

the value of endurance and stamina. It will

“There was only one new, start-up research

help you gain self-confidence and you will

university on the whole planet, and I

prove to yourself that yes, I can do it.”

wanted to go where I could make a big impact, so I chose UC Merced.”

“There was a molecule that I found interesting during my graduate studies at the University of Michigan,” she said.

Love of Science Developed in College

Raised in Shanghai, she was the younger

“I wanted to do some synthesis of it,

of two daughters. Her father was an

but at the time, didn’t have the needed

information technologist and her mother

infrastructure and resources to do it.”

a materials scientist. But Lu’s venture into

But Lu decided to keep at it. In 2010, her research group demonstrated how a new, soft material

science wasn’t predetermined. “I was supposed to pursue music or gymnastics,” Lu said.

based on the molecule deformed in

She started playing the violin at age 6.

response to infrared light – a lower-

While she developed a deep appreciation

energy and less-damaging trigger than the

for music that continues today, it wasn’t

ultraviolet light that is usually used.

her true calling. She also trained for

She enjoys being a mentor and teacher to students. When she’s not in the lab or teaching, she likes music, museums and cooking — from French, Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine to Indian and Mexican fare. She also enjoys traveling and yoga. When asked where she sees herself in the next five years, Lu doesn’t miss a beat. “I hope to be making more contributions to the scientific world,” she said. “I can be a more mature and effective scientist, teacher and mentor.”

Professor Jennifer Lu’s lab focuses on engineering new materials out of molecular and nanoscale arrangements.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Researchers Delve Into

Valley Fever From All Angles BY DEBRA LEGG

efore it infects humans who breathe it in, the fungus that causes valley fever changes shapes in the environment. Once infected, some people fight it off while others die. If scientists can determine how that shape-shift happens, they might be able to stop it, said Professor Clarissa Nobile, one of a large, interdisciplinary team at the University of California, Merced, working to tackle the valley fever challenge from every imaginable angle. If researchers can figure out why people react differently to the fungus, it could lead to better treatments, Professor David Ojcius said. Scientists know the fungus is distributed through dust, but if they can monitor levels in real time, they can build a warning system, Professor Wei-Chun Chin said. And if researchers can determine where at-risk groups get information, they can create social marketing campaigns that

make sure that what people are hearing is accurate, Professor Carol Sipan said. These four researchers have expertise in microbiology, immunology, bioengineering and public health. They’re part of the UC Merced team working toward better treatments and perhaps a vaccine for what the Centers for Disease Control calls a “silent epidemic.” “We’re the glue that pulls this whole thing together,” said Professor Paul Brown, director of UC Merced’s Health Sciences Research Institute. The glue began to gel about a year after the institute was established. That’s when faculty members from all three of UC Merced’s schools came together to attack this potentially debilitating, but poorly understood, illness endemic to the San Joaquin Valley. “We haven’t really had a research university in the region that could do this, that could pull it all together. We do now,” Brown said. >> CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A longtime Central Valley resident and former editor at The Modesto Bee, Debra Legg is a freelance writer now based in Michigan. While at The Bee, she coordinated government and political coverage. Stories she worked with included crimes that drew national attention and in-depth investigations into local agencies.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Professor Clarissa Nobile researches the possibility that the valley fever pathogen could be altered so it never becomes harmful.

If this were in Los Angeles or New York City, people would be donating a lot of money to find a cure. If it were in San Jose or San Francisco, it would be all over Facebook. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PROFESSOR wei-chun chin

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

CONTINUED FROM PAGES 14-15

Many Questions Persist The scientific name for valley fever is Coccidioidomycosis. People get it by inhaling spores from the fungus Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. These two species are closely related but behave differently. One fungus, immitis, is more common in California, the other in Arizona. Arizona created the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona in 1996 to increase awareness, promote better care for patients and encourage research. Until UC Merced launched the California Valley Fever Network in 2013, there was nothing comparable in the Golden State. Though diseases involving cocci have been reported for more than a century, researchers have a lot to learn. “The literature goes back to the 1900s, but there are huge holes in it,” said Professor Katrina K. Hoyer. Her research team is trying to find out why some people become gravely ill or have lifelong problems while 60 percent of those infected never show symptoms. On a national scale, the disease barely registers. Of the 9,438 reported cases in 2013 – the last year for which the Centers for Disease Control has statistics - 305 were scattered across 48 states. The rest were in California and Arizona. Nationally, the 2013 numbers were down from the peak of 22,641 reported in 2011. No one is sure why cases climbed steadily from 2001 to 2011 then dropped, but there are theories. Perhaps it was due to heavy population growth in California and Arizona, exposing more people without immunities to the

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

fungus. Perhaps it was a weather pattern of rainy years following by dust-generating droughts. “There’s some anecdotal evidence, but we just don’t know for sure,” Brown said. Officials aren’t even sure how many cases there really are. Some who have spent years studying the illness, such as Dr. Michael Mac Lean of the Kings County health department, know that many cases go undetected. That’s in part because most patients recover quickly and testing isn’t necessary, he said. There also are differences in testing rates among counties in the endemic regions, where awareness of the illness should be higher. “We know there have to be more cases than are being reported,” Brown said. Chin believes more physicians would test patients if it were easier – currently, a blood sample is sent off and results come back in a week or two. He’s envisioning an instrument that’s simple enough that any doctor’s office could use it and get quick, accurate results through a direct read-out. “With early testing, most people will be OK within a week,” he said. Serious Complications Another big puzzle: Why the fungus hits some people so hard, while 60 percent of those infected show no signs. Among the rest, 30 percent have moderate symptoms similar to the common flu and 5 percent to 10 percent have serious complications. For less than 1 percent, the illness is fatal. UC Merced graduate student Karen Deeming is in the “serious complications” group. The Los Banos woman contracted valley fever in 2012 while on an archeological dig in Mariposa County that she needed to complete a field-work requirement for her bachelor’s degree. Soon after, she started having chest pain, a cough, joint pain and a rash – all potential signs of valley fever. She developed pneumonia – another symptom. She saw three physicians before a nurse practitioner agreed to screen her for valley fever. “I had to be pushy and forceful,” she said. “I had to pretty much put my foot down and say, ‘I need to be tested.’”

Deeming recovered after taking heavy doses of the antifungal fluconazole for a year. She’ll have to be monitored every three months for the rest of her life, though. If the fungus flares up, treatment will have to resume. The monitoring and constant followup can be hard for patients, particularly the youngest. Erin Gaab is a health psychologist who’s worked extensively in pediatric care. She’s researching valley fever’s impact on children, interviewing patients and their families to learn more about the challenges they face. Though her research is in its early stages, Gaab is seeing trends, from scheduling and financial strains to the emotional toll on children who face regular hospitalization for follow-up testing. “There’s a sense of resentment, almost, because they don’t understand why they’re there,” she said. Access to treatment also is a problem, Gaab said. Pediatric patients in Bakersfield or Avenal have to travel two hours for treatment at Children’s Hospital Central California because the Madera facility is the only one that handles severe cases. When those trips are weekly, it takes a toll. Gaab and Mac Lean both have seen patients go through the same struggles Deeming endured to even get a diagnosis. Deeming and Mac Lean believe all physicians practicing in the Central Valley

should undergo continuing education so they’re familiar enough with the disease that certain combinations of symptoms raise red flags. Deeming believes public awareness is a key, too, though she said there’s a fine line between educating and scaring. >> CONTINUED ON PAGES 18-19

Professors Katrina Hoyer and Aaron Hernday, left, and researcher Erin Gaab, above, are just a few of the people working to solve a variety of valley fever challenges.

“If there’s something out there that’s this serious – that can kill you – you need to be a little concerned. We need to arm people with the information they need.” – UC MERCED RESEARCH ASSISTANT PHUONG “FIONA” BUI

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“People in the region don’t want to hear that it needs more research. They want to know what we’re doing right now.” – Paul Brown, director of the Health Sciences Research Institute

Researchers like Professor David Ojcius, right, and the students pictured at left, are all part of helping find solutions to the valley fever puzzle. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

UC Merced graduate student Phuong “Fiona” Bui muses that a little fear might be a good thing. “I know some people might freak out, but I think it’s OK to freak out a little bit. If there’s something out there that’s this serious – that can kill you – you need to be a little concerned. We need to arm people with the information they need,” Bui said. Outreach and education Bui, a Bakersfield native who’s watched a close family member struggle with valley fever, works with Gaab on pediatric research. She’s also part of Gaab’s team that created UC Merced’s first Valley Fever Awareness Day. The events and exhibits

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were designed with two goals in mind: To explain what valley fever is and how it’s transmitted, and to show off the efforts at UC Merced in hopes of attracting more scholars to the cause. Gaab also is active in connecting researchers. She’s helped organize a dozen seminars in the past year that included speakers from across the valley and the University of California system. She’s created the California Valley Fever Network website that acts as a central repository for research and news. Bui, meanwhile, created the Valley Fever Advocate page on Facebook. She regularly posts links to stories about research and victims, along with event announcements.

“We, as researchers, feel it’s hard to find information about valley fever. You’ll find the basic, repetitive information, but we want to keep it fresh. In a lot of cases where people are misdiagnosed, it’s because they just don’t know about it,” Bui said. Work such as Gaab’s and Bui’s tells Valley residents that UC Merced is tackling their problems right now, while also keeping an eye on the long-term. “People in the region don’t want to hear that it needs more research,” Brown said. “They want to know what we’re doing right now.” Brown sees Valley Fever Awareness Day as a template for a program that can be taken into the community. Groups

“Telling people to wear a mask and don’t walk through dust isn’t going to work,” Brown said. “We have a lot of dust clouds around here.”

in the south San Joaquin Valley already have expressed interest in playing host to presentations, he said. Sipan is researching how better to communicate in the future. She’s working with Lideres Campesinos as well as with a group in Kern County to find out about farmworkers’ access to care and information with an eye toward developing campaigns that put information where they need it. Long-term, many more answers are in the labs. Researchers need to understand more about exposure – they know how the fungus is distributed but don’t know how to warn people to protect themselves.

New generation of researchers Nobile, meanwhile, wonders if it might someday be possible to alter the fungus in the environment so it doesn’t become pathogenic. Her work ends when the fungus enters the body, and that’s where other scientists’ research takes over. Though a vaccine one day might be possible, Professor Aaron Hernday speculates that there will be economic issues between development and production. It will be challenging for a company to find a commercially viable way to develop and produce the relatively small amount of vaccine than is needed compared to, say, flu or polio vaccines. Short-term, the focus is on developing better treatments. That’s a challenge because fungi are more similar to the human body than bacteria or viruses, which means it’s difficult to develop medications that kill the fungus without harming the body.

“A lot of people think the treatment is worse than the disease,” Hernday said. It’s possible that a drug cocktail, similar to the method used to treat HIV, might be the solution, he speculated. In order for that to happen, though, scientists first have to better understand how valley fever affects the body. Hoyer and Ojcius recently began working on just that, through an arrangement that allows them to study blood samples from 30 patients at Children’s Hospital of Madera. Hernday calls his colleagues and himself the new generation of valley fever researchers, taking over the cause from scientists now in their 70s. The collaborations at UC Merced and beyond also appeal to him. “It’s exciting to see,” he said. “One lab can’t move the needle on something like this on its own.” For some, the valley fever work is about more than science. It’s also about social justice. “If this were in Los Angeles or New York City, people would be donating a lot of money to find a cure,” Chin said. “If it were in San Jose or San Francisco, it would be all over Facebook.”

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Pioneering Faculty Members Researching The

Hows and Whys of Politics THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE MAKE THE POLITICAL CHOICES THEY DO By Dave Lyghtle

n two small rooms on the University of California’s youngest campus, far removed from the epicenters of American political power, cutting-edge research offers insight into why voters sometimes behave the way they do. Some of the brightest minds in U.S. political science use biometric feedback and other data to gauge the influence of political parties, examine how personality traits influence political behavior and measure people’s trust in government. They’ll also keep a close watch on next month’s midterm elections with an eye toward deeper analysis. At first glance, a relatively remote California outpost might appear to be an unlikely location to ponder such weighty topics. UC Merced, after all, just welcomed its first students in 2005.

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It is a region better known for its bounty of almonds and much of the fresh produce consumed in the United States – not for its contributions to American political discourse. But the 11 energetic and relatively young pioneers in political science at UC Merced don’t view it that way. They – like their trailblazing peers in other disciplines – have embraced the notion of building something together from the ground up. Their passion just happens to be politics. They believe their mandate is to establish a research institution with a national reputation. It is an invigorating concept. “The promise of creating a new UC political science program in an environment promoting intellectual boundary-pushing and downplaying tired

conventions was very appealing to me,” said Professor Thomas Hansford, who joined UC Merced eight years ago from the University of South Carolina. Nowhere is that sentiment more evident than in the political science lab, actually two small rooms inside a three-story, polished-concrete building on the east edge of campus. Each room is outfitted with computers at six cubicles to complete implicit awareness tests. One of the labs also has two private rooms with Bio Pac monitors to measure heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and other physiological reactions to political stimuli. Skin conductance calculates emotional arousal, while facial electromyography shows contractions of muscles in the face and can indicate whether a person reacts positively or

“Strong Democrats watch MSNBC and read the Huffington Post, while strong Republicans watch Fox News and read Drudge. At the extremes, partisan voters can avoid ever hearing viewpoints that challenge their existing views.” – PROFESSOR MATTHEW HIBBING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dave Lyghtle is a communications expert, writer and former journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the newspaper industry. He works for a strategic communications, marketing and branding company in Modesto.

negatively. “We’re not asking about their attitude at a particular time. This is not an opinion survey,” said Professor Nathan Monroe, the political science chair, explaining how the lab functions. “We try to measure attitudes that drive physiological reactions such as disgust or approval.” Measuring gut reactions The experiments are designed by political science faculty members and often overseen by graduate students. About 150 of UC Merced’s 6,200 undergraduates pass through the lab in any given week, responding to online recruitment and a chance for extra credits. Most experiments take about 30 minutes and the results are catalogued and analyzed in an ever-growing database. Monroe said experiments are “manipulated” so about half

the respondents are getting the “treatment” and others are the control group. No one can repeat the same experiment. Students are encouraged to go as fast as they can to allow the responses to be instinctual. “We’re trying to get people’s gut reactions to things,” said Professor Stephen P. Nicholson, a political scientist and the lab’s co-director. “A lot of times, we arrive at decisions and look for reasons to justify them. These gut responses are our out-ofconscious reasons. They’re not emotional. Most people don’t think things through politically; they just react.” As an example, Nicholson shared the story of a national online survey related to immigration reform he worked on during the 2008 presidential campaign. Respondents were required to identify as Democrats or Republicans, then asked

about the Dream Act, a politically charged proposal to provide a path to citizenship for immigrants who came to the United States as children. One group was told then-Democratic nominee Barack Obama supported the bill; the other that Republican nominee John McCain liked the idea. “What I found was that partisans were against it if they thought the opponent was for it,” Nicholson said. “We see that a lot with Obamacare. It has his name on it. It was the same thing with (George W.) Bush. Democrats then said, ‘Something Republicans like, I’m against it.’ We call that cue taking.”

>> CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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“A lot of times, we arrive at decisions and look for reasons to justify them … Most people don’t think things through politically; they just react.” – PROFESSOR STEPHEN P. NICHOLSON

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

An incubator for political trends The experts at UC Merced also closely monitor the broader political trends – hyper-partisanship, low voter turnout, how information is disseminated, the initiative process and the effects of technology or money – that are evident in state and national campaigns. Their analysis acknowledges California’s long history as an incubator for political ideas – from the tax revolt that swept the country after Proposition 13 was passed in 1978 to issues such as medical marijuana, immigration, tougher prison sentences and gay marriage. “Historically, California has been an innovator in public policy and a lot of the ideas, for better or worse, have been adopted by other states,” Nicholson said. Monroe is paying particular attention

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to whether Democrats regain two-thirds majorities in both houses of the state Legislature this fall. That had been the case until earlier this year, when legal issues by two Democratic senators forced them to step aside. “If they’re able to win enough seats, and they’re right on the bubble, the policy implications are substantial – particularly the ability to levy new taxes,” Monroe said. “If they can get two-thirds, they can effectively negotiate the budget and any tax changes within their own party. While that cuts out Republicans, it also empowers moderate Democrats. … That puts some extra influence into key moderate areas of Democrats, especially in the Central Valley.” Nicholson is most interested in one of the six statewide initiatives on the November ballot. Proposition 47 would make most

nonviolent crimes misdemeanors instead of felonies. The bottom line if it passes? Fewer men and women will be sent to California’s already overcrowded prisons, but more will serve their time in equally impacted county jails. Nicholson believes Prop. 47 is an extension of a related ballot measure passed by California voters two years ago that modified sentencing aspects of the landmark “Three Strikes, You’re Out” law from 1994. “For a long time in California and the nation, the trend has been to stiffen penalties. I think with tight budgets and prison overcrowding, the tide is turning a little bit,” he said. “Obviously, no politician today wants to be perceived as soft on crime, but there’s a discussion on being reasonable on crime and the realities of overcrowding in prison.”

Researchers monitor people’s physiological reactions to political statements to help understand what motivates people’s decisions.

Professor Matthew Hibbing looks outside the state for signals about people’s political moods. He thinks voters’ perceptions of the economy will strongly influence which candidates they support next month. “The economy is performing pretty well right now, but at the moment, perception hasn’t caught up with reality,” said Hibbing, co-director of the UC Merced lab. “The Democrats are going to try like crazy to spread the word about how things have improved, and Republicans are going to try to keep the focus off the current state of the economy and on topics where they see the Democrats as vulnerable.” He said history favors Republicans. “The midterm elections are always tough on the president’s party, and especially so for second-term presidents, so I would expect the Republicans to gain ground in both houses of Congress with a good

chance that they will retake the Senate,” Hibbing said. More partisanship at the national level? Should Republicans control both houses of Congress for the next two years, the confrontation and gamesmanship between GOP leaders and President Obama that led to a 16-day shutdown of the federal government last fall could escalate again. Many of UC Merced’s political science faculty members point to other periods in U.S. history when political polarization was particularly high. Monroe and Nicholson mentioned the period of Reconstruction in the 1860s and ’70s as well as the Civil Rights era in the 1960s as being particularly divisive. Hibbing, who teaches courses on voting behavior and political psychology, said how

and where people access information today contributes to the growing perception that polarization has increased. “Strong Democrats watch MSNBC and read the Huffington Post, while strong Republicans watch Fox News and read Drudge. At the extremes, partisan voters can avoid ever hearing viewpoints that challenge their existing views,” he said. “But most voters are more moderate, and among those voters, I don’t think polarization is nearly as extreme as it is sometimes portrayed. “I do think that the extremes get more attention, but that is largely because most moderates are not that engaged in politics.” Research conducted by Professor Jessica Trounstine shows that in all regions of the country, voters cast ballots for different parties at different levels of government. Democrats dominate >> CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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“In my mind, polarization is largely an elite phenomenon, with voters following along when they have little other choice.” – PROFESSOR JESSICA TROUNSTINE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

California’s Legislature and statewide office holders, but plenty of Republicans are elected to nonpartisan local positions as well as Congress. In Texas and Kentucky, she said, most local officials are Democrats while the states vote Republican in national contests. The reverse is true in Pennsylvania. “I think that this type of partisan splitting indicates that polarization isn’t nearly as clear cut as many people believe,” she said. “In my mind, polarization is largely an elite phenomenon, with voters following along when they have little other choice.” Professor David Fortunato, who studies legislatures in the U.S. and Europe, believes polarization has increased with the influence of the parties themselves over the past two generations.

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“Think of the Democratic Party in the 1960s,” he said. “Ted Kennedy and Strom Thurmond were both Democrats, but they were very different politically. … If you were a voter and you wanted to make a good decision 50 years ago, you would have had to find out about what individual legislators thought. Today, you find out about the party because you can base your decision on that.” A serious set of researchers A key measure of the growing influence of the UC Merced political science group is publication rates. Professors’ research has appeared in the country’s leading political science journals or published in book form just as often as bigger, older schools. A report Monroe issued in Fall 2013 reveals how well UC Merced compares

against the 20 political science programs ranked highest by U.S. News and World Report, plus the five other UC institutions that offer political science degrees. That list includes such Ivy League luminaries as Yale, Harvard, Columbia and Princeton; nationally renowned universities such as Stanford, Ohio State, Michigan and NYU; and the UCs in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Davis, Santa Barbara and Riverside. Monroe compared the frequency of publication in the top six peer-reviewed academic journals and top six book presses – what he calls “the most important measure of faculty success.” UC Merced’s staff ranked second nationally, trailing only Washington University in St. Louis. He even adjusted for the relative youth of the faculty members, assuming that newer

UC Merced Polling Place Open on Election Day BY CORI LUCERO

Governmental and Community Relations

With the November election on the horizon, the Office of Governmental and Community Relations would like to remind our campus community and friends that UC Merced has a polling location available to any voter registered in Merced County. Since 2011, students, faculty and staff members and anyone else registered to vote in Merced County have had the opportunity to cast their ballots in the California Room.

To date, more than 1,000 ballots have been cast at UC Merced’s polling location. We have worked hand in hand with Student Housing and Transportation and Parking Services to secure the room and provide complimentary short-term parking for voters. Forging a strong relationship with staff members in the office of the Merced County Registrar of Voters, we are proud to continue making this polling location available and encourage our campus community members and supporters to make their voices heard in this year’s mid-term elections.

GOVERNMENTRELATIONS

professors publish more often than those at the tail ends of their careers. When adjusting for those who have received their Ph.D.s since 1998 – the year of the oldest Ph.D. in the discipline – UC Merced still ranked seventh of the 25 schools evaluated. Monroe credits an aggressive national recruitment effort that has landed talented faculty members from across the country, joined by a common purpose. Professor Courtenay Conrad received her Ph.D. from Florida State University and had a host of high-profile institutions interested in her. She chose UC Merced. “Everyone here is intellectually curious. They’re very supportive. There are no artificial borders between those who study U.S. politics and international institutions,” said Conrad, who came to UC Merced in

2013 and has done extensive research on state-sponsored torture. One project she is working on – as yet unpublished – will measure Americans’ views toward aggressive interrogation of suspected terrorists or criminals. She said the race of suspects and the agencies conducting interrogations are huge factors in public perception. And, given the horror of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the initial responses are not a surprise.

“We have preliminary evidence to suggest that Americans are more supportive of torture when detainees have Arabic names and when an intelligence agency is responsible for the abuse,” Conrad said. Monroe said the value of political science itself is reflected in the kind of research being conducted at UC Merced. “We take the science part seriously,” he said. “We try to answer questions that are not based on subjective opinion. We use quantitative data to shed insight on important topics.”

“Historically, California has been an innovator in public policy and a lot of the ideas, for better or worse, have been adopted by other states.” – Professor Stephen P. Nicholson

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Outdoor Experience Program Offers New By LORENA ANDERSON

University Communications

The idea of going off to college can be daunting. But a group of freshmen and transfer students added another challenge to the start of school – a week in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, an experience many had never imagined they could have. “It was really awesome,” said freshman Armand Kirshman, of Irvine. “I had never done any of these things before – hiking, camping, white-water rafting – I had never been to Yosemite before. I really enjoyed it.” UC Merced’s Outdoor Experience Program (OEP) offers the Week of Wilderness (WoW) to new students each year, letting them move in a week early so they can spend a week getting to know each other under semi-extreme circumstances. Only 16 students can go each year, and they are led by medically trained OEP student guides and experienced rangers and who take them as high as the 10,000-foot summit of Mt. Hoffman and as deep as the American River canyon. “It helps us introduce people to our region, and we want to inspire them and turn them on to the outdoors,” Recreation and Athletics Associate Director David Noble said. “We hope it will encourage them to think about environmental stewardship and expose them to some of the things they can study here.”

Students like Faustina Barnard spent time in the off-trail areas of Yosemite, backpacking and learning to work together and get to know each other.

“I saw the Milky Way with my own eyes for the first time. It was amazing.” – student Armand Kirshman

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Skills that Will Last The students learn leadership skills, teamwork and to trust each other, sharing duties with team partners to carry supplies such as tents and bear canisters full of food. Each pair had to decide together who would carry what items, and as a group, they all shared the duties of carrying group items such as cooking gear. Long days of hiking and rafting gave way to campfires and evening activities such as games that encouraged the students to open up to each other, becoming fast friends. “I’m still friends with the students I met on my WoW,” said Daniel Sabzehar, who went on his first trip as a freshman last year, and is leading trips this year. “You’re out there, it’s raw, you’re learning to rely on other people. There’s a lot of bonding.” Some of the students who went this year said they were surprised to find the experience so enjoyable, and that it lived up to its promise of easing the transition to college. “It gave me the confidence to go out and make other new friends, too,” said student Faustina Barnard of San Dimas.

Andrew Betancourt, left, and Thi Dang prepared to head out for their Week of Wilderness adventure. Armand Kirshman, above, said he had never experienced any of the outdoor activities before this trip.

Students a Week of Wilderness & Bonding In years past, the whole week was spent hiking and camping in the mountains, but this year’s trip was structured differently. The students divided up into two groups, and one group spent the first two days backpacking in the Yosemite high country while the other spent the first two days rafting on the American River. They met up on the third day at Lake Alpine in the Stanislaus National Forest, where they spent the day relaxing by the water, kayaking and hiking, and then they switched adventures. In their weeklong trip, they went through 10 state or national parks and forests. “Over the past couple of summers, we realized that most people did not want to haul a pack on their back for five days on a trail, and that offering a variety of outdoor activities would provide more opportunities to inspire the participants and extend our reach,” Noble said. “I really liked all the experiences, but my favorite day was the day when we all got together,” said student Kevin Kemp from Pacifica. “We spent the day doing different activities and we really made personal connections.” A New Perspective The trip lets the students get to know upperclassmen, too, so they have some resources on campus to give them advice and help them get to know their new home. Most of the students in this year’s group are now close friends, said Christopher Reps of Arroyo Grande. They

eat together, hangout in each other’s residence rooms and have a network of people they know very well. Reps, an experienced hiker, said he decided to go on the trip specifically because he wanted to meet people and start the process of acclimating to college life. Now that he has been, he said, he wants to take advantage of other OEP trips, back to the Sierra, over to the coast and elsewhere. Some students were nervous about being off-trail and away from civilization, or about whether they could handle the trip’s demands. For example, Mt. Hoffman is more than 10,000 feet above sea level, and the air is thin up there. But no one had any serious issues, Sabzehar said. “The whole trip was pretty flawless,” he said. “Overall, roughly 70 percent of the students who participate in WoW are first-time Yosemite visitors, and there have been trips on which some of the students had never even heard of the park before,” Noble said. Even if they have been there, chances are they’ve never been as far from the Valley and its tourist destinations as they were on this trip. Many of them were amazed by the natural beauty and the sweeping views they encountered. Some students chose to forgo tents so they could see the sky with no light pollution and no distractions. “I saw the Milky Way with my own eyes for the first time,” Kirshman said. “It was amazing.”

“You’re out there, it’s raw, you’re learning to rely on other people. There’s a lot of bonding.” student and group leader Daniel Sabzehar

Many of the students had never experienced backpacking before. FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Researchers

BY Lorena Anderson

University Communications

Dig Into The Desert, Dive Into Jellyfish Lakes To Make Discoveries

Postdoctoral researcher Nate Bogie, left and right, worked with several Senegalese researchers and residents to conduct soil monitoring tests.

“People see jellies as disruptors, but the golden jellies function much like trees and plants do, turning inorganic things into food and becoming food themselves for a rare species of anemone that lives in the lake, and for the fish that live there, too.” – PROFESSOR MIKE DAWSON

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rom the drought-ravaged, sandy soil of Senegal to the abundant waters of the island nation of Micronesia, UC Merced’s researchers are working around the globe to learn more about topics that could change the world. Working with Professor Teamrat Ghezzehei, graduate student Nate Bogie spent a good part of the past three years in the sub-Saharan region of Senegal, in the villages of Keur matar Arame and Nioro du Rip, studying two bushes that dramatically enhance the growth and productivity of crops planted near them. In the long run, it could make a big difference in how people in that area are able to feed themselves. Partnering with Senegalese scientists, students and farmers, Bogie and Ghezzehei planted different plots of land with millet and peanuts, and a crop of soil sensors to measure what’s happening below ground. On some plots, they also planted two native shrubs — Guiera senegalensis and Piliostigama reticulatum.

Over the past four growing seasons, Bogie and his colleagues observed that the crops planted near the shrubs were “pretty prolific,” Bogie said. “We saw huge differences in almost every aspect of the crops’ growth.” The often famine-plagued 3,400-milewide swath of the Sudano-Sahel, where the bushes grow, covers parts of Senegal, southern Mauritania, Mali, southern Algeria, Niger, Chad, southern Sudan and Eritrea. It is bordered on the north by the Sahara, on the south by a less-arid savannah, by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Red Sea on the east. Bogie already spoke French and he learned the native language of Wollof, which helped the team gain people’s trust and establish relationships with the farmers who allow research on their lands, Ghezzehei said. Bogie also trained two master’s students from the University of Thies in the use of state-of-the-art research equipment. They are part of the team regularly monitoring about a dozen farms.

The team’s sensors indicate the shrubs help stave off soil erosion, help retain soil moisture, provide some shade from the relentless sun and, as they die back, contribute biomass that makes the sandy ground more hospitable to crops. The researchers hope their data will help them understand how to use the shrubs to offset the seven or eight months of the year when the area faces famine-inducing drought, and make the most of the rainy season.

the golden jellies function much like trees and plants do, turning inorganic things into food and becoming food themselves for a rare species of anemone that lives in the lake, and for the fish that live there, too.” The work adds to a growing body of knowledge about the biodiversity on our planet and the effects of climate change, which allows better modeling about what humans can expect as our current climate shifts.

Underwater studies Professor Mike Dawson and his research colleagues, including Professor Jessica Blois and Professor Michael Beman, had a much wetter year than the desert researchers, as they examined biodiversity and changes to the populations of jellyfish in the lakes of Palau. This summer, they took core samples of the sediment in Jellyfish Lake, named for its hordes of golden jellies. By looking at the lake’s history through the layers of sediment core samples, researchers can analyze the long-term effects of climate change on the ecosystem. Dawson and his colleagues have been working Palau since the 1990s. The lakes have become more popular tourist destinations because it’s safe to swim with the golden jellies – they don’t really sting – so the researchers are also looking at the effects of increased tourism on the ecosystem. Another part of the work delves into the different functions the jellies serve in their environments. “They are a predator, so they may contribute to stability in the ecosystem,” Dawson said. “People see jellies as disruptors, but

Diverse interests Many other researchers from UC Merced have been overseas this year, including physiology Professor Rudy Ortiz who spent time in Japan with several students in his lab working on furthering diabetes research; archaeology Professor Holley Moyes, who conducted field research in Belize; and Professor Susan Amussen, a social and cultural historian of Britain who spent time digging into U.K. archives and libraries. Professor Robin DeLugan traveled to the Dominican Republic to address the 1930’s atrocities of state violence that shaped dominant ideas of national belonging; Professor David Kaminsky went to Sweden to study social partner dancing in preparation for a book; and Professor Eric Walle spent time in Shanghai working on a collaboration with developmental psychology researchers there. Biology Professor Emily Moran examined genetic diversity and local adaptation in goldenrod, an invasive species of plant in Europe, by spending time in Switzerland; and School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Dean Mark Aldenderfer conducted archaeology research in Nepal and the High Himalayas.

RESEARCH RESULTS DEMONSTRATE DIFFERENCES IN CROP GROWTH 2012: KEUR MATAR PEANUT POD YIELD

2013: KEUR MATAR MILLET PANICLE YIELD

CROP + SHRUB

CROP ONLY

2012: NIORO PEANUT POD YIELD

3000

2013: NIORO MILLET PANICLE YIELD CROP + SHRUB

CROP + SHRUB

CROP ONLY

750

1500

900

500

1000

250

300

0 75

150

225

NPK application rate kg ha -1 FROM MANAGED NSF RESEARCH PLOT Error bars represent ±1SE

150

NPK application rate kg ha -1

225

1000

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0 0

kg ha-1

2000 600

0 0

150

225

NPK application rate kg ha -1

150

225

NPK application rate kg ha -1

FROM MANAGED NSF RESEARCH PLOT Error bars represent ±1SE

Bogie’s research proves better results for crops when planted near the two native bushes that have long been thought to help crops thrive in the harsh Senegal climate.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

Science and Engineering 2 The Science and Engineering 2 (S&E2) building opened for faculty members to occupy labs and offices in the summer, and is occupied by students for the first time this fall. HERE ARE FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE NEWEST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING ON CAMPUS:  The U.S. Green Building Council is expected to give S&E2 a platinum LEED certification, the highest rating a building can earn. All of UC Merced’s building projects have earned LEED certification for their sustainable designs, and this will be our third platinum certification.  Labs in S&E2 will use 39 percent less energy than a typical university lab.  A 52 kilowatt photovoltaic structure on the building will generate 81,957 kilowatt hours each year to help power the building.  The building uses solar energy to heat water for research, and there’s room to expand that capability.  40 percent of the materials used in building S&E2 are recycled.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

FO CUS O N u nde rGR A DUAT E ST UDE NTS

BY Lorena Anderson

University Communications

Service-Learning Team seeks

GREEN Entrepreneurs WHO need funding

“There are millions of people who don’t have access to credit. This is one way to help them while helping the environment and giving the students hands-on experience.” – PROFESSOR ELLIOT CAMPBELL The Kiva Green Team features almost all new members this semester, and those fresh eyes will take a look at ongoing challenges.

t’s no secret that UC Merced is a green school. From its landscaping and building design to its purchasing practices and growing solar-energy systems, sustainability is simply a part of the campus’s fabric. People might not expect that standard to flow over into projects outside the university, but it does. The Kiva Green Team in Engineering Service Learning is a group of students working on solving some challenges for Kiva, the microfinance company that helps people around the globe create opportunities for themselves, while looking out for Central Valley entrepreneurs who want to make green improvements to their businesses. Kiva connects people willing to lend money to those who need it to improve or grow their business ventures. Its newer Zip program lets people loan as little as $5 to help entrepreneurs borrow up to $5,000 at zero interest for two years. The organization, formed in 2004, has so far facilitated almost $600 million in loans to almost 2 million people in 78 countries. The loan repayment rate is 98.8 percent, the organization said. But borrowers have to be endorsed by “trustees.” That’s part of where the service-learning team comes in.

“We’re going to be trustees for the Central Valley,” said student Eric Chu, the Kiva Green Team leader this year. “We’re getting to know businesses here, and developing relationships with entrepreneurs.” Staying engaged Engineering Service Learning teams mix undergraduate students of all levels with each other to solve real problems presented to them by their community-partner businesses or nonprofits. The challenges teams have worked on so far range from medical apparatuses for Children’s Hospital in Madera to developing interactive kiosks for a restoration project along the San Joaquin River. “The Kiva Green Team is helping Kiva expand into the United States,” said Professor Elliot Campbell, the team’s faculty mentor. One of the criteria by which the team will decide to endorse potential borrowers is whether they are requesting money for something that is environmentally friendly or contributes to societal good, Chu said. The team will stay engaged with the borrowers to help encourage them to repay the loans. “There are no consequences if they don’t pay it back, except bad karma,” Campbell said. But Chu said he and his teammates will do the best they can not only to vet the

borrowers they endorse, but to make sure the loans are repaid — because the better the borrower does, the better the team scores as a trustee. Increasing sustainability The team will also help businesses with energy audits to try and find ways to increase sustainability and save money. The focus on green projects could attract more lenders from around the globe to Valley businesses, Campbell said. “People could get loans for more energyefficient equipment, or hybrid vehicles – there are a lot of really positive impacts businesses can have on the environment for not a lot of money,” Campbell said. “But there are millions of people who don’t have access to credit. This is one way to help them while helping the environment and giving the students hands-on experience.” Chu’s team is almost all new to him this fall, so he will have to get everyone up to speed on the project. “It’s a challenge because I don’t know everyone’s strengths yet,” said Chu, who’s in his second semester on the team, “but it’s also an advantage because everyone comes and looks at the project with fresh eyes.”

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

The pioneer students return to their alma mater.

ALUMNICORNER 32

UC Merced’s pioneer scholars – the students enrolled when the campus opened in 2005 – came together this year for the first campus class reunion. More than 150 alumni and guests gathered to celebrate the classes of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The campus celebrated the founding classes, their diverse skills and experiences and the legacy they left at UC Merced, so it was only fitting that the reunion was held in the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater – the realization of the Class of 2009’s gift to campus of an outdoor event space – honoring the legacy the founding classes have left for UC Merced. The reunion was the first event hosted there, and it was held on Bobcat Day, a day when prospective students and their families are welcomed to campus to learn about all that UC Merced has to offer. The reunion was just one of many events designed to encourage alumni to return to campus to see how much it has grown, evolved and matured since they graduated. A dedicated group of alumni volunteers organized the reunion, which included an original song and performance by Socorra Camposanto (biological sciences/2009) and an original dance performance by Dance Coalition alumni, including Sanjeev Chahal (psychology/2009), Erika Maldonado (social and cognitive science/2009), Ashley Nand (psychology/2009), Toni Chantharangma (biological sciences/2009) and Therese Anderson (psychology/2009). Founding Class members donated more than $2,400 to UC Merced over their reunion year, primarily to support the growth of the UC Merced Alumni Association and scholarship and financial-aid support for current students. UC Merced Alumni Association Vice President Jackie Shay (biological sciences/2009) served on the Founding Classes Reunion Planning Committee because, she said, it’s important for UC Merced’s founding alumni to stay connected to their alma mater.

FALL 2014 | UC MERCED MAGAZINE

“This place changed my life,” she said. “Every high, every low, every in-between helped shape me into the woman I am.” After graduation, Shay joined the Peace Corps and served for two years in Morocco, where she developed a Peer Health Education program modeled after her college experience as a student supporter of the HEROES program. Shay is now in her second year as a master’s candidate in mycology at San Francisco State University, and she hopes to return to UC Merced as a professor of mycology to continue her contributions to the campus’s growth and success.

UC Merced alums have not lost their school spirit or the bonds they forged by being the first students at the brand-new campus.

After the reunion, many alumni continued celebrating downtown, where several area businesses offered specials and discounts in celebration of the classes – including the UC Merced alumni-owned businesses J&R Tacos (Janna Rodriguez, mechanical engineering/2012) and Coffee Bandits (Kurt Winbigler, literatures and cultures/2009) on Main Street. “Seeing everybody, it’s like we never left,” dancer Chahal said. “This is where we grew up essentially. We’re all back here to see the growth.” The Office of Alumni Relations has already started recruiting alumni volunteers for the 2010 Class Reunion scheduled for April 2015. All alumni are welcome to share in the celebration. If you are interested in volunteering, email alumni@ucmerced.edu.

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