News
Teen obesity screens may not help with weight loss
Eight states now screen their students for obesity and inform parents if their children have a high body mass index. But does screening students for obesity actually improve obesity rates? UC Davis Assistant Professor Kevin Gee’s new research indicates it may not.
Author’s Tales Come Alive
Joseph Bruchac - Words Take Wing
Words Take Wing, featuring Native American children’s writer Joseph Bruchac, was featured in the Davis Enterprise on February 12, 2015.
“This is the kind of program I wish occurred in more places,” the author told The Enterprise. “As an inspiration to teachers and students, it is second to none. I can’t think of a more enthusiastic audience. You can see the excitement.” Read the full article by Jeff Hudson.
Obama’s Free College Plan Is No Panacea; Just Ask California
Op-Ed by Associate Professor Michal Kurlander and Jacob Jackson (PhD ’12)
Washington Post – January 28, 2014
President Obama’s proposal to make community colleges free is a valiant effort to address the rising demand for skilled workers throughout the nation and to improve college access for low-income students. As states consider his proposal, they would be wise to look to California. Our research in the state suggests that low tuition can put higher education within reach for many low-income students, but it is no panacea. Read more.
Michal Kurlaender is an associate professor of education and Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Davis. Jacob Jackson is a researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California.
Heidi Ballard Named a Chancellor’s Fellow
Heidi Ballard, associate professor of education, has been selected as a 2014-15 Chancellor’s Fellow. The Chancellor’s Fellows Program recognizes “the rising stars who shine as teachers and campus citizens, and whose scholarly work already puts them at the top of their fields — garnering attention far and wide.” It is one of the highest and most prestigious honors on this campus.
Student News Fall 2014
JaNay Brown-Wood
JaNay Brown-Wood (PhD) published her first children’s picture book, Imani’s Moon, in October. The book has been selected as the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ Children’s Book of the Year and publisher Charlesbridge named it “Picture Book of the Month.”
Michal Kurlaender Named Co-Director of Leading Education Policy Organization
Associate Professor Michal Kurlaender has been named a co-director of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), an independent, nonpartisan research center based at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, the University of Southern California, and UC Davis.
PACE seeks to define and sustain a long-term strategy for comprehensive policy reform and continuous improvement in performance at all levels of California’s education system, from early childhood to postsecondary education and training. Learn more about PACE at http://www.edpolicyinca.org/.
Alumna Joanna Wong Begins Fellowship
New Doctoral Alumna Begins Fellowship for Research on Bilingual Elementary Student Writing
Joanna Wong (PhD ’14) begins a prestigious two-year mentoring program in the Scholars of Color program funded by the Research Foundation of the National Council of Teachers of English.
“Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards: How Your Classroom Is Framed Is as Important as What You Do in It”
NSTA Blog - November 10, 2014
Cindy Passmore, associate professor of science education, wrote a guest entry on the National Science Teachers Association’s NSTA Blog on November 10, 2014.
Spring 2014 Student News
PhD Student Angie Cortes received the 2014-15 UC Davis Dissertation- Year Fellowship. Only six 12-month fellowships are awarded each year to doctoral students who are in the final stages of their doctoral work demonstrating strong potential for university teaching and research. Recipients receive a stipend of $25,000 and their in-state fees are covered. They also receive a research fund of $500 and a travel allowance of $500.
Early Career Fellowship Awarded to Danny C. Martinez
Danny C. Martinez, assistant professor of education, has been selected to be a 2014 Concha Delgado Gaitan Presidential Fellow by the Council on Anthropology and Education. This early career fellowship is intended to support professional development and mentoring in the field of educational anthropology.
Only five fellowships are awarded each year, which pairs up early career scholars with senior scholars and comes with a $500 travel award to cover the cost of presenting at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association.
Alumni Council Chair Honored for Service by Cal Aggie Alumni Association
2014
Sandi Redenbach (Credential ’73), a retired English and theater arts teacher who overcame a tumultuous adolescence, was awarded the 2014 Aggie Service Award for her dedication of time, energy, volunteerism and leadership in support of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and UC Davis.
Heidi Ballard Co-Writes Policy Forum: Next Steps for Citizen Science
Science, March 28, 2014
Heidi Ballard, associate professor of education, co-wrote a piece for Science highlighting the growth and evolution of citizen science projects.
Danny C. Martinez Honored for Research on Black and Latino Youth’s Language and Literacy Practices
In recognition of his scholarship on the use of language among Black and Latino youth in urban English Language Arts classrooms, the National Council of Teachers of English Assembly for Research (NCTEAR) has honored Danny C. Martinez, assistant professor of education, with an award for his continued work to increase diverse perspectives into how we examine language and literacy in multicultural and multilingual communities.
Alumnus Tony Barcellos Receives Award for Scholarship and Service
Tony Barcellos (PhD ‘05) received the American River College Patrons Club’s 2014 Faculty Chair. The annual award recognizes an American River College professor for exceptional teaching, commitment, and service to education.
Michal Kurlaender Named Among Most Influential Education Researchers
Associate Professor of Education Michal Kurlaender has been named among the 200 most influential education researchers in the country.
Past Words Take Wing Author Recognized for Lifetime Achievement
Authors Fredrick and Patricia McKissack are the recipients of the 2014 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA). Patricia McKissack was the featured author of Words Take Wing: Honoring Diversity in Children’s Literature in 2007. Read more here.
Michal Kurlaender Named Chancellor’s Fellow
November 19, 2013
Michal Kurlaender, associate professor of education, has joined an elite group of UC Davis faculty members named 2013-14 Chancellor’s Fellows. The honor recognizes outstanding records of achievement among early career faculty. Each fellow receives a $25,000 prize to support his or her research, teaching and service activities. Kurlaender retains the title of Chancellor’s Fellow until July 1, 2018. The Davis Chancellor’s Club and the university’s Annual Fund support the program.
Research on Community-Based Professional Development and the Politics of Profanity
November 2013
Vajra Watson, director of research and policy for equity, published an article titled “Censoring Freedom: Community- Based Professional Development and the Politics of Profanity” in Equity & Excellence in Education, Vol. 46, Issue 3, 2013. In the Special Issue: Social Justice Approaches to African American Language and Literary Practices, Watson documents the tensions rising from a program that encourages youth to write and perform poetry that taps into their lived experiences in tough neighborhoods and often contains profanity.
Attending elite colleges benefits even those less academically prepared
Research by Professor Michal Kurlaender featured in article by Karen Nikos, UC Davis News Service
July 2013
University of California-eligible students with weaker high school grades and test scores typically fared about as well, after four years in college, as higher-ranking students who were admitted, according to a new University of California, Davis, study.
Professor Cary Trexler Awarded Grant from Vietnam Education Foundation
July 19, 2013
The U.S. government’s Vietnam Education Foundation has awarded a U.S. Faculty Scholar grant to Glenn Young and Cary Trexler of the University of California, Davis. Both are associate professors, Young in the Department of Food Science and Technology, and Trexler in the School of Education.
The one-year grant will support the establishment of a participatory research class in Vietnam, for Vietnamese undergraduates, to guide them through projects related to preharvest, postharvest, food science, crop science and food safety.
