Psychology Chair Named to Federal Autism Panel

Susan Rivera, a professor and chair of psychology at UC Davis, has been named to a committee advising the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on autism research, services and policy. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra appointed Rivera and 21 others this month to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

Two Biofuels Research Grants to Chemistry Faculty

UC Davis researchers are taking part in clean energy grants totaling almost $4.5 million recently announced by the U.S. Department of Energy. The grants are among 15 funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) with the goal of making production of biofuels more efficient.

New, Third Type of Supernova Observed

An international team of astronomers has observed the first example of a new type of supernova. The discovery, confirming a prediction made four decades ago, could lead to new insights into the life and death of stars.

Taking a Broader Approach to Measure Success in Science

The way success in scientific careers is measured needs to change if science is to become more diverse, inclusive and equitable, according to a group of women scientists including Professor Tessa Hill and postdoctoral researcher Alyssa Griffin at the UC Davis Department of Earth and Planetary Science and Bodega Marine Laboratory.

That Song Is Stuck in Your Head, but It’s Helping You to Remember

If you have watched TV since the ’90s, the sitcom theme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” has likely been stuck in your head at one point or another. New research from UC Davis suggests these experiences are more than a passing nuisance — they play an important role in helping memories form, not only for the song, but also related life events like hanging out with friends — or watching other people hang with their friends on the ’90s television show, "Friends."

First Nations Rocket Team Prepares for Launch

Students from the First Nations Launch team at the University of California, Davis, will launch a rocket this Saturday, May 15 — on behalf of a team from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. The rocket launch is part of the First Nations Launch competition sponsored by NASA and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin.