Program Gives Jumpstart to Student Researchers

A program that gets students into labs as early as their first year at UC Davis transforms lives — leading many to pursue careers in research. Accelerating Success by Providing Intensive Research Experience, or ASPIRE, has begun reaching out to a wider pool of students. “We wanted to find the students who, given this opportunity, would go the farthest relative to where they started,” says co-founder Steve Luck, Distinguished Professor of Psychology.

What Gamers and Redditors Can Teach Us About Democracy

Despite the ongoing threat of misinformation spreading online, UC Davis cognitive scientist Seth Frey still believes in the promise of the internet as a force for political and economic empowerment. The National Science Foundation recently awarded Frey and colleagues at three other universities a $460,000 grant to study how groups create and enforce self-rule in a wide array of domains, including Frey’s focus: Reddit forums (called subreddits) and video games.

Q&A: Ron Mangun and the Future of Mind and Brain Science

When George “Ron” Mangun led a campuswide effort to launch the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain in 2002, he declared, “This is the most exciting time in mind and brain research in human history.” In an interview, Mangun talks about becoming the center's director for a second time and the even greater potential for mind and brain breakthroughs today.

Success Is Not Just How You Play Your Cards, But How You Play Your Opponents

In high-stakes environments, success is not just about playing your cards right, but also playing your opponents right. Looking at how more than 35,000 individuals interacted when playing millions of poker hands online, a University of California, Davis, study reveals that game experts are an excellent source of insight into how people process strategic information in competitive settings.

Scholarships Support Stellar Students

Back-to-school time at the UC Davis College of Letters and Science means a rededication to our mission as a liberal arts powerhouse. More than ever, we’re focused on growing our students’ intellectual adaptability, critical thinking, and collaborative commitment to improving themselves and the world around them.