Groundbreaking Research
A geologist does research at the Keck CAVES.
In 2004-05, the College of Letters and Science received more than $23 million in research grants.
The grants and private gifts that the college supports go to a wide range of research activities in
all three divisions.
Some of the latest research news and information on the college's research is below.
L&S Organized Research Units
An Organized Research Unit (ORU) is an academic entity established to administer research programs
that complement the campus's academic goals. ORUs are collaborative and interdisciplinary, and they are
approved by the Chancellor and UC President.
L&S Organized Research Projects
Like an ORU, the purpose of an Organized Research Project (ORP) is to foster research that crosses
disciplinary boundaries. ORPs are the necessary precursors to establish an ORU.
Latest Research News
Cave Study Links Climate Change to California Droughts
California experienced centuries-long droughts in the past 20,000 years that coincided with the thawing of ice caps in the Arctic, according to a new study by UC Davis doctoral student Jessica Oster and geology professor Isabel Montanez.
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Inequality, "Silver Spoon" Effect Found In Ancient Societies
The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to an international study coordinated by a UC Davis anthropologist.
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Diabetic Episodes Affect Kids' Memory
Children who have had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a common complication of diabetes, may have persistent memory problems, according to a new study from researchers at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain.
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Two UC Davis Professors to Edit New California Journal
Two UC Davis professors are busy preparing for the inaugural issue of a new journal about California's cultures, politics and histories that will be called Boom.
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$4.4 Million Grant to Design Neutrino Detector
A consortium led by UC Davis physics professor Robert Svoboda will design the world's largest neutrino detector under a $4.4 million contract recently awarded by the National Science Foundation.
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Blogging From Antarctica
UC Davis geology professor Dawn Sumner and postdoctoral scholar Bekah Shepard leave Davis this week for Antarctica. They will spend seven weeks camped by a frozen lake in one of the continent's dry valleys, one of the most inhospitable, and pristine, habitats on the planet.
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Explore the Emergent Universe
Ranging from slime molds to quantum matter to Alzheimer's disease, a new online exhibit opened Oct. 1 aims to encourage young people to learn about "emergence," complex behaviors that arise from the interaction of simple parts, and encourages them to develop an "emergent perspective."
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Novel Chemistry For Ethylene and Tin
New work by chemists at UC Davis shows that ethylene, a gas that is important both as a hormone that controls fruit ripening and as a raw material in industrial chemistry, can bind reversibly to tin atoms. The research, published Sept. 25 in the journal Science, could have implications for understanding catalytic processes.
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$1.2 M for Exploration of Nuclear Reactor Fuels
The search for more efficient fuels for nuclear reactors has received a nearly $1.2 million boost in the form of a U.S. Department of Energy grant to a research team headed by a UC Davis physics professor. The team will develop computer-driven models that will allow theoretical manipulation of the fuels and their behavior from the safe vantage point of a keyboard and monitor.
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Eye Movements Give Away Memories
Your eye movements can show that the elements of a memory are in place even when you cannot consciously recall it or when you get it wrong, according to a new study from UC Davis. The findings, published Sept. 10 in the journal Neuron, could have several practical applications.
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Scientists' Drill Hits Magma: Only Third Time On Record
Scientists drilling a borehole deep into Iceland's rocky crust to explore new methods of using geothermal energy hit a major roadblock on Thursday: Their drill ran into molten rock at a depth of 6,900 feet.
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Office of Research
The Office of Research gives you access to information on research across the university.
http://research.ucdavis.edu/
About the College