Research Programs And Resources Organized Research UnitsOrganized Research Units (ORUs) are campuswide interdisciplinary research programs that further the university’s missions of teaching, research and public service, but do not offer courses of instruction. Members of an ORU come from more than one department and normally from more than one school, college division. Air Quality Research Center3047-3053 Bainer Hall; (530) 754-8374 Air pollution adversely affects health, welfare and ecosystems directly or indirectly. Atmospheric pollutants reside in either the gas phase, such as ozone or benzene, or the particulate phase, such as soot or sulfuric acid. Researchers at UC Davis employ measurements in the field and in laboratories, theoretical approaches, mathematical models, and policy analysis to tackle state, federal and intercontinental air quality problems. The center is composed of over 60 faculty and research staff from six schools and colleges across campus, so takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to air quality problem solving. Bodega Marine Laboratory and ReserveBodega Marine Laboratory The Bodega Marine Laboratory is dedicated to research and teaching in marine biology and related fields. Research areas include marine ecology, coastal terrestrial ecology, oceanographic influences on marine populations, impacts of non-native species, responses of marine organisms to environmental stress, and fisheries ecology and conservation. Well-equipped facilities feature running seawater in two classrooms and most laboratories, a marine science library, lecture hall, housing facilities, greenhouses, experimental freshwater system for anadromous fish studies, network of automated environmental sensors on marine and terrestrial habitats, 42-foot research vessel and various small boats, and a dive locker and air station. Faculty teach a number of undergraduate and graduate courses during the academic year and summer session. The laboratory is located in Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, 100 miles west of Davis. The Bodega Marine Reserve, part of the UC Natural Reserve System, is 362 acres of remarkably diverse habitats, including an excellent rocky intertidal zone, sand beaches, saltmarsh, lagoon tidal flats, freshwater marsh, coastal prairie and dunes. The reserve also administers adjacent subtidal sand and rock habitats in a marine life refuge. Areas of research include a broad spectrum of field studies of plants and animals in coastal marine, intertidal and terrestrial ecosystems. California National Primate Research CenterPrimate Center The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) investigates selected human health problems for which the nonhuman primate is the animal model of choice. Research programs include behavioral and neurobiology, developmental and reproductive biology, respiratory diseases, virology and immunology, stem cell biology, gene therapy, genetics and a variety of biomedical collaborative research projects. Self-sustaining breeding colonies of macaques are available for study of spontaneously occurring disorder. Center for Health and the Environment (formerly Institute of Toxicology and Environmental Health) The Center for Health and the Environment (CHE) coordinates interdisciplinary research on the effect of environmental agents, including chemicals and radiation, on the health of humans, animals and other organisms. Researchers conduct epidemiologic studies in human populations and experiments are performed with whole animals as well as organisms, cells and molecules to measure environmental exposures and health outcomes associated with them. Research on the development of agents for population control of humans and wildlife seek to mitigate the adverse effects of overabundance on the environment. Studies on toxic, radioactive, mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic compounds are carried out in special animal holding facilities. Laboratories are equipped for studies in analytical chemistry, biochemical toxicology, cell and molecular biology, endocrinology, inhalation toxicology, morphology and reproductive and developmental biology. The center houses a major universitywide program and federally funded center in occupational medicine and a School of Medicine program in reproductive biology. Crocker Nuclear Laboratory (530) 752-1460 Institute for Data Analysis and Visualization 2343 Academic Surge; (530)752-6298 The mission of the Institute is the integration of research efforts at UC Davis in data analysis and visualization. The Institute draws students and faculty from a variety of departments and colleges, allowing researchers to work together on real-world, applied problems that deal with the massive data analysis and visualization problems encountered in science, engineering, and other fields. The integration of the two fields, especially in biological applications of high throughput biological assay data such as gene expression arrays, proteomics, metabolomics and NMR spectroscopy, produce methods that impact a substantial number of scientific fields. In neuroscience, computer science, computational science, computational physics, and engineering applications, the Institute contributes data exploration and problem-solving methods through visualization, computer graphics, data analysis, and expressive interfaces that enable discovery and analysis from massive information streams. The collaborative efforts of the faculty and students of the Institute enable the University to address a wide-variety of application areas and contribute methods that enable scientists and engineers to make decisions from their data. Institute of Governmental Affairs Alan L. Olmstead, Director The Institute of Governmental Affairs (IGA) serves as a research base for social science faculty at UC Davis. IGA serves approximately 60 faculty from 10 campus departments as well as scholars visiting from throughout the United States and around the world. Located in the core of the UC Davis campus, IGA houses eight formal research programs: Center for International Data; Center for State and Local Taxation; Center for the Evolution of the Global Economy; Conflict Processes Group; Economy, Justice and Society (EJS); Migration Dialogue; Program on Decision-making, Communication and Uncertainty; and Rural Economies of the Americas Program (REAP). Specialized services include grant advising, preparation and administration; research program development; library and data services; social science computing, programming and statistical consulting; seminar, workshop and conference organization; and much more. The institute sponsors an active public affairs program and enhances the education of students by providing research opportunities. IGA serves as the UC Davis liaison to the systemwide program, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) and the All-UC Group in Economic History. Institute of Transportation Studies 2028 Academic Surge; (530) 752-6548 The Institute of Transportation Studies conducts multidisciplinary research on complex problems related to traffic congestion and local and global pollution and disseminates research results to the broader academic and professional community. Research priorities are travel behavior, alternative-fueled vehicle technology and policy, energy and environmental projects and advanced vehicle and highway systems. About 60 faculty members and 100 graduate students from more than 13 academic disciplines, including four Engineering departments, Economics, Environmental Science and Policy, Ecology, Agricultural and Resource Economics, and the Graduate School of Management, participate in the research activities of the Institute. The Institute administers a graduate program in Transportation Technology and Policy, and a number of research centers, including the U.S. DOT Sustainable Transportation Center (STC), the U.S. DOE Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) center, the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center (EEC), the UC Davis Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Center, and the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways (STEPS) program. Nanomaterials in the Environment, Agriculture and Technology (NEAT) 4415 Chemistry Annex; (530) 752-3292 NEAT is a multidisciplinary research and education program which links the fundamental physics, chemistry, and engineering of small particles and nanomaterials to several challenging areas of investigation including (1) applications in ceramic, chemical, electronic, environmental, and agricultural technology, (2) environmental transport and transformation and resulting roles in environmental pollution and remediation, (3) interactions with the biosphere, especially microorganisms and (4) effects on health. John Muir Institute of the Environment Deb A. Niemeier, Director The John Muir Institute of the Environment (JMIE supports innovation and discovery aimed at solving real-world environmental problems. The institute's faculty are committed to strengthening the scientific foundation for environmental decision making through collective entrepreneurship, a team-oriented approach that recognizes the complexities of environmental problems and the societal context in which they occur. JMIE champions science and technological innovation, provides campus-wide leadership, hosts centers and projects, and seeds research and educational initiatives to solve real-world environmental problems. The institute links science and technology to policy by providing the intellectual setting for interactions between researchers, regulatory agencies, policy-makers and the public. Program in International and Community Nutrition Kathryn G. Dewey |
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Updated: October 9, 2008 2:29 PM