May 6, 2021

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VOLUME 139, ISSUE 25 | THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

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UC DAVIS DEAN AND VICE PROVOST JOANNA REGULSKA BECOMES MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION The academy is composed of 23 members representing different global perspectives and aims to promote equity and global learning initiatives across universities

BY MADDIE DULEY campus@theaggie.org On March 12, the National Academy for International Education was launched. The Academy includes Joanna Regulska, the UC Davis vice provost and dean of Global Affairs.

Regulska has been advocating for global learning at UC Davis since September 2013.

“Over the last six years we have been involved in numerous globally engaging projects, collaborative research and [we have] developed a whole new approach to thinking about how we can engage students in global learning,” Regulska said. “Global learning can take place internationally but also domestically through internships, through living and learning communities, through research, through projectbased activities [and by] taking courses.”

Regulska emphasized that while global learning can take place through studying abroad, this option is not always feasible for every student. She said she strives to promote equity by implementing and brainstorming programs that are accessible to all students. One such global education program is the National Academy for International Education.

“This is a very collective project across the campus with numerous units and a wide range of classes,” Regulska said. “We have colleges working with us, students, the library, academic colleagues and student affairs. The beauty of this initiative is that it is so comprehensive in bringing the campus together.”

About two years ago, Regulska received an award from the Institute of International Education (IIE) for senior international officers.

“One thing led to another and then, subsequently, I and a group of people were asked

by IIE to think about creating an academy,” Regulska said. “[As] founding members we

thought about the academic issues at play: What [should the academy] look like? What should it be?”

The founding members then invited other leaders of international education to the academy to form the 23 members that it is composed of today. These members represent countries from all over the world, with members from the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Taiwan and Ghana, according to Regulska.

“We are working together in different working groups to look at different issues, to look at equity, to look at collaboration, to look at partnerships,” said Dawn Whitehead, an academy member as well as the vice president of the Office of Global Citizenship for Campus Communities and Careers at the Association of American Colleges and Universities. “People in the field are coming together to talk about these issues and think about what we should write. What is it we should put out? How do we use our collective networks to leverage the importance of thinking about equity when talking about international education?”

The academy will be producing work toward advancing international education through publications, research briefs and papers, according to Whitehead.

“The academy is a space to think about what is it we should be doing to make sure that the students, one, are welcomed and, two, [are] safe,” Whitehead said. “How can we create an environment or work with our colleagues to have these discussions about the realities on the ground?”

The academy will be working in collaboration with universities and governmental agencies to look at inequities among students to ensure that college campuses are welcoming and safe spaces for all students, according to Whitehead. “[The academy has an] underlying and crosscutting commitment to equity, to collaboration,

UC Davis Vice Provost and Dean of Global Affairs Joanna Regulska is now a member of the National Academy for International Education. (Joanna Regulska / Courtesy) to really pushing the boundaries of knowledge [and] to pushing the boundaries of the field of international education,” Regulska said. “I think these days we need to think out of the box, we need to think into the future, we need to think about how we will advance international higher education that actually addresses these global challenges.”

The theme for the initial period of the academy is to reduce inequalities in international education and design projects and initiatives in accordance with this theme. Later themes will include topics such as global learning and technology, according to Regulska.

“The whole idea is to create a peaceful,

DAVIS BUSINESS YOLO ROBOTICS RECEIVES CONTRACT FROM NASA Various research and other opportunities are available locally in robotics and engineering

BY SHRADDHA JHINGAN city@theaggie.org Yolo Robotics, a local Davis business, recently received a grant from NASA for its project proposal to recycle metals in outer space.

Yolo Robotics Founder and Chief Technology Officer Dr. John Shepard, who conducted his postdoctoral research at UC Davis, explained that Yolo Robotics of Davis is focusing on “space technology development.”

Shepard explained that Yolo Robotics is a small business, currently run by himself and Graham Ryland, who received his Masters from UC Davis. Both of them work out of their own garages.

Shepard said that he and Ryland see a possibility of “a gold rush in space and space exploration,” and that they are working to support that. He explained that he wants Yolo Robotics to create the tools necessary for this “gold rush.”

“We’re trying to develop some of the key technologies to support those endeavors,” Shepard said. “[We’re] thinking about the gold rush, like the picks and the shovels—not necessarily doing the gold mining ourselves.”

NASA and other government agencies provide funding to support research toward technologies and areas they are currently or planning on pursuing.

Shepard explained that Yolo Robotics applied for a Small Business Innovative Research Grant at NASA “to explore applications or the technologies for recycling in space.”

It’s hard to get to space and launching something into low Earth orbit (LEO) can cost approximately $2,000 per pound or $1,000 per kilo.

“Once it’s there, it usually stays up there quite a while,” Dr. Shepard said. “But there’s that initial cost of getting up there and then the further away you get, KIYOMI WATSON / AGGIE

the harder it is to get there, so NASA’s goal in pursuing recycling was to try to help out with the logistics of space exploration.”

Shepard explained that Yolo Robotics’ technology allows for the repurposing of problematic “material that is up in orbit right now,” such as satellites or rocket bodies that were previously launched and are now debris that can collide and break into many smaller pieces.

“If you’re thinking about those same big pieces of material up there—big rocket bodies or whatever—if those collide, then they create space debris or they create more pieces of junk, and that’s the problem because the more pieces of junk, the more likely for there to be another collision and therefore another collison after that,” Shepard said.

Shepard described how the grant would enable Yolo Robotics to perform technical research with high-end equipment.

“The grant will allow us to buy some equipment, like vacuum chambers and the pieces that we will integrate into this—basically it’s a bunch of electromagnets to levitate and belt metal—and then we can reform it into arbitrary shapes, which is going to be pretty incredible to see,” Shepard said.

Right now, Yolo Robotics of Davis is doing “the preliminary research to see if this is feasible and if it makes sense to pursue further.”

Although Yolo Robotics doesn’t have any student interns at the moment, UC Davis provides the Student Startup Center for students interested in creating their own startups. These startups can be in any field, including robotics and engineering. Student Startup Administrator Dawn Strickland explained that the center offers a space where students can meet peers with similar interests, discuss ideas and find local mentors.

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sustainable, equitable world,” Regulska said. “As members, [we] are responsible for providing and working with the next generation of leaders.”

Involving leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds and academic disciplines will allow the academy to act as a think tank for brainstorming new ways to increase global learning initiatives.

“The National Academy for International Education provides a critical space for some of the most accomplished international education professionals to work together on pressing issues for our field,” said Allan Goodman, the IIE president and chief executive officer.

COVID-19 P.1 VARIANT DISCOVERED IN YOLO COUNTY, SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE EVOLUTION OF SARS-COV-2 How the UC Davis Genome Center identifies COVID-19 variants and contributes to the pandemic response

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BY MICHELLE WONG science@theaggie.org Despite the development of vaccines and fast testing methods, SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate and pose threats to our community. According to a recent news release by Healthy Davis Together, the P.1 variant of the virus has been identified in Yolo County.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this variant was first identified in Brazil, and contains 17 unique mutations, three of which are specific to the receptor binding domain of the spike protein.

Richard Michelmore, the director of the UC Davis Genome Center, explained that although mutations are constantly occurring in the genome, most of the time these changes do not have an impact on the virus. However, there are times that these mutations become advantageous and cause the virus to evolve.

“One of the selection pressures for a virus is to increase transmissibility,” Michelmore said. “So if a virus is more transmissible, it’s going to be more successful, and we have seen a number of mutations in the virus, particularly in the receptor binding domain of the ACE-2 receptor that confer greater transmissibility.”

According to the CDC, the P.1 variant is a variant of concern, meaning “a variant for which there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines or diagnostic detection failures.”

Frank Schneegas, a public information officer at Yolo County, explained that due to the status of the P.1 variant, it is still important for people to follow public health guidance to reduce the number of infections. He further emphasized the importance for people to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations. Although there is some risk that the vaccine may be potentially less effective against these newer variants, the vaccines have been shown to still be effective.

“People still need to be careful and really follow the health and safety guidance that’s been out there,” Schneegas said. “Really, one of the most important things people should do is get vaccinated as soon as they can.”

Michelmore explained that in order to identify these variants, each of the different strains are sequenced and compared. Samples are put through a high-throughput PCR machine—originally used to monitor single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in plant genotypes—to first look for the absence or presence of the virus, and then again to test for which variant it is based on the presence of fluorescent markers.

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HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS HITS STUDENT ACCOUNTS The relief funds are deposited directly to students as the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act goes into effect

BY KATHLEEN QUINN campus@theaggie.org In April, many students found new funds automatically deposited under MyAwards thanks to the second allocation of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), a federal aid package designed to help students and universities recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This newest funding disbursement was part of the larger bill known as the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), which was signed into law in December 2020 and started distributing funds to students in April.

Alexandra Castro, a third-year Chicana/Chicano studies major, said she first heard about the HEERF funds when it generated a buzz on TikTok. “I saw on TikTok people were like, ‘Oh yeah, I got $4,000 from the Higher Education Relief Fund,’ or, ‘I got $3,000,’” Castro said.

“Then when I saw it was just $1,000—I was grateful for it, but also like, ‘That’s so weird. Why are we getting so much less than what I saw from UC Riverside students or San Diego?’”

The funds are tiered based on financial need, according to Sarah Mangum, the associate vice chancellor for budget and institutional analysis. Mangum said via email that UC Davis has received approximately $52 million from the CRRSA, half of which will be allocated to the institution and the other half through financial aid.

Prior to this most recent group of funds, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocated $34 million in aid and relief in Fall Quarter 2020 to UC Davis.

“UC Davis has not received any other type of COVID-19 external aid,” Mangum said. “We are applying to [Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)] for funding where there are eligible costs, but we have not yet received any FEMA funds and do not expect to receive significant allocations from this source since the eligibility requirements are very limited for higher education.”

The funds allocated to the institution are intended to help recoup lost funds due to pandemic closures as well as COVID-19 related expenses such as testing, quarantine housing, cleaning and protective equipment, Mangum said.

“Since March of 2020, campus units [any organizational

Dutton Hall at UC Davis during Winter Quarter 2021. (Quinn Spooner / Aggie) unit that reports to a Dean, Vice Chancellor, or similar top-level executive] have been tracking extraordinary expenses and lost revenue due to the pandemic,” Mangum said.

Castro, who received her CRRSA HEERF grant by direct deposit on MyAwards on April 14, said the money went to housing.

“I had to move out of my house in order to keep working and going to school,” Castro said. “So the money I received went toward my rent.”

Though the funds have been a help to some students, not all students have access to the federal funds, according to the AB540

and Undocumented Student Center FAQ on the aid. “[Undocumented students] aren’t eligible for federal funding, similar to FAFSA,” said Laura Bohorquez Garcia, the director of the AB540 and Undocumented Student Center. “So, to be able to offset and still be able to provide support, California—but specifically our UC Davis—has been able to use institutional funding and state funding to be able to provide support upward of about $1,000.”

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UC DAVIS COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO DEREK CHAUVIN VERDICT Campus leaders and students shared the view that the guilty verdict does not indicate the U.S. justice system has dramatically shifted its practices in terms of police accountability and promoting racial justice

KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE

BY REBECCA GARDNER campus@theaggie.org Derek Chauvin was convicted of seconddegree murder, third-degree murder and seconddegree manslaughter on April 20. In a statement issued that same day, Chancellor Gary May shared his response to Chauvin’s guilty verdict, expressing hopefulness.

“We join others across the nation in expressing relief that justice was served,” May

said in his statement. “We’re optimistic that this decision may represent an inflection point, where we begin to overcome racial and social injustices that have been pervasive in policing.”

Joseph Farrow, the UC Davis chief of police, was in his office when the news broke. Farrow said that he knew Chauvin would be convicted.

“I just believed in my heart that it was going to come out as a guilty verdict,” Farrow said.

Many world leaders issued statements in support of the verdict.

In reference to Former President Barack Obama’s statement, Farrow said that he agrees with the sentiment that holding Chauvin accountable is only a first step toward reconciling a deeply flawed justice system.

“I think that what President Obama is saying is really what we’ve been saying at UC Davis,” Farrow said. “We have to incorporate more restorative, holistic approaches to figure out what are the root causes of crime.”

The New York Times highlighted how exceptionally rare it is for a police officer to be convicted of murder, reporting that the chance of conviction for a police killing is approximately one in 2,000.

“When officers are put up on charges of murder [or] manslaughter, a lot of the times the trial courts have to look at the officer, the performance of their duty,” Farrow said. “There are these different standards that are enacted across the country: some are statutory and some are Supreme Court decisions that have these standards and thresholds that prosecutors have to overcome. It is a difficult standard sometimes for [prosecutors to overcome].”

There are a variety of safeguards sheltering police officers which some activists and lawmakers argue make civil and criminal accountability unobtainable.

Kevin Johnson, the dean of the UC Davis School of Law, said that qualified immunity, a doctrine which protects police officers and other government officials in civil lawsuits, has been critiqued as being too protective of police officers.

La’Nae Jackson, a third-year African

American Studies major, serves as the academic peer advisor for the African and African American Studies department. She said lawmakers and politicians oftentimes block the meaningful efforts of activists.

“It is hard not to notice all of the strides and efforts being taken by organizers within our country to achieve true racial justice, but it is also clear the ways politicians implement laws that oppose this progression,” Jackson said via email.

Johnson echoed the prevalent sentiment that a single, rare conviction doesn’t signify that the fight for racial justice has been won.

“True justice is a society in which systemic racism is eradicated,” Johnson said in an email.

“That is a goal and aspiration and one that we should work toward.”

Johnson said that police brutality and civil unrest prompted the administration to put on the racial justice speaker series at King Hall starting September 2020 and running through April 2021.

“The killings of African Americans by police led to the creation of a racial justice speaker series at the law school, which included public defenders, scholars, and political leaders including mayor Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento,” Johnson said via email.

Johnson said he is cautiously optimistic about the future of police accountability in the U.S.

CHAUVINTRIAL on 11 The original version in print did not include the final version of the story. This page was updated on May 6 to correct the error.

AMENDMENT ADDING EX-OFFICIO REPRESENTATIVE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS PASSES Resolution pushing for accommodations for international students passes

BY REBECCA BIHN-WALLACE campus@theaggie.org ASUCD Vice President Emily Barneond called the Senate meeting to order on Thursday, April 22 at 6:10 pm.

The roll call was followed by a presentation featuring Deborah Agee, the executive director of financial aid and scholarships at UC Davis.

Agee described the different types of financial aid available to students at the university, how to apply for aid and how to appeal aid offers if they are insufficient.

“The first thing you do is you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is the FAFSA,” Agee said. “And so many people think the FAFSA is the aid, but it is not the aid–it is the application.”

Agee also mentioned the CARES Act federal relief fund made available to students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senators then went on to discuss how a financial aid appeal might work should the offer be deemed insufficient. Agee encouraged people to make an appeal sooner rather than later if they have an unforeseen life event affecting their financial circumstances.

McKenna Weitzel, the student government staff assistant payroll coordinator, gave a presentation on the payroll department and how it works within ASCUD.

Sydney Cliff was confirmed to the Senate as Environmental Policy and Planning Chairperson.

Brooke Isrow presented the quarterly report on the Aggie Mentors program. Isrow said that the program is hoping to make more opportunities for socializing available since the campus will be reopening for in-person instruction in fall quarter 2021.

“The relationship between mentor and mentee is completely up to each pair [in terms of whether] they are comfortable meeting in-person or remotely,” Isrow said. “In terms of the kickoff event, it won’t be mandatory at all. We want people to be comfortable in this program.”

Kinu Koide presented the Aggie Arts Committee quarterly report. The meeting then moved into discussion of old and new legislation.

Constitutional Amendment #70 was introduced to provide for a transfer ex-officio representative on the Senate table.

“Transfer students come from many backgrounds, and it is difficult for transfer students to get involved with ASUCD,” said Tariq Azim, the Transfer, Re-entry, Veterans Chair and author of the amendment. “UC Davis is one of only three UCs not to have a transfer student role.”

The motion passed with unanimous consent.

Constitutional Amendment #71, which provides for an international student representative in the Senate was introduced as emergency legislation and passed with unanimous consent.

Senate Resolution #13, which provides for academic

accommodations for international students starting in fall 2021, passed with unanimous consent.

“The pandemic has been extremely detrimental to the academics of international students,” Senator Kabir Sahni, a thirdyear international student from India, said during discussion of the resolution. “[International students] make up 17% of the UC Davis undergraduate population, and the academic barriers that have been brought about by the pandemic do not align with the equity that the institution advocates for.”

Senate Bill #81, updating procedures for Senate confirmations and presentations, also passed with unanimous consent.

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THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 3

FOURTH ANNUAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT HELD VIRTUALLY Youth Summit encourages youth involvement in local government and democratic processes CATHY TANG / AGGIE

BY YAN YAN HUSTIS HAYES city@theaggie.org On April 24, Yolo County held its fourth annual Youth Empowerment Summit (YES!). The summit was held virtually and featured California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber as its keynote speaker.

According to a press release, the event was open to all 9th through 12th grade students in Yolo County. Students were able to communicate with local elected officials, win prizes and discuss topics of importance to youth.

Yolo County Assessor, Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas explained that the Youth Empowerment Summit was developed in an effort to educate local youth about the importance of civic engagement and local government.

“I, along with other local partners, saw a need to expand civic education to include connecting youth to local officials and explain the importance of local government,” Salinas said via email. “The purpose of ‘YES!’ is to empower and encourage youth to say ‘YES!’ to leadership roles and civic engagement in their local communities.”

This is the fourth annual YES! Summit. Salinas said that last year’s virtual summit helped YES! organizers prepare for the challenges that come with hosting virtual events.

“After the 2020 virtual summit, we expanded ways to help foster an open dialogue between students and elected officials as sometimes the virtual format can take some time to adjust,” Salinas said via email. “We increased the use of the chat box option and had chat box leads in each breakout room.”

Community involvement is also important and encouraged, according to Salinas.

“Community members can help advertise the event and encourage youth participation,” Salinas said via email.

“Community members can help also by volunteering for the event or by providing donations.”

Salinas described Weber’s participation in and praise for the event. “[It] was fortunate that she was able to participate,” Salinas said via email. “Secretary Weber also complemented Yolo County’s leadership with establishing YES! and hopes to help spread such an event to other parts of the state.”

In a press release, Weber emphasized the importance of youth

involvement in local government.

“Democracy starts at the local level and can only exist when we empower our state’s future leaders to get involved in our democratic processes early and regularly,” Weber said. “I can think of no better cause than to encourage students to say ‘YES!’ to civic engagement and be the voice for change they wish to see in Yolo County and all of California.”

After the initial remarks and keynote speech, students and elected officials discussed various topics that the students brought up in breakout rooms.

Woodland School Board President Jake Whitaker described some of the discussions between youth and elected officials at the summit.

“We spent our entire breakout session pretty much just listening to what the students had to say,” Whitaker said. “Some of the things that we talked about are mostly in relation to the social emotional needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Also—looking at different ways that we can promote safety outside of schools.”

LOCAL SALONS, PERSONAL CARE SERVICES IMPLEMENT ADDED SAFETY MEASURES Salon owners adapt to COVID-19 pandemic, noting different service models for vaccinated and unvaccinated patrons

BY JELENA LAPUZ city@theaggie.org Salons and other personal care services have implemented additional safety measures in order to adapt to the pandemic.

Pomegranate Salon is a hair salon in downtown Davis that hopes to “make your experience exceptional in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere,” its official website reads.

Owner of Pomegranate Salon Stacia Rusakowicz explained that her salon averaged about 35 clients per day prior to the pandemic and also sold products for retail.

When salons were allowed to reopen, Rusakowicz described how her salon had followed strict safety measures for indoor operation. Clients enter the salon and proceed to the sanitation room adjacent to the entryway.

After changing into a robe and washing their hands, they then head to the stylist’s room, which is rigorously sanitized in between clients.

“I think that the salon business changed a lot in terms of what the client experiences,” Rusakowicz said. “It felt a little bit less fashion and fun and a little more clinical in a way.”

Picasso Salon is another hair salon in downtown Davis that offers various hair services.

Owner of Picasso Salon Steve Quesada described how business before the pandemic was busy. His salon was open seven days a week, and students would regularly come in as customers, but the pandemic severely disrupted his business.

“When [the pandemic] first hit back in March, it first hit us like a bomb,” Quesada said.

In order to ensure the safety of both the staff and customers, Quesada noted how they now sanitize the salon about four times per day and also provide an outdoor station for people to be more comfortable.

“We’re taking all the precautionary measures to make sure that the salon is just super clean and safe,” Quesada said.

Lee Mee, the owner of Makeup Lee Mee, is a makeup artist based in Davis who offers event makeup, permanent makeup and eyelash extension services.

Mee noted that before the pandemic, about 30 to 40% of her clients were UC Davis students.

Moon’s Nails and Spa in Downtown Davis. (Quinn Spooner / Aggie) When the pandemic began, Mee explained how she had to close and open several times and spend extra money on added safety precautions.

Rusakowicz noted how her salon is transitioning to a hybrid model of operation that includes both indoor and outdoor service depending on whether or not clients are vaccinated.

“It makes it an incredibly safe space and just allows us all to relax a little more,” Rusakowicz said. “The open air makes us all know that with our double-masking, we are [likely] not going to transmit the virus.”

Quesada noted the importance of salons feeling clean, since cleanliness contributes to comfort and relaxation.

“Cleanliness is very important,” Quesada said. “We want the customers to feel relaxed and safe.”

Rusakowicz noted that while salon visits are not essential, they help to instill a sense of normalcy.

“There’s a lot of connection that happens at a salon that’s really good for the soul and for the spirit and just to feel better about the world,” Rusakowicz said. “It creates a little bit of

normalcy, and I think that that feels good too.”

Quesada added a final note of encouragement regarding the future of the community.

“We’re such a close-knit community that if we all do our part, I think we’ll all be okay,” Quesada said.

Rusakowicz commended the community for their strength amid the pandemic. “[The pandemic] has just shown us what a truly great community we live in, and we have all taken really good care of each other, and I really appreciate it,” Rusakowicz said. “I think that it [has] built strength in our community.”

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Professional networking conference Discover Your Niche goes virtual for third annual event Discover Your Niche, organized by the UC Davis chapter of The Wildlife Society, gave students an opportunity to explore diverse wildlife career fields

BY SONORA SLATER science@theaggie.org The third annual Discover Your Niche Conference, a professional networking event put on by the UC Davis student chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS), took place virtually on Saturday, May 1, 2021.

According to TWS at UC Davis’ website, the larger organization is an international nonprofit of wildlife professionals and students.

The first Discover Your Niche Conference, held in 2019, was created with the goal of giving aspiring wildlife professionals a chance to explore the broad field.

Bruce Markman, a third-year wildlife, fish and conservation biology major and the UC Davis chapter representative of TWS, elaborated on the purpose of the event.

“It’s called the Discover Your Niche Conference because people go into the wildlife, fish and conservation biology major not knowing

Students listen to a presentation at the first annual ‘Discover Your Niche’ conference, which took place in the spring of 2019. (Austin Kozlowski / Courtesy)

what to expect,” Markman said. “Seeing what these professionals and grad students are doing [gave] undergraduates a chance to explore what they might be interested in.”

Sophia Virata, a third-year animal science major and the vice president of TWS at UC Davis, explained that the second iteration of the event was set to take place in 2020 but was canceled due to the pandemic.

“This year, we decided to adapt to these extreme circumstances and instead host the conference in an online format,” Virata said via email. “The event [used] the award-winning online event platform Whova, which integrates with Zoom.”

Markman explained how Whova was used to simulate as much of the experience of attending an in-person conference as possible.

“Students [had] the ability to go from room-to-room, so they [were] free to roam like they are at a conference,” Markman said. “We [had] different rooms, a lobby, a schedule of events, and so on.”

Jenna Turpin, a third-year wildlife, fish and conservation biology major and the president of TWS at UC Davis, listed via email some of the presentations available for students to explore throughout the event.

“Our diverse lineup of speakers [included] wildlife biologists, environmental consultants, museum scientists, non-profits, professors, graduate students, undergraduate students, librarians and career centers,” Turpin said.

Turpin emphasized that the online format did not take away from the opportunities the conference presented—in fact, it even allowed for a new diversity of attendees.

“We may have moved from Wellman to Whova, but the conference [offered] all the same opportunities,” Turpin said. “The advantage of being online is we [could] welcome attendees and speakers from all over the country.”

Before the event took place, Markman expressed excitement about the prospect of meeting a wider range of people at this year’s conference.

“One thing I am really looking forward to is meeting students from different schools and professionals from out of the Sac/Davis

area,” Markman said. “It’s going to be a very diverse group of people.”

Turpin detailed other benefits of the virtual platform, namely that unlike in years past, this year’s conference was completely free to attend, in part thanks to a grant from UC Davis’ Center for Student Involvement. However, attendees could choose to make a donation or buy an optional t-shirt.

According to Virata, all funds raised during the conference were donated to Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation nonprofit.

“We decided that in addition to providing opportunities to students, we also wanted to give back and raise funds for a cause that aligned with The Wildlife Society’s mission,” Virata said via email.

She went on to reiterate what the event, as well as the club itself, seeks to accomplish.

“The conference [aimed] to provide guidance to students or people early in their professional careers,” Virata said via email. “By inviting a variety of speakers to present, attendees [could] hear about the many different paths available to them, and find potential mentors or jobs. Our club as a whole hopes to form lasting relationships with these professionals and organizations so that our members can have access to more opportunities.”

Before the event, Turpin expressed hope that throughout the conference, there would truly be something for everyone interested in a career with wildlife.

“This conference allows aspiring wildlife professionals to get their foot in the door and hear stories from current wildlife professionals,” Turpin said. “I hope everyone who leaves the conference feels more capable of pursuing their dream job with wildlife.”

After the conference, Turpin reported the event to be a success and highlighted some of her favorite sessions.

“The conference ran smoothly and we are getting lots of positive feedback,” Turpin said. “A fan-favorite was the ‘hands-on’ session with Irene Engilis from the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology discussing specimen preparation and doing a live preparation of a mole. It seems like the attendees got a lot out of the diverse set of speakers at the conference, I know I did!”

Making commencement memorable during the pandemic

2020 graduates share how they made their commencement special despite COVID-19 restrictions

BY LIANA MAE ATIZADO features@theaggie.org On April 16, Chancellor Gary May announced that 2021 graduates will have the option to participate in both a sociallydistanced, in-person commencement and a virtual graduation ceremony. As the class of 2021 prepares for this occasion, graduates from the class of 2020 shared their virtual commencement experiences and advice for students who are soon to graduate.

In honor of his commencement, Adam Chaban, who graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology, held a small celebration with food, decorations and personalized videos. Chaban encouraged the class of 2021 to celebrate their accomplishments with their housemates and family while also following safety guidelines.

“They had a year and a quarter of online schooling, and it must have been very difficult because they couldn’t enjoy their last year in person,” Chaban said. “That being said, they showed hard work and resilience, and I say congratulations to them.”

Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee, who graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in neurobiology, physiology, and behavior (NPB), stated that, although she was looking forward to an in-person commencement, she understood that it was necessary to follow precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“As a worker in the healthcare field, we know firsthand how [COVID-19] has been impacting all these people and communities,” Tuermer-Lee said. “Taking the necessary precautions was definitely the right call, even though it was a little bit disappointing.”

Although a safe, in-person commencement is more feasible for the class of 2021 due to the increased number of fully vaccinated individuals, the contraction and spread of COVID-19 remains a possibility.

“For the class of 2021, people should make decisions based off of what they and their family are comfortable with, because COVID-19 is a very serious respiratory virus,” Tuermer-Lee said. “I think the virtual ceremony is still going to be a good alternative for those who don’t feel comfortable.”

Katrina Tuazon Perez, who graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in human development, created a space on her Instagram account

KATHERINE HUNG / AGGIE for students to share how they felt about graduating during the pandemic. Perez reached out not only to UC Davis graduates, but also to graduates from other colleges, high schools and master’s programs. Graduates expressed their gratitude for their time spent in college, their pride in their accomplishments and their frustrations with the pandemic as a whole.

“I was really sad that, no matter what I was feeling, there were probably a ton of other people who felt worse,” Perez said. “Being able to read how they were coping with [the pandemic] and how frustrated they were made me feel less alone.”

Perez shared that multiple members of her family graduated from middle school, high school and college last year, so they decided to throw a small graduation party in their home. This included a ceremony set up in their backyard, speeches from their parents and trivia questions about the graduates.

“Even if I got a graduation in the future, the moment that I had immediately when I graduated with my cousins and my sister would be more special,” Perez said.

She encouraged the class of 2021 to reflect on their hard work during their time at UC Davis. Even though there won’t be a traditional, large-scale commencement ceremony, she encouraged graduates to still celebrate their accomplishments in a way that is meaningful to them. According to Perez, this celebration could be in the form of a Zoom party or even a small gathering with immediate

family.

“You’re closing such a major, important part of your life, you’ve worked very hard, you’ve spent so many hours in the 24-Hour [Study] Room and you’ve studied so much with your friends,” Perez said. “What’s important is that no matter how you celebrate, you celebrate it in a way that makes it special to you.”

Both Perez and Graschelle Hipolito, who graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in NPB, expressed that even if there will be a traditional graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 sometime in the future, the feeling will not be the same. They pointed out that many graduates have already begun transitioning into the next stage of their lives, with some having moved to different cities or states.

“It’s almost as if the feeling of excitement for graduation and the anticipation has passed, since it’s been a year now,” Hipolito said.

“It’s definitely not going to feel the same.”

Despite having to celebrate during lockdown, Hipolito expressed gratitude for the lessons she learned because of the pandemic. She shared that, in her experience, many new graduates are eager to be employed right away, and Hipolito advised the class of 2021 to take the time to find employers that value them and the work that they have to offer.

“There [are] so many employees now who realize, because of this pandemic, that their companies don’t value them,” Hipolito said. “Your degree is worth a lot more than you probably think, so don’t let any employer or business try to downsell all that you’ve accomplished in your four years.”

Hipolito encouraged the class of 2021 to utilize both the virtual and in-person opportunities for commencement. According to Hipolito, the biggest benefit of having a virtual commencement is that graduates can invite an unlimited number of guests, including friends and distant relatives who otherwise would not be able to attend. She also highlighted that the in-person option gives graduates the opportunity to experience some form of normalcy.

“Regardless of how you choose to celebrate your graduation, whether that be virtual, in person, or both, it’s important to remember that no matter what, it’s still a celebration of you,” Hipolito said. “It still stands as a testament to all that you’ve done and all the people that supported you to get you here.”

Five courses to take this Summer Session Students and professors share their favorite course offerings for summer 2021

BY KATIE DEBENEDETTI features@theaggie.org As the second year of all remote Summer Session classes approaches, students and professors share their favorite courses from last year, and even some courses unique to 2021, to add to this year’s Summer class load.

ETX 110: Toxic Tragedies and Impact This course focuses on major toxic events, their causes and consequences and how they affect the trajectory of toxic regulation.

Topics range from discussing mercury to the toxic chemicals used in medications like Accutane each week, leading up to the final assignment—a 10-page research paper on a toxic tragedy based on students’ interest.

Kailey Flynn, a third-year environmental policy analysis and planning and economics double major, said that the course was MARIO RODRIGUEZ / AGGIE

perfect for the summertime because it covered interesting topics but also provided a flexible schedule.

“I enjoyed it because it gave me the ability to watch [lectures] whenever I wanted and enjoy summer time during the day,” Flynn said. “It was super informative, and I now realize what a large impact different toxic tragedies have had.”

ENL 177 01: Study Individual Author This summer, ENL 177 will be studying J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series in context. The course will assess the series alongside other works like “Jane Eyre” and a detective fiction novel. English Professor Matthew Vernon, who teaches this course, said that ENL 177 will offer a deep dive into the inspirations for Harry Potter, how it is quickly becoming a new “classic” and how readers can appreciate the series while acknowledging its problematic author.

Vernon said that this class is not just for English majors, but any Harry Potter fan or student looking for a more fun, laid back course to take this summer.

“It could be relaxing and a slight change of pace from all the other classes that people take, so I think it’s better to take it during the summer,” Vernon said. “This is one of those classes where you can get credit but not be super stressed out the entire time. I hope that this is the sort of thing that people will treat as an enjoyable experience and summertime experience rather than, ‘I have to check boxes,’ ‘I have to get through a bunch of requirements.’”

AMS 130: American Pop Culture American Studies Professor Megan Bayles, who teaches AMS 130, said that the class explores what pop culture can illuminate about the values and larger culture of the country at a given time.

The course studies varying topics, like classic movies, influencer culture, Dolly Parton and more.

According to Bayles, one of the most meaningful projects students do is the “questions” project, in which each student poses a question that they cannot necessarily answer about popular culture in the U.S. Students go through a process of refining the question, but they never actually answer it. Bayles said that not actually providing an answer for the question makes most students uncomfortable, but it forces them to learn and think in a way most college classes do not. “[It’s really a question of] can you think about something in a sustained and increasingly complexified way if I give you space to do that?” Bayles said.

AMS 152: Children in America Bayles also teaches AMS 152, which studies family separation in American history, specifically examining the Mexico-United States border and the changes that occurred at the border under the Trump administration. This course offers an examination of the border in its current state and what has transpired there over the past five years, in addition to looking back in time at the history of family separation in the U.S. “We look at child slavery and the kind of intentional disruption of kinship structures amongst enslaved people,” Bayles said. “Then we go to Native American boarding schools and the forced removal of Native kids from their families and their cultures and language as a way of trying to force assimilation. [We look at] Japanese internment during World War II and the use of fear of revoking citizenship or making people stateless as a way of containing people but also looking at how intergenerational trauma is produced.”

Bayles said that this course is more intense than AMS 130, but it is a way for students to learn about a topic that is complex and can be difficult to navigate on their own.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 5

OPINION THE CRISIS IN INDIA IS OUR CRISIS TOO We can do more on a national and individual level to support people in India and those of Indian descent in our local communities

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EDITO RIA L B OA RD

ANJINI VENUGOPAL Editor-in-Chief MARGO ROSENBAUM Managing Editor SABRINA HABCHI Campus News Editor EDEN WINNIFORD City News Editor

As things start to slowly progress to a version of life before the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., it can be easy to fail to pay attention to other countries who are struggling so much more.

India is currently dealing with a deadly wave of COVID-19, with a daily average of nearly 400,000 cases and over 3,000 deaths.

As members of a publication, we know how important it is to stay informed and how important our job is in keeping people informed. We believe news organizations in the U.S. need to do a better job at reporting on the deadly outbreak in India and that they need to refrain from the use of traumatic photos, as consistent exposure to such photos in the media leads to desensitization.

Members of the American public should not need to see graphic images in order to feel empathy for the catastrophe Indians are currently facing. Although we are only a campus newspaper, we are holding ourselves to the same standard by reporting on how the outbreak has been affecting UC Davis students and professors in India or with family there.

We believe professors need to be incredibly accommodating to students who are coping with the ramifications of this crisis and we hope students extend the same courtesy to any professors who are or have family in India. Chancellor Gary May’s statement on the outbreak in India encourages such communication, and we believe professors need to take the first step to open a dialogue with their students and reassure them that accommodations are available for those in need.

Countries around the world need to provide as much help as they can in the form of medical supplies and vaccines. The U.S.,

U.K., EU and Pakistan have committed to sending supplies like ventilators and oxygen concentrators, but we believe they need to be sending more supplies, including vaccines.

The U.S. has a stockpile of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which it has not yet approved for use, and President Joe Biden has announced the U.S. plans to donate 60 million doses to countries in need, but India is in urgent need of vaccines now as thousands are dying and hundreds of thousands are getting infected each day.

It is a privilege to turn down a vaccine—30% of the American public is currently not planning on getting a COVID-19 vaccine— when only about 2% of India’s population has had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis, and when one country is struggling to contain an outbreak, all countries are affected. Our government needs to act much more quickly in this crisis where timing is so important, especially because the vaccines take several weeks to provide immunity.

There are also things you can do on an individual basis.

Check in on your friends and professors of Indian descent and offer support where you can. If you have the means to donate money, you can do so through international organizations like UNICEF, PATH, the International Medical Corps, Care India, the Association for India’s Development, Project HOPE, Give. asia and Americares or through organizations in India like the Indian Red Cross Society and Ketto. Locally, multiple UC Davis organizations are collaborating to create a fundraiser to support organizations providing aid. India needs your help and your Indian community members need your support.

CALVIN COFFEE Opinion Editor SOPHIE DEWEES Features Editor ALLIE BAILEY Arts & Culture Editor OMAR NAVARRO Sports Editor MADELEINE PAYNE Science & Tech Editor

CAMERON PERRY New Media Manager JUSTIN HAN Photo Director KATHERINE FRANKS Design Director JOELLE TAHTA Layout Director KAITLIN ARAGHI Copy Chief ALEX WEINSTEIN Copy Chief KESHAV AGRAWAL Website Manager BEN CHENG Social Media Manager JOSHUA GAZZANIGA Distribution Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

BANNING CHEMICALS IS NOT ENOUGH IF THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T FORCE PROPER CLEANUP Approximately 25,000 barrels of toxic chemicals were found off the coast of LA after sitting there for decades

BY JOE SWEENEY jmsweeney@ucdavis.edu Cancerous sea lions. What might sound like a Cards Against Humanity card has actually turned out to be the key to a major, albeit terrifying, discovery. Last month, it was finally confirmed that thousands of barrels filled with Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)—and likely other chemicals—have been corroding off the Los Angeles Coast for decades. DDT is one of the most famous chemicals in the world, immortalized by Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” which is often credited with kickstarting the modern environmental movement in the U.S. “It is not my contention that chemical insecticides must never be used. I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals indiscriminately into the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potentials for harm,” Carson said about DDT in her book. “We have subjected enormous numbers of people to contact with these poisons, without their consent and often without their knowledge.”

DDT was first used during World War II to fight typhus.

MARIO RODRIGUEZ / AGGIE

Eventually, it made its way to the U.S. mainland, where it was used for decades as a pesticide until it was banned in 1972. This ban came nearly a decade after “Silent Spring” in response to the public outrage about its possible carcinogenic qualities. The chemical also had been linked to the decline of a plethora of wildlife, most notably the bald eagle. Although it is still used today in some countries to control mosquito-borne malaria, the chemical has been outright banned in dozens of countries.

Over the past few years, unusually high rates of cancer have been found in California sea lion populations. One recent study even found that 1 in 5 California sea lions have some form of cancer, likely caused by the accumulation of chemicals like DDT in the ocean.

“What the study showed is that animals with higher levels of contaminants develop cancer,” said Dr. Frances Gullard, the lead author of the study, in an article with The Independent. “The genetic markers we looked at were not significant in predisposing

animals to cancer. It seems that early life exposure to contaminants makes them susceptible to the herpes-causing cancer, as distinct from being carrier animals.”

It is believed that many animals come into contact with DDT in the food chain during breeding season off the coast of Southern California. Infected animals usually are euthanized before they can succumb to the cancer. This indicates a larger problem within the ecosystem, suggesting that DDT and chemical infiltration could be contributing to the massive loss of oceanic biodiversity observed over the past century.

So what does this mean for humans? DDT doesn’t dissolve in water, meaning it’s still safe to swim and surf around the site. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there are no health impacts.

Humans are part of the food chain and eat some of the organisms that sea lions feed on, making it possible for humans to also ingest DDT. “There’s a broader problem of thinking of the ocean as this unlimited garbage dump that’s going to take up our carbon dioxide, take up our mercury, deal with the plastic that we don’t throw away properly, be a dumping ground for pesticides, deal with whatever is in runoff—and that our health is going to be separable from that,” said Amro Handoun, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, to the LA Times last year. “But what we’re learning more and more is that our health and the ocean’s health are pretty inseparable.”

DDT has been banned for decades and is a proven carcinogen, yet we haven’t been able to eliminate it from our food supply and are still feeling its impacts today. This is for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, the failure of the federal government to hold corporations accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, I expect this to become fairly commonplace in the next few decades as we begin to see the long-term effects of many of the pollutants that the Environmental Protection Agency has banned in the second half of the previous century.

Cleanup of sites like these are often lengthy and expensive and comes after decades of litigation between the government and corporations with unlimited resources and money to spend. Simply banning a chemical after it has been used for decades is not enough.

Until these companies are effectively held accountable for their actions and forced to be liable for the damage they have caused to human health and the environment, wildlife and human life will continue to pay the price.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

6 | THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

OPINION

Vaccine posting: the internet’s newest social currency

Posting your vaccination isn’t just feed fodder

BY ISABELLA CHUECOS ifchuecosi@ucdavis.edu I got stabbed for the first time last week, thanks to Pfizer. It’s been a long time coming, this vaccine of ours, and I can say with confidence that we’re all breathing a collective sigh of relief. We’re finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After the arduous ordeal of getting an appointment, the only signifier I have of my vaccination excitement and partial immunity is a little 3-by-5 index card that I’ve hung on my wall.

Everything is Instagrammable. Whether it’s an overpriced piece of avocado toast, your classic Davis sunset or someone’s newborn baby, we’ve learned to filter and post it without any second thoughts.

It’s only natural then that the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has become the newest subjects of our Instagram photographs.

I’ve found myself wondering if I’ll break the news of my vaccination on social media. I’m not one to frequently post Instagram stories, but vaccine card posts are all the rage these days.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I succumbed to the trend––it allows us to band together in our final show against the pandemic. We entered this mess of a pandemic together, suffered collectively and we’ve

decided to walk out of it with linked, bandaged arms.

The first reason why vaccination posting is trending has to do with brands. Our obsession with brands and brand loyalty pervades every facet of our lives. The concept of brand loyalty has been imbued in us from a very early age. Having Eggo waffles as our breakfasts every day before school, for example, isn’t a result of COVID-19 vaccination record card. (Getty Images)

there only being Eggo waffles on the market; we’ve just developed a collective loyalty towards the Eggo brand.

Social media has allowed for businesses to further exploit our love of brands online through influencer promotions and incessant ad-pedaling. Products like hair gummies and personalized shampoo brands have developed cult followings not because of their quality, but from the amount of influencer clout they’ve gotten over the years. And in terms of being an influencer, there’s really no consequence to this sort of “selling out” like there used to be. The term “selling out” used to have negative connotations. Nowadays, if you’re being sponsored by bajillions of random brands, you’ve effectively made it big in the world of social media.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

HUMOR

IN MEMORIAM, FINANCIAL CORRUPTION Bernie Madoff is dead

BY EAN KIMURA etkimura@ucdavis.edu Bernie Madoff, the prince Ponzi pusher and embodiment of financial corruption is dead at age 82. With his death, the financial industry, America and the entire world can breathe a sigh of relief, because with the death of Madoff comes the death of the corruption in the financial industry.

Madoff left a trail of destruction and misery for the people he preyed on. His actions brought great shame to the Wall Street warriors who do business with honor and dignity. One of his victims was quoted saying, “Death is too good for him.” Madoff may have not been deserving of his own passing, but the financial

industry certainly deserved to finally have some respite from the only black mark remaining on their spotless public record.

Some may contend that at best, the financial industry was acting in an extremely risky manner and at worst, an incredibly unethical manner in the run up to the 2008 financial crisis—which they caused. How else were they going to expose Madoff for his crimes? Madoff was the root cause of all the evil in their hearts, so he had to be stopped at all costs. So what if a few people lost their homes? These heroes did it for nothing but billions of dollars in a publicly provided bailout.

MADOFF on 11 Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and or names of “sources” are fictionalized.

Bernie Madoff the ponzi scheme king. (Hiroko Mausike / Getty Images)

UC DAVIS LAUNCHES Teacher yet to NEW ON-CAMPUS learn swearing in BAKERY: GARY MAYKERY class doesn’t make him cool Never have the RateMyProfessor comments presented a more united front

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL almarshall@ucdavis.edu Middle school was likely the last time an offhand curse word sparked any emotion in students’ hearts. Unfortunately, this fact has not been made known to Dr. Mitchell, a tenured professor in the history department, who recently attempted to win his students over with some low-level cussing.

“It’s my secret weapon,” Dr. Mitchell said.

“Sometimes you got to shock ‘em. Kids don’t Gary May at the new on-campus bakery. (Photo: Timothy Li / Aggie)(Edits: Ian Cosner / Aggie)

realize how cool their teachers can be.”

Other secret weapons in Dr. Mitchell’s arsenal include subtly implying that he smoked weed in college, telling kids to “forget what you know” and sitting backward on his chair. Not all of his students, however, are sold on his tactics.

COOLTEACH on 11 Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and or names of “sources” are fictionalized.

KAITLYN PANG / AGGIE

Because what else would it be called?

BY IAN COSNER iacosner@ucdavis.edu Preheat those ovens, because UC Davis is getting a new on-campus bakery, courtesy of a large donation made by the chancellor.

The bakery, which will be called the “Gary Maykerey” will feature all kinds of recipes from the chancellor himself and is scheduled to open in the fall.

While no one is protesting more sweets on campus, everyone’s wondering why the chancellor would drop such a large donation on the school to open a bakery.

Apparently, during a recent photoshoot

where Chancellor Gary May was dressed to help celebrate the opening of the new cow wrangling major, multiple online comments complimented the chancellor on his “cake.” Unbeknownst to everyone, the chancellor had actually baked a cowboy-hat-shaped cake for the celebration.

With such encouraging comments detailing how “fine” and “juicy” his cake was, May was inspired to follow his heart and open his very own bakery.

BAKERY on 11 Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and or names of “sources” are fictionalized.

73 questions with myself, alone in a dorm room Things go south quickly

BY KATE HARGES klharges@ucdavis.edu *knock knock* “Hey Kate! We’re here to ask you 73 questions. Should we jump right into it?”

“Yeah, let’s do it!”

“Oops, would you mind removing the toaster from your doorway so I can come in?”

“Oh, yeah, sorry about that. The cord is too short to reach any outlet other than the one by the door. There’s something super humbling about squatting to place your three-seed bread into your floor toaster—really grounds you. It reminds you that, ‘Hey, we’re all just humans floating on this rock we call Earth.’ You know, once in therapy I learned that—” “Sorry, I’m going to have to cut you off there so that we can move into the questions. First one: If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

“Are you offering me my favorite meal? Wow, thank you. It’s

73 questions. (VOGUE) just that I’ve been eating the same dining commons pasta and stale graham crackers—” “No, just hypothetically, what is your favorite meal?”

“Oh, my bad. Ok, I’d say anything other than the Flavor Blasted Goldfish I’ve been snacking on for the past few months. Quite

uniquely, the intense flavor of the goldfish has caused my taste buds to mutate. I no longer react to flavor, and have lost my ability to enunciate, as my tongue has gone numb.”

“Alrighty, moving on from that. I love what you’ve done with the decor in here.”

“Thank you! Yeah, I spent hours on Pinterest dreaming up my ideal room but eventually settled on this. I consider it to be the perfect blend of a cluttered teenage boy’s room and a cutesy suburban mom’s kitchen. A little mother-son collaboration up in here.”

“Yeah, it’s uh, really nice. Now, Kate, how does a typical day look for you?”

“Well, uh. Wow, huh, I was not expecting this question. Well at 10 in the morning, I… well I guess I do homework from 10 am to 3 pm. Actually, no. Yeah, could we move on from that question?”

“Uh, yeah sure. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?”

VOGUE on 11 Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and or names of “sources” are fictionalized.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 7

UC Davis Craft Center gets creative in pandemic Employees of the Craft Center share their experiences crafting online

BY NORA FARAHDEL features@theaggie.org The UC Davis Craft Center, a part of Campus Recreation, welcomes students and community members who have an inclination toward crafting to explore their artistic talents, providing them with purchasable passes for classes, studios and galleries.

“The Craft Center is a hidden gem on campus, there are such amazing opportunities for learning and working with tools that you may never have seen or heard of before,” said Sanne Fettinger, the administrative coordinator of the Craft Center, via email.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the Craft Center adjusted their environment to comply with county and state health guidelines.

Jared Tolla, the assistant director of the Craft Center, has experienced the changes they have made first-hand. Tolla shared that at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, the Craft

Center converted their workshops into producing face shields and cloth coverings for the university. They continued mask production into the summer, creating over 6,000 face shields and close to 9,000 cloth face masks in total by the end of July.

Going into the 2020-2021 school year, the Craft Center offered Zoom classes in crafts like wire jewelry, in which an instructor would lead a group of students remotely. More recently, Tolla shared that the staff has been able to open some studios for use, with mask requirements and symptom surveys in place.

The staff rearranged the studios to accommodate for social distancing and allowed those who have completed a virtual Craft Center orientation to book a time slot to come into the center.

Additionally, the Craft Center has made use of their outside courtyard area for a socially distanced flameworking class.

Amid the evolution of the Craft Center this year, Tolla shared that the warm and welcoming environment has remained strong.

“The Craft Center has always really thrived on an inclusive, come-as-you-are community, and at its core that hasn’t changed,” Tolla said. “If anything, the staff is just waiting to be able to reactivate that and get as many people in as possible, always hoping for more [while] understanding that you have to be careful and strategic in the reopening.”

Furthermore, Fettinger shared that the Craft Center provides the perfect opportunity to learn or perfect a skill and explore the creative side of your brain.

“It is so healthy for us to use both sides of the brain and develop a whole self,” Fettinger said via email.

Looking toward the future, Tolla shared that as part of Campus Recreation, the Craft Center is introducing a new waiver program in which students can apply to cover the cost of their classes at the center.

“I think one of the biggest barriers is potentially the expense, and so we’re looking for ways to remove that for the students,” Tolla said.

“I hope that would just encourage more and more students to come and try it out.”

Olivia Silvera, a second-year global disease biology major and the textile studio manager at the Craft Center, began working in her position last summer. Silvera’s role was online for her first few months but transitioned to in-person last fall. Her responsibilities include keeping the textile studio up-to-date, scheduling any textile classes and monitoring the studio’s visits.

“I think the Craft Center is just a really great resource for students because we have so many studios and we have classes, and it’s a very welcoming environment,” Silvera said. “Crafting is something that I really like to do and it’s kind of a stress reliever for a lot of people, and I just wanted to be a part of that.”

Moreover, Silvera has found one of her favorite parts of the job to be crafting live online, utilizing the digital space.

“I do a Facebook Live on Fridays, where I get to sew, and people can watch me sew things,” Silvera said. “On Picnic Day, all of the Craft Center studio managers, we all did a Facebook live together, and we did a bunch of different crafts and that was really, really fun.”

Silvera looks forward to continuing her role at the Craft Center and welcoming students back in person if health guidelines deem it to be acceptable. Until then, the center staff will continue to be mindful and adapt to make things safe.

“There is something very satisfying about stepping back and saying ‘Look at what I’ve created,’” Tolla said. “The Craft Center provides that opportunity and in a way that really frames it as: give it a try, there’s nothing to be lost and there’s no judgment.”

The UC Davis Craft Center at the Silo. (Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

A local, new crocheting business makes its way Jamie Tin shares how she began selling her crochet bees, frogs and other stuffed animals

BY ITZELTH GAMBOA features@theaggie.org Since the pandemic, many students took the opportunity to take on new activities, start a new hobby or learn how to bake. But some took this time to turn their newfound hobby into a small business, which is exactly what Jamie Tin, a third-year psychology major, decided to do.

Tin started crocheting in early August after seeing a video on TikTok of a girl creating a crochet bee, which would be Jamie’s first crocheting adventure and the first thing she sold. Her first crochet plushie bee soon turned into a business model, and her small business “Sunflower and Peaches” was created from there.

“I’ve always been big on a variety of crafts,” Tin said via email. ”When I was in middle [school and] high school, I used to have a crafting instagram, but that is now gone. Interestingly enough, crochet was one of the few things I couldn’t conquer as a crafter

when I was younger, so it’s super fulfilling to me to know that I can now.”

Tin sells a variety of crochet plushies including bees, frogs, stars and baby whales. The prices for the soft plushies start at $10. For Davis students, she offers the possibility of messaging her through her Instagram, giving customers an opportunity to meet up at a convenient location and time without having to pay for shipping or deal with all the other contingencies that come with online shopping.

“I decided to sell [the crochet plushies] as a ‘side job’ since crafting has always been my hobby, and I’ve always aimed to sell my crafts,” Tin said. “Previously, it was polymer clay charms, resin, friendship bracelets. I also started selling them because I realized that people were actually interested in purchasing them, and it made me really happy that people liked what I was creating.”

Logo for Tin’s small business, Sunflower and Peaches. (Jamie Tin / Courtesy)

While Tin enjoys her crafts and creating a flourishing crocheting business, she is still a student and her school work remains as her first priority. She tries to set time aside for craft-making that doesn’t cut into a hectic season of midterm studying.

“It is definitely super important to have good time management when running a small business and being a student,” Tin said.

“I really enjoy making my plushies, so when I’m done with my homework for the day, I take it as an opportunity to take a break from homework and be productive making my plushies. It’s a winwin honestly.”

As her business continues to grow, she found that her art form is uniquely loved by children in her own family.

“I’ve made so many for family friends and my own little cousins,” Tin said. “And it’s been a common consensus that they’re super popular with the kiddos—and adults too. I also like thinking about how many I am reaching and how many people I hope to eventually reach and make happy.”

As every business owner grows, it helps to have a supportive environment and community, and for Tin, it’s been her own family and friends who have bought many of her products and who have consistently encouraged her process and have uplifted her work.

“I am my own biggest critic, so there have been so many instances where I get frustrated that a plushie didn’t turn out the way I imagined it to be, and then I decide that I don’t want to go through with putting it up for sale, etc., and my friends and family always tell me otherwise,” Tin said. “Many of them have also made purchases to support me, as well as helping me promote my business. I’m so grateful for all their support.”

Tin hopes to give back through her business. Each month, Tin chooses a “charity of the month” to which she donates 10% of her profits. The charity will change throughout the year, giving her an opportunity to donate to a variety of organizations that she values.

She hopes to increase her donation percentage in the future.

“I’ve always had the idea that if I were to ever have enough money to do so, I want to be able to give back to my community,” Tin said.

“I have been so lucky in my life to have what I have, and I want to be able to help other people. It is so unfair to me that there are people in the world who do not even have basic necessities for survival. So, when I had the opportunity to start my small business, donating a percentage of what I make was always a part of the plan.”

For April, Tin chose Autism Society of America, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate and increase public awareness about autism.

“I am a behavioral therapist at CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), so I would say that that has played a big factor in me choosing Autism Society of America,” Tin said. “April is Autism Awareness Month, so I thought that it would be a perfect time to donate to an organization that strives to bring awareness to and destigmatize autism spectrum disorder.”

Tin also plans to release a design for stickers that should be available in early May. Her plushies and stickers can be purchased on Etsy.

8 | THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

#Girlboss–but who’s really in charge?

Breaking down the facade of the girlboss movement

BY ANGIE CUMMINGS arts@theaggie.org At this point you’d have to be living under a rock to have not heard or seen the term girlboss being used in some way—whether satirically or (god forbid) genuinely. While the term first gained popularity on the internet by the eBay clothes-flipper turned fast fashion company owner, Sophia Amoruso, girlboss has morphed into so many different things, with many people not even knowing all the connotations it carries.

After creating the clothing brand Nastygal, Amoruso went on to release a memoir aptly titled #GIRLBOSS, and later had an entire Netflix limited series dedicated to her story called, you guessed it, “Girlboss.” Being the one who first coined this viral term, as well as the founder of one of the most environmentally and ethically harmful fashion companies out there right now, Amoruso is the perfect example of what a girlboss really is. #Girlboss is a facet of that brand of neo-liberal feminism that tells us to cheer on any woman just because she’s doing something—don’t ask exactly what she’s doing, who is benefitting or why we are celebrating the bare minimum.

A girlboss is a woman in a position of power (something we should all immediately assume is inherently a man’s place, of course) whether that be in a leading position in a huge company, politics or even Hollywood. The main idea here is to not think too deeply about what’s going on, and just be grateful that they’re letting a woman do these big, important jobs.

Besides Amoruso, one major girlboss that comes to mind is our current Vice President,

Kamala Harris. Yes, she broke countless glass ceilings being the first woman vice president, not to mention the first woman of color in the office, but we have to remember that she is in fact more than just “Madam Vice President.” In her career as a district attorney as well as Attorney General of California, Harris has outright worked against progressive criminal justice reforms and strongly opposed steps to decriminalize recreational marijuana and protect sex workers. The selfproclaimed “top cop” has since backtracked many of the firm stances she held for years as a prosecutor, but has yet to put her newly progressive views into action.

This is a quintessential aspect of the glorious girlboss—as Harris does, a true girlboss must declare their undying loyalty to the feminist cause and universal liberation from the patriarchy, but she must also fit ever so comfortably in her throne provided by the establishments she claims to despise. The most glaring example of this girlboss hypocrisy is in Harris’ declaration as a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community, reminding us all of the times she officiated same-sex marriages herself in San Francisco in 2013, while in 2015 as the Attorney General, she blocked the request of an incarcerated trans woman (who was being kept in a men’s prison) to receive gender-affirming surgery.

These are not very #girlboss moments … or is that exactly what a girlboss is? Is she simply the perfect mechanism to maintain the status quo while providing the illusion of progress?

Harris is definitely not the only prominent girlboss of today, as she shares the title with many other women in politics, as well as celebrities, breaking glass ceilings while steadily maintaining much less breakable boundaries.

There’s the Academy Award-nominated director, Greta Gerwig, who notoriously creates films in which the only race is white, Gwyneth Paltrow, aka the health and lifestyle guru/scammer targeted exclusively to the highest of the upper class, and lest we forget, the queen of toxic “feminism,” Jameela Jamil.

While the deeper reasons behind why the girlboss prototype has become ever so prevalent in our world might be pretty complex, and albeit sinister, it’s actually really simple to see the essentially surface-level issue with the term itself.

Girlboss as a title is extremely patronizing, even

without all the real-world context. As we’ve seen, giving someone the title of girlboss implies she is a ‘boss’ despite being a girl, as if that is what has been prohibiting women from climbing the ladder in so many professions all these years, and not misogyny.

To make this crystal clear, I’ll ask, where are all the “boybosses”? That answer is too easy, the boy bosses are simply the bosses. A man in power is still supposed to be the norm, and girlboss does nothing to refute this entirely outdated claim—it only gives women who somehow manage to reach the level of ‘boss’ a nice little pink badge of honor.

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

BY MUHAMMAD TARIQ arts@theaggie.edu KATERHINE FRANKS / AGGIE

Something about David Cronenberg Canada’s body horror master stands unrivaled

BY JACOB ANDERSON arts@theaggie.org David Cronenberg’s films have the rare effect of inspiring total hopelessness in the viewer.

Not in the way of token shock, or in the way a description like body horror might initially suggest, but in another implacable way that derives its power from first challenging the mind and body, and then defiling them. The obvious impact of scenes in which characters’ heads explode in gratuitous slow motion and car crash fetishists have penetrative sex with wounded legs doubtlessly play a key role in this overwhelming sensation of bodily uselessness that Cronenberg films create, but they alone are not sufficient.

What is sufficient is the rejection of humanity that prompts and accompanies them.

See “Naked Lunch,” from 1991 and based on the writings of William S. Burroughs, for a prime example. The film is less of a cogent narrative than a series of hallucinogenic vignettes, all vying for the viewer’s attention and tracing the protagonist’s descent at the hands of his “literary high.” Characters mainlining insecticide and typewriters morphing into hideous, fleshy beetles are some of the more obvious shocks at play, but strangely enough the most off-putting part of the film has no such visuals: it’s when the protagonist, sitting in the passenger seat of a car and half-shaded, delivers a monologue about a man who “began waking up in the morning with transparent jelly…like a tadpole’s tail all over his mouth. He would tear it off his mouth and the pieces would stick to his hands…like burning gasoline jelly and grow there. So, finally, his mouth sealed over...and the whole head...would have amputated spontaneously. Except for the eyes, you dig?” This piece is taken directly from Burroughs’ writing but puts the carnage that has taken place in the film up to that point into perspective. It’s not just the physical form that’s in danger in these movies, but the idea of the person—loss of identity, humanity and decency are found in every Cronenberg movie, and it is those concepts that elevate the body horror in his films from cheap gore to something genuinely unnerving.

Cronenberg’s movies are those that form, as William Beard puts it in “The Artist as Monster,”

“exactly the cannibalistic consumption of people by people...a sense that desire itself is ‘inhuman’ in its instinct for the most predatory, the most degrading, the most transgressive.” Desire in these movies, which most often takes the form of sexual desire, is so often put into these humiliating contexts—most obviously in “Crash” (1996), where characters are only able to satisfy themselves by crashing cars. But of course Cronenberg’s other films aren’t short on macabre sexuality either (see: “Videodrome” (1983) and “Rabid” (1977) for distinct examples).

Given his status as a director whose career has been defined by clashes with the studio system, Cronenberg’s stuff is unsurprisingly nonHollywood. What’s more surprising is that a lot of his output in the ‘80s, notably “The Fly” (1986), was actually able to turn a profit with some consistency.

Flops like “Naked Lunch” and “M. Butterfly” (1993, also his worst film, probably) made it clear he was no reliable cash cow, but audiences seemed to respond to his style from time to time.

It’s on the back of (relatively) conventional stories like “The Fly” and “A History of Violence” (2005) that Cronenberg was able to make his less marketable movies, but even his strangest projects see returns on occasion. It’s totally possible that there’s something in Cronenberg’s morbid philosophy that the general public identifies with or, at the very least, finds fascinating. The practical effects in films like “Scanners” (1981) remain impressive to this day, and as dry and unpleasant as Cronenberg’s films can be, they’re possessed by no lack of technical skill.

Whatever it is that Cronenberg sees in the destruction of the human mind and body has the ability to connect with viewers in the visual, tactile way that only cinema can: every frame appears to lurch out at you, whispering in some anomalous language. There’s something ritualistic about watching his films—like watching gruesome nature footage or news coverage of horrible tragedies— that nags from the back of the brain as you’re pressed up against the screen and never quite makes its way out. Cronenberg rarely gets the analytical treatment afforded to “higher brow” directors like Robert Bresson or John Cassavetes, but I don’t think there’s any denying that his films deserve unique distinction. Not for demonstrating what it is to be human, but for demonstrating what it is to be inhuman.

Movie: ““The Devil Wears Prada” dir. by David Frankel (2006) As I was aimlessly scrolling through TikTok, as one does during a pandemic, I came across a post about who was truly the bad guy in “The Devil Wears Prada,” and I decided to give it a rewatch. Watching this movie as an adult still felt as good as it did when I was a child, but this time I could actually understand more nuanced moments within the film. We follow the life of Andy who somehow gets an assistant job at the incredibly competitive Runway magazine where she works for the infamous, cold-hearted, Prada-wearing Miranda Priestly.

Andy goes through a fashion transformation, learns the cost of success and has to ask herself what she’s willing to give up to get ahead. At the end of it, I also saw Nate as the bad guy rather than the “hero” or the voice of reason for Andy. Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep give absolutely amazing performances in this glittery and fashionable film—a great pick-meup movie.

TV Show: “Dr. Pimple Popper” In this TLC hit TV show, which first aired in 2018, board-certified dermatologist and YouTuber Dr. Sandra Lee brings the world into her dermatology practice, Skin Physicians & Surgeons, where viewers can watch her popping the tiniest of pimples to squeezing out gigantic, pus-filled cysts. If you have ever wanted to see an hour-long episode of just the craziest skin conditions, weirdly shaped cysts and lots of close-up shots of blood and pus oozing out, this show checks off every box. The best part of the show is how Dr. Lee genuinely changes her patients’ lives. In the beginning of the episode, we are introduced to the patient and their cyst or skin condition, the sciencey-dermatologist stuff happens and somehow by the end of the episode the patient looks great. The best part is the patient transformation and how many of them get their confidence back. “Dr. Pimple Popper” is a worthwhile show full of both gross and heart-warming moments.

Album: “Ctrl” by SZA (2017) At least once a day I find myself going back to SZA’s two-time platinum status album “CTRL” to keep me in check mentally. Beyond the cool melodies and gentle tempo, each song seems to represent some season of life, from being in love, to recovering from heartbreak, to finding self-confidence. This album somehow encapsulates being a “20 Something,” a song which is perfect for any occasion like swaying in your dimly-lit bedroom at 12 a.m. while your life falls apart. “The Weekend,” makes you feel like being the “other woman” is an ideal situation, and you don’t mind sharing your man as long as you get him on the weekends. However, “Normal Girl” is a reminder that changing yourself to fit the mold of the person you are pining for only makes you lose the most important parts of yourself, and that “This time next year I’ll be living so good/Won’t remember no pain, I swear. Before that you figured out, I was just a normal girl.”

Book:“The Boy in Striped Pajamas” by John Byrne (2006) In the book “The Boy in Striped Pajamas,” the reader follows the privileged life of nineyear old Bruno who grows up in Germany during World War II, specifically during Hitler’s reign. His father was an officer in Hitler’s Nazi regime and at some point they relocate to a Jewish concentration camp. Bruno continues to live in a world of childhood imagination and innocence, while across the fence of the same home exists a horrid concentration camp with children as young as Bruno who have had their innocence and childhood stolen from them. Yet, as Bruno befriends one of the Jewish children who is forcibly kept there, Shmuel, a surprising friendship forms where Bruno begins to see the cruelty of his very own family. I remember reading this book in ninth grade and how I felt so surprised by its plot and ending.

It was the first book I had read where there was no justice served or the “bad guy” got what they deserved. This is a really good book if you want to tear up and get a more intimate understanding of the Holocaust, seen through the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy whose father is committing these atrocities.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 9

Sudoku Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, colum, and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Answer to previous puzzle 4/29/2021

Crossword Answer to previous puzzle 4/29/2021

10 | THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2020

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SCIENCE & TECH UC DAVIS PROFESSOR INVOLVED IN RESEARCH TEAM CONDUCTING LARGEST STUDY OF U.S. ACCESS TO 3D MAMMOGRAPHY Breast screening exams from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium reveal disparities in access to improved detection technologies

BY AARYA GUPTA science@theaggie.org UC Davis School of Medicine Professor and Division Chief of Biostatistics Diana Miglioretti was among a team of researchers that conducted a cross-sectional study recently published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers evaluated accessibility to, and usage of, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) based on a variety of factors including race, ethnicity, education and income.

“We were concerned that new technologies could widen persistent disparities in breast cancer mortality if there isn’t equitable uptake by facilities accessed by underserved communities,” Miglioretti said via email.

According to the author contributions of the study, Miglioretti was involved in developing the concept and design of the study, acquiring data, conducting statistical analysis, interpreting the results, obtaining funding and supervising.

Miglioretti has a personal connection to her research that makes early detection of cancer especially important to her.

“My great-grandmother died of breast cancer in her early 30s and my grandmother and aunt were both diagnosed with breast cancer in their 40s,” Miglioretti said. “All eligible individuals in the US should have access to high-quality screening and follow-up care.”

According to the study, prospective trials and observational studies reveal that DBT, also known as 3-dimensional mammography, can be used to improve breast cancer screening outcomes when compared to digital mammography, more commonly known as DM, or 2-dimensional mammography.

DBT is a “relatively new technology,” according to a FAQ published by the FDA. “3D mammography improves screening performance through lower false positive rates and small increases in cancer detection for some subgroups of individuals,” Miglioretti said. “If underserved communities do not have access to this new technology, they do not get to benefit from these improvements.”

Professor of Radiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine Christoph Lee said that underserved populations are usually the last to have access to new medical technologies.

“If 3D mammography does not diffuse into clinical settings in an equitable fashion, then differential technology adoption could exacerbate existing screening outcome disparities,” Lee said via email.

The results of the study lead to the general conclusion that women of minority races and ethnicities along with those of lower socioeconomic statuses have less access to DBT screening.

“Access to the best diagnostic tools for detecting breast cancer shouldn’t depend on your zip code or your income level,” said Associate Professor of Radiology at the UC Davis School of Medicine and Chief of the Breast Imaging Section Shadi Aminololama-Shakeri via email. “That’s why this type of research is critical to enveil existing healthcare disparities. Only then can we start to address these inequalities and help patients access the latest lifesaving screening technology that gives us the best chance at detecting cancer.”

Woman receives mammogram. (National Cancer Institute) In particular, only 37.7% of Black women, 44% of Hispanic women, and 42.8% of Asian Americans were able to acquire DBT when both screening technologies were available.

Additionally, while 50.6% of women with a college degree obtained DBT, only 40.8% of women with less than a highschool diploma were able to access this technology.

“It is important to identify inequalities in the diffusion of new technologies so that healthcare providers, policy makers and advocacy groups can focus on ways to ensure more equitable access to these technologies,” Miglioretti said.

Similarly, only 43.9% of women living in zip codes associated with the lowest income quartiles obtained DBT in comparison to the 51.4% of women in the highest income quartile.

“We need more clear guidance on what subpopulations of women are most likely to benefit from 3D mammography, and to lower barriers to access for these women,” Lee said. “These include providing evidence to third-party payers for clinical effectiveness of 3D mammography in specific populations.”

These results were determined from approximately 2.3 million “routine screening mammography examinations among women aged 40 to 89 years,” collected from 92 imaging facilities in five

different states between Jan. 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2017, according to the study. This data was provided by the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.

“The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium is unique in that all of their facilities prospectively collect very detailed woman-level information at each imaging exam,” Lee said. “This allowed us to associate individual social determinants of health with their examlevel outcomes.”

Miglioretti said classifying individuals as coming from an underserved community proved to be a challenging task.

“We used crude measures based on self-reported race/ethnicity and education and geocoded measures of income and rural/urban residence,” Miglioretti said. “In future research, we would like to evaluate other measures of social determinants of health including measures of structural racism.”

Miglioretti said that one of her top priorities is providing highquality health care for all by ensuring each individual has access to high-quality screening, follow-up and treatment.

“At UC Davis, 3D mammography is available to every woman who walks through our doors,” Shakeri said.

UC DAVIS RESEARCHERS AT THE GROSHOLZ LAB TACKLE THE CHALLENGE OF ERADICATING INVASIVE SPECIES A recent study on eradicating green crabs from an estuary along the California coast showed an increase in the population instead of the desired reduction

MARIO RODRIGUEZ/ AGGIE

BY FRANCHESKA TORRES science@theaggie.org In a study led by Ted Grosholz, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis, it was demonstrated that removing an invasive species would not lower its abundance, but increase the population size of the species instead. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is compensation: when large quantities of larvae survive in response to low quantities of adults present.

The study was originally funded to prove that eradicating green crabs in the event of a new and isolated invasion was possible in a place more remote than the locations included in the study. The initial experiment was to figure out if researchers could eradicate

a small, isolated population given a certain budget and field effort, according to Grosholz.

“We selected Seadrift Lagoon because it is relatively small and largely cut off from other bays except for limited times through the year,” Grosholz said via email.

For five years, Grosholz and his team used baited traps to remove crabs. This lowered the green crab population from about 100,000 crabs in 2009 to less than 10,000 crabs five years later in 2013, according to Grosholz.

In a turn of events, the population exploded in 2014 with 300,000 green crabs present in Seadrift Lagoon. The majority of the crabs were juveniles. An explanation for the decrease of adult control of recruitment, the process through which new individuals are added to a population, was a lack of cannibalism of the juveniles.

The study confirmed that adult cannibalism of recruits was sizedependent and could control recruitment.

“This was an important lesson about not trying to eradicate a population like this and that the best strategy was to keep the population at low abundance, which we have for the past five years, relying on community scientists and volunteers,” Grosholz said via email.

Future plans for eradication processes of invertebrates and fishes like the green crab can look at this case study and decide to take a different approach to controlling invasive species to avoid another population explosion.

“The focus should be functional eradication and not total eradication for several reasons,” Grosholz said via email. “This is achievable, should provide most of the same benefits and there is usually data available to determine the target.”

Marcella Heineke, a junior specialist at the Grosholz Lab, has experience working with invasive species as well. Heineke started working at the lab in June 2019 and was a part of a grant exploring native oyster restoration in the San Francisco Bay. Heineke researched an invasive oyster drill, a generalist invasive predator in the east coast that was destroying native oyster restoration efforts.

“Our thought was if we could bring in the predator of the oyster drill and reduce oyster drill populations levels, the oyster restoration success would increase,” Heineke said.

The native predator of oyster drills are rock crabs. In the San Francisco Bay and at Bodega Marine Laboratory where Heineke was based, there were trials to put oyster drills and crabs in the same tank and see how the drill’s behavior changed in the presence of the crabs, according to Heineke.

The invasive oyster species are generalists, meaning they can eat almost anything and do not have a restricted diet. This characteristic allows them to survive in a variety of different habitats, according to Heineke.

“The drill oysters will eat mussels, clams, oysters and pretty much anything they can get their hands on,” Heineke said.

Jessica Weidenfeld, who is now at UC San Diego, was also a part of the Grosholz Lab during her time at UC Davis and was exposed to the trials of controlling invasive species. Her advice to help with the research for invasive species is to go out and vote to elect leaders who rely on data and listen to scientists.

“It can feel overwhelming to think of what you can do as an individual, but those are some things we can do to help with invasive species,” Weidenfeld said.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 11

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“Our makerspace is a place where our student managers use machines such as a 3D printer and laser cutter to turn student visions into physical reality,” Strickland said via email. “In our Visual Thinking Lab, students can produce and experience augmented and virtual realities.”

The Student Startup Center also offers classes that can be used to earn academic credit. There are also daily workshops or events that allow students to connect with venture capitalists and entrepreneurs and learn about “business, technology and prototype development from peer student managers and subject matter experts,” Strickland said via email.

The UC Davis C-STEM Center can also provide robotics-related opportunities to K-12 students. UC Davis C-STEM Center Program Manager Jeff Hescox explained what the center offers.

“The UC Davis C-STEM Center is a UCapproved education prep program,” Hescox said.

“We have 17 different courses and curriculums for K-12 education with an emphasis in mathematics, coding and robotics. We provide professional development, training and assistance with schools and school districts to implement a different way of learning mathematics, and we do that through computing with robotics.”

Hescox described how the UC Davis C-STEM Center is also passionate about trying to “lessen the achievement gap, especially for underrepresented populations,” so they try to focus on schools and school districts with underrepresented students, such as “Englishlanguage learners, or just students that have traditionally been kind of left behind when it comes to education.”

Since not all of us are fortunate enough to become rich influencers with brand deals, we’ve found ways to emulate the social media stars that we see around us in the COVID-19 age.

When we develop these cult-like followings for something as arbitrary as a vaccination brand, we elevate Pfizer or Moderna’s “social currency,” or the clout they receive from word-of-mouth social media interactions. The posts we make about the “Pfizer gang” elevate the status of Pfizer as a company. This can work in the opposite way too.

When Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine supply was halted, social media users flocked to the Internet to make a mockery of the company, ultimately harming communities that desperately needed the convenient one-shot vaccine. What we post on social media about vaccines has a huge effect on how we can move forward with the pandemic.

Vaccination posting also appeals to our own personal brands. When we post our vaccine cards, it helps cultivate that social media persona

that we endlessly yearn for. Before the vaccine became widely available, a 20-something’s vaccination card post probably meant that you were a university student with an important job or someone with a lot of connections to the upper echelons of the healthcare industry. Seems pretty prestigious, no? You also have the added benefit of being perceived as a morally upstanding and science-brained human being.

Even though it may seem superficial, vaccination posting has a genuinely positive effect on social media’s ongoing battle between science and myth. The internet is fraught with antivaccination conspiracy theorists that post just as frequently as any pro-science user does. The more that we are able to flood social media feeds with pro-vaccine posts, the more normalized it becomes. The chances that we can bring people into the vaccination process is higher, therefore making our world a bit safer.

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Michelmore explained that through discovering distinct mutations that have occurred independently, the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates convergent evolution of traits increasing transmissibility.

Although PCR testing may seem common in our modern times, Michelmore remembered when PCR was still a new technique first being introduced 30, 40 years ago. He expressed how impressive he found the rate at which the virus was sequenced and consequently vaccines began being developed. He explained that due to the tremendous acceleration of vaccine development technology due to COVID-19, he expects this new generation of vaccines to have a broad impact on medicine and in delivering cures.

“The technology to sequence viruses, the technology to distribute, communicate around the world, the scientific community, all of those

MADOFF were very, very important in the [COVID-19] response,” Michelmore said. “If this had happened in the 1960s, 1970s, we would not have been able to have even come close to having responded the way we did.”

Especially with the easy accessibility of COVID-19 testing in UC Davis, Michelmore recommends everyone is tested on a weekly basis, and even more frequently after traveling to highrisk areas. He attributes UC Davis’ low rate of infections to frequent testing, fast reporting of results, good contact tracing and generally good practices. He emphasized the need to deal with the pandemic on a global scale in order to better control the disease.

“Testing and genotyping doesn’t control the disease,” Michelmore said. “It tells you what’s going on. Masking and quarantining and social distancing, that’s what controls the disease.”

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Garcia said undocumented students often ask her about the funds in relation to the “Public Charge” rule, which limits the ability of students who are not citizens from receiving financial support if they are deemed “likely to become ‘primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.’” She said that the funds do not need to be paid back and should not impact their ability to apply for the California DREAM Act or other attempts to change their status.

“It will assist—I think any financial support helps—but it definitely does not close the gap,” Garcia said.

For students who are not currently eligible for the California DREAM Act, they are raising funds through private donors to help bridge the gap.

“I think the biggest thing that I noticed was, in California, there were a lot of students that were stuck in leases in Davis but they couldn’t afford them,” Garcia said. “Ultimately they still

had to pay for the lease and still move in with family or community to try to make it through.”

Mangum expects that the pandemic-related expenses will continue.

“We will also reserve some funds for allocation during the next academic year since we expect there will continue to be some extraordinary expenses as we safely reopen campus,” Mangum said.

Approximately $90 million from HEERF will be distributed in the fall through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), split evenly between the university and student financial aid, pending guidance, Mangum said.

Castro said that, for her, the pandemic changed where she lived, but every student was impacted by the pandemic differently.

“There are definitely students who need that help now,” Castro said. “I wish they can get the ball rolling on it.”

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“It can be really hard when you’re in college to also be keeping on top of what’s going on in the world,” Bayles said. “I remember really distinctly being like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on kind of outside of my bubble of my undergraduate experience.’ I think [...] when many people are also entering into the world, it’s also important to know what’s going on in the world.”

WMS 070: Sexualities WMS 070 will discuss sexual identity, gender and their intersection, as well as their relation to race, class and ethnicity.

Emma Talbot, a second-year sustainable agriculture major, said that even as a STEM student she felt the class was helpful and relevant to her studies. It served as a way to learn about gender and sexualities while earning general education credits.

“After taking [WMS 070] I realized I wanted to minor in gender, women and sexuality studies,” Talbot said. “I felt empowered taking WMS 070, and I felt I could use what I learned in these classes to empower all different types of folks I encounter in my career as a sustainable agriculture major.”

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“Public attention to police accountability holds the promise of true change,” Johnson said via email.

Kirin Rajagopalan, a second-year cultural studies graduate student, is a member of the UC Davis Cops off Campus group and an abolitionist. Rajagopalan said that the prison industrial complex will never bring justice or accountability.

“It’s not abolitionist to argue that killer cops

need to go to jail,” Rajagopalan said. “We want the entire system gone. Chauvin going to jail doesn’t do anything.”

Students who are struggling can access mental health resources by making an appointment with Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS). SHCS is available to support students navigating pain over police brutality and can connect students with other resources. There are also racial trauma resources available.

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Did the GameStop saga show that financial markets are nothing but a house of cards that can be manipulated for cynical interests? Is there currently an issue with commercial loans similar to the infamous liar’s loans? Sure, but this was all before Madoff died. His existence infects the souls of financial folk daily. With Madoff’s death, all wrongdoing left the financial markets, so I’m sure this has all been resolved.

The financial industry is finally free of corruption with Madoff’s demise. The “real” productive members of our economy, by providing many jobs to all the working class chart designers out there, are finally unshackled from the burden of Madoff and all the financial corruption in their hearts.

The sins of the Great Recession have died with Bernie Madoff.

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Soon students will be doing everything they can to get their mouths on one of these delicious delicacies. While the menu is subject to change, the chancellor has said that it will be based on different aspects of Davis. Such items include: - Moo Moo Milkers (half-dipped chocolate biscotti with locally grown Davis nut) - Death Star Dark Chocolate (dark chocolate chip cookies, each with a piece of the Death Star inside) - Turkey Attacks (savory donuts filled with fresh turkey and a cranberry glaze, but only served on days with campus turkey sightings) - Egghead Egg Tarts (an egg custard tart, but each is served with something the eggheads have,

i.e. a book, an argument or an eye on the back of its head) - Gunrock’s Gourd Go-Around (just a pumpkin pie painted blue. But not dyed. It’s painted with blue spray paint and is not edible) Although half of the menu may not actually be edible, students’ mouths are already foaming in anticipation of filling their Instagram feeds with all kinds of pictures of these cute pastries.

While the original cowboy hat cake is not on the menu, the chancellor has ensured us that there’s plenty of cake to go around. So this fall, make sure you head on down to the Gary Maykerey and cut yourself a wonderful slice of cake.

COOLTEACH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

“He made us buy a textbook and then on the first day told us to throw it away because ‘experience’ was the real teacher,” said a student who requested anonymity. “That book was $140.”

Another student said, “He wants to be that cool teacher that’s going to make us reevaluate our life and love learning again. I just wish he’d grade our quizzes. It’s been four weeks.”

In Winter Quarter 2020, students began drafting a petition to end Dr. Mitchell’s awkward attempts at swearing once and for all. Also prohibited on the petition are the following: - Excessive use of finger guns - Pretending to fall asleep and snore loudly during tests - Thirty minute breaks during which he makes students throw M&Ms into the air and tries to catch them in his mouth Since the transition to Zoom, many students

claim Dr. Mitchell has suffered a minor mental breakdown. In a recent lecture, Dr. Mitchell reportedly spent eight minutes changing his Zoom background to the Pyramids and dancing to The Bangles’ 1986 hit “Walk Like an Egyptian.”

“My students don’t know this, but I’m actually 45. They all think I’m in my early 30s,” Dr. Mitchell says. He cites his youthful glow and “J-chillin’ attitude” as the cause.

“It’s disconcerting when teachers act like they’re just another college kid,” adds another student. “He tried to skateboard into class and almost broke a hip. He’s like 60, I think.”

“Honestly, it would be entertaining if I wasn’t paying hundreds of dollars to be in this class. I’ve learned nothing,” said a third student.

At the time of this article, Dr. Mitchell is on leave after he slipped and broke his wrist while trying to perform a pseudo-casual lean on a door frame.

VOGUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

“Oh, what a sweet question! Well, a few weeks ago I actually got this super cute letter from my residence hall Community Advisor (C.A). It was pastel green and was written in this adorable font—Comic Sans I think. Turns out it was a notice, warning that if I continued to get noise complaints, there would be serious consequences.

I thought that 10 was an appropriate volume to rewatch the Saturday Night Live skit of Pete Davidson and Timothee Chalamet, but I fear I was mistaken. It was just sweet that the C.A. even

thought of me.” *knock knock* I opened the door, greeted by my C.A. “Hey, we were just talking about you,” I said.

“We? It’s just you. Anyways, we’re getting noise complaints. Your neighbors are saying they hear you asking questions. Just please keep it down, thanks.”

12 | THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SPORTS Are celebrity boxing matches ruining the sport?

As boxing events between personalities and celebrities continue to become more successful, the response to it has been mixed

BY OMAR NAVARRO sports@theaggie.org In the weeks following the boxing match between YouTube sensation Jake Paul and Ben Askren, multiple-time world champion Floyd Mayweather announced that he would take on Jake’s brother, Logan Paul. Originally scheduled for February, the event will instead take place in Miami, Florida on June 6. It will be Mayweather’s return to the ring in the U.S., and although on other occasions fans would be glad to see a legend return, this has begun to make people question how far is too far.

During an event hosted on Triller, a social media startup, Jake Paul defeated Askren in the first round by way of knockout.

Having already defeated former NBA player Nate Robinson back in November 2020, this was Paul’s second professional boxing match as well as his second win. Raking in over one million pay-per-view buys, the event was a success, and ended in a draw. That, however, has become the latest topic in a saga involving the sport of boxing and what the diehard fans have hated for a long time.

Although celebrity matches between professional and nonprofessional boxers have been around for a long time, the most recent wave of bouts arguably holds the most “threat” to the sport of boxing.

With social media platforms bigger than ever, influencers such as the Paul brothers have begun taking advantage of that to hold their own events. Whether people attribute this to Mayweather’s lucrative bout against Connor McGregor in August 2017 or Logan Paul’s match against fellow YouTuber KSI that sold out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, boxing has become more of a spectacle than a sport. After Mayweather’s match against Logan Paul was announced, the criticism rained down even more, as one of boxing’s legendary stars was now taking part in these theatrics.

“As a big Floyd Mayweather fan, I’m not about to partake [in] this,” tweeted former athlete Giavanni Ruffin. “It’s a joke and a disrespect to the craft of people that really put [their] all into the sport of boxing. This is all a money ploy I get it, get to [the] bag but don’t tarnish [your] legacy with this scrub.”

This sentiment was felt by many, who believe this is just a useless cash grab where boxing could only be negatively impacted.

“Mayweather and Paul will exploit their celebrity [status] and get rich, but it will be boxing that takes the hit,” wrote long-time combat sports columnist Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports. “This fight has nothing to do with boxing and everything to do with opportunism, but when the torrent of criticism arrives after the fight, it’s going to be this sport that takes the brunt of it.”

Although this match between Mayweather and Logan Paul will be an exhibition and not a professional fight, previous bouts between the Paul brothers and other stars have been officially sanctioned by state boxing commissions. Even though these celebrities are able to obtain their boxing licenses and fight as professionals would, a lot of the criticism is not only directed at those who are fighting, but also those in charge of sanctioning and giving licenses.

“It’s an exhibition, just for making money,” said current boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. “They give the boxers licenses when they’re not a boxer. They could get them killed. Why do they give licenses to people who have never in their life even thrown a punch?

If there’s a death, the commision will be responsible. Why? Because

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE they issued the license for the fight.”

Others, however, view these fights in a different light. Rather than see them as hurting the sport, some believe that this is helping to gain attention for boxing.

“They help boxing so much,” said boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, who had a criticized fight of his own against Roy Jones Jr. at 54 years old. “Boxing owes these YouTube boxers some kind of respect. They should give them some belts because these guys make boxing alive. Boxing was pretty much a dying sport. UFC was kicking our butt. Now we got these YouTube boxers, with 25 million views.

Boxing is going back thanks to the YouTube boxers.”

“It’s amazing because it’s opening up boxing to a whole new market,” said professional boxer Dillian Whyte. “We’re in the age of streaming now, it’s all about YouTube. It’s a great time and it’s good that two guys can bring all these fans. Everyone’s complaining about it, I think it’s great, bringing new fans into the game, it’s great.”

Many will point to these spectacles as explanations for why boxing is no longer one of the premier sports in the world. What was once must-see television that attracted the casual fan has turned into a sport that only fans who follow the sport or know a bit about it watch. Many will point to these fights as the issue, but it may be a part of a bigger issue that boxing must solve.

“I think some of the appetite for all of this may relate to the fact that people will always find other people’s fighting to be a great form of entertainment,” New York boxing promoter Lou DiBella told

ESPN. “And when boxing is unable at the moment to deliver with regularity fights that cross over into event status, that’s creating an opening for these exhibitions and internet influencers and seniors tours.”

For a long time, experts have accused managers and promoters of contributing to the decline in boxing. Since almost all major fighters are represented by a promotion and a manager, it has become much more difficult to come to an agreement on a fight between boxing’s biggest stars, which is why we rarely hear about big main event title fights. For one reason or another, the big fights that fans want to see rarely get agreed upon, leaving a lot of the fans uninterested. Without these major title fights, it is hard to bring attention and grow these boxing stars into something big like we saw in decades past with the likes of Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Marvin Hagler and many more.

There is a lot of work left to be done by those in the boxing circles that goes beyond figuring out if these spectacle events are hurting boxing. Their outdated forms of promotion no longer works nowadays, which is why we have seen a rise in these celebrities and influencers taking advantage of the situation. While it could be true that these new events may be nothing more than a cash grab, it could also be true that there are more people who have watched boxing because of them. The argument could go either way, but regardless, those in charge of boxing and their handling of it in recent years may have led to the situation that is rising today.

The rapid rise and fall of the European Super League The announcement of the Super League led to a critical period of European soccer

BY OMAR NAVARRO sports@theaggie.org In the span of a week, European soccer’s proposed Super League came and went. The proposed new league caused an uproar from both the fans and former players, as this move was threatening to European soccer as a whole.

While the saga is not completely over yet, trying to unravel the timeline and what would have happened if it went through requires a deep dive into the finances and politics of European soccer.

On April 18, 12 of European soccer’s biggest teams issued a statement that announced their plans to begin the Super League. After feeling unsatisfied with the Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) expansion of the Champions League tournament, the 12 teams— Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid—decided to go their own route and make a new annual men’s and women’s 20team tournament that would rival it.

“The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model,” the statement said. “Further, for a number of years, the Founding Clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis.”

Not only was this league a response to European soccer’s shaky financial state, but by playing a yearly tournament with other elite teams, the clubs would be able to recover from the losses brought by this pandemic. Although high-level matches would look great on paper, this announcement was met with backlash from the leagues and the governing body of soccer due to its exclusion and disregard for the sport’s history.

UEFA and its leagues issued a joint statement following the announcement and stood together in opposition of the new proposed league.

“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we—UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A but also FIFA and all our member associations—will

remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the selfinterest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever,” the statement said.

“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting, in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.”

It’s a difficult topic to unwind due to the nature of European football. In its current form, all teams get a slice of the yearly earnings, with the winner receiving the most. Although the more successful clubs do earn more, they have felt unsatisfied with the cut that they have been getting. The rising costs of transfers coupled with COVID-19 has put many of these elite clubs in a tough financial situation. In this new closed competition setup, the teams would be backed by investment bank JP Morgan—which would fund €4.3 billion in debt financing to set everything up—and be able to share the large revenue sums among themselves rather than with all the other teams. Although this would give these 20 teams a road to financial stability, the problem with the proposed idea is that it leaves out hundreds of other teams across Europe that are already struggling and eliminates the infrastructure that the sport has had for its entire history.

The way soccer is set up in most of the world allows teams to build themselves up over time and work their way towards the top. All honors and ability to participate in continent-wide tournaments is based on performance. The Super League would effectively eliminate that, strip the Champions League of its aura and give European soccer a more corporate and business approach— which is why UEFA decided to take drastic measures. “[The teams involved] will not be able to represent their national teams at any matches,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said the day after. “UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful self-serving proposal we have seen in the last 24 hours from a select few clubs in Europe that are fueled purely by greed above all else.”

The original plan was for the Super League to be a mid-week tournament that would replace the usual Champions League. The leaders of the new league planned to meet with UEFA and FIFA to

discuss how they would set it up together, but they were having none of it. In addition to banning players involved from representing their respective national teams in events like the World Cup, those teams would also be barred from competing in their domestic leagues, leaving them with nowhere to go.

“This so-called ‘Super League’ is anything but ‘super,’” tweeted retired Portugal star Luis Figo.

“This greedy and callous move would spell disaster for our grassroots, for women’s football and the wider football community only to serve selfinterested owners, who stopped caring about their fans long ago, and complete disregard for sporting merit. Tragic.”

The vast majority of the criticism was directed towards those in charge, as they were being accused of being greedy. In a matter of days following the criticism, the original 12 teams began to withdraw from the tournament. Strictly from a financial standpoint, this proposed league would make sense for Europe’s top clubs. But the longstanding tradition of the sport, the disregard for all other

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

teams and the way the clubs looked greedy caused the rapid fall. The 12 clubs were met with uproar and protests as a result, and the relationship between them and their fans may take some time to recover. This European Super League drama is not over according to some of those in charge, but for the moment, the governing bodies will continue to look for ways to help the financial situation.

While it is expected that these teams will receive punishment for joining the league, the loss of respect is something that they will have to battle to get back. There is a bit of irony when it comes to FIFA’s response to the matter, as their history of corruption and neglect has led them to this point. Conversations will continue to try and find a resolution for the current economy of European soccer. Those in charge have now seen how serious it could get if they stand put and do close to nothing like they’ve been doing so far. Although the European Super League did not succeed this time, there is much work left to be done by UEFA to prevent something like this from happening again.