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UC Davis is one of the most renowned universities in the world – making a difference in the lives of people every day. Fueled by learning and energized by discovery, the UC Davis tradition of engagement with the local community, the nation and the world guides all that it does. UC Davis is a pioneer in interdisciplinary problem-solving, and its four colleges, five professional schools, more than 100 academic majors and 86 graduate programs make it the most comprehensive of all the University of California campuses.

The College of Letters and Science has been at the heart of UC Davis' pioneering work for over 55 years. The largest of the colleges at the university, it opens the doors for future generations through a rigorous academic program that combines the fundamental liberal arts, mathematics and sciences with endless opportunities for individuals to pursue their dreams. Limitless possibilities offer themselves for students at the college – with undergraduate research programs, powerful centers of teaching and research in areas that study the mind and brain, language, and computational sciences. Whether you are a student, parent, alumnus, or friend of the college, experience what doors the college can open for you.

Featured News

UC Davis Dedicates Historic Native American Garden

California Indian song, bustling tours and quiet, personal moments were all part of the dedication on Nov. 14 of a new outdoor reflective space honoring the Patwin who once lived on the land that would become the University of California, Davis. The Native American Contemplative Garden is part of a larger UC Davis project -- believed to be the first at any public university in the nation -- to honor the land's original inhabitants and to educate the campus and its visitors about them. Full Story

Cave Study Links Climate Change to California Droughts

California experienced centuries-long droughts in the past 20,000 years that coincided with the thawing of ice caps in the Arctic, according to a new study by UC Davis doctoral student Jessica Oster and geology professor Isabel Montanez. Full Story

Inequality, "Silver Spoon" Effect Found In Ancient Societies

The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to an international study coordinated by a UC Davis anthropologist. Full Story

Diabetic Episodes Affect Kids' Memory

Children who have had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a common complication of diabetes, may have persistent memory problems, according to a new study from researchers at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain. Full Story

Two UC Davis Professors to Edit New California Journal

Two UC Davis professors are busy preparing for the inaugural issue of a new journal about California's cultures, politics and histories that will be called Boom. Full Story

$4.4 Million Grant to Design Neutrino Detector

A consortium led by UC Davis physics professor Robert Svoboda will design the world's largest neutrino detector under a $4.4 million contract recently awarded by the National Science Foundation. Full Story

Blogging From Antarctica

UC Davis geology professor Dawn Sumner and postdoctoral scholar Bekah Shepard leave Davis this week for Antarctica. They will spend seven weeks camped by a frozen lake in one of the continent's dry valleys, one of the most inhospitable, and pristine, habitats on the planet. Full Story

Explore the Emergent Universe

Ranging from slime molds to quantum matter to Alzheimer's disease, a new online exhibit opened Oct. 1 aims to encourage young people to learn about "emergence," complex behaviors that arise from the interaction of simple parts, and encourages them to develop an "emergent perspective." Full Story

Novel Chemistry For Ethylene and Tin

New work by chemists at UC Davis shows that ethylene, a gas that is important both as a hormone that controls fruit ripening and as a raw material in industrial chemistry, can bind reversibly to tin atoms. The research, published Sept. 25 in the journal Science, could have implications for understanding catalytic processes. Full Story

$1.2 M for Exploration of Nuclear Reactor Fuels

The search for more efficient fuels for nuclear reactors has received a nearly $1.2 million boost in the form of a U.S. Department of Energy grant to a research team headed by a UC Davis physics professor. The team will develop computer-driven models that will allow theoretical manipulation of the fuels and their behavior from the safe vantage point of a keyboard and monitor. Full Story

Public Intellectuals Forum Kicks Off With Two Fall Events

“May you live in interesting times,” says the proverbial Chinese curse. For higher education in particular, these are indeed interesting times, as public universities grapple with furloughs, fee hikes and other difficult strategies to address the current economic meltdown.  But times of crisis can also provoke innovative thinking and reassessment – and this is what humanities scholars do best. In the 2009-10 Public Intellectuals Forum, three leaders in the field will offer their perspectives on “Beyond the Crisis: The Future of the University.” Full Story

College Currents: The College of Letters and Science Magazine

College Currents, the College of Letters and Science bi-annual magazine, highlights what's new with the college's students, research, faculty, alumni, and friends. Find out more.

More News

For more news about the students, research, and teaching at the College of Letters and Science, visit our News and Publications page.