Hi! My name is Ellen and I am part of GDB’s 2018 graduating class. I transferred into the GDB program from my local community college in Fall 2016 excited to get my first research experience, and it was a huge encouragement that all of my peers in GDB were also pursuing research. It felt like I was part of a diverse, interdisciplinary research community in GDB, a community bolstered by the program’s leadership’s enthusiasm for student research (s/o Dr. Rizzo and Dr. Leveau).

Michelle is the Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Scheduler for the Phoenix Cluster which includes the Entomology and Nematology Department and Plant Pathology Department. She also supports the Global Disease Biology, Animal Biology, and Entomology major advising teams. Michelle was also a GDB Peer Advisor from 2021-2023!

Hi everyone! I'm Emily Wheeler, a 4th year GDB student and English minor. 

I have always been fascinated with diseases and finding out that there was a way for me to focus my college experience on it was beyond perfect. I started at Davis as a different major but almost immediately switched to GDB after taking SAS 13 where my interest in diseases (whether it be of humans, plants, or animals) grew even more. 

Happy December! We are so excited to present this month’s episode featuring GDB student, August Quilliam (she/her). Augusta's practicum project is titled “CRISPR-mediated gene knockout in Botrytis cinerea for identification of novel virulence factors and potential antifungal targets.” She is completing her practicum project under the guidance of her PI, Dr. Ioannis Stergiopoulos.

Links & Information:

We had the pleasure of interviewing Morgan Streeter for our November Podcast! Their practicum project is on the environmental transmission of pathogenic E. coli from dairy cows. They are currently completing their project under their PI, Dr. Robert Atwill. Dr. Atwill is not accepting any applications at the moment.

Links & Information:

Dr. Robert Atwill (⁠[email protected]⁠)

Hello! My name is Brianna Vargas, and I am currently a fourth-year Global Disease Biology student. My career goal is to become a physician, with particular interest in emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery. Last year, I earned my EMT license and began working in interfacility transport. After sustaining a knee injury that prevented me from working, I began volunteering for the UC Davis EMT program, where I help teach essential skills to EMTs in training.

Hi GDB! 

Are you considering including a study abroad experience in your time as a GDB major? Here are some tips on how to find a study abroad program that suits your needs and interests. 

The Global Learning Hub (https://globallearning.ucdavis.edu/) is home to details about all the global learning experiences UC Davis has to offer, so be sure to check out their website for more information about specific programs.

Plant health is a vital field that shapes how we understand ecosystems, protect crops, and promote sustainable interactions with the environment. In this spotlight, we feature two remarkable figures whose work has had a global impact: Professor David Rizzo of UC Davis, a leading expert in plant pathology and the founder of the Global Disease Biology major, and Professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, a distinguished botanist, educator, and author who blends scientific research with Indigenous knowledge to foster ecological supervision.

Hello fellow Aggies! My name is Claire Meunier and I graduated from UC Davis in Spring 2017 with a BS in Global Disease Biology (GDB).  I grew up in Oregon, in a college town not too different from Davis, so I felt right at home the moment I arrived on campus.