Faculty

CE Advisors & CE Faculty Collaboration Meeting: Exploring Ongoing Agricultural Research at UC Riverside

joanny — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 23:54:27 +0000

CE Advisors & CE Faculty Collaboration Meeting: Exploring Ongoing Agricultural Research at UC Riverside joanny Sat, 08/24/2024 - 16:54 More College News August 24, 2024

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) hosted the Cooperative Extension (CE) Advisors and UCR CE Faculty Collaboration Meeting on May 23.

CE advisors located in (or serving) over 14 counties across California were invited to learn about the ongoing research by UCR CE faculty to enhance collaboration between CE advisors and faculty, and to address existing and emerging agricultural challenges to better serve California and the US.

The following CE faculty provided oral presentations on their current research projects:

Connecting the Dots Between Production Horticulture & the Consumer for Subtropical Fruit Crops
Mary Lu Arpaia
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Subtropical Horticulture
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Turfgrass Research & Outreach
Jim Baird
Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Horticulture
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences
turfgrass.ucr.edu

Management of Insect Pests in Subtropical Fruit Crops
Bodil Cass
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Entomology
Department of Entomology

Urban/Structural Entomology Labs
Dong-Hwan Choe
Professor and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Entomology
Department of Entomology

Insect Invasion Biology & Vector-Borne Plant Disease Management
Matt Daugherty
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Entomology
Department of Entomology

Optimization of Citrus Horticultural Practices
Ashraf El-kereamy
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Horticulture
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Advanced Technologies for Improving Food Safety of Fresh Produce
Ahmed El-Moghazy
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Food Safety
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology

Minimizing Disease Impact in Subtropical Fruit Crops
Fatemah Khodadadi
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology

Subtropical Horticultural Research
Peggy Mauk
Director of Agricultural Operations
Professor of Cooperative Extension
UC Cooperative Extension Specialist
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Black Earth & Robots
Milt McGiffen
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Vegetable Crops
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Nursery Production: Plant Nutrition & Water/Native Plant & Pomegranate Operations
Donald Merhaut
Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Horticulture
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences

Nematode Management in Vegetable Crops
Antoon Ploeg
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Nematology
Department of Nematology

Disease Management in Vegetables & Small Fruits
Alex Putman
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist in Plant Pathology
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology

Geospatial Soil & Plant Sensing Research
Elia Scudiero
Associate Professional Researcher
Department of Environmental Sciences

Tree & Vine Research Overview
Philippe Rolshausen
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Subtropical Crops
Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

Precision Urban and Agricultural Water Management in Southern California
Amir Verdi
Associate Professor and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Agricultural and Urban Water Management
Department of Environmental Sciences

California’s Citrus Clonal Protection Program & Its Research in Addressing Citrus Challenges
Georgios Vidalakis
Professor and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Plant Pathology
Director, Citrus Clonal Protection Program
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology

Nematode Diseases of Trees & Vines
Andreas Westphal
Professor of Cooperative Extension and Cooperative Extension Specialist of Nematology
Department of Nematology

In addition to CE advisors and faculty, the collaboration meeting was attended by UCR Agricultural Experiment Station faculty and CNAS leadership including CNAS Interim Dean Peter Atkinson and chairs of agricultural departments. The meeting was organized by Isgouhi Kaloshian, Professor of Nematology and former CNAS Agriculture & Natural Resources Divisional Dean, Peggy Mauk, Agriculture Operations Director and CE Faculty, and Donald Merhaut, CE Faculty.

For more information about Cooperative Extension at UC Riverside, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/ce-specialists.

For more information about the University of California Cooperative Advisors, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/about/cooperative-extension.

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Agricultural Operations

Department of Botany & Plant Sciences

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Department of Entomology

CNAS Welcomes New Divisional Deans

joanny — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 01:13:09 +0000

CNAS Welcomes New Divisional Deans joanny Mon, 07/29/2024 - 18:13 More College News July 01, 2024

Effective July 1, 2024, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) welcomed three new divisional deans, who will lead CNAS student academic affairs and the College’s life and agricultural sciences core areas:

CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs: Stephanie Dingwall, Associate Professor of Teaching in the Biochemistry Department
Divisional Dean of Life Sciences: Morris Maduro, Professor of Biology in the Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology Department
Divisional Dean of Agricultural and Natural Resources: Patricia Springer, Professor of Genetics in the Botany and Plant Sciences Department

CNAS Divisional Deans Dingwall, Maduro, and Springer join Professor of Mathematics, Stefano Vidussi, who has been serving as CNAS Divisional Dean of Physical Sciences since 2022.

To learn more about CNAS leadership, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/about/leadership.

Stephanie Dingwall
CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs

Stephanie Dingwall, Associate Professor of Teaching in the Biochemistry Department at UC Riverside, has been named CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs. Dr. Dingwall succeeds Dr. Connie Nugent with UC Riverside’s Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology Department.

Dr. Dingwall oversees CNAS Student Academic Affairs and staffing for all student recruiting, advising, enrollment management, and academic success activities, including:

Undergraduate Academic Advising Center (UAAC)
Graduate Student Affairs Center (GSAC)
Enrollment Management Center (EMC)
CNAS Learning Communities
Science Ambassadors and peer mentoring programs
Grant- and donor-supported scholarship programs
Highlander Day, Discover UCR Day, Highlander Orientation, and Commencement

"My goal as Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs is to elevate the student experience not only in CNAS but at UCR," said Dingwall. "Students do better academically, socially, and emotionally when they are treated equitably and fairly with compassion, supported by their community of peers, staff, and faculty. As Highlanders, we rise together."

Dr. Dingwall joined the UCR Department of Biochemistry in 2016. She earned both her MS and Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at UCR, and her B.S. in Neuroscience with a French minor at UCLA. She was also the first Professor of Teaching in the Division of Life Sciences in CNAS.

Although trained as a physical biochemist in enzymology, Dr. Dingwall’s current research focuses on biochemical and STEM pedagogy. She has worked with undergraduates – including being the faculty mentor for several University Honors capstone projects – on how active learning techniques used in her classes improves not only academic performance but also retention. She has been awarded grants from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) for her pedagogical research and has been invited to present at national conferences and initiatives.

Dr. Dingwall has been recognized with the Junior Excellence in Teaching Award by the Academy of Distinguished Teaching, and subsequently made a Distinguished Teaching Fellow. She has held several positions on campus including, but not limited to, University Honors Faculty Fellow, Chair of Committee on Courses for the UCR Academic Senate, Chair of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching, and Statewide Program Coordinator of the UC-wide California Alliance for Minority Participation in Research (CAMP), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

To reach CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs, Dr. Stephanie Dingwall, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/about/leadership.

Morris F. Maduro
CNAS Divisional Dean of Life Sciences

Morris F. Maduro, Professor of Biology in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology at UC Riverside, has been named Divisional Dean of Life Sciences for the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences at the University of California, Riverside, effective July 1, 2024. Dr. Maduro succeeds Kathy Borkovich, Professor of Microbiology and Plant Pathology.

During Dr. Maduro’s three-year appointment as Life Sciences Divisional Dean, he will oversee four departments: Biochemistry; Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology; Microbiology and Plant Pathology; and Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology.

"As Divisional Dean of Life Sciences, my goals are to work with CNAS leadership to find ways to streamline progress of our undergraduates through their degrees and ensure that graduate programs are working well," Maduro said. "I will also work with our departments to maintain the excellence of faculty-driven research."

Dr. Maduro joined UCR in 2003 and was the Chair of the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology from 2021-2024. Prior to joining UCR, he received postdoctoral training at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Alberta in Canada.

Throughout his career he has worked with nematodes as model systems to study development. His current research focuses on developmental system drift, studying how evolutionary changes in gene regulatory networks can occur without altering the developmental phenotype. He has received funding for his research primarily from the National Science Foundation, from which he received a CAREER award in 2007.

A passionate instructor, Dr. Maduro has also invested in teaching innovation. In 2012, he was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award by the UCR Senate and was Chair of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching from 2017-2019. He has also been Director of the Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program from 2017-2021 and 2022-2024, and Lead Faculty Advisor for the Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology undergraduate major from 2019-2023. In 2018, he received an Innovative Learning Technology Initiative award from the University of California to develop an online version of the introductory major course Biology 5A, which he taught from 2019-2023.

To reach CNAS Divisional Dean of Life Sciences, Dr. Morris Maduro, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/about/leadership.

Patricia Springer
CNAS Divisional Dean of Agricultural and Natural Resources

Patricia Springer, Professor of Genetics in the Botany and Plant Sciences Department at UCR, has been named Divisional Dean of Agricultural and Natural Resources for the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, effective July 1, 2024. She succeeds Isgouhi Kaloshian, Professor of Nematology.

During Dr. Springer’s three-year appointment as Agricultural and Natural Resources Divisional Dean, she will oversee four departments: Botany and Plant Sciences, Entomology, Environmental Sciences, and Nematology.

Dr. Springer joined UCR in 1997 and served as Chair of the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences from 2016 to 2024. She received a B.S. in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Minnesota, followed by a Ph.D. in Genetics from Purdue University. Prior to joining UCR, she held an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Dr. Springer is a molecular geneticist and developmental biologist. Her research has focused on understanding the genetic mechanisms that control plant form, with an emphasis on traits that impact crop yield. She has received research funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy.

Dr. Springer has taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses including BIOL 107A (Molecular Biology), BPSC132 (Plant Anatomy), and BPSC 232 (Plant Development). She served as Assistant Director and Director of the NSF-funded REU program in Plant Cell Biology from 2005 – 2014.

Dr. Springer has served on the UCR Academic Senate Graduate Council, UCR Academic Senate Planning and Budget Committee, and on the UC Systemwide Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs. She also served as Graduate Advisor for the Plant Biology and Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Graduate programs. Most recently, she has been involved in the development of the early career faculty mentoring program Advancement and Retention in Academe (ARA), funded by a UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity grant.

To reach Divisional Dean of Agricultural and Natural Resources, Patricia Springer, please visit cnas.ucr.edu/about/leadership.

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Stefano Vidussi named Divisional Dean of Physical Sciences and Mathematics

joanny — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:41:51 +0000

Stefano Vidussi named Divisional Dean of Physical Sciences and Mathematics joanny Wed, 07/13/2022 - 13:41 More College News July 12, 2022

The College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences at the University of California, Riverside has named Professor of Mathematics, Stefano Vidussi, Divisional Dean of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Vidussi succeeds Jose Wudka.

During Dr. Vidussi’s three-year appointment as Divisional Dean, he will oversee five departments: Chemistry, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, and Statistics.

Dr. Vidussi joined UCR in 2005 and has held many leadership positions during his time at UC Riverside. Most recently, Dr. Vidussi was Chair of the UC Riverside Academic Senate's Committee on Educational Policy and Chair of the Undergraduate Committee for the Mathematics Department. He also served on the Campuswide Instructional Continuity Group and the Senate Workgroup on COVID-19 Instructional Contingencies.

Prior to joining UC Riverside, Dr. Vidussi started a tenure-track position at the Department of Mathematics at Kansas State University in 2002.

Early in Dr. Vidussi academic career, he studied in Trieste, Italy earning his undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Trieste and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA). He held postdoctoral positions at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, France and at University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Vidussi’s area of research centers in 3- and 4-dimensional topology, and more specifically on the use of tools that span from physics-inspired gauge-theoretical techniques to group theory, in the study of topological properties of low-dimensional manifolds. Dr. Vidussi’s research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and by the Simons Foundation. Some of his most relevant publications have appeared in the Annals of Mathematics, the Journal of the American Mathematical Society, Crelle, and the Journal of the European Mathematical Society.

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Spotlight: CNAS Department Chairs 2021

joanny — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 22:14:35 +0000

Spotlight: CNAS Department Chairs 2021 joanny Wed, 09/22/2021 - 15:14 More Blog Posts September 22, 2021

With the CNAS community back on campus, your department chairs want to make sure that you are on-track for a stellar year. In this edition of the CNAS Blog, find out what they are looking forward to with students being back on campus, how students can get involved in research, and tips to succeed both in and out of the classroom. Here are your 2021-2022 CNAS Department Chairs and read the Q&A below to get to know your department chairs.

Biochemistry
Jingsong Zhang
Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry
Biochemistry Website

Botany and Plant Sciences
Patty Springer
Professor of Genetics and Chair of the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
Plant Biology Website

Chemistry
Leonard Mueller
Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Chemistry
Chemistry Website

Earth & Planetary Sciences
Gordon Love
Professor of Geochemistry and Chair of the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
Earth & Planetary Sciences Website

Entomology
Rick Redak
Professor of Entomology and Chair of the Department of Entomology
Entomology Website

Environmental Sciences
David Volz
Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences Website

Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Leonard Nunney
Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal BiologyWebsite

Mathematics
Fred Wilhelm
Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Department of Mathematics
Fred Wilhelm's Website

Microbiology and Plant Pathology
Howard Judelson
Professor, Plant Pathologist, and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology
Microbiology and Plant Pathology Website

Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology
Morris Maduro
Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology
Morris Maduro's Website

Nematology
Tim Paine
Distinguished Professor and Entomologist, Emeritus; Chair of the Department of Nematology; Tokuji and Bettie L. Furuta Endowed Chair; UC Riverside Distinguished Teaching Professor
Tim Paine's Profile

Physics and Astronomy
Kenneth Barish
Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy Website

Statistics
Yehua Li
Professor of Statistics and Chair of the Department of Statistics
Yehua Li's Profile

What are you looking forward to most with students back on campus?

Jingsong Zhang, Biochemistry: We look forward to helping our students back to in-person classes as smoothly as possible.

Patricia Springer, Botany and Plant Sciences: Seeing them in person! I am so happy to see students on campus.

Leonard Mueller, Chemistry: Without a doubt, I am most excited to see students back in the lab! Chemistry is an experimental science and you have to get your hands in gloves and get to work at a bench. We are also really thrilled to welcome Chem 1 students to our newly renovated teaching labs in Pierce Hall.

Gordon Love, Earth and Planetary Sciences: The buzz and chatter of their interactions and meeting new students in person.

Rick Redak, Entomology: The simple interactions of saying hello and bumping into them on campus.

Fred Wilhelm, Mathematics: Seeing people learning, teaching, and researching.

Morris Maduro, Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology: Restoring a sense of excitement about learning as part of a larger community.

Tim Paine, Nematology: Talking with students and answering their questions.

Yehua Le, Statistics: To have more engagement with in-person teaching and research activities.

What are some goals and initiatives the department has planned this year?

Leonard Mueller, Chemistry: Safety first! We hope all the students enjoy their experimentation in the lab, but remember safety first - wear your lab coat, goggles, and PPE at all times!

Gordon Love, Earth and Planetary Sciences: To consolidate our position as a world class department for teaching and research and expand our research portfolio through new avenues; such as sustainability, climatic & environmental change and planetary sciences.

Rick Redak, Entomology: Complete our strategic plan and hopefully hire some new faculty members. Grow both our undergrad and grad majors. Enhance our human diversity within the faculty, staff, and students.

Fred Wilhelm, Mathematics: Highlight faculty research and share knowledge with our students.

Workshop for Excellence & Diversity: is on Women in MathArt on October 16-17, 2021
Our Association for Women in Mathematics chapter is hosting a Sonia KovalevskY on Saturday February 26, 2022, 10am-4pm.
Professors Weisbart and Poon are developing a new pre-calculus/calculus sequence through a California Learning Lab grant

Morris Maduro, Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology: This academic year, among other things, we hope to move the interdepartmental CMDB graduate program and the undergraduate CMDB major into the department; work on our academic plan; and find ways to bring attention to the achievements of our faculty.

Yehua Le, Statistics: To develop more teaching and interdisciplinary research opportunities in business analytics, data science and public health.

How can students learn about research opportunities in your department?

Jingsong Zhang, Biochemistry: The Biochemistry Department has a strong record in mentoring undergraduate researchers. Please visit the department website to learn more about faculty research and available research opportunities.

Patricia Springer, Botany and Plant Sciences: Email faculty whose research sounds interesting to you and ask if they have research openings. Not all faculty post on the research portal (https://se.ucr.edu/research/portal), although this site has good tips for contacting faculty.

Leonard Mueller, Chemistry: The faculty all maintain research websites. It is best to start there and find research that is particularly interesting to you. Then take a look at a few papers and contact the faculty member. Email is fine, but we all respond well to students who just stick their heads in our doors.

Gordon Love, Earth and Planetary Sciences: Our department website lists the research interests of all our faculty.

Rick Redak, Entomology: Simply email our faculty. All of us are found at insects.ucr.edu

Fred Wilhelm, Mathematics: For research opportunities in the Mathematics Department, go to either https://sites.google.com/site/ucrundergradmathresearch/ or https://sites.google.com/view/wtchen-mathbio/home. You can also contact Professors Weitao Chen, Kevin Costello, or Jose Gonzalez.

Morris Maduro, Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology: Students should look at the research areas covered by our faculty through our departmental web page (mcsb.ucr.edu), and contact faculty with whom they might be interested in working.

Tim Paine, Nematology: Look at faculty websites to find match to match interests and contact them for an appointment.

Yehua Le, Statistics: Visit our website and reach out to our graduate and undergraduate faculty advisors.

What advice can you offer students for a successful academic year?

Patricia Springer, Botany and Plant Sciences: Attend office hours and get to know your professors! Everyone is eager for face-to-face interactions after 18 months of zoom.

Leonard Mueller, Chemistry: There is the "what" and the "so what." You need to know first, but it is the second you are going to college for.

Gordon Love, Earth and Planetary Sciences: Stay on top of the course work from Week 1, cramming for finals and mid-terms can often backfire!

Rick Redak, Entomology: Discipline yourself to stick to a schedule so you do not put anything off until the last minute (e.g., study for an exam!). Staying caught up with your studies will essentially be a full-time job. If you have a part-time job, discipline and scheduling will be a life-saver. Having said all of that, take a day, or day-and-a-half to destress and have some fun.

Fred Wilhelm, Mathematics: Be flexible, have fun, and take it one moment at a time.

Morris Maduro, Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology: Students will be starting or returning to UCR this year with the experience of face-to-face classes a distant memory. Students and faculty need to be patient with each other as we try to return to a more normal way of doing things, realizing that we might have forgotten how to interact face-to-face in a classroom, and how to take in-person exams.

Tim Paine, Nematology: Respect serendipity and seize opportunities.

Yehua Le, Statistics: Stay connected with your professor and classmates, either virtually or in-person. Stay safe.

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CNAS Welcomes New 2021-2022 Faculty

joanny — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 19:01:13 +0000

CNAS Welcomes New 2021-2022 Faculty joanny Tue, 09/21/2021 - 12:01 More College News September 21, 2021

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside is proud to welcome new faculty members to CNAS. Their expertise in sciences plays a major role in what the CNAS community can expect when they return to campus this fall and in the years ahead. Our newest faculty members join a growing roster of well-renowned scientists dedicated to the CNAS mission of expanding fundamental scientific knowledge in the biological, physical, mathematical, and agricultural sciences by finding innovative ways to apply that knowledge through teaching and public service. Learn more about each of our new faculty members below.

Simon C. “Niels” Groen, Assistant Professor of Evolutionary Systems Biology in the Department of Nematology, earned his Ph.D. in plant sciences at the University of Cambridge, UK. He then studied the evolution of resistance to milkweed toxins in the monarch butterfly as a post-doc at the University of Arizona and UC Berkeley, before investigating natural selection on gene expression in rice at New York University as a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation fellow. Niels’ group at UC Riverside studies the evolution of interactions between parasitic nematodes and their host plants (including rice, tomato, and their wild relatives). Their research aims to unravel this complex evolutionary tug-of-war using a combination of laboratory and field experiments. Focusing on the central role that plant chemicals play, his group uses omics technologies and analytical approaches from evolutionary and systems biology to zoom in at the molecular level.

Maria Ninova is assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry. After majoring in molecular biology, she earned her Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from the University of Manchester, UK, and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. Her research interests lie at the intersection of several disciplines including genomics, developmental, chromatin and RNA biology, with specific emphasis on the molecular mechanisms that regulate epigenetic modifications in animal development.

Kate Ostevik, assistant professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, earned her Ph.D. in Botany at the University of British Columbia. Her research centers on the fields of speciation, evolutionary ecology, and population genetics. She is particularly interested in how reproductive barriers, hybridization, and genome architecture influence the diversification of flowering plants.

Mykhailo Potomkin, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, earned his Ph.D. in mathematical physics at the Kharkiv State University in Ukraine. He received his postdoctoral training in the Pennsylvania State University. He is currently an applied mathematician, and his principal area of research is modeling, analysis, and numerical simulation of problems involving differential equations, with applications in physics and biology. His recent work is devoted to individual and collective aspects of micro-swimming of both living organisms, like motile bacteria or eukaryotic cells, and biomimetic swimming microrobots.

Jonathan Richardson, assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2016. Before joining UCR, he was a postdoc at the California Institute of Technology. His research interests are in experimental tests of gravity and probing the nature of black holes. In support of these goals, his group is developing new technologies aimed at extending the astrophysical reach of gravitational wave detectors, at the frontier of precision optical measurement. He is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the Cosmic Explorer Consortium.

Kieran Samuk, assistant professor of biology in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of British Columbia and was a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University. His research is focused on understanding the genetic changes that allow organisms to adapt to new environments, as well as those involved in the formation of new species. His recent work has specifically focused on the complex role that meiotic recombination plays in the processes of adaptation and speciation. His lab makes use of a wide variety of approaches, including molecular and computational genomics, field studies, computer simulations, and manipulative experiments.

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CUSP Mentors needed

ilseu — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 18:57:32 +0000

CUSP Mentors needed ilseu Mon, 11/02/2020 - 10:57 More College News CNAS Communications Staff November 01, 2020

CUSP: Career Mentoring of Underrepresented STEM Students for the Professoriate

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is launching CUSP: Career Mentoring of Underrepresented STEM Students for the Professoriate, a pilot project funded by the UC-HSI Doctoral Diversity Initiative (UC-HSI DDI).

We are currently recruiting STEM faculty (CNAS, BCOE, SOM, and CHASS) to provide career mentoring to underrepresented students who are seeking careers as professors. Faculty mentor responsibilities include: committing to a year-long program of one-on-one career mentoring, helping a student develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP), and attending/presenting in a professional development seminar series in Spring 2021.

Ideal faculty mentors are those who have a passion for one-on-one mentoring. Experience mentoring underrepresented students is beneficial, but not required. Faculty mentors will receive a research stipend of $1250 for participating in the program.

Please visit the CUSP website or contact laura.mcgeehan@ucr.edu for more information about the program. We hope you will consider participating to help a student achieve their career goals.

CUSP web pages:

cusp.ucr.edu/cusp

CUSP Mentor flyer:

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Chancellor honors promoted faculty members

ilseu — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 23:30:57 +0000

Chancellor honors promoted faculty members ilseu Wed, 10/30/2019 - 16:30 More College News CNAS Communications October 29, 2019

UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox honored over 50 faculty members for their promotions at a ceremony Oct. 7 at the Chancellor’s Residence.

Here are the honorees in the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences:

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