Faculty

Shamim Ahamed Named Hellman Fellow

A dozen early-career faculty members at UC Davis have been named to this year's Hellman Fellowship, a program to help propel their work to the next level. One faculty member selected is Shamim Ahamed, an assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering.

Parasitic Weeds Threaten Tomato Plants on California Farms

At first glance, Orobanche ramosa looks like an interesting blossoming plant, one that could add a unique flair to flower arrangements. But it’s a parasitic weed that attaches to roots, sucks out nutrients and is threatening California’s lucrative $1.5 billion processing tomato industry.

When It Comes to AI, Farmers Will Need to Strike a Balance

AI has affected numerous job markets with Goldman Sachs economists estimating that 300 million jobs across the globe could be automated by AI. However, AI is not always better, faster or cheaper with current iterations prone to mistakes or false information.

UC Davis Professor Developing New Bioplastic Technology from Dairy Byproducts and Food Waste to Address Plastic Pollution

For decades, Ruihong Zhang, a professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, has been studying biological conversion of food waste to explore solutions that could address environmental challenges. Her recent research on biodegradable plastics using dairy byproducts may reduce the global level of plastic pollution.