School Notes
Honors and Awards
Danika Bannasch, DVM, PhD, and Pamela Lein, PhD, were elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS fellows are selected based on their achievements across a range of disciplines, from research and teaching to administrative roles. Bannasch was chosen for “contributions across the study of genetics and genomics for the benefit of animal and human health, and service to the profession.” Lein was honored “for exceptional contributions to research in environmental toxicity and for sustained activity in advising and mentoring.”
Chelsea Chiv, a third-year veterinary student, has been honored with the 2023 Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). In her award letter, the AAVMC’s CEO Andrew Mccabe noted that Chiv’s selection is a measure of her commitment to addressing inequities and underrepresentation in veterinary medicine, and advocating for social justice.
Melanie Gareau, PhD, and Karen Shapiro, DVM, MPVM, PhD, have been honored as Chancellor’s Fellows. The new fellows were selected for their positive impact on “our university’s mission of research, teaching, and public service,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. Each receives $25,000 in unrestricted funds for research or other scholarly work. Gareau is known for her research in understanding how changes in gut microbes impact brain functions and behavior. Shapiro is known for her pathological research focusing on water as a medium of interaction between animals and humans.
Pamela Lein, PhD, was selected by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges to receive their Excellence in Research Award. This award recognizes outstanding research and scholarly achievements, leadership in the scientific community, and exceptional mentoring of students and colleagues in the field of veterinary medicine. As a prolific researcher and director of the second CounterACT Center of Excellence, Lein has developed several exceptional research programs in neuroscience, immunology, and environmental health that have substantially informed public policy.
Christine Kreuder Johnson, MPVM, PhD, VMD, has been chosen to serve as a U.S. Science Envoy in 2023. Science envoys are approved by the secretary of state and engage internationally at the citizen and government levels to enhance relationships between other nations and the United States, develop partnerships and improve collaboration. Johnson is a professor of epidemiology and ecosystem health and director of the EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics within the UC Davis One Health Institute.
John Pascoe, DACVS, PhD, was selected to receive the 2023 Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. This award recognizes an individual whose leadership and vision have made a significant contribution to academic veterinary medicine and the veterinary medical community at large. Pascoe
has made key contributions to advance veterinary medical education as an innovative teacher of surgery, leader in planning of the school’s new facilities, mentor, and more.
The Comparative Pathology Laboratory has been honored with a UC Davis 2022 Lab Safety Award for the second time in four years. Directed by Dr. Denise Imai-Leonard, the lab provides services to campus veterinarians and investigators in the UC system and external academic and industry clients. The lab’s dozen staff members work with a rotating mix of veterinary medicine and pathology residents, veterinary students, undergraduate student workers, and interns.
UC Davis Removes GRE Requirement
The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine removed the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement for DVM student admissions. UC Davis joins the majority of the 32 accredited U.S. veterinary schools in making this shift after studies showed systemic bias in the GRE. It has been argued that the GRE (based on verbal, quantitative and analytical writing) does not predict student success in the sciences, as the exam does not demonstrate an applicant’s understanding of science. The GRE also presented a financial barrier for some veterinary school applicants due to the high cost of the test as well as test prep courses, creating an inequity between applicants. The change applies to the current admissions cycle for applicants to the Class of 2028.
Canine Triathlete Retrieves Aggie Hearts
Cori has branched out from her tee-retrieval duties at UC Davis Aggies football games to bringing bats back to the dugout for the baseball team. She’s also learned to dunk a small ball at Aggie basketball and Davis High School games. The triathlete is just doing what she enjoys.
“She’s a dog that loves the relationship and working, and having a job,” said her owner Professor Lisa Tell, DVM ’91. “She’s happy to retrieve anything that I want her to retrieve.”
That said, for a dog who loves retrieving balls, Tell had to make sure that Cori focused on the bat and not the ball being thrown back and forth. Cori will participate in only a few baseball games this season, but she’s always happy to meet fans. Tell often has stickers featuring Cori’s likeness to hand out. She’s even enlisted the help of a veterinary student ambassador, Stephanie Han (Class of 2025), to bring Cori to more events.
She’s a dog that loves the relationship and working, and having a job.
– Professor Lisa Tell
Keep up with Cori on Instagram: @corirocketdog.
Welcome New DLC Members
Welcome to the six new members of the Dean’s Leadership Council! They join 13 other distinguished leaders in their field, representing key constituencies of the school and serving as advisors to the dean. Pictured from the left are Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski, Gayle Brock, Christine Jenkins (DVM, DACViM-SAM), Dean Mark Stetter (DVM, Diplomate ACZM), Julia Lewis (DVM, MPH), David Cheresh (PhD), and David Jessup (DVM, MPVM, Diplomate ACZM) and his dog, Grandin.
Redwood SEED Scholars Join the Vet School
The veterinary medicine community welcomes three Redwood SEED (Supported Education to Elevate Diversity) Scholars as assistants. A collaboration between the UC Davis MIND Institute; the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and the Division of Continuing and Professional Education, the SEED scholar initiative is a four-year UC Davis residential program for students with intellectual disabilities. Scholars are full-time non-degree students working toward a practical credential and preparing for employment. From left: Sophie Howarth serves on the Development team, Ryan Fitch is part of the Center for Companion Animal Health, and Cristina Riegos assists at the veterinary hospital.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work is my calling and passion.
– Monae Roberts
Announcing the School’s First Chief Diversity Officer
Monae Roberts joined the school as our first Chief Diversity Officer. They have previously served on the main UC Davis campus as Director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center and a program coordinator at the Cross Cultural Center. After a brief stint off campus, Roberts is happy to be back in an academic setting where they enjoy collaboration with like-minded people.
“Even if we don’t always share the same points of view, I find the university a more open environment, where folks are willing to learn and grow,” Roberts said.
They began collaborating with members of the veterinary medicine community after being tapped in 2018 to present at the Iverson Bell Symposium—a weekend diversity summit for veterinary professionals.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work is my calling and passion.
– Monae Roberts
"It’s important for me to create positive change in the world in some way. With a supportive team alongside me, I feel I can do that here.”
In their experience of working with individuals and groups on DEI issues, Roberts said one of the biggest challenges to overcome is fear.
“People worry...what if I mess up and do the wrong thing? My hope is to support everyone through that. The fact is, we will all mess up. We’re human and won’t get it right 100% of the time. I’ve been doing this for 10 years and I still mess up. It’s about how you mess up and how you move forward, being able to sit in that discomfort, owning your mistakes, and figuring out how to be better in the future. That’s what creating change is about. But if we don’t take that risk, then we will stay stagnant. This school didn’t get to #1 by staying stagnant. My hope is to be here to hold your hand. We can mess up and move forward together.”
Roberts is also excited about being involved in K-12 outreach and finding more ways to expose under-represented communities to careers in veterinary medicine. They look forward to supporting new initiatives, policies and practices.
“This position is the perfect intersection of things I really enjoy,” Roberts said. “Right now, it’s about listening and gathering as much information as possible to see where we can go.”
Roberts lives with her wife, two kids (10 and 16), and two rescue chihuahuas, Howie and Ginger, in Sacramento.