June 2022 | Issue 30
As I mentioned in my message last month, many of us at land-grant universities find comfort and oftentimes inspiration in advancing the public good. As virtuous as our intentions may be, we should consider how it is we define the “public good”, especially at a time nationally and internationally when reparations, rematriation and past injustices are beginning to rise to the surface of public consciousness. 

For example, if we are to assess the history surrounding the establishment of land-grant institutions in which the government took land that were territories of Native American peoples, the origin story of serving the public good can be called into question. However mixed this past may be, it is vital to consider the present as a teachable moment as we have an opportunity to address past institutional injustices through the ways we approach our work moving forward.

Public Engagement Champion
Professor Andrew Hargadon, founding director of The Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Energy and Efficiency Institute, believes universities have untapped potential as sources of innovation, especially when they build a network with public partners. Read his story about the power of networks.
Graphic of a man on the left holding a marker looking to the right. To the right is text in quotes that says Engaged scholarship is critical to moving the benefits of scientific research into the public realm. Andrew Hargadon GSM.

Spotlight: Your Public Scholarship Community
Inspired by his graduate student’s interest in Native American and Indigenous history, Professor Gregory Downs pursued and secured a Public Impact Research Initiative grant that helped his students engage with the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust.
Scientists have long known that cows are a huge source of the greenhouse gas methane, but could there be a way to make cattle less–ahem–gassy? UC Davis animal scientist Ermias Kebreab shares in this blog more about an ingenious solution to reduce methane-rich cow burps by feeding cattle something growing below the surface of the ocean: seaweed. Read his blog.
Growing trends toward an age-segregated society have contributed to increased social isolation among older adults in the U.S.. Determined to help address this issue, Human Ecology Professor Lisa Miller recently completed a CELF Fellowship through Public Scholarship and Engagement, which allowed her to pursue a course to explore digital inclusion among low-income older adults. Read her blog.
It was through community-engaged learning that this year’s University Medal recipient, Amanda Portier, found her calling. For more than a year, Portier helped Assistant Professor Noli Brazil investigate how policies can better direct investment into disadvantaged neighborhoods and developed a mapping application to share data with policymakers and scholarly communities. Read her story.
Summer time, with its beaches and pool-side lounging, is the perfect time to pick up a book and dedicate some time to reading. With that in mind, Public Scholarship and Engagement created a list of recommended summer reading books that will enrich, illuminate and inspire your understanding of public and community-engaged scholarship.

Woman wearing a hat outside holds up a journal
In Other News

Events and Opportunities
The Yolo Basin Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship provides support for selected graduate students who are working in the areas of environmental education, public use, environmental sciences, or environmental/conservation policy related to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area or the Yolo Bypass. The Fellowship includes mentoring and an annual stipend up to $15,000 for the student’s research. 


Deadline: June 30, 2022

Supporting the Public Good
Philanthropic support plays a vital role in advancing UC Davis public scholarship mission. We invite you to support our vision of discovery, learning and engagement for the public good. 

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We will be taking a break with our newsletter in July and August.
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