Making News

Walk down the aisles of many grocery stores and you’re liable to see claims about products that are “good for gut health,” from yogurt and kombucha to supplements and even sodas. But despite its popularity, the phrase can mean different things to different people and lacks a shared scientific definition.

UC Davis researchers have made important findings about farming in recent years, providing insight into how to grow almonds with less groundwater and fewer pesticides, among other discoveries. Now, agricultural research is about to get supercharged at the school, thanks to a $50 million donation from the co-owners of one of the biggest names in almonds, The Wonderful Company.

Sharon Shoemaker, academic administrator emeritus who retired in 2019, is featured in the November 2025 issue of "Davis Living Magazine". The article, by Pam Thompson, is titled, "Family, Science, and Service in Davis".

Back in high school, I had no doubt that college was the next step. However, the pressure of choosing a major was colossal! It felt like choosing the rest of my life when asked to select a major. I knew I wanted to do something creative, but I didn’t want to throw away all of my hard-earned A’s in physics, chemistry, and biology. After switching the major option about a hundred times, I finally registered under Undecided - Fine Arts for UC Davis.

For every juicy tomato or crunchy almond California grows, there’s a pile of pulp, hulls or scraps that often goes to waste. A new online tool, created by University of California, Davis researchers, tracks those agricultural byproducts aiming to find innovative ways to put them to use.