Historic achievement: Five women hold endowed chairs in department

Five women in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences now hold endowed chairs, the first time in the department’s history that so many women have attained this prestigious distinction.

Faculty members Gail Taylor, Amelie Gaudin, Giulia Marino, Li Tian and Leslie Roche all have been appointed to endowed chairs in the last four years. Endowments are dedicated funds, giving researchers the freedom to explore an idea before the concept is fully worked out and ready for grant applications.

“Endowed chairs are awarded to outstanding scholars, making significant impact through their research to address questions of importance to society,” said Taylor, who received the first of this series of endowments in late 2020. She also is chair of the department. “They represent the highest level of academic achievement and give the scholar freedom to pursue their ideas and concepts.

“The Department of Plant Sciences celebrates the awards of these five chairs, all won by women academics following open, competitive processes,” Taylor added.

The department currently is home to eight endowed appointments, according to university personnel records.

Amelie Gaudin: Sustainable agriculture

Gaudin is an associate professor and was appointed Endowed Chair in Agroecology in 2021. She looks for ways to use the framework of ecology to design sustainable and resilient agricultural systems from the ground up, diversifying what’s planted in and around fields. Her research includes planting cover crops between rows of orchard trees and sending sheep to graze. Sustainable agricultural methods can relieve problems leading to erosion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change.

“Rooted in the fertile grounds of agroecology, this endowed chair position allows me to cultivate knowledge for developing truly regenerative solutions to our current challenges,” Gaudin said.

Giulia Marino: Nut orchards that thrive

Marino is an assistant specialist in UC Cooperative Extension who is based in the department. She was appointed the University of California Presidential Chair for Tree Nut Genetics in 2022. She studies tree physiology to find plants that can grow into sustainable and productive orchards amid climate change. Marino looks for the genetic underpinnings for surviving stresses such as drought, flooding, salinity and high temperature. She also studies ways to deal with changes including mechanization and concerns about food quality.

Nuts are big business: California’s crop is valued at about $9 billion, according to the 2022 state Crop Report. California produces the vast majority of nuts exported by the United States; American exports dominate world markets for almonds and compete in walnuts and pistachios, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“This chair allowed me to conserve, study and propagate a large collection of seed germplasm for the UC Davis Pistachio Collection,” Marino said. “It’s a precious selection of different genetics that can provide the basis for a more resilient industry. I’m now testing these trees under different growing condition.”

Li Tian: Plant nutrition

Tian is a professor and was appointed to the John E. Kinsella Endowed Chair in Food, Nutrition and Health in 2023. She studies how to boost nutrition in plants destined for people; that includes increasing vitamin A in wheat, which provides 18 to 23 percent of people’s caloric intake around the world. Tian also studies nutrients in pomegranates that fight inflammation, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other ills.

“The Kinsella Endowment allows me to pursue important research and educational initiatives that would otherwise be out of reach,” Tian said. “The endowment support also helps me to train promising students, who will make lasting contributions beyond the scope of my program.”

Leslie Roche: Rangelands

Roch is an associate professor of UC Cooperative Extension. In 2023, she was appointed the Russell L. Rustici Endowed Specialist in Cooperative Extension in Watershed Rangeland Science. Roche researches ways to make rangelands and pastures more sustainable and still productive amid stresses such as increased drought and heat. She works with ranchers to apply those methods to improve the health of livestock as well as the health of the larger environment. Roche also is the director of the UC Rangelands Research and Information Center.

Cattle and dairy products are two of the top three commodities in California, together valued at $14 billion, according to state figures.

“Rangelands and ranching face a lot of challenges in the coming years,” Roche said. “But thanks to the very generous support of the Rustici Endowment, we can continue to build meaningful partnerships with ranchers and communities across California to support sustainable working rangelands.”

Gail Taylor: Food and fuel

Taylor was named the John B. Orr Endowed Professor in Environmental Plant Sciences in 2020. Her larger research vision seeks ways to use plants to create a sustainable future. One area focuses on adapting plants to thrive and be even more nutritious amid climate change, especially watercress and lettuce. That includes intensifying their cultivation through controlled environment agriculture. Taylor also works on developing poplar trees that will be suitable for distilling into jet fuel  ̶  another of the department’s projects that fight climate change.

“I value the John B. Orr endowment very highly,” said Taylor, who is also a distinguished professor. “The fund was made available from the estate planning of a staff member who worked on campus for many years – a regular guy, but someone with a huge interest in the natural environment, who wanted to make a difference and give back.

“The fund has supported several researchers to conduct important work on wide-ranging topics of environmental significance,” Taylor explained. “For example, it funded research on the best use of biomass for California, and making salad greens production safer and more sustainable.”

You can support world-changing research

We are always grateful to our alumni, industry partners and friends who support our work in the Department of Plant Sciences.

If you or someone you know would be interested in creating an endowment for research in the department, please contact Jennifer Martinez, senior development director, at (530) 902-5985 or jelmartinez@ucdavis.edu.

Every gift makes an impact on academic excellence and innovative research. Donations of any amount can be made here.

Thank you for your continued support!