This May, UC Davis will open a $1 billion interdisciplinary and industry-academic collaborative space in Sacramento
BY NAREN KRISHNA JEGAN
In 2017, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and UC Davis Chancellor Gary May established a vision to create an innovative hub where university researchers, students, industry partners, entrepreneurs and community members could collaborate side by side to accelerate interdisciplinary ideas and bring them to the world. This $1.15 billion investment, in collaboration with Wexford Science and Technology, resulted in the development of Aggie Square, the newest scientific addition to UC Davis.
Aggie Square is an urban development in Sacramento that offers all UC Davis students hands-on learning experiences, entrepreneurship programs and community engagement opportunities to help them develop critical career skills. As the embodiment of May’s vision, it fosters innovation, research expansion and strong community ties — expanding UC Davis’ regional, national and global impact.
Aggie Square’s state-of-the-art facilities have been designed to be flexible and
accommodate students and researchers in a variety of fields. Some of the district’s first
university tenants will come from the College of Engineering, the School of Veterinary
Medicine and the School of Medicine. Continuing and Professional Education will also
host classes for adult learners seeking to gain new skills for their careers. However, there
are other opportunities — like Quarter at Aggie Square — for students from other
disciplines to experience this space. Aggie Square is also open for student-led events,
providing an active hub for connection and growth.
The Quarter at Aggie Square program started in the fall of 2020 with an initial cohort studying transformative justice studies during the pandemic. Within a short few years, the program has expanded to provide undergraduates many offerings such advancing healthcare equity, education in the African American community, urban sociology and many more. The program provides unique experiences for undergraduates at UC Davis to immerse themselves in a topic of societal relevance through a combination of courses, field trips and experiential learning including internships, research and clinical rotations.
The combination of course-based learning and applied experiential components allows
students to integrate theories with real-world practice and gain career-readiness skills for post- graduation endeavors. The small class sizes allow professors to form a tight-knit community with their students. Oftentimes, students take more classes with each other or additional courses with the faculty in the program, allowing them to get letters of recommendation and access to additional opportunities. With equity as its focus, by design the program attracts students from diverse experiences and interdisciplinary backgrounds.
One of the key benefits of Quarter at Aggie Square is its financial accessibility for
undergraduate students. There are no program fees or additional costs associated with the
program, apart from potential transportation expenses to and from internship sites. This
ensures that the program remains equitable and accessible to all students, allowing them
to focus on their academic and professional development. Moreover, with dedicated staff and programming designed to make the transition from Davis to the Sacramento campus seamless, students are able to fully immerse themselves in the experience without logistical stress.
In addition to the Quarter at Aggie Square, a novel master’s program in biomedical device engineering is being piloted to equip students with the skills to translate engineering concepts into scalable devices for the private sector. The program features a three-quarter capstone project that tasks students with turning university research into prototypes aimed at improving clinical care. Students will work alongside clinicians to develop medical solutions that enhance patient outcomes and ensure the resulting devices can be commercialized at scale.
Moreover, Aggie Square offers a diverse range of experiences such as workshops, training and events through UC Davis and Wexford Science and Technology. For example, Venture Catalyst, which will have a presence at Aggie Square, provides hands-on programs and resources to assist students — from any major — to turn research and technology into real-world solutions. It also supports student and alumni startups, helping them secure accelerator funding and venture capital through initiatives like the Smart Toolkit for Accelerated Research Translation (SMART) program and Biotech Innovation Gallery, as well as facilitating connections to venture capital firms.
Aggie Square is a short bus ride away from the Davis campus through the Causeway Connection, a free weekday bus service for university affiliates. The ground floor of 200 and 300 Aggie Square and the second floor of 300 Aggie Square, will be open to the public Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings, beginning after the grand opening celebration on May 2. Students, faculty, staff and community are welcome to enjoy the many indoor and outdoor seating options and free WiFi. Access to the university’s eduroam wireless network will also be available.
Aggie Square’s developer, Wexford Science and Technology, offers Connect Labs to enable short-term leases in a 50,000-square-foot space featuring pre-built and furnished office, lab and support spaces designed for emerging innovators and entrepreneurs in digital, life science and health sectors.
ANOVA Aggie Square is a mixed-use residential building opening in spring 2025 on the UC Davis Sacramento campus, offering 190 apartment units (252 beds). UC Davis Student Housing manages 49 units for graduate and undergraduate students, prioritizing medical and nursing students, while GMH Communities leases the remaining 141 units, giving priority to UC Davis affiliates. Amenities include a fitness center, study lounges, a game room and more. Rent for Student Housing units ranges from $1,138 to $1,510 per month, priced below the Sacramento market.
Beyond student opportunities, Aggie Square is invested in Sacramento’s growth. Through the Community Benefits Partnership Agreement (CBPA), UC Davis, the city of Sacramento and Wexford Science and Technology have committed over $50 million to affordable housing, local hiring, youth programming, community access to space and workforce development — ensuring lasting community impact for generations to come.
Forged from a vision to provide UC Davis students, researchers and faculty the opportunity to learn and apply skills through an interdisciplinary platform, Aggie Square is positioned to expand its footprint as the demand for occupancy at the district from university programs and majors, as well as private sector companies, grows.
UC Davis students, faculty and staff and community members will experience Aggie Square firsthand at the grand opening celebration on Friday, May 2. Open not just for UC Davis, but for the entire Sacramento region, anyone interested in attending is encouraged to RSVP for the event. For more information on Aggie Square, visit their website.
CREDITS: Phil Wade, Mary Mumper, Matt Marcure
Written by: Naren Krishna Jegan
