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Sudwerk releases winter beer

City News

City Editor

January 5, 2016

The Doppel Bock Ultimator is back for the season.

Since 1989, Sudwerk Brewing Company has gained popularity among West Coast brewers due to its commitment to brewing German lagers. Serving up German-American fusion food and traditionally brewed beers to the Davis community, Sudwerk has been a go-to place for both local and foreign beer enthusiasts.

“The atmosphere is festive and the beer is delicious,” said Chris Morris, a local beer enthusiast. “It’s pretty much all I need.”

For the winter season, Sudwerk has released its seasonal beer, the Doppel Bock Ultimator. Strictly a winter season drink, the Doppel Bock is traditionally a darker beer that grew in popularity due to its high alcohol content and sweet, malty taste. This beer originated in Munich and became popular through many German festivals such as Oktoberfest. Sudwerk has committed itself to delivering German-quality beer to the Davis area.

“We like to come for company parties,” Sacramento resident Tracy Bennett said. “The beer is great and the food is really hearty. Their yearly Oktoberfest is a really fun party too. If you like beer, then I seriously recommend coming to their tasting events.”

The brewery, located in central Davis, is also a part of the UC Davis Extension for beer brewing education. The brewery has won several awards for its classic brewing techniques. Year-round favorites include the Northern Pilsner, Amber Lager and Bavarian Hefeweizen.

“I went to some of [Sudwerk’s] events in the past. It’s great because they let you sample some brews and they used to have live music too. It’s just a really friendly place,” said Sacramento resident Steven Clifton.

Sudwerks hopes to spread the popularity of German beers through their dedication to traditional brewing techniques, and their Doppel Bock is just a small taste of German history.

Written by: TRISTEN THALHUBER – citynews@theaggie.org

Yolo Crisis Nursery completes holiday fundraising season

City News

January 5, 2016

Davis community members, businesses support local nonprofit.

This holiday season, shoppers in Yolo County had the opportunity to give back to children in need through the Yolo Crisis Nursery’s first annual Adopt-the-Nursery gift drive.

The Yolo Crisis Nursery (YCN) opened in 2001 to protect the county’s most vulnerable families by providing crisis child care. Families suffering from domestic violence, medical crises, poverty, substance abuse or other hardships can place children under five years of age in the nursery’s three-bedroom home. Children can stay at the home free of charge for up to 30 days at a time while families regain stability, reduce stress and work to prevent child abuse or neglect.

“The nursery reaches out to parents who are at the end of their rope. Their stress is so high that they might abuse or neglect their children. The nursery offers them an alternative – emergency childcare day or night and intensive help resolving their problems. It’s a win-win,” said YCN Board of Directors member Karen Adams.

Upon placement in the nursery, children are assigned a social worker who develops a family assessment and case plan. Children receive medical and dental care, toys, toiletries, recreational entertainment and nutritious meals during their stay at the nursery. The nursery has been massively successful in preventing child abuse in Yolo County. YCN has decreased rates of child abuse every year since it opened its doors 14 years ago.

In 2014, the nursery was nearly forced to close due to a lack of funding and a loss of support from its original parent agency, EMQ FamiliesFirst. It formed a short-term partnership with the Yolo County Children’s Alliance; community members, local businesses and generous private donors also rallied to keep up the nursery’s funding. Their efforts were successful, as the nursery finally earned its license as a nonprofit in May 2015.

In the past, community members had the opportunity to “adopt” families in need and provide them with gifts and childcare supplies during the Christmas season. This year, staff members created gift registries at Target, Amazon and Mother and Baby Source in Davis where extra holiday purchases could be made to support the nursery.

Woodland resident Becky Heard, who served on the nursery’s Board of Directors, is the nonprofit’s president and serves in an unrelated position as the director of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association’s Parent and Family Programs. She explained that many of the nursery’s original furniture, blankets and toys are worn out, and that the nursery is always in need of disposable items such as paper towels, toiletries and diapers. Registry items were also used to create care packages that the nursery provides to families struggling to keep up with the high costs of raising children.

“We hoped that the community would help replace some of the basic items that are used on a daily basis, and we were thrilled with the response,” Heard said. “We received nearly all of the items we had registered for.”

In addition to the gift drive, the nursery was able to participate in this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign, due to its newly earned status as a nonprofit. #GivingTuesday is a global initiative started by the New York cultural center 92nd Street Y to encourage charitable donations every Dec. 1. The nursery received just under $10,000 in donations from #GivingTuesday on Dec. 1, 2015.

Many local businesses also contributed to the nursery’s holiday fundraising effort. Fleet Feet Sports, The Paint Chip, Davis Home Trends and several other Davis businesses participated in the nursery’s Be an Angel program in which shoppers could make $5 donations and dedicate a small pair of angel wings in honor of a friend or family member.

“We have participated in fundraising for the nursery for several years and we do a fundraising event for [the] nursery every holiday season. We choose to support the nursery because we are passionate about their work, and their services are very valuable to the community,” said Lori Rumsey, who has owned Mother and Baby Source on 2nd Street in Davis for 20 years.

On March 18, the nursery will be hosting its annual Crab Feed to raise funds at the Veteran’s Memorial Center on 14th Street in Davis. There will be a silent auction, a cocktail hour and all-you-can-eat crab and pasta. Further details will be posted on YCN’s website. Money from ticket sales will go to meeting the nursery’s annual $430,000 budget to serve children in the Yolo County community.

Written by: CAROLINE STAUDENRAUS – city@theaggie.org

Winter wonders of Davis

Features

Features Editor

January 5, 2016

Students discuss favorite aspect of winter in Davis.

What is your favorite thing about winter in Davis?
claudia_dastmalchi_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Claudia Dastmalchi, fourth-year biotechnology major

“I like the […] cozy nature you have indoors, and everyone’s got […] their pumpkin spice lattes. Everyone’s […] more gathered around each other.”

jacob_hurst_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Jacob Hurst, third-year anthropology major

“I really like how pretty the nature is. I really like the […] Arboretum. That was the first thing I saw when I came here and it made me want to come to this school; I loved it.”

sharika_saraf_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Sharika Saraf, second-year physics major

“Not the cold weather! I really like the fall colors around here.”

christopher_hoang_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Christopher Hoang, second-year physics major

“It rains a bit more, that’s nice. Good change of weather.”

michael_le_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Michael Le, material science and engineering graduate student

“It’s a long fall.”

maxwell_marpie_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Maxwell Marple, material science and engineering graduate student

“You can layer up. That’s where it’s at, it’s about the layering.”

clara_malloy_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Clara Malloy, second-year linguistics major

“I like how I’m not sweating all the time. I can drink hot drinks, and I’m not overheated.”

erica_floyd_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Erica Floyd, third-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major

“I really like all of the people dressed in their warm clothes walking around. And people have a lot of different senses of fashion: some people choose to be more comfortable, versus others who care a lot about matching and style trends. But most of all, I just like the trees.”

jack_daum_rovingreporter_fe_Bui Jack Daum, fifth-year environmental science and management major

“I’m from Southern California [and] we don’t get a fall. I really like going to areas of campus where the wind isn’t really prevalent, or people don’t walk through and you can see […] hallways of just golden leaves.”

Written by: ALLYSON TSUJI – features@theaggie.org

Photos by: ANH-TRAM BUI / AGGIE

A step toward easier breathing

Features

Features Editor

January 5, 2016

UC Davis researchers design device that regulates asthma.

In 2015, a team of UC Davis researchers received a four-year grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to develop a wearable sensor that measures the lung function of asthma patients in response to environmental triggers.

This team has worked collaboratively for almost a decade on studying breath biomarkers to diagnose patients with asthma.

“[Breath biomarkers are] small molecules that either represent a product of reactions that go on in the lungs or [a] product of reactions that go on in the body but are carried to the lungs and then breathed out,” said Michael Schivo, assistant professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at UC Davis. “Some biomarkers we do know. We are looking less for a single biomarker and more for a group of biomarkers that will help us determine if someone has a disease or an infection.”

For the past three years, the team has been constructing the sensor, hoping to ease the symptoms that come with pediatric asthma. The device could produce groundbreaking data which would help determine the different markers which affect a patient’s asthma.

“Our device can be used to measure pulmonary function, which is something that normally patients have to go to their doctor’s office to get tested […] but that measurement is usually only taken a couple of times a year,” said Cristina Davis, co-principal investigator of the research and UC Davis professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering. “Our new device will allow a patient and their doctor to take measurements as frequently as they need, or as their doctor asks them to.”

Davis said that since the sensor allows a user to measure themselves as often as necessary, much more “fine-tuned” data is generated that gives insight into the daily or weekly problems a patient might be having. In turn, this can help a doctor figure out a way to better address the problem.

The device is designed for easy usage and is compact, so that patients have a non-obtrusive way of monitoring their asthma. On top of this, the team is hoping to make the sensor workable through a mobile phone format as well.

“[Patients] would be able to breathe into their device and it would measure their lung function on a daily basis and would also pick up some other markers of inflammation and markers of environmental exposure,” said Nicholas Kenyon, co-principal investigator, chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at UC Davis and asthma specialist. “That can be captured and sent automatically to their doctors so that they can make adjustments on their asthma medication.”

According to Kenyon, asthma medication doses can fluctuate during the year depending on the patient’s health, but it is most important to pick up asthma attacks early so that medications can be adjusted appropriately.

To test the device, the UC Davis team composed a few prototypes which have undergone testing with the goal of making them available to doctors and patients.

“We are so pleased that the NIH is able to support this upcoming four-year effort,” Davis said. “We plan [to have] not only a pilot trial of our new device with UC Davis patients, but also a prototype that can actually can be used by others.”

Once the tool is developed, researchers will be able to study several aspects of the disease, such as how patients experience exposure to allergens and what changes this causes in their asthma.

“With this device, researchers will be to collect more data in portable formats and also in real time,” Davis said. “We think this is going to be a very powerful research and clinical tool.”

The group is planning to use a group of teenage asthmatic patients for the pilot testing, as these patients are more aware of their condition and are more likely to vocalize any issues they face in using the device or triggers that cause asthmatic reactions.

“In the lung and asthma field, we’ve been looking for ways to have kids and adults to manage their asthma at home rather than come into the emergency room when things are too late,” said Kenyon. “The technologies that we have used in the past haven’t been effective or they haven’t been used.”

Kenyon said that in order to make developments more accessible in developing nations, where there are very few up-to-par lung function devices, the team will attempt to make the device mobile-phone friendly to ensure that asthmatics across the world benefit from the sensor’s success.

“There are very few lung function devices in poor countries, but there are lots of phones,” Kenyon said. “If we can make a cheap, pen-sized lung function device that can also give some assessment of the environment, it might be able to be employed around the world.”

Written by: Amanda Cruz – features@theaggie.org

The Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

January 5, 2016

TUES., JAN. 5

Salsa Tuesday

9:30 p.m.

The Graduate, Davis

Dance lessons with Cori from ‘Barbara’s Dancing Tonight,’ hosted by DJ Miguel. Tickets are $6.

Trivia Night

9:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, Davis

Compete against other teams in answering the hardest trivia questions! Free and open to all ages.

WED., JAN. 6

Unofficial Scrabble Club

5:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Crepeville, Downtown Davis

Play everyone’s favorite word game and compete with local Scrabblers! All levels welcome.

Improv Jam

6 p.m.

Olson Hall, Davis

Join UC Davis’ favorite improv group “Birdstrike Theatre” for a free evening of laughter in Olson 6!

Trivia Night

8 p.m.

KetMoRee Thai Restaurant

Compete against other teams in answering the hardest trivia questions! Free and open to all ages.

THURS., JAN. 7

Trivia Night

9 to 11 p.m.

Woodstock’s Pizza, Davis

Join teams of three to six people to answer unique and challenging trivia questions. Prizes, fun and pizza are in store.

Poetry Night Reading Series

8 to 10 p.m.

John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis

Poetry night hosted by Dr. Andy Jones with featured guest at 8 p.m. and an open mic starting at 9 p.m.

Opening Reception: The Image of Fashion

6 to 8 p.m.

UC Davis Design Museum, Davis

Come learn about the history of fashion with Bill Hollingshead, son of the New York Institute of Photography’s Alumni Hall of Fame member Paul W. Hollingshead.

FRI., JAN. 8

ArtAbout

5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Downtown Davis

View some of the best art in the Davis community at this free monthly gathering which includes refreshments and the opportunity to meet new and upcoming artists and musicians.

The Producers

8 p.m.

Davis Musical Theatre Company, Davis

Come see a downtrodden Broadway producer make it big in this Mel Brooks musical tale! General admission tickets are $18, while students and seniors pay $16.

SAT., JAN. 9

Local Live Music

9 p.m.

Woodstock’s Pizza, Davis

Enjoy a fun night of live music free of charge!

The Producers

8 p.m.

Davis Musical Theatre Company, Davis

Come see a downtrodden Broadway producer make it big in this Mel Brooks musical tale! General admission tickets are $18, while students and seniors pay $16.

Total Recall

10 p.m.

G Street Wunderbar, Davis

Enjoy some alternative music for free with Sacramento band “Total Recall.” Ages 21 and above.

SUN., JAN. 10

Food Not Bombs

1 p.m.

Central Park, Davis

Enjoy free vegetarian meals with the fellow food lovers of Davis.

International Folk Dancing

7 to 10 p.m.

Davis Arts Center, Davis

Enjoy a night of dancing from all around the world. Your first time is free!

The Producers

2 p.m.

Davis Musical Theatre Company, Davis

Come see a downtrodden Broadway producer make it big in this Mel Brooks musical tale! General admission tickets are $18, while students and seniors pay $16.

MON., JAN. 11

Pub Quiz

7 p.m.

de Vere’s Irish Pub, Davis

Free quiz night hosted by Dr. Andy, with teams of up to six players. Arrive an hour early to secure a table.

UC Davis Primate Research Center searches for new PR firm

Campus Editor

January 3, 2016

PR search follows allegations of neglect, maltreatment of monkeys

In November, the seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) posted on the public relations news website, “Everything-PR,” that they are looking for a one-year relationship with a public relations (PR) firm. The UC Davis California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) is included as one of the centers.

UC Davis Associate Director of News and Media Relations Andy Fell said that the NPRC is looking for a PR firm in order to make other National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded researchers aware of the research the primate centers yield. Lisa Newbern, chief of public affairs for the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, provided a statement via email on behalf of the NPRC that reiterates Fell’s comment.

“The seven National Primate Research Centers are seeking the services of a public relations agency to help us provide information about the importance of nonhuman primates in biomedical research, to increase awareness of the resources we offer to National Institutes of Health-funded researchers and to share the successes of our centers’ researchers, who are working to improve human health,” Newbern said.

However, the primate centers have faced widespread controversy for experimenting on nonhuman primates in their research. The UC Davis CNPRC, which houses over 5,000 primates, has received several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) negligence citations for incidents including escaped monkeys and the death of several primates.

Michael Budkie, the director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), an organization that works towards exposing animal abuse, argues that the NPRC is actually searching for a PR firm in order to repair its damaged reputation, especially following the closure of Harvard’s Primate Research Center in 2013.

“What we see over and over again is that these facilities are failing at providing basic animal care, basic animal husbandry and at following the requirements of the animal welfare act,” Budkie said.

Lindsay Rubin, an organizer for the local activist group Free Davis Primates, agrees with Budkie; she stated that the public’s increasing knowledge regarding the NPRC has led to its need for a PR firm.

“The public is learning more about the USDA citations for negligence UC Davis has been found guilty of,” Rubin said. “More local residents are realizing primate research is outdated [and] can be replaced with more advanced models, especially with the recent closure of the Harvard primate lab, and UC Davis is feeling pressure to combat shifting public perception.”

Budkie believes that it would make more sense for the money the NPRC is using for the PR firm to go toward advances in technology that have the potential to help others.

“Their funding should be going toward doing things that are actually going to benefit people,” Budkie said.

Budkie adds that college students can get involved, as most of the NPRCs are affiliated with universities.

“College students are in a situation to become involved and become active because it’s on their campus,” Budkie said. “They can do everything from outreach events to protests to anything that can get launched on their campus […] the reality here is that students can have a very real impact.”

Written by: ALYSSA VANDENBERG – campus@theaggie.org

Women’s holiday recap

Sports

Sports Editor

January 3, 2016

Athletics action from Nov. 29 to Jan. 3

Women’s Basketball (7-6)

UC Davis at Portland (W, 72-47)

UC Davis at Saint Mary’s (W, 78-71 OT)

The Aggies’ victory against Portland on Nov. 29 marked their fourth consecutive win of the season. They continued that streak at Saint Mary’s, where an overtime triumph was led by sophomore forward Pele Gianotti’s 26 points and a staunch Aggie defense that reduced Saint Mary’s shooting to just 27 percent.

UC Davis vs. Cal State Monterey Bay (W, 91-36)

UC Davis vs. Sacramento State (L, 92-77)

A breezy game against Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 6 gave UC Davis its sixth consecutive win, but the streak was ended by a visiting Sacramento State a week later. Despite a career high performance from redshirt freshman forward Morgan Bertsch and double-digit scoring from 10 other teammates, the Aggies were unable to close their deficit and fell 92-77 to the Hornets.

UC Davis vs. Albany (L, 80-70)

UC Davis vs. Florida A&M (L, 61-58)

Next, the women’s basketball team travelled to the Galen Center in Los Angeles to compete in the Women of Troy Classic. They fell to Albany, 80-70, on the first day, despite three Aggies shooting double figures. The loss moved them to the consolation bracket, where they were pitted against Florida A&M. The Rattlers outshot the Aggies 36-31 at the end of the first half and maintained the lead to the sound of the final buzzer.

UC Davis at Utah (L, 88-58)

UC Davis at Utah Valley (W, 59-55)

At Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on Dec. 29, the Aggies were unable to keep the Utes at bay and fell for the fourth consecutive time. However, they managed to turn it around with a win two days later against Utah Valley and ended the year with an overall record of 7-6.

The women’s basketball team will next play at home on Saturday, Jan. 9 against Hawai’i at 2 p.m.

Swim and Dive

AT&T Winter Nationals

UC Davis sent its four best swimmers to the AT&T Winter Nationals, held from Dec. 3 to 5 at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. The three-day event began with promising starts from freshman Solie Laughlin, who qualified for and finished seventh in the 400 IM “C” final with a time of 4:56.70, and junior Elise Roberts, who posted her fastest time in the season so far in the 100 breast (1:13.57). Senior Hailey Ferko placed 70th in the same event and junior Hilvy Cheung placed 42nd in the 100 fly, coming in at 1:02.08.

Laughlin rounded off the tournament with a fourth place finish in the “C” final of the 200m backstroke with 2:15.29. Cheung finished 37th in the 200 butterfly (2:17.97) and Roberts placed 61st in the 200 breaststroke (2:41.71).

The women’s swimming and diving team has two upcoming home meets, hosting Fresno State on Jan. 8 and the Aggie Open the following morning.

Written by: Julia Wu – sports@theaggie.org

Men’s basketball holiday recap

Sports

Sports Editor

January 3, 2016

Athletics action from Nov. 29 to Jan. 2

Men’s Basketball (5-8)

UC Davis vs. Sacramento State (W, 66-61)

Sacramento State took an early lead two minutes in, and except for a tie late in the game the Aggies remained in front. UC Davis was able to close out the game with a win thanks to junior center Neal Monson’s three out of four free throws in the final 49 seconds of play.

UC Davis at Saint Mary’s (L,81-67)

Senior forward Josh Fox posted a career high of 19 points during the game at Saint Mary’s on Dec. 4. The Aggies went on a 9-3 run to get within five points of Saint Mary’s lead. However, the Gaels fired back with an 18-5 run, sinking six free throws in the final minute to secure their victory and remain undefeated this season.

UC Davis at San Diego (L, 61-55)

In a historic away game, UC Davis faced University of San Diego for the first time since 1978. These teams had never faced off in Division I programs before, and the Aggies ended up falling to the Toreros. Junior guard Lawrence White accomplished two of his season-high four steals in the final moments of the game, but his work could not pierce the Toreros’ defense.

UC Davis vs. Air Force (L, 67-60)

Junior guard Darius Graham led the Aggie offensive, netting 16 points, five assists and four steals while hosting Air Force on Dec. 19. Despite Graham’s valiant efforts, Air Force’s Hayden Graham and Trevor Lyons helped Air Force fly away with the victory, bringing in 20 and 14 points respectively.

UC Davis vs. Idaho (L, 68-51)

In their final game of 2015, the Aggies hosted the Idaho Vandals. True to their historic namesake, the Vandals got in an early lead over the Aggies of 18 points. Once destabilized, the Aggies were never able to come back and lost the game. This loss fell on the back of the Aggies’ season low of 51 points.

UC Davis at Seattle University (L, 80-75 OT)

While in Seattle, the Redhawks trailed the Aggies by two points with five minutes of regulation play. Manroop Clair hit three 3-pointers to put them up 68-65 with 46 seconds left on the clock, but the Aggies were not going to let this stop them. Six seconds after Clair’s 3-pointers, freshman guard Siler Schneider sunk his own 3-pointer to force overtime.

Fox led the Aggies with 18 points, and the Redhawks outscored the Aggies seven to 12 in overtime, taking the victory.

UC Davis at Boise State (L, 64-56)

An injury before the game against Boise State caused Fox to sit out, and early foul trouble for Monson put UC Davis in a tough place. However, Schneider’s career high 21 points and Monson’s contribution gave the Aggies a lead in the first half.

The Broncos woke up in the second half, going on a 10-0 run. This 48-46 deficit into 56-48 lead gave Boise the fuel they needed, and the Aggies never recovered.

UC Davis vs. Holy Names (W, 74-49)

The Aggies broke their losing streak in a big way while hosting Holy Names this past weekend. Both Monson and White had career highs of 20 and 14 points respectively, while Schneider posted 18. The Aggies were up by 23 at the end of the half, and held a minimum of 18 points as a buffer between them and the Hawks to secure their victory.

The UC Davis men’s basketball team will be traveling to UC Irvine for their next game on Jan. 7.

Written by Aaron Sellers – sports@theaggie.org

Former UC Davis student produces cartoon short with Nickelodeon

Arts Editor

January 3, 2016

An interview with Eric Bravo, creator of animated short “The Outsiders”

As a managerial economics alum at UC Davis, Eric Bravo didn’t anticipate that he would ever be writing and producing his own cartoon short for Nickelodeon. But Bravo, who graduated in 2013, built on his internship at Nickelodeon and pitched his cartoon idea to studio executives as part of the Nickelodeon Animated Shorts program. His cartoon short, “The Outsiders,” was chosen and can be viewed on the Nickelodeon website.

What made you want to go into animation?

I always had a passion for the entertainment industry, but I didn’t really know how to get into it until one of my friends got an internship at Warner Bros. And just knowing that someone got into the entertainment industry in general, I was kind of surprised. I actually started out with my internship at Warner Bros. in international marketing because I still wanted to do a business route, but after that internship I applied to Nickelodeon. I didn’t have any animation background, but having Warner Bros. on my résumé attracted me to them.

Were you always interested in script writing and was writing always a passion of yours?

The only writing that I’d done was high school script writing. The very first time I wrote was to pitch a cartoon to Nickelodeon as part of the animated short program and that script made it pretty far. Unfortunately, they didn’t accept it that year, but the following year, they reached back out to me via email and asked if I would pitch again. [The Outsiders] was the second script I pitched and they ended up greenlighting it [to] become a cartoon short.

Can you give us more information on the animated shorts program at Nickelodeon?

They’ve been doing the animated shorts program since 2012. The goal is to find new creators and new content to make into [a] two to three minute cartoon short that has the potential of becoming the next big thing on Nickelodeon. They listen to thousands of pitches and accept 10 domestically. And after they choose your idea, they provide you with a team to bring your cartoon to life. In my case, I was a writer and I can’t draw to save my life so I was involved in hiring an animator and voice casting.

Where did you come up with your idea for your cartoon?

It was one of those out-of-body experiences — I know that might sound kind of weird. But I actually wrote that script in an hour. I’d been working on this other script for a couple months and it wasn’t working and the week of the pitch I decided to start writing something else.

How was the process of pitching your idea to Nickelodeon?

I was super nervous because one of the people I was pitching to was the founder of Nick Animation. When I came to the room I could tell they were tired of listening to pitches and I […] didn’t have [any] idea what to do. They told me I could just read the script. I was just an intern pitching so I didn’t have many expectations, but as I was reading it, they kept laughing which made me more relaxed. By the end of it, they said it was a really good script and they were really interested, which was a relief.

What was the most rewarding part of working at Nick Studios? The most challenging?

The most rewarding part was living out my childhood dreams at Nick, which has been a big part of my life and all ‘90s kids lives, I think. One of the llamas [in my cartoon] is voiced by Will Friedle, who played Eric Matthews in Boy Meets World.

The hardest part for me was working remotely between where I lived in San Francisco and the Nickelodeon studios in Burbank. There was a lot of email and Skyping, but they’d fly me out a couple times to see everybody and how the work was going.

Where do you see your future in animation going?

Well, if the short does well, it has the potential to become a pilot. And if the pilot does well, it has the potential to become a series, but everything is up in the air now. I do plan on pitching more ideas though.

Do you think your time at UC Davis helped you prepare for the process of producing your script?

I was a managerial economics major so my coursework didn’t directly relate, but [UC] Davis helped me get my foot in the door because having [UC] Davis on my résumé got me these important internships. After every job interview, I ask [my employer] why they hired me. And the first thing they told me at Dreamworks, Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon was that Davis was a great school.

What advice would you give to students at UC Davis who want to get into the arts and entertainment business?

If I can do it, you can definitely do it. Not being an animator and not being able to draw or not even majoring in arts, that was a weakness for me. You just have to try and get your foot in the door by getting internships. And while you have these internships, network and never give up and keep on trying.

Since it was hard for me to know how to get into the entertainment business, I also started a blog called Storyboard Room where I interview industry professionals in animation about how they got into the industry.

For more information on Eric Bravo and his work, please visit his website.

WRITTEN BY: Amanda Ong – arts@theaggie.org

UC Davis students block off CoHo entrance as part of Student Blackout protest

Campus Editor

December 4, 2015

Protesters hold 16-minute demonstration in solidarity with Laquan McDonald shooting.

On Dec. 3 at noon, UC Davis students blocked off three entrances to the ASUCD Coffee House (CoHo) for 16 minutes as part of the nationwide Student Blackout protest.

The protest, which was organized by the campus group Davis Stands with Ferguson, was held for two purposes. The first was to stand in solidarity with the recent victims of police brutality in Chicago, Minneapolis and San Francisco. Specifically, a 16-minute demonstration was in response to the 16 times 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot by Chicago police in October 2014.

The second purpose for the protest was to respond to a call put out to college campuses by national African American-interest group Black Liberation Collective. The collective’s demands include divesting from private prison corporations and increasing the number of African American students and faculty to match the percentages of African Americans in the United States.

According to Kyla Burke, Davis Stands with Ferguson co-organizer, the collective’s demands fall in line with her organization’s own demands for the university, which also include divesting from private prison corporations as well as disarming the university police.

Additionally, Burke cites a recent letter put out by the Afrikan Black Coalition that details the $25 million the UC system directly invests in two of the country’s largest funders of private prisons, Corrections Corporation of America and The Geo Group.

“We see that as anti-blackness. The prison industrial complex disproportionately targets people of color, particularly black people,” Burke said. “To have our university and the endowment of our university to keep funding that system, it keeps black people from even going to a school like Davis. This is something we see as highly problematic.”

Andy Fell, UC Davis associate director of news and media relations, declined to comment on the demands due to a lack of knowledge on the protest. He did, however, mention UC Davis’ support for freedom of expression and right to protest.

“As a general principle, of course the university supports students’ free expression rights,” Fell said.

Written by: Jason Pham – campus@theaggie.org

UC Davis engineers innovate new sweatless workout fabric

Campus Editor

December 4, 2015

Fabric will open vents when exposed to liquid, allowing for sweat ventilation

UC Davis engineers recently innovated a new workout fabric that will ventilate sweat. The material will react to the liquid by opening vents and relaxing constrictions in the fabric. The fabric, which is intended to innovate athletic and workout-wear, will also constrict and close back the vents once it is dry.

The project, which was headed by biomedical engineering professor Tingrui Pan, was created in the university’s Micro-Nano Innovations Laboratory.

“By opening up these vents in the fabric as you exercise, you can bring in more air flow,” Pan said in a press release.

The invention was based on the varying reactions different fabrics have to liquid. Cotton expands in volume when wet, while waterproof fabrics do not. Postdoctoral researcher Yahui Yang was able to bond waterproof fabric to cotton fabric in order to create shapes that curl up when wet, yet are also able to dry into their original shapes.

There are various materials that will contract or expand in response to heat or humidity. Simple thermostats can be made by bonding two metals that have different rates of expansion. This same principle of mechanical expansion was applied to the workout fabric, but instead in a water-driven way.

“Traditional fabrics would need an external source like batteries to open the holes. In our invention, we do not need an external power source,” Yang explained. “We just use the energy of the liquid to activate the shape change of the fabric.”

Currently, Yang is experimenting with different patterns for the vents in order to find cuts that are both fashionable and efficient. UC Davis has filed a provisional patent for the invention. Pan has already begun discussing the technology with large companies.

Garret Barton, a second-year biochemical engineering student, found the fabric not only innovative, but also practical.

“I know that at the gym, I often find myself heating up fairly quickly,” Barton said. “A fabric that would make cooling down easier would be very helpful and a lot more comfortable for people who exercise often.”

Written by: Jackie Carmaz – campus@theaggie.org

Ho-ho-holiday movies galore

Arts Editor

December 4, 2015

The Aggie compiles a list of seasonal classic movies

There is nothing quite like sitting on the sofa with the fire burning in the fireplace and hot cocoa in your hands as you watch some of your favorite holiday classics. Santa dropped by The California Aggie in his sled to help everyone out with this list of movies that mostly make the nice list. If you are looking to get into the holiday spirit, take some time to gather friends and loved ones and watch a movie or two or three because the weather outside sure is frightful.

Elf

Elf is a surprisingly heartfelt story filled with witty humor making up several lines you’ll be quoting throughout the holiday season and beyond. Will Ferrell brings light and cheer to the holidays with his portrayal as the unfailingly optimistic Buddy. He’s hit with reality when he arrives in New York City searching for his Scrooge-like father. However, Buddy reminds us all of the Christmas spirit and assures us that “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

This comedy explains family dysfunction like no other. The Griswold clan, led by Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold, makes you appreciate your own family and reminisce on all the holiday disasters that always seem to occur when family gets together. But the funny movie also reminds us that, at the end of the day, and despite the craziness that family can bring, you love these people.

Miracle on 34th street

Santa comes to life in this heartwarming classic. For everyone who has given up believing in Santa Claus, this movie rings true and brings you back to the days when you did not have to see to believe. The film has also been a source of disappointment to children everywhere who went to the mall and discovered that Santa was a bit creepy and not at all like the pleasant Kris Kringle of this movie. The original 1947 version is great, but the 1994 version will also suffice if you do not like black-and-white movies.

It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life reminds us to be careful what you wish for as George Bailey, played by James Stewart, arrives in an alternate universe in which he had never been born. The tale also taught us that an angel gets its wings whenever a bell rings. Full of tears and cheer, the film is truly the definition of a holiday classic.

Home Alone

“Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!” When Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets left behind when his family leaves for vacation, chaos ensues as he cleverly wards off two foolish robbers. Culkin’s iconic screaming face and charming performance cements this movie as a go-to holiday film.

Jingle All the Way

Before Arnold Schwarzenegger was the governor of California, he played a father desperate to buy his way into his son’s heart by buying him the best Christmas present out there. After waiting too long to buy a gift, he must go to some extreme lengths (including hijacking a parade), to get his son the action figure he so desperately wants.

The Polar Express

All aboard the Polar Express, a train that takes children to the North Pole to see Santa Claus and rekindle their faith in Christmas. The animated movie can drag a bit, but is still worth a watch because it teaches us that seeing isn’t believing. Plus, there’s that great song about hot chocolate!

WRITTEN BY: Megan Perry – arts@theaggie.org

Sexual assault continues in Davis

City Editor

December 4, 2015

Residents express concern over local incidents of sexual assault

On Oct. 24, a female victim was sexually assaulted in a Davis park by three unidentified male subjects. On Nov. 1, a male subject indecently exposed himself to a female student in the Tercero residential area at UC Davis. This upcoming January, a UC Davis student who was accused of rape last year will be tried in court.

These are just a few of many sexually-driven assaults reported in Davis in the past year. Statistically, many sexual assault cases go unreported, and according to a study by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, an average of 80 percent of sexual assaults on college campuses are not reported.

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), signed in 1990, requires colleges to keep and disclose all statistics on crimes that occur on their respective campuses. Jeanne Clery, a student at Lehigh University, was raped and murdered in her dormitory four years before this act was signed.

According to an article in the New York Times, about one in four women will be sexually assaulted while in college.

“Sexual assault is historically underreported,” said Leilani Kupo, director of the UC Davis Women’s Resource Center. “People don’t know resources, they don’t know where they can go. Others blame themselves and there’s a lot of fear and shame that is associated with it as well.”

Kupo emphasizes that women are not the only victims of sexual assault and that, in reality, all sects of gender identification are affected. She believes that by considering all victims of sexual assault rather than focusing on women, a clearer understanding of the issue can be obtained. Kupo adds that power is taken away from a victim of sexual assault— and regaining this power is very difficult.

“Individuals who have experienced sexual violence have already had a tremendous amount of power taken away from them,” Kupo said. “The experience is real, valid and it is scary. There are people out there that will offer support. Coming forward can feel scary, and it takes a lot of bravery to come forward.”

The Davis Police Department is a main force against sexual assault in Davis.

“There are various reasons for unreported sexual assault, however unreported cases don’t influence our approach. We investigate any sexual assaults that come to our attention,” said Davis Police Officer Tom Waltz.

Second-year art history major Emma Gary raised concern about the safety of students on campus and in the city.

“It’s disgusting and scary,” Gary said. “One thing I feel UC Davis needs to have that other schools have are randomly placed, well-lit campus alert intercom systems that can be easily accessed by any persons on campus. They could be used to report any crimes. Perhaps this would create a safer environment on campus.”

Written by: TRISTEN THALHUBER – citynews@theaggie.org

UC Davis Medical Center named leader in LGBT healthcare equality for fifth consecutive year

Campus Editor

December 4, 2015

Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes medical center for strides in LGBT healthcare

The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento was recently recognized as a leader in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) healthcare equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) for the fifth consecutive year.

The recognition, which is part of the foundation’s annual Healthcare Equality Index Report (HEI), is used to evaluate “health care facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBT patients, visitors and employees.”

“UC Davis Medical Center and the entire UC Davis Health System […] has long been committed to addressing and reducing health disparities,” said Charles Casey, senior public information officer for the UC Davis Health System, in an email interview. “Not only is the health system’s goal to provide high quality care to every patient, but where health disparities exist, UC Davis always strives to take extra steps to reduce health inequities.”

Ann Madden Rice, chief executive officer for the medical center, echoed Casey’s sentiment toward the prestigious honor.

“We’re honored to be nationally recognized for our commitment to a welcoming and inclusive environment for our patients, their families and our employees,” Rice said in a public statement. “Along with patient safety and quality care, equity and inclusion are top priorities at UC Davis.”

The HEI evaluates more than 1,500 healthcare facilities nationwide and evaluates four core leadership criteria, including patient non-discrimination policies, visitation policies, employment non-discrimination policies and training in LGBT patient-centered care.

Some of the policies that UC Davis’ health system has implemented are LGBT cultural competency training for all its employees, an online physician’s list of UC Davis health providers who self identify as “LGBT welcoming” based on experience and comfort level, and equal visitation access for same-sex couples and parents.

“LGBT communities have unfortunately suffered severe health impacts, including alcoholism, depression, chronic disease and suicidal risk, because health professionals didn’t always understand or pay attention to LGBT patients or because LGBT individuals often avoided medical care out of fear of being humiliated or rejected,” Casey said in the email.

In its 2014 Index, the HRCF found that of 56 percent of LGB patients surveyed had experienced some type of discrimination in healthcare, and of transgender and gender non-conforming patients surveyed, it was 70 percent.

Ivon Garcia, chair of the Gender and Sexuality Commission and fourth-year technocultural studies major, discussed some of the issues that students and people in the LGBT community face.

“For students and people in the LGBTQIA community, the biggest thing that I note is just simply financial aid. [Their parents are] the ones [who] are holding the insurance and that means that they get to see everything. All the bills, every single test they do, every time they visit a psychiatrist, all that billing goes to the parents by law and because they pay for it, but this means that the student doesn’t have privacy,” Garcia said. “They can’t get mental health services, they can’t get the services they need related to their identities because of those barriers.”

The 2016 Healthcare Equality Index will be released in March of 2016. Employees at the UCDMC and the UC Davis Health System said that they are proud to be recognized for their role, but that there is still a lot of work to be done.

“There is still a critical need to better understand and prevent the health conditions that affect LGBT populations. Historically, stigma, prejudice and fear kept LGBT patients from feeling comfortable in the exam room of clinics and hospitals,” Casey said in the email. “Changing health-care provider attitudes and improving knowledge and understanding takes both determination and time. We’ve come a long way, but there is always more work to do.”

Written by: Ivan Valenzuela – campus@theaggie.org

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