March 14, 2008
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| Diane Ullman has received the 2008 Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community for University of California, Davis faculty. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) |
DAVIS—She connects with students, sparks their careers and engages the community.
For her work in recruiting and retaining students, developing innovative programs and fusing art with science, entomologist Diane Ullman has received the 2008 Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community for University of California, Davis faculty.
Ullman, associate dean for undergraduate academic programs at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES), and professor of entomology, accepted the award at a recent reception at the home of Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef.
“Dr. Ullman has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the areas of outreach/recruitment and engagement throughout her career at UC Davis,” Rahim Reed, associate executive vice chancellor for Campus Community Relations, told the audience in presenting the award.
Reed praised Ullman for her “tremendous impact on the UC Davis local and regional communities” and for inspiring national audiences through her leadership and vision in fusing art with science. “She has distinguished herself as a professor, administrator, artist and leader, and brought national recognition to UC Davis as well.”
“Her efforts in building community through innovative undergraduate learning programs,” Reed said, “and then extending these learning opportunities to audiences of all ages from diverse backgrounds testifies to her impassioned commitment to the UC Davis Principles of Community.”
Reed described Ullman as the “driving force” behind the development of new outreach and recruitment materials for CAES. Her recruitment efforts have resulted in record numbers of freshmen registering at UC Davis. To motivate and retain students, Ullman “creates communities of learning,” encouraging students to “learn in creative ways, discover new careers, and engage in their campus and community,” Reed said.
“This award,” Ullman said, “was extremely meaningful to me because it acknowledged the work about which I am most passionate—innovations in undergraduate education.”
Ullman serves on the steering committee of the UC Davis Arboretum GATEways (Gardens, Art and the Environment) Project Initiative, which encompasses the UC Davis Art-Science Fusion Program, an outreach program that Ullman co-founded and co-directs. She also stewards the Career Discovery Group Program, which mentors first-year CA&ES students.
Her role in creating the Art-Science Fusion Program and the Career Discovery Group Program sparked the nomination. “In each of these programs I have had the most glorious collaborations and have had the opportunity to create a sense of community for undergraduate students and members of the community,” Ullman said. “Each of these programs honors the diversity of our students and brings people together to learn, engage with the natural world and build relationships with one another through shared goals. Perhaps the most meaningful aspect of the award for me was being nominated by a group of people that I respect so deeply for their creativity and vision.”
A five-member team nominated Ullman for the faculty award: Kathleen Socolofsky, director of the UC Davis Arboretum and leader of the GATEways Project; Donna Billick of the UC Davis Science and Society Program and co-director of the Art-Science Fusion Program; Betsy Faber, graduate student and director of the arboretum’s outreach education program; Carol Simmons, executive assistant who works with Ullman in the CA&ES dean’s office, and Sheila Walker, manager of undergraduate academic programs, CA&ES dean’s office.
“These colleagues,” Ullman said, “have been my partners in carving out new creative territory on the UC Davis campus—I felt so tremendously honored by their respect.”
The Career Discovery Group Program offers first-year students an opportunity to explore careers, learn strategies for selecting a major and gain lifelong skills in successful career development, she said. Enrollment nearly doubled from 180 in 2006 to almost 360 in 2007.
The Art-Science Fusion Program includes design faculty, science faculty, museum educators, professional artists, and UC Davis students. Out of the interdisciplinary approach sprang “Nature’s Gallery,” student work depicting plants and insects on ceramic tiles. The interlocking-mosaic mural will ultimately be installed in the Ruth Storer Garden, UC Davis Arboretum.
Nature’s Gallery, on display by special invitation last summer at the U.S. Botanic Garden on the Capitol Mall, Washington, D.C., drew more than 300,000 visitors. Christine Flanagan, public programs manager of the botanical garden, said the overall intent was to “reveal the relevance of public gardens to the future of our nation.”
Ullman, who chaired the Department of Entomology in 2004-05, has served as associate dean of CA&ES since 2005. She manages the curricula for 22 departments, which includes 5,000 undergraduates in 30 majors. She is a research scientist, teacher and graduate student mentor.
Ullman received her bachelor of science degree in horticulture from the University of Arizona, and her doctorate in entomology from UC Davis.
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Nature's Gallery will be permanently installed in the UC Davis Arboretum. |
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--Kathy Keatley Garvey
Communications specialist
UC Davis Department of Entomology
(530) 754-6894
