Student Stories

The Department of Nutrition is a proud supporter of undergraduate student research. This year at the Undergraduate Research Conference, held April 24–25, fifteen students associated with the Department showcased their work. Their research experiences are made possible by dedicated faculty mentors who sponsor undergraduates in their lab, fostering scientific curiosity and creating meaningful opportunities for both academic and professional growth.

Congratulations to UC Davis Clinical Nutrition student, Zoe Vejar!

Zoe has been selected as a 2026 Student Ambassador for the Almond Board of California.

Student Ambassadors will gain firsthand exposure to the professional food innovation industry while inspiring peers and creating engaging content. The program highlights almonds as a powerhouse ingredient and showcases their versatility in modern food and beverage innovation. 

Before college, I knew very little about nutrition and its significance. Over time, I came to see nutrition as the foundation of health, more than just what we eat but a powerful factor influencing our well-being and the prevention of long-term disease. Food is deeply connected to holistic health, which is something I am passionate about.

As a fourth-year nutrition major at UC Davis, I often reflect on how much I’ve grown, both academically and personally since starting this program. My journey began by choosing the Clinical Nutrition major at UC Davis.

If you’re passionate about advancing the science of nutrition, from molecular mechanisms to public health, consider joining the Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology (GGNB) at UC Davis. As part of the GGNB you will collaborate with leading researchers, explore diverse areas of nutritional science, and contribute to discoveries that shape health outcomes worldwide.

The UC Davis Department of Nutrition and its collaborators made a strong impact at this year’s International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) Symposium in Aarhus, Denmark, with students, faculty, and clinical researchers all contributing to the program. The symposium brought together scientists, industry leaders, and clinicians from around the world to advance understanding of milk, its bioactive components, and its role in human health across the lifespan.

This year, UC Davis Campus Recreation was honored to have four students selected for the NIRSA William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award. These awards recognize exceptional undergraduate and graduate students who set the standard for campus recreation departments across the country. Students from Region VI (comprising Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and California), were selected—four of them are Aggies!

Nutrition Department faculty, Drs. Lauren Au and Cassandra Nguyen, presented at the 20th Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Healthy Eating Research meeting in Durham, North Carolina on March 12-14th. They were joined by GGNB faculty, post-doc, and graduate student, Dr. Jennifer Falbe, Dr. Jennie Davis, and Christabel Domfe.

Congratulations to Alana Chaney! 

Source: https://ggnb.ucdavis.edu/

Authors: Henry Pao & Jessie Xu, UC Davis undergraduate nutrition majors

The 11th Annual Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology (GGNB) Research Symposium showcased a wide array of groundbreaking studies that push the boundaries of nutritional science. From food security to gut microbiome health, researchers presented innovative solutions to global and local nutritional challenges.