Top Stories of 2023

by | Dec 11, 2023 | Culture, Environment, Food, Health, Technology

As the year comes to a close, we take a look at some of our most popular stories, as ranked by how many readers viewed them online. Notable people take center stage — including professors, students and alumni. Check out our top 10 stories from 2023.

A woman stands on giant shoreline rocks looking out at the ocean and holding a clipboard

10. “Citizen Science”

Scientific research can feel impenetrable and exclusive to many people. These six community science projects at UC Davis are helping to change that perception.

 

Annaliese Franz in class

9. “Karate Chemist”

Annaliese Franz, chemistry professor and associate dean, has a black belt in karate. A noted chemist, Franz said that in the dojo thoughts of her academic life evaporate and she develops a mind-body spirit connection.

 

Pen and ink illustration of a time capsule exploding open, and a swirl of objects flies around: a cow, London bus, penny farthing bicycle, dachshund, squirrel, turkey, square tomato, water tower, palm tree, picnic blanket and hippie-style flowers.

8. “Looking Back at 40 Years”

UC Davis Magazine turned 40 in 2023, so we delved into our archives for a walk down memory lane. We took the chance to spotlight how far we’ve come, the changes we’ve made along the way and some of the notable people featured in our pages over the years.

 

Crack in road

7. “An Engineering Center for All”

When the Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center opened, we offered a look inside the 23,000-square-foot facility with instruction and meeting rooms, and spaces for a variety of specialized tools for prototyping and manufacturing.

 

ESPN+ team gets ready for a show

6. “Work Experience”

We showcased a joint program between UC Davis and ESPN+ that charges students with all the important roles of streaming a game — from producing and directing to camera work.

 

David Suh sits crosslegged on a table

5. “David Suh’s Eye for Beauty Propels Him to TikTok Fame”

Photographer David Suh ’17 has more than 4.4 million followers on the popular social media site, where he regularly posts about how to feel confident in front of the camera. The design alum started by taking graduation photos for his peers at UC Davis.

 

Students stroll through Tercero

4. “AI in the Classroom”

UC Davis Magazine intern Shelby Dioum took a closer look at the role of artificial intelligence in the college environment, interviewing one of her professors, another student and more.

 

Andrea Flores in the studio at KCRA

3. “Getting the Story”

Andrea Flores ’10 returned to the Sacramento area to anchor the news on KCRA. Her position keeps her busy, but she said she sees the “job as a calling.”

 

A woman holds an iPhone up in front of her face, as we see a portion of her face in the phone's camera.

2. “Social Networking”

Featuring a few of our most popular students on social media, this story explored how a few students use their online presence to advance their careers, further their studies and build community.

 

1. “Making Memorable Recipes”

Propelled by social media, this story gained many readers since it was published in June. Readers learned what inspired Kathy Westphal ’82 to create the beloved treat the Dole Whip.