Dani Lee, a part of Dining Services’ sustainability program since she arrived on campus in 2006, has won a national award for her leadership and commitment to “real food” and student activism.

The sustainability program was just beginning when Lee, a new transfer student, signed on as a volunteer and intern. She continued working for Dining Services through her graduation (Bachelor of Science degree in clinical nutrition in 2008) and beyond.

Today she is the sustainability manager, working in the areas of food procurement, education and waste management in the dining commons and retail operations (including the Silo, Biobrew and the Scrubs café). Additionally, she is the co-chair of the UC Sustainable Foodservice Working Group, which works to promote and implement the UC policy on sustainable food service practices (part of the Sustainable Practices Policy).

Her Real Food Award is from Real Food Challenge, a national student organization that works to leverage the power of colleges and universities — including their spending power of $5 billion a year for food — “to support local, fair, ecologically sound and humane food economies.”

Real Food Challenge presented a list of finalists for Real Food Awards in six categories. An online vote determined the winners, and Lee emerged victorious as food service manager or administrator.

“This award is important to me,” Lee said, “because it reflects the work of many generations of passionate students, workers, producers, administrators and food service directors from many different campuses across the UC system and within the national networks of contract management companies like Sodexo to build relationships and create change, together. We are stronger when we work together.”

Lee helped in the creation of the Real Food Calculator, and completed UC Davis’ first calculation in 2008 after graduating. Since then, she has been working with students to continue calculating and analyzing food purchases for annual reporting at UC Davis.

In the 2011-12 academic year, more than 19 percent of Dining Services’ food supply — valued at $1.5 million — qualified as “sustainable.” Criteria include locally grown, or locally raised, handled and distributed (“local” is defined as within 250 miles); fair-trade certified; USDA organic; pasture raised; certified humanely raised and handled; cage-free; and categorized as “best choice” or “good alternative” on the Seawatch Food Guide.

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The ASUCD recently presented its 2012-13 Excellence in Education Awards, including recognition of Sean Davis as educator of the year.

The educator of the year is chosen from among the six recipients of the Excellence in Education Awards:

• College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences — Robert Kimsey, lecturer, Department of Entomology and Nematology
• College of Biological Sciences — Lauren Liets, lecturer, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
• College of Engineering — Sean Davis, lecturer, Department of Computer Science

And, in the three divisions of the College of Letters and Science:

• Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies — Martin Weis, teaching assistant, Department of English
• Math and Physical Sciences — Eli Goldwyn, lecturer, Department of Mathematics
• Social Sciences — Cara Chiaraluce, graduate student, Division of Social Sciences Research Service Center

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Sue Barnes, director of the UC Davis Retiree Center, has begun a two-year term as president of the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education. She served a two-year term as vice chair before being elected as president.

“We are small (about 100 members) but growing,” said Barnes, noting that the association is instituting a new-member mentoring program and developing regional consortia for potential members. In addition, members have presented workshops at conferences put on by other associations in higher education.

The association’s stated mission is “to enhance, develop and advance” campus-based retiree associations, emeriti associations, emeriti colleges, retiree centers and the like, bolstering their efforts to support “the intellectual, social and physical well-being of retired faculty and staff as they continue their valuable contributions to the academic community and to society at large.”

Barnes recently received her 20-year pin at UC Davis. She took the helm of the Retiree Center in 2009 after 12½ years as manager of the Craft Center, and previously worked in event services and Student Housing.

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Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of faculty and staff awards, for publication in Laurels. Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.

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