Häagen-Dazs is making even more of a buzz at UC Davis, offering comfort music to go with your comfort ice cream! And donating money to the university’s honeybee research: up to $75,000, by way of $5 every time someone downloads the ice cream maker’s free mobile app for Apple devices.

The new app, Concerto Timer, is more than sweet, classical music. It’s, well, a timer that runs for two minutes, the recommended length of time to let your Häagen-Dazs sit — or temper — after you take it out of the freezer, before eating. By doing so, you’ll get “full, rich consistency and allow all the flavors to fully bloom,” according to a Häagen-Dazs news release.

“Waiting is not an easy task for ice cream lovers, but the process is transformed,” the company says, when you use Concerto Timer. It’s a 3D Kinect, "augmented reality” experience: You point your iPhone or iPad camera at a Häagen-Dazs carton lid — and a violinist or cellist uses the lid as a stage for a performance of J.S. Bach’s Inventions 14.

“By the end of the concerto, the ice cream will have softened to a perfect consistency.”

Read more.

Construction and detours in the arboretum

One detour is already in place in the arboretum, and others are coming, because of an irrigation project in the western half of the arboretum and construction of a new garden at the east end.

• Irrigation — This project is under way in the Southwest U.S.A. and Mexican Collection, west of Mrak Hall Drive. The collection is on the north side of the arboretum waterway; therefore, the path is blocked on that side through mid-September. Detours are posted. See map.

• New garden — Construction is scheduled to start next week on the California Native Plant GATEway Garden behind the Davis Commons shopping center. In advance of the work the contractor is fencing off the site. Signs and detours will be in place. See map. Project completion is set for mid-November.

Read more about the projects. Also see arboretum events, including the beer tasting-shovel drive today (Aug. 9).

Heroes Run set for Oct. 26

Conference and Event Services announced a Heroes Run, a five-kilometer event for everyone, honoring everyday heroes: firefighters and police officers, teachers, nurses, doctors, volunteers and all others who daily put extra effort into making our communities stronger, safer and better places to live.

In collaboration with the campus Police and Fire departments, all proceeds from the run will go to the ASUCD Scholarship endowment.

Costumes are welcome for this “superheroes-themed race” — and will probably be plentiful, given that the event is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 26, just a few days before Halloween. (But remember this, from the organizers: “Please keep all superhero apparel tasteful and appropriate for all ages.”)

All children will receive participation awards, and adults will vie for first, second and third place awards.

The event is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to noon, including a post-race celebration on the Quad. The Valhalla Gala, including music, games and food, gets its name from a mythical, sacred resting place for heroes.

Heroes Run registration.

UC, CSU talking about shared services

You’ve heard of shared services within UC, but how about shared services between UC and the California State University system?

Leaders from UC’s Working Smarter initiative and CSU’s Synergy program met recently to compare notes on shared services projects and to share ideas on how the two universities could work together in the future for even greater efficiencies.

The conference, part of an expanded UC-CSU collaboration effort, was meant to set the stage for future cooperation between the two university systems as they seek new, more effective ways to manage services and operations.

Read the complete news release.

Regents ratify Wilcox as Riverside chancellor

The Board of Regents this week ratified Kim A. Wilcox’s selection as Riverside chancellor.

President Mark G. Yudof made the nomination at last month’s board meeting. The regents voted their approval on Aug. 8, during a special meeting in Riverside and other locations, with the regents connected by telephone.

Wilcox stepped down July 1 as provost and executive vice president at Michigan State University, after holding the position since 2005. He retained his academic appointment, as a professor of communicative sciences and disorders. Previously, he had served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, 2002-05, and as president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Board of Regents, 1999-2002.

Read the complete news release.

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