From departments to centers, several entities on campus have named new leaders this summer — find a roundup in this week’s Org Chart column.

Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of appointments of various kinds for faculty and staff, for publication in Org Chart (formerly titled Transitions). Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.

Plant Sciences chair

Dan Potter is the new chair of the Department of Plant Sciences, overseeing graduate and undergraduate programming, 60 faculty members, several emeriti professors and many greenhouses, labs and teaching facilities.

Potter, who has been at UC Davis for nearly 28 years, researches the diversity and classification of flowering plants, focusing on horticultural crop plants and their wild relatives, the effects of humans on plant evolution and taxonomy of selected species native to California. He also studies ethnobotany, which examines the interactions of plants and people, and serves as director of the Center for Plant Diversity Herbarium.

“Diversity is really one of the greatest strengths of the department, if not the greatest, but it’s also one of the biggest challenges, because how do you keep it all going?” Potter said. “One of my priorities is maintaining that diversity and doing as much as possible to ensure that all the diverse perspectives and all the diverse interests get addressed and that people feel like they’re getting the attention they need.” 

—  Emily C. Dooley

Agricultural and Resource Economics chair

Tim Beatty, who joined UC Davis in 2014, is the new chair of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, or ARE, which routinely ranks among the best agriculture and applied economics programs in the world.

ARE trains both graduate and undergraduate students and its managerial economics major is the fifth largest at UC Davis. Faculty researchers address issues in agriculture, the environment, natural resources and international development. 

Beatty said a key priority is supporting a new undergraduate business major launching in 2025 jointly with the Department of Economics in the College of Letters and Science and the Graduate School of Management. Managing a generational shift in faculty and creating a supportive environment that maintains department excellence are also at the top of the list.

“We’re really excited to do something positive for California students who are looking for that kind of program,” Beatty said.

—  Emily C. Dooley

Research and Teaching Animal Care Program

The Office of Research recently announced the appointment of Rhonda Oates as associate vice chancellor for the Research and Teaching Animal Care Program as well as campus attending veterinarian.

In her role, Oates assumes responsibility for long-range planning, leadership and oversight of animal care and use at UC Davis, one of the largest and most diverse animal care programs in the nation. Oates’ charter includes strategic harmonization of distributed operations consisting of over 1 million square feet of animal holding operational space at over 50 different vivaria.

Oates will report directly to Vice Chancellor for Research Simon J. Atkinson.

“I’m delighted that Dr. Oates has agreed to take on this critical role. Her deep experience with the unique challenges of our animal care program gives me the greatest confidence that we will continue to provide the best possible care for our animals and the best support for researchers,” said Atkinson.

Facilities Management

Clint Lord took up his new role as associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management on July 1, and sat down for an interview about his background and goals.

"I never dreamed my career would focus on facilities,” he said. "But for me, this job is a great fit, not only for my experience, but my personal and professional priorities.”

He discussed his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, his previous work experience and the ways he will support the university’s commitment to sustainability.

Sustainability director

Eric O’Brien has been named the director of Sustainability. O’Brien, who has led sustainability initiatives at the University of Iowa since 2010, brings a wealth of experience and a lifelong passion for sustainability to his new role.

As a “rural kid from the Midwest,” O’Brien’s awareness of sustainability started with his grandpa.

“When I was very little, I loved to go out on the tractor with my grandpa,” O’Brien said. “He was the first person in our area who really employed conservation techniques in his farming.”

This sparked an interest in the environment, which was nurtured by O'Brien's parents. They taught him about the origins of Coldwater Creek, a stream that flowed through the back of their rural Iowa farm. Those lessons fueled O'Brien's passion for water quality, shaping the direction of his early career with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources where he served as the primary decision maker for all state organized water quality efforts. Next, Eric served as the inaugural sustainability coordinator, then director of sustainability, at the University of Northern Iowa.

O’Brien is excited to continue and further the university’s sustainability efforts by engaging folks across the university, including staff, academics, alumni, community partners and, especially, students.

—   Scout Mata

Center for Mind and Brain co-directors

Ron Mangun and Amanda Guyer have been named co-directors of the Center for Mind and Brain, or CMB. As co-directors, they will lead the center for the next three years.

For Mangun, a distinguished professor of psychology and neurology, this appointment extends his leadership of the research center he founded. Guyer, a professor of human ecology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has served as CMB associate director since 2017.

CMB is an interdisciplinary research center of faculty researchers who study the human mind and how the brain gives rise to it. Within this broad area of research, the center has affiliates who study child development, aging, disease and many other areas related to the mind and brain.

“We've really helped elevate the reputation of psychology and cognitive neuroscience at UC Davis,” said Mangun. “Going forward, we have an opportunity to build on our strengths, particularly in developmental science, while breaking new ground in emerging research areas and outreach activities.”

—   Alex Russell

Center for Neuroscience interim director

Marie E. Burns, a professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy in the School of Medicine, and a core faculty member at the Center for Neuroscience, has been appointed the center’s interim director.

Burns succeeds A. Kimberley McAllister, who has served as the center’s director since 2016 and who is departing UC Davis to begin a new position as Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry and Creative Activity at Wake Forest University in the fall. 

A highly respected and active member of the UC Davis neuroscience community, and a Center for Neuroscience core faculty member since 2001, Burns brings a wealth of leadership experience and a distinguished career in vision neuroscience research to her new role. She served as the inaugural director of the UC Davis Center for Vision Science from 2007–2012 and has been the director of the NIH Vision Science T32 Training Program since 2017. 

—  Emily C. Dooley