This column offers a sampling of honors recently awarded to UC Davis' faculty, staff and units:

Officer Shawn Bowers of the UC Davis Police Department was among law enforcement officers from around the state who recently received California Hero Awards from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Bowers is a four-year veteran of the university police force; he is assigned to the unit that works out of the medical center in Sacramento. MADD cited his "diligent" participation in Sacramento and Yolo county crackdowns on drunken driving. "He also has participated in the UC Davis Safe Party Initiative which aims to curb underage drinking, arrest drunk drivers, and educate students on the effects of alcohol and drugs," according to the MADD program for the March 31 awards ceremony in Sacramento.

David Block, an associate professor in the departments of viticulture and enology, and chemical engineering and materials science, was recently named to receive the 2006-2007 Chemical Engineering Excellence Award in Academic Teaching from the Northern California Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Block teaches courses in wine technology, industrial fermentation processes and design of biotechnology manufacturing facilities.

Anthropology professor Robert Bettinger recently received the Martin A. Baumhoff Special Achievement Award from the Society for California Archaeology. The award was presented by David Hurst Thomas, curator at the American Museum of Natural History, during the society's annual meeting March 22-24. Bettinger and Baumhoff collaborated on studies of archaeological sites in California. Baumhoff came to UC Davis in 1958 as one of the first anthropologists on the faculty, and he eventually became department chair.

The UC Davis dairy recently placed in the top 10 for milk quality for the second year in a row in the Cream of the Crop competition sponsored by Hilmar Cheese Company. The campus dairy placed third this year among nearly 300 dairies in judging that looked at protein, fat, cell count and other variables. In reporting on the dairy's award, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences expressed congratulations to Doug Gisi, dairy barn manager; Sharlie Cunningham, senior animal technician; and their crew of staff and students for their outstanding work product.

Associate Professor Amparo Villablanca of the School of Medicine has a Heart of Gold — an award from the American Heart Association. The presentation came during the association's 17th annual Heart Ball, of which the UC Davis Health System was the presenting sponsor. The annual award recognizes Sacramento-area physicians for their work in the field of heart disease and stroke, and for making a difference through leadership and generosity in the community. Villablanca founded the UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program in 1994 and continues to serve as its director. Two years ago the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized the UC Davis program as one of six model women's heart programs in the nation. Villablanca also played a role in establishing the Women's Center for Health at UC Davis and now serves as its associate director.

In recognition of its efforts to improve psychiatric care for minority patients, the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences recently received the American College of Psychiatrists' 2007 Award for Creativity in Psychiatric Education. The award was presented at the college's annual meeting Feb. 24 in Rancho Mirage.

The Award for Creativity in Psychiatric Education recognizes a teaching program that demonstrates innovation in psychiatric education. The college selected the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences on the basis of the department's Diversity Advisory Committee, founded and chaired by Russell Lim, assistant clinical professor.