New L&S speaker series

Angel Martinez, chief executive officer of Deckers Outdoor Corp., the company that oversees the shoe brands Ugg, Simple, and Teva, will kick off a new speaker series Oct. 16 presented by the College of Letters and Science.

The event starts at 4:10 p.m. Martinez, who received his bachelor's degree in rhetoric and communications in 1977, is returning to campus to discuss his career in marketing and the shoe industry.

Martinez made his mark at Reebok Ltd. in the 1980s, when he saw the business opportunity in designing athletic footwear for women. He led the team that designed and marketed the Freestyle aerobic shoe, which positioned Reebok at the forefront of the women's fitness movement.

The new speaker series, which is sponsored by the deans of the college, was launched in the hope that students, the campus community and the general public will benefit from hearing from industry leaders and prominent scholars, many of whom are alumni who want to bring their expertise and experiences back to campus.

"We're delighted to launch our new series with Angel Martinez," said Steven Sheffrin, dean of the Division of Social Sciences. "His thoughts about his experience at UC Davis and his success in the business world should be of tremendous interest to our students."

When Martinez agreed to come to campus to speak, he expressed an interest in reaching the students of UC Davis in particular.

"I have stayed close to my alma mater throughout my post-college years, and have often reflected that my experience at UC Davis very much shaped who I am today," he said. "In returning to campus, I hope to share with current students some of the lessons I've learned in my career. To me, our college students are the future — they will become captains of their own industries and will be inventing the 'next big thing.'"

Because the series is open to the public, a large ballroom at the ARC has been booked for the event. It is anticipated that the next speaker in the series will draw a large audience of students and the general public as well. The college has confirmed that bestselling fiction writer John Lescroart, whose novels are consistently at the top of the New York Times bestseller lists, will speak on campus in the winter quarter.

— Amanda Price

CA&ES celebrates

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is holding its 18th annual College Celebration on Oct. 13 in Freeborn Hall. Dean Neal Van Alfen will honor eight recipients (including faculty and staff) of the 2006 Awards of Distinction. These awards are presented by the college to individuals whose contributions and achievements enrich the image and reputation of the college and enhance its ability to provide public service.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and features hors d'oeuvres and wine following the awards ceremony. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, contact Claudette Oriol at (530) 752-2120 or cgoriol@ucdavis.edu.

Neighbors Night Out

With students back in town for the new academic year, they have a fun opportunity to get better acquainted with their off-campus neighbors on Davis Neighbors' Night Out tonight.

The evening is being organized by UC Davis, the Associated Students of UC Davis and the city of Davis to help neighbors meet and build good relationships. The city is asking neighborhood associations, Neighborhood Watch captains, apartment complexes, homeowner associations and residents to set up activities. Different neighborhoods may hold an ice cream social, a potluck dinner or barbecue, a dessert party or cookie exchange.

Already, more than 50 events are listed at the event Web site: www.cityofdavis.org/neighbor.

Grant assistance at the health system available

The Clinical and Translational Research Investigator Support Program offers faculty, staff and trainees a helping hand in grant writing, research design, fiscal and protocol compliance, and data management in the conduct of clinical and translational research. Specifically, support is available for assistance with large, multi- and interdisciplinary collaborative grant proposals, and help for junior faculty individual awards and research training program proposals.

Erica Chédin provides assistance with large, multi- and interdisciplinary collaborative research proposals. Erica Whitney offers help in coordinating the preparation of early-career stage individual research proposals and training program proposals.

Contact Chédin at (916) 703-9145 or erica.chedin@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu. Contact Whitney at (916) 703-9137 or erica.whitney@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.

Bike auction Oct. 14

New on campus? Need a bike? Don't want to spend a lot of money? Then come to the new academic year's first bike auction, scheduled for Oct. 14, when Transportation and Parking Services, or TAPS, plans to sell more than 400 abandoned or otherwise unclaimed bicycles. David Takemoto-Weerts, bicycle program coordinator, said bicycles generally sell for $20 to $30 at the auctions that have been held twice a year — in the fall and spring — for some 20 years. The Oct. 14 auction will be at a new place: inside the campus's new west entry garage on Hutchison Drive just east of La Rue Road. Viewing is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and the auction at 9.