After spending the past seven years in Lansing, Mich., Mikayla Hughes, right, says she is happy to be back on the West Coast. Originally from Seattle, Hughes was attracted to UC Davis by its reputation and also by the prospects of being involved with the communications department in the Division of Social Sciences.

"It's exciting to be a part of growth, at a campus where teaching and research go hand-in-hand," she said. Hughes focuses her research on social influence and social cognition, looking at the behaviors and attitudes of individuals in response to persuasion. She was also drawn to the community's small-town feel as a great place to raise her 8-year-old son. "It is the best of both worlds," she added.

Hughes is one of the campu's 115 new faculty this academic year.