Latest News | Global Affairs

Daniel smiles as he speaks at a podium, his hands held wide as he gestures. He wears a traditional hat striped with red, white, black, yellow and green. His white tunic is embellished on the breast pocket with rectangular blocks of color, all in a horizontal line in red, then black, then green and then yellow. He wears round bronze plastic frames.

The Irony of Climate Change

by Daniel Oladoja, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow
July 25, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

As part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program, Fellows develop Ignite Talks, short and poignant speeches that spotlight issues facing their communities, their lives and the world. This is the Ignite Talk delivered by Daniel Oladoja (Nigeria, 2022), in his own words.

I am a harbinger of death!

A messenger of terror!

A prophet of doom!

Photo of Mauricio Cañoles in a dark suit and a gold tie smiling at the camera

Message from Vice Provost and Dean: Leadership Transitions for UC Davis Chile

July 22, 2022

Faculty & Scholar News

On behalf of Global Affairs, we would like to thank Mauricio Cañoles, who is stepping down from his role as the general manager of our UC Davis Chile Life Sciences Innovation Center (UC Davis Chile) as of August 1, 2022. We hope you will join us in thanking Mauricio for his excellent, visionary leadership.

Immanuel smiles next to a white wall panel that reads in basic black lettering "Department of Water Resources". He wears a cream short sleeved collared shirt with a navy, light blue and red plaid. He holds a folder with a water background that reads in white block lettering, "California Water Plan 2023."

Meet Immanuel Freeman, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 19, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? I am motivated by a desire to see my country, Liberia, and my continent, Africa, reach their full potential.

Tracy Koske wears a traditional headdress and cape. The headdress is beaded and hangs down in a single strand from her forehead draping around her eyes and back up to the headband. Her cape is red and decorated with hanging silver medallions. She stands talking to a man in a blue plaid shirt. We see the back of his head and his body is angled toward her in conversation.

Meet Tracy Koske, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 19, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? I'm most motivated when I complete a task, tasks that have an impact on a child's access to education, health and other amenities and opportunities.

Marc wears a woven crown and bright blue tunic with a subtle floral pattern under a drape with tribal patterns in yellow, blue, green and white. He stands at a podium and holds a small Cote d'Ivoire flag.

Meet Doffou Marc Elisee Monsoh, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 19, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? As a young African, what motivates me is my passion to work for Africa's development and the improvement of people's living conditions, especially in Cote d'Ivoire, my country.

Gloria wears a black, gray and white striped top.

Meet Gloria Namanya, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 19, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? I am a research-driven Software Engineer who is passionate about the effective use of computing and machine learning to develop data-driven Artificial Intelligence systems that effectively and efficiently help to solve real-world problems in agriculture, health, and climate for social good.

Zoom photo with four student faces, all smiling

Meet QT Lab: Winner of the 2022 Global Aggies Award for LGBTQIA+ Rights

by Blake N Cooper
July 19, 2022

Global Education & Student Life

Meet the recipients of the Global Aggies Award for LGBTQIA+ Rights! These students have been supporting LGBTQIA+ graduate students and staff from around the world through their research in the Queer Trans Lab, which they plan to visually showcase via social media and a large art installation.

Melissa stands at a podium. She wears a red scarf wrapped around her head, a sleeveless white top with a high collar and earrings with the phrase "Beauty Has No Skin Tone". She hold a Malawian flag in her right hand and holds the hand to her heart.

Meet Melissa Kalitera, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 15, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "My greatest motivation has been my family. I grew up with my mother’s sister and she has achieved quite a lot in life because of her dedication and hard work."

Gloria (left) wears a flowy floral top in white with pink flowers. Abnet (middle) wears a white tunic and pants with a sheer white overlay draped around his neck and over one shoulder. His collar is blue with large white clover patterns and he wears glasses. He holds a certificate proclaiming him an honorary citizen of Davis. Shelly (right) wears a sleeveless blue and white floral dress with a white scalloped collar with blue stripes. The trio stands inside in front of a wall of polished stone tiles.

Meet Abnet Muluneh, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 15, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "The majority of my population is in some form of poverty and indigence; I have made an oath to put my people before anything and I intend to keep it."

Gloria wears a flowy floral top in white with pink flowers. Deborah stands next to her in a traditional bright blue dress with large floral designs in yellow and dark pink and voluminous sleeves. She wears black rectangular glasses. She holds a certificate proclaiming her an honorary citizen of Davis. Next to Deborah, Shelly wears a sleeveless blue and white floral dress with a white scalloped collar with blue stripes. The trio stands inside in front of a wall of polished stone tiles.

Meet Deborah Mashala, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 15, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "Seeing people struggle to get primary healthcare and quality healthcare because they are poor. Inequality amongst the population, especially women."

Yaye wears an orange and yellow linen tunic with a black beaded necklace with a gold medallion. Her earrings are gold hoops and she wears round metal glasses. She speaks with a woman whose back is to us, but who wears a scarf on her head and a white blouse that dips to a V in the back.

Meet Yaye Sene, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 15, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "I am driven by achievements. I am continually trying to reach a higher or better version of myself by being fully engaged and passionate about everything I do to be able to appreciate my efforts and progress with tangible results."

Meet Kurutsi Tabki Joshua, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 15, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "My motivation comes from my desire to make things around me better, and guarantee a better life for all, now and for the future generation."

Attendees of the APRU Annual Presidents' Meeting stand for a picture in front of the Chinese Heritage Centre in SIngapore.

APRU ends pandemic hiatus with first physical meeting at NTU Singapore and highlights urgency to collaborate through international university networks

July 14, 2022

Partnerships & Collaborations

The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) wrapped up the 26th annual Presidents’ Meeting held at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore on July 9, 2022. UC Davis Chancellor Gary May, accompanied by Global Affairs Vice Provost and Dean Joanna Regulska, represented UC Davis as a member university. As a network of leading universities linking the Americas, Asia, and Australasia, APRU brings together thought leaders, researchers and policy-makers to exchange ideas and collaborate on practical solutions to the challenges of the 21st century.

Sunlit campus walkway with students and a glass academic building under trees

Global Affairs Prioritizes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Through New Task Force

July 14, 2022

University News

In support of Global Affairs' ongoing commitment to fostering a culture that thinks and acts in accordance with the values of diversity, equity and inclusion, Global Affairs convened a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force.

Outside in the sunlight, Zengani kneels on his left knee next to a green sign with yellow writing that says Sacramento Juneteenth. His right fist is raised in solidarity with the African American community. He wears blue jeans and a white T-shirt with embellishments in tribal patterns in red, orange, green and black. Behind him, people gather by trees and a white tent.

Meet Zengani Mbambara, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow

July 12, 2022

Fellowship & Professional Programs

What motivates you? "The desire to improve the livelihoods of rural communities in Zambia, which have been significantly hit by the effects of climate change and environmental degradation."