Scholarship Recipient

Sutures, Safaris and Self-Discovery: Studying Zoo Medicine in South Africa

Amaya Lewis, a first-gen student majoring in Animal Science and Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, spent two transformative weeks in South Africa through Loop Abroad’s Zoo Medicine program. Gaining hands-on vet experience while engaging with local conservation efforts and South African culture, Amaya deepened her passion for wildlife medicine and global learning.

Language, Culture and Science: Documenting Dairy Farming in California

Spending the summer documenting animal management practices on California dairy farms was both eye-opening and rewarding for Ph.D. student Christian Bernal-Córdoba. From navigating cultural and language barriers to witnessing the real-world impact of antimicrobial use, this experience deepened Christian's research and reinforced the power of lived expertise in shaping sustainable solutions.

Stingless Honey Bee Conservation and Eco-cultural Health in Colombia

Alejandra Cano, a Ph.D. candidate in Native American Studies, participated in the UC Davis Grad Grants program in Colombia to integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with stingless bee conservation. Collaborating with the Embera community, she helped revitalize eco-cultural practices and gained valuable insights into decolonial environmental approaches and cross-cultural collaboration.

Power of Dance

UC Davis third-year biochemistry and molecular biology major Vyoma Bhanap wants to change the world through dance. In April, the Donald A. Strauss Scholarship Foundation Committee awarded Bhanap $15,000 to implement her proposal, Dance Bhoomi. This project uses the power of dance — specifically, dance therapy — to safely bridge the mind-body disconnect that often occurs in children who experience constant trauma.