Mary Wildermuth (left), associate professor of plant and microbial biology, supports budding scientists at every step of their learning. Photo: Jim Bloch
First-year student Amanda Chu says the course “How to Be a CNR Scientist” pointed her in an unexpected direction.
“I’m excited about diving into research, and I had never thought that before,” says the molecular environmental biology major. “I learned how to apply to research positions, and the class visited real research labs. I wasn’t expecting researchers to be interacting all that much. But labs are actually collaborative places in real life.”
A recent addition to the College of Natural Resources (CNR), the course helps students navigate the many potential pathways in science and was made possible by a gift from Stacey Baba ’77 and Jim Vokac M.S. ’76.
“Undergraduates could easily feel lost at Cal, especially in the beginning,” Baba says. “We want them to have great experiences like we did.”
Additionally, the couple arranged for a $1 million estate gift to be divided equally among four areas of interest: the two colleges from which the couple graduated (CNR and the College of Chemistry); Cal women’s softball (Baba played on the team); and an endowed fund that supports students in the School of Public Health. The fund honors Stacey’s grandparents and mother, Seiko Baba Brodbeck ’48, who served on the school’s alumni association board and received its Alumna of the Year Award in 1998.
The couple hopes their multi-pronged efforts touch as many students as possible. “I think my mother — who was kind of a legend at Cal — would be proud,” says Baba.
