Several members of the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) were recently recognized at the fifth annual International Connections Reception, hosted by the UC Davis Global Affairs office on March 5. The event brought together the UC Davis community to celebrate globally-engaged faculty, staff, and scholars.

Paulina Zielinska Crook, director of the SVM Office for Global Programs—along with three other UC Davis staff and faculty members—was honored by Chancellor Gary S. May with the Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement.

Crook works tirelessly to ensure students have access to global learning experiences—both near and far—while ensuring they have the resources and intercultural skills to tackle global health challenges.

In describing Crook, one nominator wrote, “I have never met an individual who more embodies the spirit of UC Davis, nor one more committed to global education for all students.”

A skilled teacher and inspiring mentor, Crook has been the advisor for the student-led Knights Landing One Health Clinic since its opening, supporting veterinary students in providing services in this rural California community. She developed global fellowship programs through which graduate and professional students receive funding and training for community projects. Crook was instrumental in developing One Health field courses for students from varied disciplines. In all of this, she brings her compassion and commitment to diversity, equity, and cultural awareness and is a mentor for future generations of health professionals.

“Faculty and staff are key to advancing UC Davis’ mission through innovative global engagement,” said Joanna Regulska, vice provost and associate chancellor of Global Affairs. “I am thrilled to see their dedication to collaborating with partners locally and globally and to creating new and accessible global learning opportunities for our students.”

Stimulating Innovative Global Engagement
The International Connections Reception also provided the opportunity to acknowledge the recipients of funding or support through other signature faculty and staff programs within Global Affairs. Included in this recognition were two teams of researchers from the SVM as 2019-20 Seed Grants for International Activities Recipients.

Partnering with UC Davis colleges and schools, Global Affairs provides Seed Grants for International Activities to faculty taking on innovative research, service, and engagement projects around the world.

Seed Grant Projects, which are often interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial in nature, have spurred new partnerships for UC Davis and have created long-term collaborations – ones that empower communities, build new opportunities, and advance the condition of health for people, animals, and the planet.

Grant Recipients from SVM:
Richard Pereira and Xunde Li
Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance at a Global Scale: Whole Genome sequencing of ESBL-Producing E. Coli From Livestock in Four Continents (China, Netherlands, New Zealand)

Karen Shapiro and Jeroen Saeij
Bridging International Expertise to Address Toxoplasma Transmission (Brazil)