Celebrating Safe Science at UC Davis

  • by Hayley S Morris

When you think about what makes UC Davis research truly exceptional, it’s not just the discoveries — it’s the care and commitment to safety that make those discoveries possible.

On October 22, members of the UC Davis research community gathered in the Student Community Center to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Lab Safety Awards, an event that recognized the people and practices keeping UC Davis research safe, responsible, and forward-thinking.

Chancellor Gary May and winners from the Takamura lab stand and smile in front of Lab Safety Award banners.
The Takamura Lab in the College of Engineering won the Grand Prize.
From left to right: Chancellor Gary May, Izoah Snowden, Hudson Shih, Matthew Frame, Bill Doering.

Eric Kvigne, Associate Vice Chancellor for Safety Services, opened the event by commending this year’s winners for their “dedication to safe, responsible science that strengthens our entire community.” He noted that the awards represent not only strong safety practices, but also the teamwork and trust that make innovation possible.

Members of the Nicklisch Lab stand and smile with their Lab Safety Award certificate in front of a blue backdrop and award banners.
The Nicklisch Lab is the winner in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
From left to right (front row): Eleonora Cremonini, Gulab Boon-Long, Lisa Hueck, Eli Wooliever, Angela Encerrado, Sascha Nicklisch, Dean Ashley Stokes; (back row): Paul Kuzmicky and Zeke Spooner.

Chancellor Gary May followed with remarks celebrating UC Davis’s spirit of discovery and emphasizing that “world-class research and world-class safety go hand-in-hand.” He praised the winners for showing how care and curiosity can thrive together in the lab.

Chancellor Gary May stands at a lecturn and speaks.
Chancellor Gary May congratulated the winners, noting their commitment to safe research.
Associate Vice Chancellor Eric Kvigne stands at a lecturn and speaks. Beside him is a blue banner that reads "UC Davis Lab Safety Awards."
Eric Kvigne, Associate Vice Chancellor of Safety Services, led the ceremony.

This year’s awardees, from the Colleges of Biological Sciences, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Letters and Science, and the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, were recognized for their exceptional efforts to build safety into every step of their research.

Members of the Winter Lab smile with their Lab Safety Award Certificate against a blue backdrop and award banners.
From the School of Medicine, the Winter Lab smile with their award certificate.
From left to right: Niki Drazenovich, Eileen Garcia Fuentes, Miriam Lepiz, Natasha Tanner, Maria Winter, Sebastian Perez Orozco, Sebastian Winter, Vice Dean for Research Kim Barrett.

As the afternoon came to a close, attendees enjoyed conversation, photos, and refreshments, a fitting finish to a celebration that highlights not only safe science, but also the community that makes it possible.

Read about each of this year’s winners and their work on the Lab Safety Awards webpage.