Distinguished Professor Charles Bamforth, who holds the Anheuser-Busch endowed chair in malting and brewing sciences, has been named an honorary liveryman of the Brewers Company, a London guild that originated in the 12th century.

In England’s trade associations, or guilds, members are designated as freemen or liverymen, with the title “liveryman” indicating full membership.

Bamforth was born in Lancashire, England, and has worked in the brewing for 37 years in a variety of academic and corporate roles in the United Kingdom and the United States. He runs the UC Davis brewing science program in the Department of Food Science and Technology.

Known as “The Pope of Foam,” he has written a number of books for both academic and lay audiences, and is serving as the 63rd president of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

The Brewers Company is one of London’s oldest guilds, having received its charter from King Henry VI and coat of arms from King Henry VIII. The Brewers Company and other guilds began as a way to regulate and protect the interests of specific trades.

The Brewers Company continues today in support of the brewing industry, brewing education and charitable causes.

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UC Davis has Public Health Heroes in our midst: Tom Ferguson, medical director, and all the other staff at the Student Health and Wellness Center for exceptional work in implementing communicable disease control efforts.

Yolo County Health Services bestowed the “hero” titles as part of the county’s 2015 celebration of National Public Health Week (April 6-12).

“Each year ... we recognize partners in the community who are doing exceptional work to help advance public health initiatives,” Rebecca Tryon said in announcing the Public Health Heroes.

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The Association of Textile, Apparel and Materials Professionals recently presented its highest award, the Olney Medal, to S. Haig Zeronian, professor emeritus of textiles and clothing.

The Olney Medal, named after the association’s founder and first president, Louis Atwell Olney, recognizes outstanding achievement in textile or polymer chemistry or other fields of chemistry of major importance to textile science.

Zeronian is known for his significant research contributions on the relationship between polymer structure and single fiber mechanical properties in natural and manufactured fibers.

He has published more than 120 papers and three textbooks, and given more than 75 talks at professional meetings. He is a member of the American Chemical Society (Cellulose, Paper and Textile Division) and the Fiber Society.

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The California Climate and Agriculture Network presented awards last week to Stephen Wheeler of the faculty; Craig McNamara, an alumnus who serves as president of the state Board of Food and Agriculture; and Lois Wolk, state senator whose district includes the Davis campus.

The presentations took place during the fourth California Climate Change and Agriculture Summit held at UC Davis.

The annual awards recognize leadership in agriculture and climate change, and are given in three areas: science, farming or ranching, and policy.

The science award went to Wheeler, associate professor, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design, and the Center for Regional Change. In a news release, the California Climate and Agriculture Network cited Wheeler and his colleagues for “pioneering research” on the benefits of agricultural land preservation in Yolo County — with said benefits in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The farming or ranching award went to McNamara, owner of Sierra Orchards in Winters and founder of the Center for Land-Based Learning. “Craig employs climate-friendly practices on his farm and is actively involved in education and policy development on sustainable and environmental stewardship,” according to the news release. McNamara graduated from UC Davis with a degree plant and soil science in 1976.

The policy award went to Wolk, who, in more than a decade in the Legislature “has led efforts on many issues related to climate change and agricultural policy,” on subjects including on-farm renewable energy production, farmland protection, and water scarcity and water management. In February, she introduced Senate Bill 367, the Agriculture Climate Benefits Act, sponsored by CalCAN.

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Rock musical The 12 with set design by Professor John Iacovelli, Department of Theatre and Dance, had its world premiere last week in Denver.

Recent studio art graduate Randi Wren Nunns is working with Iacovelli on the production.

The 12, with book by Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, picks up where Jesus Christ Superstar left off — with Christ’s followers facing powerful crises of faith after his crucifixion.

Iacovelli has designed more than 200 productions across the nation. His work on Broadway revivals of Peter Pan in 1998 and 1999 led to an Emmy Award for art direction after the A&E Network filmed the  musical and showed it on cable television. He has a lifetime achievement award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Schenkkan won the 2014 Tony for best drama for All the Way and the 1992 Pulitzer for drama for The Kentucky Cycle.

The 12 opened March 27 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

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Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of faculty and staff awards, for publication in Laurels. Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.

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