Quiz yourself on UC Davis' famous, sorta famous and miscellaneous alumni achievers
OK, UC Davis fans, young and old (and in between), here is your challenge. Take our trivia quiz and see whether you really know your alma mater alumni and why they matter to the world.
On the home page: From left, UC Davis can claim Sierra Club's Larry Fahn, "ER"s Carol Flint and novelist Gus Lee. The gorilla, although not an alumna, does have a famous advocate tied to us. Find out about them by taking the quiz.
How to grade yourself:
- Those scoring nine to 10 answers correctly are hereby inducted into the Cal Aggie Alumni Association's Hall of Institutional Memory.
- If you can figure out six to eight of these very easy questions, go buy yourself an Aggie cap at the UC Davis Bookstore— but at least get the school colors right (we've provided a link on the left for you).
- For the quizzees who capture only three to five correct answers, it is obvious you need to be reading UC Davis Magazine a lot more thoroughly (link also provided conveniently on the left).
- And, for those who can get only one or two right, what can we say? You may need to stay in school (or go back) for quite some time.
You say "To-mah-toe," we say "3-D Cube of Juicy Goodness"
1. Who invented the world's first square tomato?
Incorrect: Costa Dillon '75
Wrong! Costa never engineered square tomatoes, but he did invent psycho, killing-machine versions of the juicy fruit as co-writer of in the cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. The film went on to spawn three sequels, a cartoon series and numerous toys and commercial products. Costa is currently a superintendent with the National Parks Service near the Grand Canyon.
Incorrect: David Mas Masumoto, M.S. '82
Nope. Sorry. David Mas Masumoto authored the critically acclaimed Epitaph for a Peach, which offers a glimpse of life on a family farm in Central California. His unique organic farming techniques have been employed by a number of farmers across the nation. Square peaches would sure be cool though, wouldn't they?
Correct: Gordie "Jack" Hanna '28
Correct! Gordie “Jack” Hanna was the first to take a good, hard look at the round, ripe tomato and announce: We’ve got a serious problem here. Hoping to rid the world of the dastardly spherical burger-toppers, Hanna introduced the first square tomato in the early 1950s. Ironically, the “square” tomato isn’t really that cubical. Nevertheless, most of the tomatoes you see in grocery stores today are of the Gordie Hanna variety
Incorrect: Richard Rominger '49
He didn’t invent it, but he certainly knows a lot about it! Richard served as the U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture years after the true inventor introduced his innovative and “boxy” fruit to the world. He has also been tremendously active in UC Davis issues, serving on both the board of directors of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and the UC Davis Foundation. He is currently serving a two-year term as the UC Davis alumni representative to the UC Board of Regents.
That's it, right there! Oh man, you lost it!
2. Who was the first in the world to see the microscopic yet devastating Ebola Virus?
Incorrect: Leland Carmichael '52, D.V.M. '56
Ebola? No. Pavro-virus? Check. The Cornell professor was the first to discover the viral disease that attacks dogs (particularly puppies), as well as the first to introduce a vaccine to the world for the same disease.
Incorrect: Robin Bronner '94
You’ve been watching way too much TV. Robin is the first assistant director on the Emmy-winning "ER," and we’re fairly confident the show doesn’t use the real Ebola virus during production. (Although “Reality Television” is the popular thing right now.)
Incorrect: Niels Pedersen '65 D.V.M. '67
Wrong disease! Niels is the co-discoverer of an AIDS-like disease that attacks cats called feline infectious peritonitis. Fortunately for us, Niels has never strayed far from his alumni roots: He is currently director of both the Center for Companion Animal Health and the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Correct: Frederick Murphy, Ph.D. '64
Good job! Fred -- formerly director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at the CDC in Atlanta and former dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine – was the first to see the devastating virus. The Ebola virus affects the body violently and is often fatal. His efforts have led to further research on the virus that will hopefully one day have a cure.
We knew all those Star Wars movies would come in handy some day.
3. Which Aggie actually repaired the space shuttle Discovery while in space?
Correct: Stephen Robinson '78
That’s him! The former tuba player in the Cal Aggie Band-uh and the current lead guitarist for the rock band Max Q, actually entered space to pluck off material from the space shuttle Discovery. You can read a lot more about him and his recent mechanical feats on our "Aggienaut in space" Web site.
Incorrect: Maggie Morgan '84
You’ve really got to brush up on your alumni trivia! Maggie has never left the planet (that we know of), but she did help design the costumes for the Ron Howard space flick Apollo 13, as well as A Bronx Tale, Casino, Wag the Dog, Men in Black and The Grinch.
Incorrect: Tracy Caldwell, Ph.D. '97
You’re thinking of the other NASA astronaut to come out of UC Davis! Sheesh. Come on, can’t you keep all of your Aggie Astronauts straight? Tracy is a mission specialist with the space agency, as well as a private pilot in her spare time. As an interesting side note, she’s fluent in both Russian and sign language.
Incorrect: Jose Granda, Ph.D. '82
Nope. But we understand why you might be confused. Jose Granda worked with the Aggie who is the answer to this question as part of the supporting ground team at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. He currently teaches at CSU Sacramento.
We don't mean to brag but ...
4. Who was the first woman to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture?
Incorrect: Anna Escobedo Cabral '87
Close, but no cigar! Anna was appointed the 42nd U.S. treasurer by George W. Bush in 2004. Check out the dollar bill in your pocket. If it’s from 2005, it’s got Anna’s autograph right on the front of it! Hey, that might be worth something some day! Oh wait, it already is.
Correct: Ann Veneman '70
Bingo! Ann Veneman was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate to serve as the 27th secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She took the reins on Jan. 20, 2001, and retired from the position in January 2005. She is currently the executive director of UNICEF.
Incorrect: Delaine Eastin '69
Delaine is the first in a lot of things, but she is not the answer to this question. The Aggie politician was the first woman to be elected state superintendent of public instruction in California (1994) and has served in the State Assembly for four terms.
Incorrect: Amy Trask
Oh, yes! That’s completely the right answer. If you’re living in opposite world! Amy Trask has never served as the U.S. secretary of agriculture, although we’re pretty confident she occasionally buys fruits and vegetables. (Perhaps she’s a fan of that square tomato we talked about.) Amy is the chief executive of the Oakland Raiders, which, incidentally, makes her the first female chief executive in the NFL. What’s that sound I hear? Oh, they’re sweeping up the pieces of the shattered glass ceiling!
Yeah, but can they do it while singing the Bossie Cow-Cow song?
5. Who has won two Olympic medals in swimming, set four American records and won two national championships?
Incorrect: Shelley Presson Dunbar '88
Nope. Shelley is merely the third-place rock climber in the entire United States of America and the author of a tremendously popular woman’s rock-climbing guide, as well as an internationally famous athlete. What an amateur. I mean come on. Aren’t we ALL internationally famous athletes? Oh wait, we’re not. Darn it.
Incorrect: Tom Johnson '83
Tom is a runner, not a swimmer. That said, this three-time winner of the Western States Ultra-Marathon Competition is also an accomplished endurance horse rider who competes in international events. Some times he even blends the two activities into a unique horse-and-running event called a “Ride and Tie.” And you thought you were cool when you completed your morning run.
Incorrect: Angel Martinez '77
Wrong! We just threw this one in there to see if you were paying attention. Angel is the retired executive vice president and CMO of Reebok International Ltd. That means he makes the shoes and training equipment that many of these Olympic athletes are using.
Correct: Cathy West '78
Hey, good job! Cathy has nabbed top awards (including a gold medal in 1972 for a 100-meter breast stroke) and earned international acclaim for her aquatic skills. In 1988, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
I can't get that song outta my head!
6. Who is the UC Davis alum manager for the band that released a No. 1 single in 2003?
Correct: Bret Bair '95
You haven’t been living under a rock! Bret is the manager of the chart-topping band Hoobastank, which released its lighter-waving ballad The Reason on its sophomore album. The band release its third album, Every Man for Himself in 2006. We hear it’s got a track dedicated to the MU Games area on it.
Incorrect: Josh Davis (a.k.a. DJ Shadow) '95
Boy, do you have your genres mixed up! Josh—*ahem*—we mean DJ Shadow, is a critically acclaimed “turn-tablist” who blends funk, rock, hip-hop and jazz into unique musical hybrids. As an interesting side note, Mr. Shadow also spent many of his teenage years in Davis as well.
Incorrect: Thomas Sturges '78
If you had to get one wrong, at least it was this one! Thomas is not the manager of the band in question, but he is the president of Chrysalis Music Group, a major industry label that produces bands similar to the one that is the answer to this question.
Incorrect: Jeffrey Katz '76
Not even close! But Jeffrey Katz certainly isn’t losing any sleep over not being a chart-topping crooner. After all, the innovative alum serves as the CEO of Leapfrog Enterprises, and was the past president and CEO of Orbitz (the online travel agency) until earlier this year.
Mine never turns out like it does on television!
7. Which Aggie is the star of a popular cooking show, where the food nearly always turns out ten times better than what you're making for dinner tonight?
Incorrect: Trong Nguyen, Ph.D. '75
Now you’re just embarrassing us and your self. Trong is the founder of La Bou Bakeries, Lemon Grass Café and Capricorn Coffees and Teas. Trong has also been recognized by area officials for his economic development efforts in Sacramento. Have you ever had a La Bou croissant? If not, you are really missing out.
Incorrect: Elizabeth Applegate '78, Ph.D. '83
Nope, but she’s nearly as famous! The nutrition expert and extremely popular UC Davis instructor also serves as the team nutritionist for the Oakland Raiders. (Perhaps it was her dietary advice that led them to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.) She’s also written several books on alimentary matters and published more than 300 articles in national magazines.
Correct: Martin Yan '73, M.S. '77
Bingo! Martin Yan is the chef and creator for Yan Can Cook, which is seen in more than 240 markets nationally and more than 70 countries across the globe. His success has spawned several books (including, of course, cook books), and an official Web site. He was one of the few students at UC Davis who didn’t have a fridge filled with frozen TV dinners and Top Ramen.
Incorrect: Koichiro Aramaki, M.S. '78
Koichiro doesn’t prepare the food, but he can certainly provide you with a good beer to accompany your meal! The CEO of Kirin Brewing Co. is literally one of those work-your-way-up-the-ladder-types. He joined the company fresh out of college in 1964 and has worked in a variety of capacities within Kirin for more than 40 years. He took the top reins in 2001 but has never forgotten his alumni connections, as evidenced by his regular service with the Japan Alumni Chapter of CAAA.
8. Who wrote the critically acclaimed and best-selling novel Jarhead that is now a movie showing in the theatres?
Correct: Anthony Swofford '99
You really know your fellow alumni! Anthony penned the book that has been hailed by critics as the most powerful memoir to emerge from the first Gulf War. For those who have only seen pictures of war on CNN, Anthony’s book is truly a must read. Plus, a movie based on his book just came out on the silver screen.
Incorrect: Carol Flint, M.F.A. '87
No, but have you heard of "ER," "China Beach" or "LA Law"? Because she did help write, edit and produce all of those programs. "ER," the long-running medical drama has launched the careers of such prominent actors as George Clooney and Mekhi Phifer.
Incorrect: Augustus "Gus" Lee '69
Wrong answer! But we’ll forgive you for this one. Gus, after all, is the author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling first novel China Boy, first released in 1991. Since then he has written Honor and Duty, Tiger's Tail, No Physical Evidence, Chasing Hepburn, and The Character Filter as well as co-wrote with his wife Courage: The Backbone of Leadership. As if that weren’t enough, he also serves as the senior executive for legal education and competence for the State Bar of California. By the way, Amy Tan, award-winning author of The Joy Luck Club raved over Gus’ first book.
Incorrect: Chris Markus, M.A. '96
Nope! But look for Chris’ and Steve McFeely’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia to hit the big screen this holiday season. The duo also penned this year's Emmy-winning HBO hit The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
9. Who is the current director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)?
Incorrect: John Buck, M.F.A. '72
Does life imitate art, or are you just guessing?! You’re not even close! John is an accomplished artist however, and even Newsweek has dubbed him one of the leaders in “a new sculptural movement.” John uses a type of wood known as jelutong to carve everything from intricate globes and chains to amazing birds, flames and other pieces.
Incorrect: Deborah Butterfield '71, M.F.A. '73
Wrong! (Have you even been reading your AggieXtra Digest?) Deborah is a horse devotee, as evidenced by her wildly popular equine sculpture work. She uses objects she finds in every day life to create her horses, which have been on display in galleries across the world. An interesting note: Deborah was born on the day of the 75th running of the Kentucky Derby. Now’s that’s a true horse lover.
Incorrect: Jeff Carlson
Oh Jeff! Oh Jeff! Wherefore art thou Jeff? Jeff is definitely not the answer we’re looking for here, but he did star in the 2001 Broadway rendition of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Jeff also appeared in the Tony-winning The Goat, or Who is Sylvia in 2002 as well as productions of Taboo and Tartuffe.
Correct: Neal Benezra, M.A. '78
You are a true Aggie, indeed. Neal took over as director of MOMA in August of 2002, bringing his experience as an accomplished curator and art institute director with him. Interestingly enough, Neal insists that the famous Bay Area museum provided his very first encounter with works of art.
Awww ... They're so cute!
10. What Aggie was one of the most famous gorilla conservationists in the world?
Incorrect: Larry Fahn '76
Gorillas specifically? No. The rest of the world? Yes. Larry, a long-time San Francisco area environmental activist, was appointed the Sierra Club's 50th president in 2003. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as a legislative delegate to the State Bar of California's Conference of Delegates.
Correct: Dian Fossey
Dian, who attended UC Davis briefly as a pre-vet major (but never graduated), was a true pioneer when it came to studying mountain gorillas. In 1967, she began observing the furry primates in Zaire and later re-located to Rwanda where she lived amidst the species for 18 years. (The gorillas offered up their complete trust to Dian, even allowing her to play with their young and touch them by hand.) After one of her favorite gorillas was killed in the 1970s, she launched a campaign against gorilla poaching. Tragically, Dian was found murdered on Dec. 26, 1985, in her cabin.
Incorrect: John Harris '65
Incorrect! If you’ve ever driven the long stretch of I-5 between Sacramento and Los Angeles, you probably know two things: 1. There isn’t a more mundane drive on the entire West Coast and, 2. Harris Ranch is a great place for hearty steaks, filling breakfasts and unique travel souvenirs. John Harris is owner of the popular restaurant and hotel, which features first-rate dining options and spacious sleeping accommodations. The Harris family also produces a wide variety of vegetable, fruit and nut crops.
Tim Mondavi '74
While Tim Mondavi probably couldn’t offer you the slightest bit of information about gorillas and their natural habitat, he could offer you a fantastic glass of cabernet. Tim serves as managing director and winegrower for Robert Mondavi Vineyards in the Napa Valley. An interesting side note: His wife, Holly Peterson-Mondavi '82, is a chef in the Napa Valley.