Professor Emeritus Melvin R. Ramey’s colleagues, friends and former students have established a student-support fund in his name, but that’s only one reason for the celebration that is planned for next week in the lobby of the Student Community Center. You see, the center is dedicating its lobby in his name.

In This Column

• Student Community Center's lobby is getting a name: Melvin R. Ramey's name
• American Mathematical Society spotlights Professor Mariel Vazquez during Hispanic Heritage Month

The program in the Melvin R. Ramey Lobby will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. RSVPs are requested.

The Melvin R. Ramey Fund for Student Success, an endowment campaign, will support student services provided in the Student Community Center.

The fund’s webpage includes this biographical information: “A lifelong educator, researcher, mentor and coach, Dr. Melvin Ramey inspired generations of Aggies over his 37 years of service at UC Davis. Mel set high standards for his students, believing each one will achieve their fullest potential through hard work, commitment and a can-do spirit.

“A distinguished faculty member and administrator in the College of Engineering, a respected researcher and a caring coach, Mel became a strong advocate for all students throughout his career, but in particular for students of color and for the programs that help them succeed in college.

“He provided advice and guidance to fellow faculty members on matters of discrimination, and his service on campuswide committees had a positive impact on the campus climate.”

The fund will support students who are leaders in the student retention and success centers of the university, providing training and support for peer advisors and outreach coordinators, and for students who serve as dynamic leaders in their respective communities.

“Through this fund, the legacy of Dr. Mel Ramey and how he inspired his students will continue for future Aggies in perpetuity.”

Ramey joined the civil and environmental engineering faculty in 1967, served as department chair and also held other administrative posts, including associate dean of Graduate Studies. He also had a long affiliation with athletics, as an assistant track coach and faculty athletics representative. He retired in 2004.

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The American Mathematical Society chose Professor Mariel Vazquez as one of 31 Hispanic and Latino mathematicians to showcase during Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15-Oct. 15. She was featured on the society’s “Lathisms” website on Sept. 16 (“Lathisms” stands for Latina/os and Hispanics in Mathematical Sciences).

Vazquez specializes in the emerging field of DNA topology, using math to attack biological puzzles. She holds appointments in the Department of Mathematics, and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.

She came to UC Davis in 2014 as a CAMPOS (Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science) Faculty Scholar.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the National University of Mexico and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. She held appointments as a postdoctoral fellow/visiting assistant professor at UC Berkeley, and served on the faculty of San Francisco State University before joining the UC Davis faculty.

In her write-up on the Lathisms website, she is quoted as saying: “The Census Bureau announced last year that Hispanics are the largest ethnic group in California, but only 2 percent of Latinos aged 18 to 24 were enrolled at the University of California. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to serve as a role model and mentor to Hispanics, Latina/os and other underrepresented minorities in STEM to help close this gap. Hispanic Heritage Month offers a wonderful opportunity to highlight the work of people whose faces are not often seen in our community, thus encouraging students of color to pursue a degree in mathematics and other STEM-related fields.”

Later this month she is due to receive the 2016 Blackwell-Tapia Prize, honoring her achievement in mathematics and her efforts to increase diversity in the mathematical sciences at all levels, from speaking with elementary school students to mentoring graduate students.

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