Campus resources

Home to books and journals on biochemistry, paleontology, forestry, zoology, genetics, and other related fields, the Bioscience Library also – somewhat unexpectedly – collects cookbooks. Walk past the reference desk, turn right, and just beyond the medical core collection, you’ll find two rows of shelves filled with cookbooks. Briefly peruse the aisle and you’ll see cookbooks on cuisines from around the world, starting with The Art of Armenian Cooking, ending in Zanzibar, and covering much of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas in between. You’ll also find books on particular categories of food, such as snacks and sandwiches, pasta, desserts, baking (including the Rose Levy Beranbaum classics, The Cake Bible and The Bread Bible), and meats, which are particularly well covered with entire volumes devoted to venison and spam. Vegetarian cooking and American regional cuisines each have their own extensive section.

You can also find national standards, such as the Joy of Cooking and the Silver Palate, as well as the works of well-known American food writers (e.g., James Beard and Mark Bittman). In addition, the library stocks books by Bay Area authors, Alice Waters for example, and establishments, the Zuni Cafe or Niman Ranch to name just two. Finally, some books have a historical theme – the Roman table, Medieval foods, or Martha Washington – while others are simply of historical interest. Take for instance Mary Meade’s Magic Recipes for the Electric Blender from 1954 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Test Kitchen Series (last checked out in 1989). The Golden Gate Gourmet, published in 1962, which opens with “Favorite Selections of Bay Area Hostesses,” seems like perfect fodder for a Mad Men-themed party.

Any of these books can be checked out for a week. To get a sense for what the collection holds, do a subject search for “cookery” on Oskicat or search for a particular author or title. But if you have the time, I recommend browsing the shelves for a bit. And if these circulating cookbooks have only whet your appetite, Bioscience also has hundreds of other volumes in its rare cookbook collection. (Check out these titles online by searching for the keywords “Holl collection” in the Bioscience and Natural Resources Library though the books themselves are for library use only.)

There’s a new study space on campus especially for doctoral candidates. The Graduate Division and Doe Library’s Graduate Services have created a Dissertation Writer’s Room, which opened its doors for the first time this morning. The Dissertation Writer’s Room, located in 215 Doe at the back of Graduate Services, is reserved for students who wish to work quietly on their dissertations. Currently, it has table space for six in addition to two reading chairs. More work spaces will be added  as use grows.

To access the Dissertation Writer’s Room, you must go through Graduate Services, which is located in 208 Doe. Because this study area and library are reserved for graduate student, faculty, and staff use, you’ll need to show your Berkeley ID when you enter. The hours for the newly minted Dissertation Writer’s Room are Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 9 pm; Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; and Sunday, 1 pm to 9 pm. Happy writing!

How much can a student group accomplish in a year? Quite a bit, if the Women of Color Collective (WOCC) is your model.

Last spring a group of friends at Boalt Hall decided to form WOCC to combat the isolation and alienation they felt as women of color in the law school. Their first effort—to be an active presence during admit week—was a huge success. This fall, thanks in large part to WOCC’s work, Boalt welcomed the largest number of incoming women of color students in its history.

WOCC’s numbers have grown to include 60-80 active members, and the scope of its activities has kept pace. In addition to organizing a series of community building events, the organization has embarked upon a more focused spring campaign to educate people about the underrepresentation of women of color on the law school faculty. While women of color constitute 25% of Boalt’s student body, they comprise just 5% of its tenure-track faculty.

To draw attention to women of color in the legal profession, and particularly those in academia, WOCC has organized a series of amazing events for Women’s (Her)story month. For the kick-off event on March 1, they invited women and women of color faculty and alumna to share their stories about breaking barriers at Boalt. Speakers included an alumna who wrote Silence at Boalt Hall, a book about the history and impact of Proposition 209, and two female professors who filed a sexual discrimination grievance against the University after their initial tenure applications were denied. For many participants, this panel was a clear reminder that the challenges facing women in the legal profession, and especially women of color, are not a thing of the past, but an ongoing issue.

The final women’s history month event, which will be held this Wednesday, March 31, is a lunchtime paper talk, followed by a small tea. In the law school, the Faculty Appointment Committee (FAC) makes all hiring decisions and often chooses to interview a very small number of people of color, hiring even fewer. To draw attention to the talented people of color in the applicant pool, WOCC has invited two distinguished women of color professors from USC and UNLV to present their scholarship. (Even before this event, WOCC had already made its mark on this year’s hires. In part because of WOCC’s input to the FAC and its outreach to candidates, the FAC extended offers to four people of color. Three have already accepted, thereby bringing the total junior faculty of color to five and doubling the number of junior women of color.)

It’s not too late to participate in WOCC’s Women’s (Her)story Month campaign. Attend “The Difference Women of Color Make” Wednesday, March 31 in 240 Boalt Hall from 12:45-1:45 pm. This paper talk will be followed by tea with the visiting scholars from 3:30-5:00 in 10 Boalt Hall. If you’re interested in staying informed about WOCC’s activities in the future, please email boaltwocc@gmail.com.

Like many graduate students, your inbox is probably inundated with workshop, lecture, and event announcements. It’s no surprise, really. Each week there are hundreds of different activities taking place across campus. With so much going on, it can be overwhelming to keep track of it all. Here’s a smattering of campus events taking this place week.

Monday, October 5: Whether you’re working on academic job applications this fall or planning for the application process in the future, teaching materials will likely be part of the package. The Teaching Resource Center is here to help! They are offering a workshop on developing a teaching portfolio today from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in 370 Dwinelle.

Tuesday, October 6: Check out the Graduate Student Lecture Series in 652 Barrows Hall from 3:00 to 4:30 pm, where Environmental Science, Policy & Management graduate student, Dan Fahey, will present his research on the role that natural resources play in conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dan has been doing research in the Congo since 2005; he traveled there most recently during May and June of this year.

Wednesday, October 7: The Graduate Division is offering a workshop on writing academic grant proposals this Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in 370 Dwinelle Hall.

For Earthquake Preparedness Month, there will be an earthquake preparedness drill at noon on Wednesday. Take this opportunity to figure where you would drop and cover to protect yourself during an earthquake and then practice with the rest of the campus community.

Thursday, October 8. Take a lunchtime break to enjoy the music of the UC Jazz Ensemble in Lower Sproul Plaza at 12 pm.

Cal alumnus Major General Don T. Riley is giving a special lecture entitled “The Art and Science of Managing a Public Engineering Organization” at Sibley Auditorium from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.

Saturday, October 10. As part of an ongoing lecture series on the Anthropology of Food, the Hearst Museum of Anthropology is presenting Global Brewing Traditions 2500 B.C. – present from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. This events includes a workshop, symposium, beer tasting, and guided tour of the “99 Bottles of Beer” exhibit.

Sunday, October 11. Graduate Women’s Study Hall from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm in Anthony Hall. There will be desks, tables, and wireless internet as well as coffee and tea. In addition breakfast and lunch will be served (with vegan options available).