Introducing Ryan & Julie

Up from the UnderStory is a collaboration between UC Davis and the communities in the Blue Mountain area. As part of this partnership, a handful of UCD scholars have joined the project to learn more about Blue Mountain, support the community during the project, and share their own thoughts and experiences with community revitalization. Here are two of the scholars who have joined us: Ryan Galt and Julie Sze. Feel free to leave them thoughts or comments!

My name is Ryan Galt. I’m an assistant professor of community development and geography. My main teaching and research interests involve rural areas. I’m especially fascinated in agricultural systems and the environmental and social effects on them, and on food systems. I also like to investigate the economic links between different places and mapping. I received my first degree from Modesto Junior College, before transferring to UC Berkeley. Then I went to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In my free time, I like to bike, run, hike, garden, read, play board games like Carcassonne and Settlers of Catan, and bake and cook with my wife. And I also enjoy photography and photo book publishing.

Every year I look forward to going on a hike in California with my family and friends. Some recent trips include Mount Whitney, White Mountain Peak, and the Lost Coast.
If you would like to some pictures from my hiking trips check out my web page:
http://web.mac.com/r_galt/Ryan_Galts_Site/Welcome.html

I’m excited to be involved in the Up From the UnderStory project, because it connects with my teaching and research interests. I’m very interested in finding ways and making the University of California more reachable to students from the Sierra and Central Valley area. Also, I’m very interested in how citizen production of media can tell stories about places.





My name is Julie Sze. I'm an Assistant professor of American Studies. My
main teaching and research interests involve culture and the environment,
and environmental activism. I wrote a book called Noxious New York that
looks at activism in New York City around health and environmental issues. I
teach classes on topics like consumption and Nature and Culture. I'm really
interested in how people and communities respond to environmental and social change. I was an English major at UC Berkeley, and went to graduate school at New York University.


I grew up in Chinatown in New York City and my parents are Chinese immigrants. I was the second person in my family to go to college (after my older sister) .In my free time, I like to read, watch T.V., garden and travel. I have two children, a girl named Sofia (4 and a half) and Leo (14 months). We just started a vegetable and herb garden. Growing up in New York City, I never gardened or knew very much about trees.

I'm excited to be involved in the Up From the UnderStory project, because it connects with my teaching and research interests. I'm very excited about meeting you and learning more about you and your community. I hope that you can come to talk to my class about your work.