The jellyfish galaxy JW39. Image credit: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The jellyfish galaxy JW39 hangs serenely in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
This galaxy lies over 900 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices and is one of several jellyfish galaxies Hubble has been studying over the past two years.
Despite this jellyfish galaxy’s serene appearance, it is adrift in a ferociously hostile environment: a galaxy cluster.
Compared to their more isolated counterparts, the galaxies in galaxy clusters are often distorted by the gravitational pull of larger neighbors, which can twist galaxies into a variety of shapes.
If that was not enough, the space between galaxies in a cluster is also pervaded with a searingly hot plasma known as the intracluster medium.
While this plasma is extremely tenuous, galaxies moving through it experience it almost like swimmers fighting against a current, and this interaction can strip galaxies of their star-forming gas.
This interaction between the intracluster medium and the galaxies is called ram-pressure stripping and is the process responsible for the trailing tendrils of this jellyfish galaxy.
As JW39 moved through the cluster, the pressure of the intracluster medium stripped away gas and dust into long trailing ribbons of star formation that now stretch away from the disk of the galaxy.
Astronomers using Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 studied these trailing tendrils in detail, as they are a particularly extreme environment for star formation.
Surprisingly, they found that star formation in the ‘tentacles’ of jellyfish galaxies was not noticeably different from star formation in the galaxy disk.
Dennis Fordham. Courtesy photo. For many, especially persons who live alone, companion animals — or pets — are like family, and for good reason.
The Animal Health Foundation lists eight important benefits people enjoy by having a companion animal, including more physical exercise, less stress and alleviation of depression.
Not surprisingly, people who are attached to their pets want them well cared if they can no longer do so themselves. A person’s estate planning can provide for the care of companion animals in the events of disability or death.
If a pet owner is disabled and unable to care for their pets, whether the pets remain at home varies depending on the duration and severity of the disability, the type of pet, the associated costs, the availability of at-home pet care, and other factors.
Naturally, keeping the pet’s companionship may be beneficial to the owner’s own recovery. Considering relevant goals and circumstances, a thoughtful plan can be devised and authorized (supported) in one’s estate planning.
A durable power of attorney and/or revocable living trust can authorize pet sitters, veterinary care, and boarding care.
Also, placing the pet with trusted family, friends or through a not-for-profit’s pet placement program can be authorized.
Depending on the pets involved, different nonprofit pet care organizations may be available, e.g., humane societies, animal shelters, animal rescue groups, sanctuary organizations and foster organizations.
Estate planning documents may authorize and direct desired approaches to be used and, perhaps, undesired approaches not to be used.
For example, consider the following: “In the event of my incapacity, I direct that my pets be cared for at my home, as long as possible, for the mutual benefit of my pets and myself. I authorize my Agent to arrange for all necessary pet care and, as needed, veterinary treatment and disposition of my pets. If needed, my Agent may also temporarily, or if necessary permanently, place my pets in a loving home, preferably with my family or friends. Otherwise, my Agent may use a non for profit pet care organization, e.g., the San Francisco SPCA Adoption Program, to place my pets permanently in a loving home. In no event shall any organization be used that euthanizes pets. I authorize my Agent to spend the necessary money to implement my wishes, including giving a reasonable sum of money to the family that accepts my pets.”
Similarly, at a pet owner’s death, the owner’s trust or will, as relevant, may say who receives the pet or how the pet is otherwise to be placed. It can also authorize a gift of money to assist with the pet’s placement.
Giving money to a family who accepts a pet can initially make the placement agreeable. Over time the money runs out, however, but the pet care expenses remain (and often increase).
Accordingly, depending on the pet care involved and the pet’s life expectancy, it may be desirable to put necessary assets into a so-called, “pet trust.” This is especially relevant to a pet with a long life expectancy, e.g., a horse or a parrot.
In California, a so-called “pet trust” can be established by a person for the care of their domestic or pet animal for its lifetime (section 15212 of the Probate Code).
For example, a person may leave suitable land (with a stable or barn) and financial assets in a pet trust to provide care for one or more horses that are alive at the owner’s death.
The trustee would do accountings, and the trust would be enforceable, such as by a person named in the trust, by a nonprofit charitable organization that cares for animals, or by a person appointed by the court.
The foregoing is a brief discussion of some issues considered in estate planning for pets. For legal guidance consult a qualified attorney.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235.
“Wendy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has more new dogs this week needing homes of their own.
This week the shelter has 51 adoptable dogs.
The dogs that are available for adoption include “Wendy,” a year and a half old female Doberman pinscher mix with a red and tan coat.
“Koda Bear.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.
There also is “Koda Bear,” a 2-year-old male pit bull mix with a brown brindle coat. Staff said Koda Bear is a love bug who does well with other dogs, is playful, plays fetch, is neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations.
Another of this week’s featured dogs is “Waldo,” a 3- to 4-year-old pit bull terrier with a black and white coat. Staff said he is a sweetheart who loves to be with his people, and enjoys walking, playing fetch or just hanging out.
“Waldo.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
State high school administrators don’t have to write on the blackboard 100 times, “I won’t break the law,” but the message delivered to them this week is clear: Obey the law.
With high school graduation ceremonies underway across California, some Native American students are once again facing additional unnecessary burdens: convincing school and district administrators to follow the law and allow the wearing of tribal regalia at commencements to celebrate their culture during one of the most important accomplishments in their young lives.
The message was delivered at a news briefing Wednesday after local cases of school districts seeking to set unnecessary conditions and limit or deny students the right to wear tribal regalia at their graduation observances.
Among those at the briefing was Lake County Supervisor Moke Simon, a member of Middletown Rancheria.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, California Native American Legislative Caucus Chairperson James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), tribal leaders and advocates reaffirmed the legal and constitutional right of tribal students to wear cultural items during their commencements.
“In 2018, the state passed AB 1248, which stated in part, ‘A pupil may wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance as an adornment at school graduation ceremonies.’ Since then, students and families continue to face obstacles in exercising this right,” Ramos said.
He added that following continuing complaints and lawsuits, he successfully authored AB 945 in 2021 — co-sponsored by the California Department of Education — to require the department to form a task force of tribes and appointees from the governor’s office, the state education department and tribes from around the state to work with schools to ensure the law is being followed and how best to set policies and practices around the issue.
“I was proud to co-sponsor AB 945 by Assembly Ramos; this legislation will help to develop policies that will address how to ensure our Native American students will be able to affirm their Native identity and connection to ancestry and culture by wearing traditional cultural adornments during graduation ceremonies,” Thurmond said.
“Every year, we see school administrators, teachers and staff attempting to stop Indigenous students from wearing tribal regalia at commencement, blatantly disregarding California law and the importance these items hold for Indigenous people,” said Tedde Simon (Diné), Indigenous justice advocate with the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, said. “We call on all schools in California to respect and honor students’ rights to wear tribal regalia during this monumental, once-in-a-lifetime celebration.”
“It’s incredibly important that we arm native students and their families with information about their rights under AB 1248,” said Heather Hostler (Hupa), CILS executive director. “This country has a long history of atrocities against tribal people and sought to dismantle cultures and assimilate them. Wearing tribal regalia at important milestones like commencements show that we are still here today, that we honor our ancestors who fought to preserve our culture before us and that we are committed to carrying on our traditions. CILS is here to protect and advance your right to wear regalia proudly at graduation.”
In speaking to a reporter, former chairwoman of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians Jessica Lopez voiced her frustration after she had to argue with her local school district officials about wearing regalia. Lopez spoke at Wednesday’s briefing.
Her son sought to wear a mortarboard beaded in a goose pattern with an eagle feather and ceremonial sash, but administrators pushed back and told Lopez not all mandatory pre-conditions had been met.
“The district says it’s open to reviewing the policy. That’s not good enough. Here we are having to tromp along the path of educating the educators. They need to know that they are in violation [of the law] if they do not protect the rights of these students,” Lopez said.
Ramos, the first California Native American elected to the Legislature, observed, “High school graduations are times of great celebration in our tribal communities. Eagle feathers and other symbols of Native American significance are often presented by a proud community to the student as a way to recognize personal achievement. It is a means for the tribe not only to honor the student but to share in and express pride in the graduate’s achievements.”
A new NASA mission, PolSIR, short for Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer, will study high-altitude ice clouds, such as this cloud as seen from the International Space Station in 2008. Understanding how such clouds change throughout the day is crucial for improving global climate models. Credits: NASA. A new NASA mission, PolSIR — short for Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer — will study high-altitude ice clouds, such as this cloud as seen from the International Space Station in 2008.
NASA has selected a new mission to help humanity better understand Earth’s dynamic atmosphere — specifically, ice clouds that form at high altitudes throughout tropical and subtropical regions.
The PolSIR instrument — short for Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer — will study such ice clouds to determine how and why they change throughout the day.
This will provide crucial information about how to accurately simulate these high-altitude clouds in global climate models.
The investigation consists of two identical CubeSats — each small satellite is just a little over a foot tall — flying in orbits separated by three to nine hours. Over time, these two instruments will observe the clouds’ daily cycle of ice content.
“Studying ice clouds is crucial for improving climate forecasts — and this will be the first time we can study ice clouds in this level of detail,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Every NASA mission is carefully chosen to better understand our home planet.”
The award is for lifecycle costs no more than $37 million, which does not include launch costs.
The radiometer is an Earth Venture instrument — lower-cost instruments with a targeted research goal, which typically catch a ride along with another mission or commercial satellite in order to minimize launch costs.
The Earth Venture class also focuses on providing frequent flight opportunities, so innovative science investigations can be flown relatively quickly, generally within five years or less. Missions like this provide key targeted research opportunities, which help us improve our understanding of what’s driving change in the entire Earth system.
“Understanding how these ice clouds respond to a changing climate — and then, in turn, contribute to further changes — remains one of the great challenges to predicting what the atmosphere will do in the future,” said Karen St. Germain, who leads NASA’s Earth Sciences Division. “The radiometers, which measure the radiant energy emitted by clouds, will significantly improve our understanding of how ice clouds change and respond throughout the day.”
The mission is led by Ralf Bennartz, principal investigator at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and by Dong Wu, deputy principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
NASA Goddard will provide the project management team that builds the two instruments, while science operations will be conducted by the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The two spacecraft will be built by Blue Canyon Technologies in Lafayette, Colorado.
Lassen Pack, 2017. Credit. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported this week that two new groups of wolves have been confirmed in Northern California — one in Tehama County and the other in western Lassen County.
If the department designates each as a pack, they would become the fifth and sixth confirmed wolf packs in the Golden State in 100 years.
“It brings me great joy to see California’s wolves continue to increase in number, aided by the strong state and federal protections here,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Wolves rewild the landscape and that’s good not just for the wolves but for entire ecosystems.”
In March photographs of three wolves in Tehama County were captured on a trail camera on private land.
The western Lassen County group was documented on three different occasions during the first quarter of 2023.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is surveying these areas to determine if either group had pups this year, the sex of each of the groups’ members and whether any of them are related to wolves from California’s known packs.
California has three existing families of wolves: the Lassen pack, which was confirmed in 2017 and ranges across parts of Lassen and Plumas counties; the Whaleback pack, confirmed in late 2020 and early 2021 and ranges across eastern Siskiyou County; and the Beckwourth pack, confirmed in late spring of 2021 and whose territory is in eastern Plumas County.
This week’s report also included the sad note that a yearling Whaleback pup died after being struck by a vehicle on Highway 97 in January.
Late spring to early summer is when the department can determine if any of these wolf families has denned, signaling the potential for pups to be born.
The department will be checking on the reproductive status of the three existing packs as well as that of the two newly confirmed groups.
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that these two new groups of wolves will officially become families by having pups of their own,” said Weiss. “I’m also looking forward to the department bestowing these wolf families with pack names to reflect their presence and significance.”
The first wolf in nearly a century to make California part of his range was OR-7, a radio-collared wolf from Oregon that entered California in late 2011. OR-7 traveled across seven northeastern counties in California before returning to southwestern Oregon, where he found a mate and settled down.
The original breeding male of the Lassen pack was the offspring of OR-7’s first litter and several others of OR-7’s offspring have also come to California, including the breeding female of the Whaleback pack.
California’s only other known wolf pack in modern times, the Shasta pack, was confirmed in summer 2015 but disappeared a few months later.
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is native to California but was driven to extinction in the state by the mid-1920s.
After OR-7 dispersed from Oregon into California, the Center and allies successfully petitioned the state to fully protect wolves under California’s endangered species act.
Wolves are also federally protected in California under the federal Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to intentionally kill any wolves in the state.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The owner of a massage business in Lakeport has been sentenced to jail and probation after being convicted of lewd conduct in his treatment of a customer.
Suzhen Wang, 61, owner of Footlogic massage in Lakeport, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of lewd conduct, said Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson.
Watson said the incident was reported to the Lakeport Police Department as having occurred on Dec. 26, 2021, at the Lakeport Footlogic location.
An 18-year-old female had requested a massage and was assigned a male masseur who said his name was Michael. Watson said that man later was determined to be Wang.
Watson said the female victim reported that during the massage Wang removed the sheet covering her breasts and touched and massaged her breasts.
The woman said she was in shock as she had received massages at the location on multiple prior occasions and had never experienced anything like that. This was the first time the female received a massage from Wang, Watson said.
On Monday, Judge J. David Markham sentenced Wang in accordance with a plea agreement between the District Attorney’s Office and Wang’s defense counsel to one year summary probation, 60 days in the county jail, a stay away order from the victim for the term of probation, Watson said.
Watson said Wang was also ordered to obey all laws and orders of the court.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Lakeport will start the summer season with its annual Memorial Day celebration on Saturday, May 27.
The day will begin with the pancake breakfast hosted by the Lakeport Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club of Lakeport at the Silveira Community Center, located at 500 N. Main St.
From 7 to 11 a.m. they will serve a meal that includes a full pancake breakfast, including eggs, bacon, juice, and coffee.
The requested donation is $10 per person. All proceeds benefit the Lake County 4-H Club.
That will be followed by the city’s Memorial Day Parade, which begins at 11 a.m. and follows a route through downtown Lakeport.
Organizers urge everyone to arrive early for the parade as the streets will be closed along the parade route.
Be sure to bring your own seating.
For more information, contact the Lakeport Main Street Association at 707-263-8843 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Katherine Engel, American University School of Public Affairs and Taryn Morrissey, American University School of Public Affairs
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
Roughly half of the people who would be affected by a proposed expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program work requirements already do what’s needed to meet those requirements. There’s also evidence suggesting that many of the rest have caregiving or health conditions that prevent them from working.
Formerly known as food stamps, SNAP helps low-income people buy groceries.
Republicans want the federal government to make SNAP benefits for adults age 50 to 55 without dependents or disabilities contingent on spending 80 hours per month on work activities, which may include employment, short-term training and community service. This proposed change is in a package that the Republican-led House of Representatives passed in April 2023 that seeks to cut spending on several social programs.
Currently, the requirements only apply to adults under 50 without dependents who aren’t disabled.
We’re basing these estimates on our analysis of nationally representative time-diary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey.
We analyzed the time that low-income Americans ages 50-55 who didn’t have a disability or child at home spent working, caring for others or dealing with their personal health and well-being from 2012 to 2021.
We found that in most years, more than half of them worked at least 20 hours per week. We estimated that, on average, those who met the work requirement actually worked about 41-51 hours per week – a full-time schedule.
We also determined that relative to their counterparts who met the work requirements, those who did not spent 10 times as much time managing their own health, five times as much time on child care, and more than five times as much time caring for an elderly or disabled adult.
Why it matters
The GOP bill is grounded in a belief that people who get SNAP benefits and aid through other assistance programs are not employed but capable of working, and that enforcing work requirements can increase employment and earnings.
This measure and several others like it are part of a package that would raise the debt limit to avert a potential U.S. default and a global economic crisis.
Our findings support widespread concerns that expanding SNAP work requirements would sever food assistance benefits for an estimated 275,000 low-income people between the ages of 50 and 55, including many with health conditions and who care for others.
It’s reasonable to expect that the new work requirements would force many people to make hard choices between the caregiving arrangements for their loved ones and keeping their benefits. Also, since people who have poor health may not be able to work, they may find themselves unable to put food on the table if they lose SNAP benefits.
Further, when Americans use SNAP to buy groceries, studies have shown that it stimulates the economy where they live, supporting low-income communities.
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
How can I make studying a daily habit? – Jesni P., age 15, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Studying – you know you need to do it, but you just can’t seem to make it a habit. Maybe you forget, become distracted or just don’t want to do it.
Understanding what a habit is, and how it forms, can help you figure out how to study on a daily basis.
Let’s say you have a habit of eating a snack after school. When school is about to end, you start to feel hungry. Dismissal is the cue to get your snack.
Eating the snack is the routine. The reward is that it tastes good and your hunger goes away, which reinforces the habit – and makes you want to repeat the loop again the next day.
Here are the things you need to make a studying loop:
A set time to study every day.
A cue to start studying.
An environment that helps you stick to your studying routine.
A reward for studying.
Setting a time
When you do things at the same time every day, it is easier to remember to do them.
That means if you’re in third grade, you would plan to spend about 30 minutes per day studying. This can include the time you spend practicing your reading. If you’re in eighth grade, you would spend 80 minutes per day – that is, one hour and 20 minutes – studying.
So choose a single block of time during the afternoon or evening when you will have the right amount of time to study every day.
There may be days when your assignments do not fill the full block of time that you have set. On those days, you should spend time reviewing material that you’ve already studied; regularly going back over information helps you remember it and think about how to integrate it with the new things you’re learning.
Studying at the same time every day is one cue, but you may need something more concrete when first forming your habit.
This can be a calendar reminder you set on your phone or laptop, or something as simple as a card with the word “study” printed on the front. You can leave the card where you hang up your coat or put down your bag when you get home from school – or on your television or computer screen.
On the back of the card, write the word “studying.” Then keep this side facing up and posted to the back of your computer, on your door, or above your desk while you work.
This will signal to others that they should not disturb you during this time. When you finish studying, return the card to its starting spot so that it’s ready to remind you to study the next day.
To help yourself study, you need a place set up for work and not for doing other things. Do not study on your bed – that’s for sleeping – or in front of the television, or anywhere it’s difficult to hold and use the materials you need. Best option: a table or desk with good lighting.
Your study place should limit distractions. That includes other people’s conversations and all media: TV, video games, social media, texts or music. Research repeatedly has shown the human brain cannot multitask well; people make more mistakes if they try to do two things at the same time, especially when one of those things requires concentration. Bouncing back and forth between two things also means it takes longer to complete the task.
Although you should put away electronic devices when studying, that may not be an option if you need them for homework. If that’s the case, set the “do not disturb” notification on your phone, silence incoming notifications and close all social media and gaming apps.
Gaming, social media and video apps are programmed to make you want to keep checking or playing them. That means you have to replace the bad habit of constantly using them with the good habit of studying for a designated block of time.
The reward
That said, after you finish studying, you can give yourself a little gaming or social media time as your reward.
With time, the studying itself will become its own reward. Improving your knowledge and skills will give you a sense of achievement and make you more confident and happier at school. But while forming your study habit, a really fun reward will help you stick with it.
This is especially true if the subject you’re studying is difficult for you. No one likes to do something they think they’re not very good at. However, it’s impossible to get better if you do not practice, and studying is just like practicing a sport, instrument or hobby.
How long it takes
The amount of time it takes to make studying a daily habit can be anywhere from 21 days to a few months, depending upon the person.
To help you stay with it, find a study buddy to form the habit along with you. Ask your family not to interrupt you during study time. And consider using apps to set goals and track your study time so you can watch your habit form and celebrate your progress. The good news: Daily studying gets easier the more you do it.
Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — A Lakeport woman this week pleaded not guilty to the murder of her boyfriend.
Melinda Mildred Fred, 39, entered the not guilty plea in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday morning, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
Authorities said Fred fatally stabbed 36-year-old Christopher Aaron Burrows on May 16.
The District Attorney’s Office has charged Fred with murder, assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence.
Hinchcliff said the investigation is continuing and that they do not yet know what defense Fred will allege in the case. “We may not know until trial or closer to trial.”
He said a preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Fred will return to court at 1:30 p.m. June 13 in Department 3 for a bail review hearing.
Hinchcliff said Fred’s bail was set at $1 million at her May 18 arraignment.
At the June 13 bail review hearing, Hinchcliff expects Fred will try to get her bail reduced.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Dr. James Houpis. Courtesy photo. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Dr. James Houpis, Ph.D., interim chancellor of the Yuba Community College District, will retire on May 31, following a 40-plus year career in higher education.
Dr. Houpis was appointed as interim chancellor in 2021.
The district’s new chancellor, Shouan Pan, Ph.D., will take the helm on June 15.
“We have been fortunate to have a seasoned leader like Dr. Houpis leading us over the past two years as our interim chancellor. His academic and leadership experience, focus on students, and new strategic initiatives have left an indelible mark on the District,” said YCCD Board of Trustees President Juan Delgado. “Our students, faculty, administrators and staff are forever grateful for his efforts which have positioned both the District and our new chancellor for future success.”
Topping the list of Dr. Houpis’ contributions during his tenure at YCCD was the launch of a fully online campus, which will expand access to courses that not only support career advancement for working adults but also degree and educational certificate completion.
At a time when most YCCD students work at least part time, the online campus will provide much-needed flexibility, putting a community college education within reach for those who might otherwise be unable to attend college.
Beyond expanding access to coursework through the online campus, he also led strategies to increase high school student participation in the dual credit programs offered at both Yuba and Woodland Community Colleges and supported expanded enrollments in apprentice programs to support local workforce needs.
As an environmental scientist, it is no surprise that Dr. Houpis championed and led the district in developing a Climate Change Resolution.
Since the passage of Measure J in 2006, the district has made a concerted effort to ensure that all new buildings and renovations support the goal of developing environmentally sustainable campuses.
Through Dr. Houpis’ leadership, the district has doubled down on its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and to model responsible, sustainable business practices across all district operations.
Dr. Houpis also stabilized the district’s finances, advanced the development of a resource allocation model to promote cost management, advanced salary equity for administrators and classified employees by initiating the district’s first compensation study, improved employee morale by actively working to build a more constructive internal culture, and updated campus websites to make them more functional for students.
“I accepted the interim chancellor role with the goal of making YCCD my last career move before retirement,” Dr. Houpis said. “As I reflect on my career, I’ve enjoyed every step of my journey — from being a research scientist studying the effects of air pollution and climate change, to serving as a faculty member and advising students, to shaping curriculum and developing student success initiatives as a provost, to hiring and mentoring administrators, faculty and staff as a program director and department chair, to leading campuses and overseeing district operations as a university provost, college president and interim chancellor.”
He added, “I’ve enjoyed my time at YCCD, and I’m proud of the work that we have achieved together. It has been my honor to work on behalf of our students, to support our outstanding leadership team, faculty, and staff, and to work in concert with the Board of Trustees to build upon YCCD’s many successes.”
Before joining YCCD, Dr. Houpis held leadership roles at other community colleges, including serving as president of Modesto Junior College and dean of academic support and learning technologies at Skyline College.
He also had a long and distinguished career in the California State University, or CSU, system, holding leadership and faculty positions at both CSU East Bay and CSU Chico.
Across the past four decades, Dr. Houpis has earned many grants and awards for innovation and excellence including the Paul Simon Teaching and Research Award, Accessibility Services Award of Appreciation and the Associated Students Award: Model of Shared Governance for Exemplary Service to Students.
He also has been selected for a fellowship with the Wheelhouse Center for Community College Leadership and Research.
Because of his reputation in higher education and expertise in environmental and biological sciences, Dr. Houpis has been chosen to serve as a reviewer for prestigious initiatives such as the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
He also received special recognition from the California Senate recognizing his continued efforts on behalf of Latino students and his strong support of programs helping students complete their studies on their way to lifelong success.
He co-authored three book chapters and has co-authored more than 50 professional journal articles, proceedings, and scholarly reports based on his research in environmental and biological science.
Dr. Houpis holds a Ph.D. in forest science from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree in biology from San Diego State University, and a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from UC Berkeley.
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
