The University of California Board of Regents announced on 3/27 the unanimously supported appointment of Mark Yudof as the 19th UC system president. Formerly of the University of Texas system, Yudof will receive an annual salary of $591,084about a 33 percent increase over that of previous UC honcho Robert Dynesfor an overall compensation package of $828,000 per year.
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The Humbolt squid (Dosidicus gigas) has captured the attention of scientists at UCSB’s Materials Department. The animal’s beak contains some of the hardest organic substance known, yet it is supported by a comparatively soft body. Materials professor Frank Zok is looking into whether the squid’s anatomical structure could be mimicked by manmade structures and adhesives.