Water Warriors

Ants, bees, flies and other insects--and people--ought to scatter from the Briggs Hall lawn on the UC Davis campus, on Friday afternoon, July 16.

That's the date of the eighth annual Bruce Hammock Lab Water Balloon Battle, aka Bruce's Big Balloon Battle at Briggs.  

Entomologists and other scientists, along with other faculty, staff, spouses and children, will engage in some summer fun.

Bruce Hammock, a distinguished professor in the UC Davis Department of Entomology who holds a joint appointment in cancer research with the UC Davis Medical Center, launched the water battle back in 2003 as a way to develop camaraderie and lessen the scorching summer heat.

At 1:30 p.m. participants will fill some 2200 water balloons in 82 Briggs, and at 3:45 p.m., they'll head to the north end of the Briggs Hall lawn to do battle.

Last year the eager warriors tossed all the balloons in 15 minutes--15 minutes of aim.

When the balloons are gone, any water remaining in the tubs and other containers is put to good use over an unsuspecting head.

Lately Hammock has been in the news for several reasons:

• He directs the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Program on the UC Davis campus, which recently received a $13.2 million, five-year grant renewal to study the health effects of hazardous chemicals
• His entomological studies on "bugs" have led to new hope for diabetes and heart patients. (See latest story on diabetes)
• He recently presented a public lecture on “The Development and Potential of Genetically Engineered Viruses for Insect Control in Agriculture" as part of the COSMOS Distinguished Lecture Series on the UC Davis campus. This is the four-week California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science summer residential program for high achieving math and science students, grades 9 through 12.

Hammock, a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1999, also directs the National Institutes of Health Training Program in Biotechnology and the NEIHS Combined Analytical Program.

He's considered a talented scientist, a dedicated mentor, a superb teacher, and...(drum roll) a water warrior extraordinaire.

As one former member of the lab said: "Nobody but nobody can beat Bruce at water balloons."