Advising Information

Undergraduate Advising Resources

Animal Biology Major Advising

The Animal Biology (ABI) Advising Team is committed to guiding providing prospective, entering, and current students with holistic, comprehensive academic support. This includes a variety of advising services and connections to resources from academic (staff), peer, and lead faculty advisors who are ready to help students through their academic journeys and beyond.

Got questions? We can answer! Send advising questions to [email protected].

Spring 2026 ABI Advising Schedule*

*Advising hours and availability are subject to change at any time. Any changes will be announced to students via email.

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Brianna: Virtual Appointments
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Zoom ID 358-763-0334

Ramiro: Virtual Appointments (Via request only)
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Zoom ID 721-091-6536

Brianna: Virtual and In-Person Drop-Ins
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Zoom ID 358-763-0334 or Hutchison 150

Ramiro: Virtual and In-Person Drop-Ins
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Zoom ID 721-091-6536 or Hutchison 150

 

 

Elvira: In-Person Drop-ins
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Hutchison 160

Ramiro: Virtual Appointments (Via request only)
9:00 AM - 11:30 PM
Zoom ID 721-091-6536

Brianna: Virtual and In-Person Drop-Ins
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Zoom ID 358-763-0334 or Hutchison 150

Ramiro: Virtual and In-Person Drop-Ins
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Zoom ID 721-091-6536 or Hutchison 150

Elvira: In-Person Drop-ins
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hutchison 160

Ramiro: Virtual Appointments (Via request only)
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Zoom ID 721-091-6536

Drop-in Advising: Drop-in advising is offered by both staff and peer advisors during the regular academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters). It is best for quick questions, first-come first-served, and may be hosted in-person and/or virtually on Zoom. If your advising session may take more than 15 minutes, please email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

 

Academic Advising

Elvira Galvan Hack
Animal Biology Academic Advisor
[email protected] | 530-754-7277
160 Hutchison Hall (on-site Wednesday and Friday)
Zoom Meeting ID: 595 109 9294

Elvira is the Academic Advisor for the Animal Biology undergraduate major. The Academic Advisor is current and prospective students' first point of contact in the advising team. She can assist with yearly check-ins, preliminary degree checks, and staying on track to graduation. She also advises for any other unique situations or circumstances, including double-majoring, excess units, graduation delays, and more. Elvira is available to meet with students for both drop-in advising and in appointments.

Schedule an appointment

 

Peer Advising

Brianna Steele
Peer Advisor
[email protected] and/or [email protected]
Hutchison Hall 150
Zoom Meeting ID: 358-763-0334
Ramiro Lopez
Peer Advisor
[email protected] and/or [email protected]
Hutchison Hall 150
Zoom Meeting ID: 721-091-6536

Peer Advisors Brianna and Ramiro are both advising team members and current students! You can meet with a Peer Advisor during their drop-in advising hours or by requesting an appointment for general academic advising, discussing academic experiences, course recommendations, and advice on research and seeking professional opportunities. Peer Advisors are available to meet with students for drop-in advising and appointments.

Request an appointment

 

Lead Faculty Advising

Co-Lead Faculty Advisor Marshall McMunn

Marshall McMunn, PhD
Animal Biology Lead Faculty Advisor
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Department of Entomology and Nematology
[email protected]
488 Hutchison Hall

As lead faculty advisor, Dr. McMunn guides ABI students through their academic, research, and professional journeys. He can also help with specific questions or issues about the practicum, proposal/practicum formatting, and incomplete (I) grades in ABI 187. Dr. McMunn is available to meet with students by appointment only. Please contact Dr. McMunn directly to request and schedule an appointment.

Request an appointment

 

Advising Assistance

Michelle Mallari
Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Scheduler
Phoenix Cluster
[email protected] | 530-754-4131
150 Hutchison Hall (on-site Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)

Michelle is the Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Scheduler for Phoenix Cluster, which provides support for the Department of Entomology and Nematology and Department of Plant Pathology. Michelle can help students with: course registration, including PTAs (for ABI, ENT, GDB, NEM, PLP, and SAS courses only), variable units (e.g., 192 internship and 199 research units), and general advising questions via [email protected]

 

UC Davis Advising Resources

Staff and peer advisors with CAES (College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences), the college that houses the Global Disease Biology major, assist students with questions and concerns about a wide variety of student needs and college policies. CA&ES Advising is the place to go for questions or concerns about: college and university requirements, including General Education requirements (these are different from and in addition to your major requirements); academic difficulty (e.g., academic standing, Probation, Subject to Dismissal); Readmission/Withdrawal; Retroactive Actions; and excess units, and more.

Health Professions Advising (HPA) is the UC Davis advising resource on campus that serves students and alumni pursuing any health-related disciplines, including veterinary medicine! They offer one-on-one advising to provide in-depth guidance on preparing for any health profession or allied health field as well as other resources like workshops, prep programs, seminars, and much more. ABI Advising strongly encourages students who are interested in veterinary medicine and/or any other health-related field to connect and consult with with HPA.

Additional Resources

Campus Support Centers

Visit our Student Resources page to explore more!