Information for speakers

to the Algebra and Discrete Mathematics Seminar

Where: We meet in 2112 MSB. bldg

MSB ( the Mathematical Sciences Building ) is located in the south part of campus, not far from the corner of La Rue Road and California Ave. We even have an official address on Crocker Lane. Note-- in 2005 (?) we moved to a NEW building and are no longer in Kerr Hall. See the campus map , and more details below.

When: 11am-11:50am Mondays in 2112 MSB

The seminar meets Mondays at 11 in Winter 2026.

There are other activities and reading seminars going on you may want to participate in if you have time during your visit.

Melissa's office is 3228 MSB , phone: ?
Melissa runs the Davis combinatorics mailing list. If you would like to subscribe to the list, send an email to sympa at ucdavis.edu with subject "subscribe combinatorics YourFirstName YourLastName" and no text in the body. Alternately, email mshermanbennett at ucdavis.edu .

Monica's office is 3224 MSB , phone: 530-754-0498
Anne's office is 3222 MSB, phone: (530) 754-0497
Matthias' office is 3143 MSB, (530) 754-0479
Fu's office is MSB 3220 , phone: (530) 754-0496
Jesus's office is PDSB 1013 (yes, a different building!) phone: (530)754-0502
Eric's office is MSB 2109, phone 530-754-0306
Greg's office is MSB 2216 , phone: (530) ??
Eugene's office is MSB 2113 , phone: (530) 754-0307
Erik's office is MSB 2101 , phone: (530) 754-0274

Chenchen's office is MSB 2144 , phone: ????

Gyivan's office is PDSB 1004 phone: ????

Click here to see the local weather in Davis.

Directions and transportation:

(All of this information can be found at https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/about/directions/ .)

Airplane: The most convenient airport is Sacramento (SMF) which is 30 minutes by car from the Davis campus. (Unless you are spending time in the Bay Area, avoid flying into SFO or OAK - go straight to SMF.) The Davis Airporter limousine service [telephone (530) 756-6715] runs between Davis and the Sacramento airport, costs around $?? (the site says can be as little as $25). https://www.davisairporter.com/ (Save your receipts!) (See also https://daviswiki.org/Davis_Airporter )
These days most people take a Lyft or Uber instead of the Airporter. The price varies by time of day, maybe $30-$50??

The Yolo bus https://daviswiki.org/Yolobus is also a GREAT cheap alternative, but only runs hourly which might make it inconvenient depending on your flight time. Travel time btwn campus and airport is roughly 45 min and only $2 (exact fare); not too bad. Take the 42B from airport to Davis http://yolobus.com/routes/index.php/42B (and the 42A if you are going from Davis to airport http://yolobus.com/routes/index.php/42A .)

Driving and Parking: To park on campus you need to download the free AMP Park app on your iPhone . or Android . on your phone and follow the directions. (we no longer use ParkMobile) See https://taps.ucdavis.edu/aggiepark . To make life easier -- before leaving for Davis (1) download the app (2) associate your car license plate to the account (3) link a credit card. It will be less stressful to do it ahead of time versus on arrival. This should allow you to park in visitor Lot 47 off of La Rue Road. But not the A lots 46,44 unless you maybe have special reciprocity from another UC or pay extra in the app for an A+ spot. I just found out from Milen that lot L (in back of the parking structure that is opposite the Mondavi center) may be a better bet -- similar distance but more likely to have open spots.
Without a smartphone, paying for parking on campus will be quite difficult. But if you read the bottom of the https://taps.ucdavis.edu/aggiepark page, you will see how to do so from a home computer or regular phone.

The Mathematics Department is located primarily on the second and third floor of MSB pictured here. bldg2 Here is a larger UC Davis Campus Map.

Davis is on Interstate 80, about 12 miles west of Sacramento and 75 miles east of San Francisco, and 65 miles east of Berkeley. (Depending on how fast you drive, allow 70-100 minutes to get to Davis from Berkeley.)

Car: Parking: To park on campus you need to download an app on your phone and follow the directions. See above.
Without a smartphone, paying for parking on campus will be quite difficult. There is no free parking on or near campus (or at least not near MSB; you can park downtown for free for about 2 hours).
Shorter directions to Visitor Parking Lot 47 (or lot 46) from San Francisco/Berkeley, corresponding to the following detailed map.
Drive on Interstate 80 East. Continue on I-80 and exit at the UC DAVIS exit (it might also say Mondavi Center or Old Davis Road) (if you hit downtown Davis/ Richardson exit you've gone tooooo far. The exit you want is just after the 113-N). You will go toward campus off the offramp (it's left/ north), and then after a bit the road curves right.
You will go past a little "Visitor Information" kiosk/shack, and just when you come level with a big ORANGE bldg on you right, there is a big new traffic CIRCLE: turn left (which means going around it 3π/2). There will be a YIELD sign where you go left onto California Ave (but I do not think it is marked, or they renamed this stretch ''La Rue"). (Don't go in the left turn lane too early at the shack, but if you don't turn left in time, you'll have a chance to turn around. If you hit the Mondavi Center you've gone too far).
You will go through one stop sign and after, cross over a little creek. Make a left on La Rue. There is no stop sign here, but it does say "Davis Loop". If you go too far it says "Not a Through Street". (On the other hand, to orient yourself, if you were to keep driving straight, the math building is like the 2nd building on your left.) Lot 46 will be the first lot on your right. Lot VP 47 is also on your right, just after Meyer Hall, and Lot 47A is a bit farther (but emptier).
Alternate Directions, corresponding to the following detailed map.
Drive on Interstate 80 East.
Just before reaching Davis, turn north on Highway 113 North (note that you will encounter the 113 South turn-off before reaching the 113 North turn-off).
Take Highway 113 North a short distance to its first exit at Hutchison Drive. Turn right on to Hutchison.
Drive (east) about 1/2 mile on Hutchison until you reach La Rue. Turn right on to LaRue.
Continue on LaRue around the left bend and turn left into Visitor Parking Lot 47.

Public transport:

The Amtrak train :
The station in Davis is located at 840 2nd St.. From here, walk about 8 blocks west, down 2nd Street, to campus. Then it is still a 15 minute walk to MSB. (See below)
Several faculty take the train regularly, so you might ask to connect with one of them.

If coming from the Bay Area, you may take BART to the Richmond stop, exit BART and cross the platform to Amtrak, and take a Capitol Corridor train to Davis. You may also catch an Amtrak train in Emeryville or the end of University Avenue in Berkeley (3rd and University). Tickets can be purchased from a vending-type-machine if the station has no conductor or even on the train itself (save your receipts!). But I recommend you buy at least a one-way online in advance; makes it easier. Some schedules are here. (Times are subject to change (last updated May17) -- check Amtrak website to be certain. Or phone 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). One can check train status at this number as well, most easily if you remember the train number, e.g. 526. In fact, I recommend train 528 which reaches Davis at 11:47am.)
The train ride is roughly 90 minutes, and the Davis station is quite near campus. While it often leaves from Berkeley/Richmond on time, it can pause on the way and get you into Davis a bit late, but still in plenty of time for your noon talk. The train is quite comfortable.

A possible option for going home is or was the Davis-Berkeley VanPool. I haven't checked since 2019 that this still holds, but back then one could: You can show up on the spot (at a parking lot near the Music Building , across from Shields Library) before 5:10pm and if there is room, pay about $12 and just ride it to El Cerrito Bart. It reaches there about 6:10pm. In the morning it leaves from a side street near BART at about 7 or 7:30am.

Once upon a time, There was a UCB-UCD shuttle, but I believe it has been discontinued, sadly.

Walking from the train to campus: Easy to navigate with a smartphone... From the train, walk west down 2nd street. (or bike if you brought your bike on the train!!!) You'll pass G, F, ... , eventually A Street. Then you will hit campus. Getting to MSB is now slightly windy. If you continue in pretty much a straight line, you will reach California Ave (En route you will pass the Quad on your left and Memorial Union on your right). Make a left on California and walk south for about 15 minutes. You will pass a traffic circle and the Silo/ Bike Barn. After that try to walk in as straight a line as possible, keeping Bainer on your right and Roessler on your left. The road will again become California Ave more clearly, and MSB will be on your right, just past Crocker. The following detailed map may be useful.