Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of Face to Face, Chancellor Gary S. May welcomes Alyssa Weakley, an Alzheimer’s disease researcher and assistant professor in the UC Davis Health Department of Neurology, to explore how innovative technology is transforming care for older adults living with dementia and cognitive impairment.
Inspired by her grandmother’s experience living independently with cognitive challenges, Professor Weakley discusses developing a user-friendly app to help older adults manage daily activities and maintain independence. She also talks about its support for remote caregiving, allowing family members to assist from afar with easy-to-use communication and collaboration tools.
Beyond her groundbreaking federally funded research and formative training at Washington State University, Professor Weakley shares her favorite fall memories from growing up on a cranberry farm, her go-to Sacramento restaurants and what’s on her playlist (spoiler: it’s kid-approved).
Topics to watch:
0:00 - Intro
1:12 - New technology for Alzheimer’s and dementia research
2:50 - Promoting independence through remote caregiving
3:56 - The power of National Science Foundation-funded research support
4:47 - The power of cross-disciplinary research
5:52 - Mentoring students and getting them involved in dementia research training
6:50 - Federal funding and early-career challenges
9:55 - Hot Seat: best brain health activity, go-to Sacramento restaurants
13:44 - Chancellor’s advice for early-career researchers
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about neuroscience, caregiving and the importance of UC Davis research collaborations that improve lives.
Read more about UC Davis’ impact in Alzheimer’s research and service programs: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/chancell-ing-finding-a-cure-for-Alzheimer%27s
*About From Labs to Lives*
In our From Labs to Lives series, UC Davis researchers describe the impact of their work and the consequences if federal funding for medical research were reduced or eliminated. Our research strengthens the U.S. economy and drives innovation in science and medicine. By finding new treatments and preventing illness, our work saves lives.
More at: https://www.ucdavis.edu/research/labs-to-lives?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*About UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May*
Gary S. May became UC Davis’ seventh chancellor on Aug. 1, 2017. An accomplished scholar and engineer, May came to UC Davis from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
More at: https://leadership.ucdavis.edu/chancellor/gary-s-may?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*Follow Chancellor May*
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chancellormay.bsky.social
Facebook: facebook.com/ChancellorMay
Instagram: instagram.com/chancellor.may
Twitter/X: https://x.com/chancellor_may
*All UC Davis Podcasts and Shows*
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/podcasts-and-shows?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*Check Out UC Davis*
Website: https://www.ucdavis.edu/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
Virtual campus tour: https://www.ucdavis.edu/about/visit/campus-virtual-tour/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*About UC Davis*
Since the beginning, we’ve outgrown expectations. Established in 1908 as a university farm, UC Davis has continually branched out, challenged the way things are done, and gained recognition for solving complex problems related to health, environment, culture and society. Our 5,300-acre campus borders the city of Davis, a vibrant college town of about 68,000 people in Yolo County.
UC Davis is among the most comprehensive campuses in the University of California system, with four colleges and six professional schools that offer over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 graduate and professional degrees. UC Davis enrolls about 40,000 students from over 110 countries and contributes at least $13 billion to the California economy each year. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the university exceeded $1 billion in research funding for the third consecutive year, cementing its reputation as a tier one research university.
*Subscribe to UC Davis*
youtube.com/@UCDavis
#FederalFunding #neuroscience #Alzheimersresearch
Get involved and learn more at: https://www.ucdavis.edu/research/labs-to-lives
In this episode of Face to Face, Chancellor Gary S. May welcomes Alyssa Weakley, an Alzheimer’s disease researcher and assistant professor in the UC Davis Health Department of Neurology, to explore how innovative technology is transforming care for older adults living with dementia and cognitive impairment.
Inspired by her grandmother’s experience living independently with cognitive challenges, Professor Weakley discusses developing a user-friendly app to help older adults manage daily activities and maintain independence. She also talks about its support for remote caregiving, allowing family members to assist from afar with easy-to-use communication and collaboration tools.
Beyond her groundbreaking federally funded research and formative training at Washington State University, Professor Weakley shares her favorite fall memories from growing up on a cranberry farm, her go-to Sacramento restaurants and what’s on her playlist (spoiler: it’s kid-approved).
Topics to watch:
0:00 - Intro
1:12 - New technology for Alzheimer’s and dementia research
2:50 - Promoting independence through remote caregiving
3:56 - The power of National Science Foundation-funded research support
4:47 - The power of cross-disciplinary research
5:52 - Mentoring students and getting them involved in dementia research training
6:50 - Federal funding and early-career challenges
9:55 - Hot Seat: best brain health activity, go-to Sacramento restaurants
13:44 - Chancellor’s advice for early-career researchers
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about neuroscience, caregiving and the importance of UC Davis research collaborations that improve lives.
Read more about UC Davis’ impact in Alzheimer’s research and service programs: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/chancell-ing-finding-a-cure-for-Alzheimer%27s
*About From Labs to Lives*
In our From Labs to Lives series, UC Davis researchers describe the impact of their work and the consequences if federal funding for medical research were reduced or eliminated. Our research strengthens the U.S. economy and drives innovation in science and medicine. By finding new treatments and preventing illness, our work saves lives.
More at: https://www.ucdavis.edu/research/labs-to-lives?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*About UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May*
Gary S. May became UC Davis’ seventh chancellor on Aug. 1, 2017. An accomplished scholar and engineer, May came to UC Davis from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
More at: https://leadership.ucdavis.edu/chancellor/gary-s-may?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*Follow Chancellor May*
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chancellormay.bsky.social
Facebook: facebook.com/ChancellorMay
Instagram: instagram.com/chancellor.may
Twitter/X: https://x.com/chancellor_may
*All UC Davis Podcasts and Shows*
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/podcasts-and-shows?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*Check Out UC Davis*
Website: https://www.ucdavis.edu/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
Virtual campus tour: https://www.ucdavis.edu/about/visit/campus-virtual-tour/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=chancellor_fltl
*About UC Davis*
Since the beginning, we’ve outgrown expectations. Established in 1908 as a university farm, UC Davis has continually branched out, challenged the way things are done, and gained recognition for solving complex problems related to health, environment, culture and society. Our 5,300-acre campus borders the city of Davis, a vibrant college town of about 68,000 people in Yolo County.
UC Davis is among the most comprehensive campuses in the University of California system, with four colleges and six professional schools that offer over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 graduate and professional degrees. UC Davis enrolls about 40,000 students from over 110 countries and contributes at least $13 billion to the California economy each year. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the university exceeded $1 billion in research funding for the third consecutive year, cementing its reputation as a tier one research university.
*Subscribe to UC Davis*
youtube.com/@UCDavis
#FederalFunding #neuroscience #Alzheimersresearch
Get involved and learn more at: https://www.ucdavis.edu/research/labs-to-lives
