The Yangs

Sam Sweet

The annual honor roll of "Local Heroes" in the Nov. 25 edition of the Santa Barbara Independent weekly newspaper included Chancellor and Mrs. Henry T. Yang and UCSB ecologist Sam Sweet.

Dilling and Henry Yang were jointly named "local heroes" for their "extraordinary outreach during the last 10 years" to individuals and groups on campus and off. Their personal touch in supporting student and faculty activities was cited, their ardent cheering at Gaucho basketball games especially. "The Yangs have raised the stature of the college and inspired community pride," the paper said.

Samuel Sweet, associate professor of ecology, evolution, and marine biology, was named hero for "advancing science," primarily to help protect tiger salamanders and arroyo toads from extinction. Sweet’s free advice to property owners contemplating development and his collection of scientific data on amphibians were noted along with his teaching abilities.