2008  Alumni News

Eight Slugs receive prestigious Fulbright grants

UC Santa Cruz had eight Fulbright Program grantees in 2007-08--a feat it's only accomplished twice before in the past 15 years, and a higher ratio of accepted candidates versus applicants than many prestigious private universities.

Signing up--again: Another big donation from the McCrary family

For the second time, the McCrary family of Davenport has donated a massive redwood timber for UCSC's iconic sign.

UCSC Wind Ensemble to perform at Carnegie Hall

The UC Santa Cruz Wind Ensemble is set to perform at New York City's Carnegie Hall on February 15, 2009.

Green entrepreneur, urban advocate, author to address King Convocation Feb. 12

Van Jones, founding president of Green For All, a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress, and author of The Green Collar Economy, will speak at UC Santa Cruz's 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation February 12.

Nurturing Change: Nidya Ramirez works to empower those most in need

Alumna Nidya Ramirez feels a responsibility to help people in difficult circumstances --including immigrants, the poor and working class, refugees, children, and abused women.

A path of service: Joshua Karrasch helps a rapidly expanding student population--vets

Joshua Karrasch, a former Navy corpsman who spent a tour of duty treating patients in sweltering field hospitals in Kuwait, helped STARS develop a peer-mentor program for veterans.

Real-life heroes: Deutron Kebebew found mentors, then became one

Although Deutron Kebebew's life turned out to be something like a movie, it was not the one he had imagined.

Campus named Employer of the Year for longtime alliance with HOPE

UC Santa Cruz Dining was recently honored as Employer of the Year for being a longtime employer of people with developmental disabilities.

Oceans of data: Dan Costa tags along with marine animals

Dan Costa, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, studies how marine animals ranging from fur seals to dolphins to penguins make a living in the open ocean.

UCSC receives $150,000 grant for Jewish Studies program

UC Santa Cruz has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the David B. Gold Foundation to support a new project in the campus's Jewish Studies Program.

Professor's misty, dreamy photo is contest winner

The winner of the chancellor's on-campus photography contest is a dreamy scene of a misty path curving away out of sight into fog-enshrouded redwoods caught by Professor James Clifford of the History of Consciousness Department.

UCSC feminist studies professor featured in fall issue of Ms. magazine

UCSC feminist studies professor Bettina Aptheker is featured in the fall 2008 issue of <i>Ms.</i> magazine.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is upon us, and fall has fallen on campus. Beautiful scenery abounds, sometimes in the most seemingly mundane places.

Dining Services receives $5,000 grant for sustainability

UC Santa Cruz Dining won a $5,000 grant for its comprehensive approach to food service sustainability during the 2008 Greenbuild Expo.

Chancellor comments at Regents meeting on proposed state funding cuts to UC

Chancellor Blumenthal and two other UC chancellors briefed the UC Board of Regents at its meeting in San Francisco today on the implications of reduced funding for their campuses.

Campus wins accolades from green blog

UC Santa Cruz has been recognized in the Green College Spotlight section of green blog EarthFirst.

King Convocation planned for February; nominations open for Tony Hill Award

The 25th annual UCSC Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation will be held in February at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Nominations for the Tony Hill Award can be submitted through December 12.

Campus braces for more cuts

Mid-year budget cuts, recently announced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will force UC Santa Cruz to make even more reductions in operations than it already had planned after lawmakers slashed spending for UC in the initial state budget.

Newest Friends group wants you to be able to see, touch, smell history

UC Santa Cruz's newest Friends group, Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District, aims to protect historical evidence and significant structures on campus dating from the 19th century.

New Humanities building wins award

Hacker Associates AIA, the architectural firm UCSC collaborated with to create the Humanities buildings, was selected for a Merit Award by the Portland AIA for the campus's Humanities building complex.

Campus, community report on successes in reducing carbon footprint

UC Santa Cruz has made remarkable progress in reducing its carbon footprint, Chancellor Blumenthal said in his one-year Climate Action Compact report.

Alumnus John Rickford explains how linguists are working to solve the black/white achievement gap in American schools

More than 100 people filled the Stevenson Fireside Lounge on October 22 to hear Stanford linguistics professor and UCSC alum John Rickford discuss his research on the persistent achievement gap between black and white students in reading and the language

San Francisco mayor urges UCSC students to vote

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom made an appearance on campus Tuesday, drawing a crowd of approximately 300 students and others to the College 10 Multipurpose Room at lunchtime.

Founders Day dinner honors innovation, ideals, determination

The second annual UC Santa Cruz Founders Day gala dinner drew more than 350 people to the Cocoanut Grove Friday night to celebrate the founding ideals of the university and the outstanding accomplishments of three individuals with ties to UCSC.

Next president must scrutinize counterterrorism initiatives, says alumna Dana Priest

Alumna Dana Priest discussed national security issues before a capacity crowd in the Namaste Lounge on Friday.

Alumnus looks to expand support for innovative program

Victoria Wilder Eisenberg lived in more than 20 foster homes while she was growing up. Despite that formidable obstacle, last year Eisenberg reached a goal that only about 28 percent of Americans have attained: getting a bachelor's degree.

Frans Lanting's Origins to be performed at inauguration of Large Hadron Collider

Origins, a new multimedia production by UCSC Foundation Trustee Frans Lanting, will be performed October 21 at the inauguration of the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland.

Alumni on the Move: Chris Lauf (Porter '06, biology; jazz minor)

Flaming rocket balloons and potted cacti are among the props Chris Lauf uses to teach science while pedaling across Australia.

Student, mother, dreamer: Scholarship opens doors for Rachel Cordero

Rachel Cordero, a mother of two and a community college transfer student, was one of 34 undergraduates selected for a $3,000 Alumni Association Scholarship Fund award last year.

Campus welcomes new Regents Scholars, Pister Fellows

Vice Provost and Dean William Ladusaw welcomed this year's new Regents Scholars and Karl S. Pister Fellows at a luncheon reception held at the Cowell College Provost House on September 28.

And Trevor makes four! All four Sughrue kids choose UCSC

Trevor Sughrue is following in the footsteps of his three older siblings and enrolling at UCSC this fall.

Robin Toma: executive director of Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission

UCSC graduate Robin Toma says the values of social justice and equality he gained at Santa Cruz have guided his decisions and shaped his life's work.

Private donors step forward; giving up by 25 percent

Private donors gave $31.6 million to UC Santa Cruz during the 2007-08 academic year, a 25 percent increase over the previous year.

Chancellor provides progress report at Partners in Community event

UC Santa Cruz achieved a number of significant milestones during the last academic year and is poised to continue that progress in the coming year, Chancellor George Blumenthal reported at the second annual Partners in Community event, held last wee

Alumnus Joseph DeRisi wins $250,000 Heinz Award

UCSC alumnus Joseph DeRisi, whose breakthrough creation of a viral detection platform for malaria and other infectious diseases has helped advance biomedicine's ability to detect both existing and new viruses, has been selected to receive the 14th annual

Linguistics grad program at UCSC celebrates outstanding 22 years

This fall, UCSC's Ph.D. program in Linguistics enters its 22nd year of education, research and scholarship. In celebration of that milestone, the campus will host the "UC Santa Cruz Linguistics Alumni Conference" on September 12-13.

After nearly 45 years, new redwood sign graces main campus entrance

Out with the old and in with the new. After nearly 45 years of service, the iconic redwood sign at UCSC's main entrance has been replaced with a new iconic redwood sign. Campus crews hoisted the original off its concrete pedestal Monday morning and i

Anthropologist explores plausibility of bulbs and tubers in diet of early human ancestors

Anthropologist Nathaniel J. Dominy painstakingly measured the mechanical properties of nearly 100 plant species across sub-Saharan Africa as part of his investigation of the diet of early human ancestors.

Iraqi students explore science, technology, and American lifestyle at UCSC this summer

Seventeen students are participating in the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program at UCSC this summer during a six-week course sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in Washington, D.C. UCSC is one of only six universities in the natio

Community shows overwhelming support for UCSC research scientists

More than 200 community and campus members gathered at the UC Santa Cruz entrance Monday afternoon to show their support for scientific research at the university and denounce two recent firebombings targeting UCSC researchers.

Dickens Universe offers unforgettable intellectual retreat

The Dickens Universe combines elements of a research symposium, arts festival, book club, and summer camp all rolled into one big, unforgettable week of intellectual celebration.

UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures announces 2008-09 season

Linguistics students give demo of spoken dialogue systems at NASA Ames

Linguistics merged with computer science last week at a hands-on demonstration of spoken dialogue systems by UCSC students at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View.

Midwest factory tour brings learning to life for students of environmental policy

Educators who encourage their students to get out of the classroom don't typically direct them to steel mills, glass factories, and soda-pop bottling plants.

George R. Blumenthal inaugurated as UCSC chancellor in campus ceremony

George R. Blumenthal was inaugurated as the 10th chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, in a public ceremony on UCSC's East Field today (June 6, 2008).

Blumenthal lauded for 'visionary leadership,' deep knowledge of campus at inaugural ceremony

A heady feeling of optimism seemed to run as high as the ceiling of the enormous pavilion erected on UCSC's East Field for the inauguration of George Blumenthal as UCSC's 10th chancellor.

Campus provost gives early outline of budget cuts

UC Santa Cruz will need to cut between $7 million and $12.3 million from its 2008-2009 budget, Campus Provost and Executive Vice chancellor Dave Kliger told the Academic Senate Friday.

UCSC receives NEA grant to celebrate poetry of environmental advocate Robinson Jeffers

UC Santa Cruz is one of three California organizations who received grants today from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to celebrate the poetry of Robinson Jeffers.

New edition of 'Natural History' is a love letter to campus

After nearly 25 years, a new edition of The Natural History of the UC Santa Cruz Campus was released this month. The book is lovingly assembled and packed with easily digestible information and more than 125 photos, drawings, diagrams, and maps.

UC Santa Cruz awarded $700,000 challenge grant from Kresge Foundation for McHenry Library construction

UC Santa Cruz has been awarded a $700,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation toward the construction and modernization of McHenry Library.

Week of events spotlights student achievement

Hundreds of UCSC students will be honored for their outstanding work in research and academic achievement during Student Achievement Week, taking place May 31-June 6.

Most teen girls still experience sexual harassment and sexism, according to new study

Nine of 10 teen girls report experiencing sexual harassment, and majorities also say they have received discouraging comments about their abilities in school and athletics, according to a new study that appears in the May/June issue of the journal <i>Chil

UCSC alumnus wins annual student-journalism award from Chronicle of Higher Education

Sam Laird--a 2007 UCSC graduate with a degree in American Studies--has been awarded the fifth annual "David W. Miller Award for Student Journalists" by the <i>Chronicle of Higher Education</i>. Laird received the $2,500 prize for three articles he had pu

UC Santa Cruz to lead pioneering study of pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains

A pioneering study of pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains will generate unprecedented insights into the behavior of one of the region's top predators.

Alumni flock to campus for Reunion Weekend 2008

The mood was as sunny as the skies on Saturday, when hundreds of alumni returned to campus for Reunion Weekend 2008.

Renee Tajima-Peña's film wins documentary prize at film festival, premieres May 4

Renee Tajima-Peña's film <i>Calavera Highway</i>, named the best television documentary by the San Francisco International Film Festival, will premiere during the festival on Sunday, May 4, at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas.

Innovation seen emerging from new 'smooshes'

John Kao is a fan of mashing things up to create "new smooshes." "That's where real innovation comes from," says Kao, defining a "smoosh" as new collaborations or combinations. "New knowledge begins to emerge at the margins of traditional disciplines,

Grateful Dead donates archives to UC Santa Cruz

At a press conference in San Francisco on April 24, members of the Grateful Dead announced that the band will donate its archives to the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Americans willing to sacrifice to reduce gap between rich and poor, doctoral candidate finds

Contrary to the stereotype of Americans as self-interested individualists, the majority care more about growing economic inequality than we've been led to expect, and many would sacrifice personal gain for the well-being of others, according to research b

Campus hosts Black Brown Roundtable

Activists from within and outside the university came together April 19 to discuss relations among African Americans and Latinos.

Tune in for the latest from the Social Documentation Program

Briana O'Higgins is a public radio junkie.

UCSC students team up with public radio producer Nikki Silva

For eight lucky students last quarter, award winning independent radio producer Nikki Silva offered the ideal blend of inspiration, instruction, and encouragement.

Alumnus-lecturer creates Renaissance-style paintings for Wisconsin church

Go East, young man: Alumnus Mark Headley says UCSC prepared him for work he never dreamed of--investing in Asia

When he graduated from UCSC in 1983, Mark Headley (B.A. politics and economics, Stevenson College) had a mean fencing game and a deep understanding of the political and economic factors shaping Asia.

UCSC alumna Dana Priest wins Pulitzer Prize for Walter Reed exposé

Dana Priest, the <i>Washington Post</i> reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for her work exposing the government's secret 'black site' prisons, has won journalism's highest honor again, this time for her exposé of the mistreatment of wounded veteran

Social psychologist Thomas Pettigrew receives faculty award from Division of Social Sciences

Social psychologist Thomas Pettigrew's pathbreaking research on racism has earned him international honors as well as the admiration of his peers at UC Santa Cruz, who have named him the recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Social Sciences Emeriti Faculty

Meet George Blumenthal: UCSC's 10th chancellor is focused on the campus's future

In a recent conversation, George Blumenthal looks to the future and reflects on UCSC's past and its evolution as a nationally ranked university. His inauguration is set for June 6.

McHenry Library moves its way into the 21st century

Over spring break, University Librarian Virginia Steel oversaw the move of materials from the original McHenry Library into the library's recently opened new addition.

Maximum Fun: Alum Jesse Thorn woos young listeners with a new brand of radio show

Jesse Thorn (B.A. American studies, Porter '03) has gone national with "The Sound of Young America," which first aired at UCSC in 1999.

Engineering Hope: UCSC bioelectronics engineer designs prostheses that promise to change lives

Wentai Liu is an electronics wizard whose work is enabling the development of devices once found only in the realm of science fiction--miniaturized electronic implants to restore vision, movement, and other biological functions lost to disease or injury.

Rx for Health Care: Graduates of UCSC's innovative health sciences program are good medicine for California's ailing health-care system

Diego Inzunza grabbed a laptop on his way past the laboratory inside Plazita Medical Clinic, where jaunty Mexican music danced from a large speaker on the counter. Holding the computer open like a clamshell in one hand, the 21-year-old UC Santa Cruz stude

Board of Regents selects Mark Yudof to be next UC president

In a message to the UCSC community, Chancellor George Blumenthal announces the appointment of Mark G. Yudof as president of the University of California.

Blood and Oil: New environmental studies class proves popular with students

In only two years, the new class <i>Blood and Oil: Energy, the Middle East, and War</i> has become legendary on campus.

Inauguration of Chancellor Blumenthal to take place Friday, June 6

Innovation, education to be focus of Intellectual Forum and Alumni Vintners Wine Reception

Innovation guru John Kao, Silicon Valley leader Shellye Archambeau, historian and political pundit Victor Davis Hanson (Cowell '75), and <i>New York Times</i> senior editor Katy Roberts (Kresge '74) will participate in the Intellectual Forum and Alumni Vi

Mark G. Yudof recommended for position of UC president

The committee conducting the search for the next University of California president is recommending to the Board of Regents that Mark G. Yudof, currently head of the University of Texas system, be appointed to lead the UC system.

UC Santa Cruz honors Joseph Berney with Distinguished Social Sciences Alumni Award

Innovative educator and social justice advocate Joseph Berney has received the 2008 Distinguished Social Sciences Alumni Award from the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Biotech students learn about neglected diseases from alumna Nina Grove

As director of the malaria program at the Institute for OneWorld Health, alumna Nina Grove is involved in a unique public health project that is applying the tools of the biotechnology industry to the battle against one of the most devastating diseases in

Alumna Dana Priest wins major journalism award for Walter Reed exposé

Pulitzer Prize-winning <i>Washington Post</i> reporter Dana Priest (B.A. politics, 1981) and her colleague Anne Hull have won the prestigious 2008 Selden Ring award for their exposé of deplorable conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

UCSC holding its own in recycling challenge

Week four of the nationwide RecycleMania competition is now in the can, and UCSC is reducing, reusing, and recycling its way to some impressive standings in its rookie year in the challenge.

Doctoral candidate heading to DC after graduation

Lauren Malone will be heading to Washington, D.C., after earning a Ph.D. in economics this spring.

Award-winning journalist Alexander Stille to be keynote speaker at statewide Italian Studies conference hosted by UCSC

Award-winning author and journalist Alexander Stille will be the keynote speaker at a statewide conference presented by the California Interdisciplinary Consortium for Italian Studies at UC Santa Cruz, February 29-March 1.

Alums teach UCSC film students about life in the movie biz

Four successful alums in the film industry returned to campus on February 2 for a roundtable discussion on how to succeed in the business of making movies.

UCSC's Banana Slug among ESPN's top 10 best team names

UCSC's Banana Slug mascot has been named among the top 10 best team nicknames in college basketball by ESPN Sports Travel.

UC Santa Cruz is first UC campus to contribute books for Google digital library project

Undergraduate offers empowerment classes for girls at three Santa Cruz middle schools

In a unique town-gown collaboration, a UCSC undergraduate has teamed up with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education to offer empowerment classes to girls at three local middle schools.

Graduate student's film featured at Sundance Film Festival

Documentary filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura can't wait to see his film screened at the Sundance Film Festival. He just wishes he could get his hands on enough tickets for all his friends and family.

UC Santa Cruz professor investigates the extraordinary power of insults

Chancellor, provost provide update on campus actions related to protest

UCSC's chancellor and campus provost provide an update on campus actions that occurred during campus closure related to the illegal actions at the site of the proposed Biomedical Sciences building on Science Hill.

Undergraduate makes the most of opportunities at UCSC

Overcoming obstacles and pursuing her dreams are two of the life skills Katie Roper says she acquired at UCSC, where several professors encouraged her to take a hands-on approach to her education.