2019  Community News

Raising awareness of ‘deficit thinking’

Undergraduate researcher works to combat harmful perceptions many first-generation students experience

Collective boost for Slug Support

UCSC celebrates success of Giving Tuesday fundraiser focused on student basic needs

UC Santa Cruz establishes new Center for the Middle East and North Africa

A new interdisciplinary Center for the Middle East and North Africa, directed by associate professor of history Jennifer Derr, will focus on the culture, history, and politics of the region.

Nine UCSC speakers join TEDx Santa Cruz extravaganza Dec. 7

Nine UCSC affiliates will join novelist Jonathan Franzen and a host of other speakers for TEDx Santa Cruz, a daylong extravaganza focused this year on the "Art of Hope," on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Coastal fog linked to high levels of mercury found in mountain lions, study finds

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have discovered elevated levels of mercury in mountain lions, the latest indication that the neurotoxin is being carried in fog, deposited on the land, and making its way up the food chain.

Giving Tuesday to support student basic needs

The fall quarter is sprinting toward its finish, some desperately needed rain is on the horizon, and soon we will all have a short break from our work and studies, hopefully to spend time with family and friends.

2019 photo contest winners

There were over 100 entries this year in the chancellor's holiday photo contest. Here are the winners.

Rachel Carson College: Training the green generation

UC Santa Cruz’s eighth college is a haven for sustainability-minded, environmentally conscious students hoping to lead and empower others .

Upcoming workshops on Long Range Development Plan

UC Santa Cruz will hold a series of workshops to discuss the future of UC Santa Cruz campus land use, including progress to date and next steps. 

Exploring the impact and ethics of the Frankenstein phenomena

UCSC will present "The Frankenstein Project," a modern theatrical adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein story, plus "FrankenCon"-- a three-day conference featuring scientists, theorists, authors, and artists, plus film screenings.

Lick Observatory continues popular program for Spanish-speaking community

‘La Noche de las Estrellas’ at Lick Observatory brings science to Spanish-speaking students and their families.

Launch party for children's book 'Looking for Marla' November 15 at MAH

UCSC graduate students Paloma Medina and Jessica Kendall-Bar and alumna Audrey Ford collaborated on the illustrated tale of a clownfish in transition.

Award-winning poet Gary Soto to read at 10th annual Morton Marcus memorial event

Award-winning poet and novelist Gary Soto will be the featured guest at the 10th annual Morton Marcus Poetry Reading, Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m. in the UCSC Music Recital Hall.

Faculty diversity, retention supported by new grants

About a third of faculty searches across four academic divisions will be included in a new pilot program, while a research team will assess and rethink leadership opportunities.

'Solitary Garden' imagines a landscape without prisons

'Solitary Garden'—a yearlong public art project created to protest solitary confinement and mass incarceration—opens at UC Santa Cruz with a public reception on November 5 at the Baskin Arts Studios. It will run on campus through Dec. 6, 2020.

First generation, lasting impact

Funding from Jacques M. Littlefield Foundation is helping first-generation students succeed and generating research on practices that can support students across the country

Campus conference to honor renowned late UC Santa Cruz historian Hayden White

UCSC will present a conference in honor of the influential late historian on November 1-2 at the Merrill Cultural Center. Scholars from a wide range of disciplines will participate in an effort to channel the vital, open-ended, iconoclastic spirit of White, professor emeritus in the History of Consciousness Department.

Institute of the Arts and Sciences kicks off 2019-20 Traction: Art Talks speaker series

'Traction: Art Talks' is a twice-quarterly artist speaker series launched by UCSC’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences in 2017. The goal is to introduce students and the public to some of the most important artists working today.

Dee Hibbert-Jones receives 2019 International Documentary Association grant for new animated film

UC Santa Cruz professor of art Dee Hibbert-Jones has won a 2019 International Documentary Association (IDA) grant for "Run With It"--an animated documentary film she is currently working on in collaboration with San Francisco artist Nomi Talisman.

'A Conversation about Oliver Sacks' to feature alumnus Lawrence Weschler and Radiolab’s Robert Krulwich

Celebrated writer and UC Santa Cruz alumnus Lawrence Weschler will join Radiolab’s Robert Krulwich for a public conversation about the late neurologist and acclaimed author Oliver Sacks on October 21, at 7 p.m. in the Music Center Recital Hall.

Litquake Santa Cruz to offer 'Funny & Peculiar: Santa Cruz Writers on Keeping It Weird'

In honor of its 20th anniversary, "Litquake," San Francisco’s annual literary festival, has created 20 new events in 20 cities across the country outside of San Francisco. One of those events will take place at Bookshop Santa Cruz on October 15, co-presented by The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

A helping hand from Retirees Association

UC Santa Cruz Retirees Association Silver Slug scholarships benefit UC Santa Cruz staff or their children

New Human Rights Lab trains students to investigate wrongdoing

The new Human Rights Lab went live this fall with 19 students who have learned high-tech, digital-verification skills they will use to investigate alleged human rights abuses around the globe.

Campus receives $1.5 million from state for 'Basic Needs' programs

An infusion of state funds is enabling the campus to expand its "basic needs" programs, including initiatives to make free food available on campus seven days a week and to help students who need emergency housing assistance.

Kresge renewal project kicks off

This October, UC Santa Cruz will start construction on the first phase of its Kresge renewal project, with plans to add a new academic building and residence halls to the college, refurbish existing buildings, and provide accessibility

UC Santa Cruz announces lineup for Fall 2019 Living Writers Series

"Autobiography, Fairy Tales, The Future" is the name of this fall’s installment of the Living Writers Series at UC Santa Cruz. Curated by Micah Perks, professor of literature and co-director of the Creative Writing Program, the series runs through December 5 at the Humanities Lecture Hall.

Jack Baskin at 100

UC Santa Cruz celebrates the centenary of Jack Baskin, a pivotal donor whose generosity has shaped the university and benefited causes throughout the Monterey Bay area

UCSC’s Sesnon Gallery to feature works by Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Ai Weiwei

Limited edition works by Andy Warhol, Ai Weiwei, Cindy Sherman, and more than a dozen other influential internationally known contemporary artists will be on display at a new exhibition opening this fall at the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery.

Sustainable aquaculture initiative lands $245,000 federal grant

Anne Kapuscinski, professor of environmental studies and director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program, has received a $245,000 federal grant that will support her team’s work driving efforts to make aquaculture more sustainable.

Youth activism is on the rise around the globe, and adults should pay attention, says author

Greta and Malala get the headlines, but Jessica Taft says that for every young leader pictured on a magazine cover, thousands more are working tirelessly for causes like climate justice, racial and gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and economic change.

Jolie Kerns appointed director for Physical & Environmental Planning Services

Jolie Kerns is an experienced licensed architect, LEED certified professional and skilled leader in large-scale institutional projects and campus planning.

UC Santa Cruz among Sierra magazine's top 25 cool schools  

Reflecting a campuswide commitment to the long-term health of the Earth, UC Santa Cruz is among Sierra magazine's top 25 "Cool Schools" for 2019. 

UC Santa Cruz ranks as a top worldwide research university

UC Santa Cruz is among the top 200 research universities in the world, according to the latest analysis published by Times Higher Education (THE).

Celebrated author and master storyteller Malcolm Gladwell to discuss ‘Talking to Strangers’

Why does a routine traffic stop end in tragedy? How can a spy spend years hidden at the highest levels of the Pentagon? Why is it so hard to detect a lie or judge a stranger's motives? On Sept. 21, The Humanities Institute and Bookshop Santa Cruz, will present “An Evening with Malcolm Gladwell” at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.

Farm hosts organic ag research tour for Congressman Jimmy Panetta

It was a beautiful September morning when Congressman Jimmy Panetta visited the UCSC Farm to hear from leading researchers in the field of organic agriculture.

UCSC’s Genomics Institute settles into new Delaware Avenue headquarters

The move to 2300 Delaware Ave. coincides with the formal establishment of the Genomics Institute as an Organized Research Unit at UC Santa Cruz.

Major NSF grant supports research on soil fungi

Kai Zhu, an assistant professor of environmental studies, has received a $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the biodiversity and distribution of soil fungi across North America.

Summer enrollment numbers continue to grow

Summer enrollment grew for the third year in a row at UC Santa Cruz Summer Session with more than 5,999 students taking summer classes. This is the highest recorded summer enrollment, about a 16 percent increase from last year.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead to read from his new novel

Colson Whitehead became a literary phenomenon after the publication of "The Underground Railroad" in 2016, a work of speculative fiction about a young woman who escapes a life of slavery on a Georgia plantation and heads north on a subterranean train...

Finding his way—with a little help

All alumnus Patrick Bailey needed was some support, which he found in the Summer Research Experience program at UC Santa Cruz; this year, he defied the odds by earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology, and is now doing cancer research.

Master gardener Orin Martin authors new book, Fruit Trees for Every Garden

The beautifully illustrated and lovingly written new book Fruit Trees for Every Garden is not your standard how-to book.

Crown College: Science-minded, socially mindful

Crown College, known for its science culture, enhances the student experience through academic innovation, ample research opportunities, and courses that make students think beyond their fields of study.

Theater Arts professor Gerald Casel receives National Dance Project grant

Associate professor of theater arts Gerald Casel has received a grant from the National Dance Project to create a new work titled "Not About Race Dance." His project is one of 20 selected for funding to support the creation of new dance works that will tour the United States in 2020.

Are the arts at the center of software’s evolution?

In his new book, The Software Arts, UC Santa Cruz professor Warren Sack presents an alternative history of computing that puts the arts at the center of software’s evolution.

UCSC researchers awarded a record number of patents last year

UC Santa Cruz researchers were awarded 26 new patents in the last fiscal year, a record number for the campus.

Researchers enlist citizen scientists to count animals on Año Nuevo Island

Volunteers will use drone photos uploaded to the Zooniverse platform to count birds, seals, and sea lions for an unprecedented census of the island.

Driven by research excellence, UC Santa Cruz ranks among top 50 public universities

Rankings released Aug. 5 show that UC Santa Cruz is No. 45 among U.S. public universities, No. 78 among all U.S. higher education institutions, and No. 208 in the world.

UCSC’s Humanities Institute and Cabrillo Festival partner to present ‘Community Night’

A special evening of music designed specifically for Santa Cruz community members by the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music will take place on August 8 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, presented in collaboration with The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

New book by Dana Frank tells personal story of resistance, terror, and U.S. policy in Honduras

"The Long Honduran Night" is the latest book by UC Santa Cruz emerita professor of history, Dana Frank. One of the top academic experts on Honduras in the United States, she tells the dramatic story of life in that country after the military coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya in June 2009.

Donna Haraway elected to Fellowship of the British Academy

Donna Haraway, distinguished professor emerita in the History of Consciousness Department at UC Santa Cruz, is joining a community of more than 1,400 scholars who currently make up the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences.

In Memoriam: Stephen Hauskins

Stephen Hauskins, UCSC Information Technology Services (ITS) staff member, passed away peacefully at Dominican Hospital on July 14, 2019.

Dream job: Combining science and illustration

Ph.D. student Jessica Kendall-Bar is fascinated by how wild marine mammals sleep, and also passionate about using art to explain science.

The 2019 Dickens Universe explores a tale of two riots with students from South LA

One of the highlights at this year’s Dickens Universe will be a featured exhibit coming to the campus from Los Angeles along with Jacqueline Barrios, who is using a Dickens novel to explore the impact and history of the Los Angeles riots of 1992 with her high school students.

UCSC emerita professor Angela Davis to be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, The National Women’s Hall of Fame will host a weekend in New York honoring the achievements of women in the birthplace of the Women’s Rights movement. The highlight will be the induction of 10 prominent women into the Hall of Fame.

Volunteers sought for United Way’s Stuff the Bus campaign

The United Way is seeking volunteers to help with its annual Stuff the Bus campaign, which distributes new backpacks and school supplies to ensure students start school ready to learn with the tools they need to succeed.

UC Santa Cruz founding faculty member Jasper Rose dies at age 89

Jasper Rose, a founding faculty member of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a professor emeritus of art and history, died on June 12, 2019, in Bath, England, where he had lived in recent years. He was 89.

Alumna’s film about Syrian refugees wins Audience Award for Best Feature at SF DocFest

We Are Not Princesses, the first feature film by UC Santa Cruz alumna Bridgette Auger (SocDoc ’11), was honored with the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2019 San Francisco Documentary Film Festival.

UC Santa Cruz establishes interdisciplinary Southeast Asia research center

A $1 million grant from the Henry Luce Foundation will establish a new Center for Southeast Asian Coastal Interactions (SEACoast) at UC Santa Cruz that will bring together scholars from the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences to address the region's challenges.

Three UC Santa Cruz faculty honored with Dickson Emeriti Professorships

Leta Miller, professor emeritus of music, Linda Burman-Hall, research professor in cultural musicology and Diane Gifford-Gonzalez, distinguished research professor of anthropology, were each awarded Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professorships in recognition of their outstanding achievements in scholarship and teaching.

Phil Hammack helps shape Exploratorium's exhibition about identity

Psychology Professor Phil Hammack was thrilled to be invited to help plan a new exhibition at the Exploratorium about identity.

Feminist studies professor Gina Dent receives Dizikes Award for teaching in Humanities

Professor of feminist studies Gina Dent was presented with the John Dizikes Teaching Award in Humanities at the Division’s 2019 Spring Awards celebration held at the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn.

Startup presentations featured at SVLink Open House on June 18

SVLink, a startup incubator-accelerator located at the Silicon Valley Campus, is now fully subscribed.

UCSC celebrates graduation of first Feminist Studies Ph.D.s

Erin McElroy and Veronika Zablotsky will be the first students to graduate from UC Santa Cruz with a Ph.D. in Feminist Studies.

Undergrad gets her hands dirty learning about redwoods

For Lilianne de la Espriella, doing independent, hands-on research as an undergraduate meant literally getting her hands dirty.

A winning combination

Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program provides students with work experience while campus benefits

UCSC scientists study rare beaked whale stranded at Scott Creek Beach

The Hubb's beaked whale is one of the rarest and least studied marine mammal species in the world.

Gifts accelerate research, from the galactic to the microscopic

Gifts from Ken and Gloria Levy support biomedical discovery that may help cancer patients as well as research on dark matter halos, some of the universe’s largest structures

Social Sciences recognizes students for excellence in scholarship

Students, faculty, staff, and donors of the Division of Social Sciences gathered Friday, May 31, to celebrate excellence in student scholarship and creativity.

Library awarded grant to digitize 670 tapes from Cabrillo Music Festival

UC Santa Cruz has received a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources to digitize 670 audio recordings featuring a wide variety of works performed at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music from 1964 to 1990.

Alumni Excursion: Sea change, up close and personal

A curated trip called "The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Life" offered attendees a detailed look into how UC Santa Cruz researchers are contributing to the discussion of climate change and its direct impact on marine ecosystems.

Sociology PhD candidate named UC Free Speech Fellow

Saugher Nojan, a PhD candidate in sociology, has been selected as a 2019-20 fellow of the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

Feminist Studies to present ‘Indigeneity & Climate Justice’ conference at Arboretum

The Feminist Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz will present "Indigeneity & Climate Justice," a two-day conference at the Arboretum on May 30-31. Organized by professors Karen Barad and Felicity Amaya Schaeffer, it will feature three keynote speakers and a graduate student panel, plus a tour of the Arboretum.

Astrophysicist Natalie Batalha will give annual Mandel Lecture on June 5

Free public talk will focus on Batalha's research on exoplanets and the search for life on other planets.

Bettina Aptheker to moderate panel on impact of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz has joined forces with Bookshop Santa Cruz and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music to present 'My Own Words: The Law & Legacy of RBG'--a panel discussion and Community Read kickoff event in downtown Santa Cruz.

Cynthia Larive to become 11th chancellor of UC Santa Cruz

The University of California Board of Regents approved Dr. Cynthia K. Larive as the eleventh chancellor of UC Santa Cruz. Currently the provost and executive vice chancellor at UC Riverside, Larive has served the UC community for nearly a decade and a half as a faculty member, administrator and leader.

UC Cooperative Extension hires first organic specialist

For the first time, the University of California has hired a Cooperative Extension specialist dedicated to organic agriculture: Joji Muramoto, a longtime research associate with the University of California Santa Cruz, will coordinate a statewide program focused on the organic production of strawberries and vegetables.

First Faculty Ethics Bowl at UC Santa Cruz to focus on the future

What role should thinking about the far future—1,000 years ahead and beyond—play in research on campus? That’s the key question that will be discussed at "Ethics and the Far Future"--the first UC Santa Cruz Faculty Ethics Bowl.

Great expectations and the general magic of failure

A new film by Dickens Universe regular and benefactor Mike Stern is the story of a little-known company that set in motion much of our technological world

Engage with "alternative Nobel" laureates this spring and summer

UC Santa Cruz is hosting a week-long summer institute with Right Livelihood Award laureate Nicanor Perlas, who received the "alternative Nobel" in 2003 for his work opposing corporate globalization.

UCSC partners with LA Museum of Art for symposium on work of arts professor Isaac Julien

UC Santa Cruz is collaborating with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to present a daylong symposium on the works of influential British filmmaker and installation artist, Isaac Julien, who recently joined the campus as a distinguished professor of the arts.

The healing power of yoga

Powerful Netflix documentary 'I Am Maris' explores student Maris Degener’s fall into anorexia, her discovery of yoga as a healing tool, and her eventual recovery.

College-bound students celebrate at the Civic Auditorium

More than 200 students from regional high schools attended a first-ever UC-sponsored celebration for college-bound students at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

Enrollment opens for UCSC Summer Session

Open enrollment is underway for UC Santa Cruz Summer Session, which offers a wide range of classes and online courses across multiple departments.

Undergraduate with a love for politics eager to give back

Inspired by the election of President Barack Obama and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Davon Thomas is forging his own path through the political sphere, currently serving as the vice president of External Affairs for the Student Union Assembly.

Campus community lobbies state leaders for increased funding

The all-day lobbying trip to Sacramento included meetings with California Senator Bill Monning, Assemblymember Mark Stone and senior advisors to Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins. In all, the campus delegation met with 15 different lawmakers or key staff members.

Regina Langhout honored for advocacy on behalf of those at risk of deportation

Regina Langhout, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is being recognized for her leadership in community psychology on behalf of people at risk of deportation.

Explore the "superbloom" in Santa Cruz County

A new Field Guide to Plants of UC Santa Cruz makes exploring the landscapes of the campus—and the county—fun and rewarding.

Engineering speaker series highlights diverse voices in tech

The speaker series is part of a larger effort to get a more diverse population interested in engineering as a field of study and technology as a career.

Night at the Museum in Silicon Valley to spotlight Anti-Semitism and the Internet

What is the relationship between anti-Semitism and the Internet? On May 9, The Humanities Institute and the Center for Jewish Studies will present 'UC Santa Cruz Night at the Museum: Anti-Semitism & the Internet—Old Hatred and New' at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.

Can a drone weigh an elephant seal?

Undergrad’s innovative research may lead to new methods of weighing seals, expanding our understanding of the mammals and the oceans

Arts professor Robin Hunicke appears on 'Project Runway' episode focused on female video game characters

UC Santa Cruz arts professor Robin Hunicke made a special appearance on 'Project Runway' last week. She served as a guest judge on the popular reality television show for an episode where the participants were tasked with designing their own powerful female video game characters.

Smith Society celebrates 20 years and unparalleled success

On its 20th anniversary, the Smith Society pays tribute to a remarkable intergenerational community that has provided social mobility and a sense of family, making a college degree possible for hundreds of students

Making art in trying times: DANM exhibition examines culture, society, and the digital world

Thirteen graduate students from the Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. program (DANM) will conclude two years of artistic study at UC Santa Cruz with "Receivership"—an exhibition of their work running on campus April 26 to May 12.

April 20 DUI checkpoint and law enforcement efforts

Members of the UC Santa Cruz community and campus neighbors, please be advised there is the potential for traffic disruptions and hazards during the afternoon of Saturday, April 20 because of the unsanctioned gathering known as “4–20”. The greatest impact is expected from 3–6 p.m.

From scholarship to achievement, five grads make their mark

The five recipients of the 2019 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni Award exemplify the diverse ways in which the former graduate students have translated their scholarship into an appreciable impact in various fields.

UC Santa Cruz philosophy alumnus Jeffrey Stewart wins 2019 Pulitzer Prize for biography

UC Santa Cruz alumnus Jeffrey Conrad Stewart (Cowell College ’71, philosophy) has been awarded the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for "The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke," his definitive biography of the father of the Harlem Renaissance.

Help identifying person-of-interest in car burglaries

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is asking for the community's help in identifying a person-of-interest in connection with a rash of campus car burglaries.

Admissions director forged path as first-gen college student

Blia Yang, the director of undergraduate admissions, may very well be the first Hmong admissions director in the state—or at least the UC system.

'Hi-Phi Nation' philosophy podcast host to launch humanities residency at UC Santa Cruz

Barry Lam—an associate professor of philosophy at Vassar College and host of the philosophy podcast "Hi-Phi Nation" on Slate—is coming to UC Santa Cruz this week to begin a two-week residency.

Campus status updates — labor strike

Several labor unions are participating in a systemwide strike. UC Santa Cruz is providing real-time updates about the strike and its impacts today.

New book by Carolyn Burke examines four artists who profoundly shaped 20th-century art

"Foursome"--the latest book by longtime UCSC humanities research associate Carolyn Burke--chronicles the lives of four of the most extraordinary and influential painters and photographers of the early 20th century.

STEM Postdoc Symposium features a public poster session on April 24

Annual symposium highlights research from early career scientists at UC Santa Cruz.

College Ten class connects students with Soledad Prison inmates

A first-ever class called "Transcommunal Cooperation and Peacemaking" brought together 14 undergraduates and 28 men incarcerated at the Soledad Correctional Training Facility for an extraordinary 10 weeks of learning and discovery.

'Blueprint Roundtable' to discuss complexities of being black and male in U.S.

Students, faculty, and community leaders will respond to questions and issues raised by 'Question Bridge: Black Males'—an exhibition currently on display at the Sesnon Gallery—at a “Blueprint Roundtable” on April 3 at Oakes College.

Inspired Expeditions: A travel program for the curious

UC Santa Cruz’s new travel program pairs travelers with expert professors for enhanced perspectives into some of the world’s most fascinating places.

Summer programs draw visitors to Lick Observatory for music and stargazing

Tickets go on sale in April for the observatory's popular summer evening programs.

Update on construction-related asbestos contamination incident at Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons

The Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons facility remains closed while we continue to evaluate the extent of a construction-related asbestos contamination incident that was confirmed Thursday evening. We have brought in certified asbestos professionals to conduct an assessment and to assist in determining whether some areas may be reopened soon. The facility will remain closed through the weekend.

Updates on Cowell and Stevenson Commons

The Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons facility has been closed due to a construction-related asbestos contamination incident.

Construction-related asbestos contamination incident at Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons

As a precautionary measure, please be advised that the Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons facility has been closed while we evaluate the extent of a construction-related asbestos contamination incident that was confirmed Thursday evening. At this time, this includes all spaces in the building, including office areas, event spaces, meeting and classroom spaces, coffee shop, dining and catering spaces, and general community spaces. Following a more detailed assessment occurring today, some of these areas may be reopened.

UC Santa Cruz showcases new music with 'April in Santa Cruz' festival

The UCSC Music Department will present the 'April in Santa Cruz Contemporary Music Festival'-- a month-long series of free concerts on campus featuring works by faculty and graduate students, including performances by two internationally known ensembles--April 6-27.

Campus status updates

UC Santa Cruz is expecting a labor strike beginning at 4 a.m. today and ending at 3:59 a.m. on March 21. Stay informed.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and Google exec Dennis Troper share tips and tales

During a campus visit on Saturday, tech titan Susan Wojcicki urged college students to pursue careers of meaning and impact in fields that are growing—and to be flexible and humble as they begin their work lives.

New anthology of essays about Chicana and Chicano art edited by arts professor Jennifer González

"Chicano and Chicana Art: A Critical Anthology" offers an overview of the history and theory of Chicano and Chicana art from the 1960s to the mid-2000s.

Sixth annual Climate Conference links science and justice

For the first time, the annual UC Santa Cruz Climate Conference will bring together prominent ocean scientists and leading social-justice advocates to discuss the environmental and equity dimensions of the crisis.

Leading the charge for change

Alumna Amita Kuttner, a current graduate student in the Physics Department, is running as a Green Party candidate for a seat in Canada’s House of Commons in order to make policy around climate change—a quest sparked by a devastating loss

UC Santa Cruz launches online 'Feminism and Social Justice' course with Bettina Aptheker

UC Santa Cruz has launched a new online course open to the public through the Coursera platform. Titled 'Feminism and Social Justice,' it is an adaptation of a popular course taught on campus for nearly a decade by feminist studies professor Bettina Aptheker.

Guillermo Gómez-Peña returns to UCSC to perform his latest solo work: "The Most (un) Documented Mexican Artist"

Internationally renowned artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña returns to UC Santa Cruz on March 5 to perform his latest solo work, "The Most (un) Documented Mexican Artist," at the Theater Arts Second Stage, beginning at 7 p.m.

UCSC to bring art/science LASER series downtown for special evening at Rio Theater

On Tuesday, March 12, the Institute of the Arts and Sciences at UC Santa Cruz will bring its local LASER—now in its sixth year of quarterly talks on campus—downtown for a special evening at the Rio Theater.

Borderbus: A community conversation about migration, art, and social justice

Former U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera will appear in conversation with book artist and UCSC alumna Felicia Rice on March 6, at the Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz.

Solar project advances campus sustainability

Our 2017–2022 Campus Sustainability Plan calls on us to develop a plan to add four megawatts of solar photovoltaic to the campus—and this two-megawatt project gets us half way there. We continue to study additional opportunities to harness the sun's energy to support our mission of education and research.

Living Writers Series event dedicated to celebration of literature professor Karen Yamashita

On February 28, the Living Writers Series will dedicate a special reading to a celebration of literature professor Karen Yamashita on the occasion of her retirement, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Humanities Lecture Hall.

Pipe dreams

Three huge clay sewer pipes carved by alumnus Tom Franco and a team of artists are now gracing Danville’s art gallery in an exhibit curated by a fellow Slug.

Update on fire at Earth and Marine Sciences Building

The Earth and Marine Sciences Building remains closed tonight, following today's fire. With clean-up efforts underway, the campus fire marshal approved the building's reopening for 8 a.m. Saturday—with the exception of the third and fourth floors of the C wing, which will continue to be closed until the cleanup and restoration of the area is completed.

In memoriam: Irene Osterbrock

Widow of late Lick Observatory director was tireless UC Santa Cruz advocate, volunteer, supporter of graduate students, and arts patron

Art professor to screen new documentary film at Museum of Modern Art

UC Santa Cruz art professor and multimedia artist Elizabeth Stephens and her artistic collaborator Annie Sprinkle will present their latest film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Blum Scholars present preliminary results of community-based research

Four graduate students discussed their research on jail health care, Latina resistance, Central Valley youth, and feminism in the farmlands.

Marin County: Safe harbor for Native residents during the Mission era and into the 20th century

Contrary to the dominant narrative of cultural extinction, indigenous residents of Marin County survived colonization, preserving and passing on their traditions and cultural practices, says anthropologist Tsim Schneider.

Diller Lecture to feature talk on the history of Jews, human rights, and global democracy

Guest author and scholar James Loeffler will deliver the 2019 Helen Diller Distinguished Lecture in Jewish Studies on Wednesday, February 20, at the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Tech titan returns to campus, shares tales of survival

Alumnus Michael Lopp is vice president of engineering at Slack, the popular team-building platform, and the author of two books and a blog about leadership.

Campus awarded grant for bike path safety improvements, education

UC Santa Cruz was awarded a $799,000 grant from the California Transportation Commission, funding that will go toward widening most of the bike path through the Great Meadow and expanding bike safety educational efforts.

Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen receives Foundation Medal

UC Santa Cruz presented Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen with the Foundation Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the campus.

Campus to deliver new student orientation online

Our goal is to provide the best experience for our students and this new approach allows students to learn at their own pace.

Staff member recognized by Association of Energy Engineers

UC Santa Cruz Assistant Energy Manager Sarah Gilchrist this year earned the Association of Energy Engineers' Young Energy Professional of the Year award.

Question Bridge: Black Males exhibition opens Feb. 6 at Sesnon Art Gallery

'Question Bridge: Black Males' is an exhibition in which a wide array of videos have been merged together to simulate face-to-face conversations between a diverse group of more than 160 black men across the United States.

Mean streets: Self-driving cars will "cruise" to avoid paying to park

If you think traffic in city centers is bad now, just wait until self-driving cars emerge on the scene, cruising around to avoid paying hefty downtown parking fees.

Jody Greene and Mary Beth Pudup named to inaugural board of UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

UC Santa Cruz professors Jody Greene and Mary Beth Pudup are among 19 leading University of California scholars who have been named to the inaugural academic advisory board of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

Mentoring for a new millennium

Until recently, higher education faculty and staff were largely left to intuit the qualities of a good mentor or to replicate the mentoring habits–skillful or unskillful–that they themselves experienced as undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral researchers.

UC Santa Cruz builds strong transfer, frosh applicant pool

The campus marked the first step toward building the Classes of 2021 (transfer) and 2023 (first-time), receiving 67,262 applications for fall 2019 enrollment.

Madeleine Albright in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning UCSC alumna Martha Mendoza on Feb. 5

Madeleine Albright, the first United States female Secretary of State, will speak about her new book, "Fascism: A Warning"--in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and UC Santa Cruz alumna Martha Mendoza--on Tuesday, February 5, at the at the Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz.

'What refugees taught me about Shakespeare'

On Jan. 31, New York theater director Jessica Bauman will come to campus for a special evening at Kresge Town Hall titled 'What Refugees Taught Me About Shakespeare.' Together with UCSC professor Cat Ramirez, she will explore the ways that the stories we hear and tell about refugees shape our responses to the worldwide migration crisis.

Art professor receives 2019 Creative Capital Award plus SFFILM artist residency for new documentary film

UC Santa Cruz professor of art Dee Hibbert-Jones has received a 2019 Creative Capital Award for "Run With It," a feature-length animated documentary film she is currently working on in collaboration with San Francisco artist Nomi Talisman.

Gov. Newsom appoints UCSC alumna Kris Perry to key post

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed UC Santa Cruz alumna Kris Perry, a nationally recognized advocate for children, to a key post in his new administration.

In Memoriam: John Mortenson

Questions That Matter public humanities series to spotlight ‘Data and Democracy’ at Kuumbwa Center

The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz will present "Data and Democracy"—the fifth installment of its signature Questions That Matter series—on Tuesday, January 29, at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in downtown Santa Cruz.

Seed-funding innovation

The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees seeks interesting new projects to fund.

Janet Yellen: Honoring a living legend

Janet Yellen, widely regarded as one of the most successful Federal Reserve chairs in history, will receive the UC Santa Cruz Foundation Medal at a ceremony in Menlo Park next month.

Professor honored by Linguistic Society of America for decades of work on endangered languages

UC Santa Cruz emeritus professor of linguistics Judith Aissen was awarded the prestigious Kenneth L. Hale Award last week in New York City at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA). The LSA is the major professional society in the United States that is dedicated to the scientific study of language.

Institute of Arts and Sciences to present talk by politically provocative artist Glenn Ligon

Glenn Ligon is perhaps best known for his landmark series of text-based paintings, which draw on the words of such diverse figures as Richard Pryor, Zora Neale Hurston, and Gertrude Stein. On Jan. 15, the Institute of Arts and Sciences will present a lecture by Ligon at UCSC's Digital Arts Research Center

UC Santa Cruz historian and founding faculty member John Dizikes dies at 86

John Dizikes, a professor emeritus of American Studies and a founding member of the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz, died at his home in Santa Cruz on December 26, 2018.