2024  All Activity Areas

Three UC Santa Cruz faculty members elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Three professors at the University of California, Santa Cruz were elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.

Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy

Fire management lessons from the past could help to improve resilience as the Mediterranean faces increased fire risk from climate change. Anthropology Professor Andrew Mathews shows how traditional land management practices once dramatically reduced fuel for wildfires, and how these practices were forgotten, in part due to historical politics of classism and sexism.

UC Leave options expanded to include protected time off for reproductive loss

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, UC’s leave options expanded to provide eligible employees with up to five days of protected leave following a reproductive loss. This change aligns with California legislation that became effective Jan. 1, 2024.

Classroom Emergency Preparedness workshop

A new workshop on Classroom Emergency Preparedness has been developed through a partnership between the Office of Emergency Management and the Teaching and Learning Center.

Campus celebrates “Bring Your Kids to College Day” on April 25

The UC Santa Cruz Student-Parent Organization is gearing up to celebrate "Bring Your Kids to College Day" on April 25.

Kresge Renewal Project honored with top Bay Area architecture award

Studio Gang, an architecture practice, received the Honor Award for the Kresge College renewal project at the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects's (AIA) 2024 Architecture Awards. The award, presented on April 18, is the highest accolade of the event.

UC Santa Cruz Arts Division presents Prahlad Singh Tipanya

University of California, Santa Cruz is happy to welcome Prahlad Singh Tipanya and his ensemble for a rare performance of Indian folk music featuring the poetry of singer-saint Kabir. The Sunday performance will include music that is rarely heard in the United States.

UC Santa Cruz physics department honored for improving undergraduate experience

The Physics Department has been honored by the American Physical Society (APS) for improving undergraduate physics education. At its April meeting, APS announced UC Santa Cruz as one of just three universities nationwide whose physics departments share in this year’s award.

UC Santa Cruz researchers’ tool creates ‘synthetic’ images of cells for enhanced microscopy analysis

UC Santa Cruz researchers have developed a method to use an image generation AI model to create realistic images of  single cells, which are then used as “synthetic data” to train an AI model to better carry out single cell-segmentation. 

Reminder - SAB Virtual Spring Forum this Tuesday

The Staff Advisory Board enthusiastically invites you to attend their Spring Forum with Chancellor Larive this Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m.

New research center studies interconnections between urbanism and the environment, with a focus on lessons from the Santa Cruz region

The Center for Critical Urban and Environmental Studies tackles converging 21st Century urban and environmental crises—like climate change and housing affordability—to show how the pursuit of sustainability and social justice are often intertwined.

UC Santa Cruz scientists reveal new path to increasing lactation for nursing mothers

Scientists at UC Santa Cruz have discovered a cellular process in the breast that can increase milk production by pregnant women, revealing a potential path to addressing lactation insufficiency syndrome—the inability of a nursing mother to produce sufficient milk to meet their infant’s nutritional needs.

Campus update: Celebrating Earth Day, thank you Spring Give supporters, Potential Slugs in their element

Our students have been powerful partners in our efforts to advance sustainability, and we’ve built an especially strong Sustainability Office that helps to keep us at the forefront of climate-action and sustainability trends.

Three UC Santa Cruz faculty members named 2023 AAAS fellows

Three UC Santa Cruz faculty members have been named 2023 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science: Diane Gifford-Gonzalez, emerita distinguished research professor of anthropology; longtime journalist Robert Irion, emeritus director of UC Santa Cruz’s science communication master’s degree program; and acclaimed paleo-geneticist Beth Shapiro, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.

UC Santa Cruz researchers receive grants for early-stage technology innovations and climate action solutions

Eight UC Santa Cruz research teams focusing on some of the most pressing issues of our time, such as cancer detection, data encryption, and climate change, received more than $350,000 in awards as part of this year’s Innovation Catalyst Grant program, administered by the university’s Innovation & Business Engagement Hub.

New grant supports UC Santa Cruz-led multi-UC campus effort to build network of open source program offices

A $1.85 million grant from the Sloan Foundation will serve to institutionalize the OSPO approach in the UC system by creating coordinated activities that support local campus OSPOs and building a network that can leverage multi-campus efforts. 

UC Santa Cruz ‘Shadow the Scientists’ program honored for astronomical DEI efforts

A science-inclusion program based at UC Santa Cruz that has allowed thousands of school-age children, educators, and inquisitive individuals to look through world-class telescopes alongside trained astronomers has been honored for opening up scientific exploration to those from underrepresented backgrounds around the world.

Slug 48: The new 48 hour film challenge for students

The Department of Film and Digital Media is introducing the first event of its kind, Slug 48. Participating undergraduates will have 48 hours to create a film from start to finish including script writing, filming, and post production. Students can participate in groups or sign up alone, it all starts this Friday April 19.

Humanities program provides rewarding research experience—and also crucial career prep

Employing Humanities–funded undergraduate students have begun working with faculty in paid research opportunities that connect their classroom curriculum with hands-on training.

Notice of Open Comment Period: Draft Fire Protection Policy

The Division of Finance, Operations and Administration is proposing revisions to the Fire Protection policy.

Arts Division alumnus and artist, Fritz Chesnut, teaches art workshop for students

Recently, the University of California, Santa Cruz Arts Division hosted a workshop with alumnus and noted artist Fritz Chesnut. For three days Chesnut worked with a group of Art students teaching them a technique for applying paint distinctively to canvas using unexpected tools and materials as a new mode of creating abstract art.

Chancellor’s innovation awards honor excellence in research, creativity

The 2023 recipients include innovators who have created breakthroughs in knowledge and technology that are improving our world, creators bringing forgotten history to life by merging storytelling, augmented reality, and holographic filmmaking, and community partners transforming lives and providing nourishment through job training, transitional employment, and organic farming.

Cal Fire Empire Grade Piles Burn

Cal Fire has announced it will be burning roughly 60 piles on Empire Grade Tuesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 18

New study finds potential targets at chromosome ends for degenerative disease prevention

Published online today in Science, a new study finds that telomere lengths follow a different pattern than has thus far been understood. Instead of telomere lengths falling under one general range of shortest to longest across all chromosomes, this study finds that different chromosomes have separate end-specific telomere-length distributions.

UC Santa Cruz researchers value salt marsh restoration as a crucial tool in flood risk reduction and climate resilience in the San Francisco Bay

Salt marsh restoration can mitigate flood risk and bolster community resilience to climate change in our local waterways, according to a recent study published in Nature by a postdoctoral fellow with UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR).

UC Santa Cruz Digital Arts and New Media program presents the 2024 MFA exhibition: "Embodiments"

The Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) program is showcasing the students’ best work in its annual MFA exhibition. Entitled Embodiments, the show features multimedia exhibits including visual novels, games and virtual reality as explorations into identity.

Scientists discover first nitrogen-fixing organelle

In two recent papers, an international team led by UC Santa Cruz scientists describe the first known nitrogen-fixing organelle within a eukaryotic cell. The organelle is the fourth example in history of primary endosymbiosis — the process by which a prokaryotic cell is engulfed by a eukaryotic cell and evolves beyond symbiosis into an organelle.

Power outage at the residential campus

The UC Santa Cruz residential campus is in the midst of intermittent power outages due to under voltage from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E).

UC Santa Cruz expert helps to weigh costs and benefits of controversial research on a high-risk technology to fight climate change

Environmental Studies Professor Sikina Jinnah recently wrapped up almost three years of work co-chairing Harvard University’s SCoPEX Advisory Committee, one of the world’s first efforts to design and implement a governance framework for an outdoor solar geoengineering experiment.

New diagnostic tool achieves accuracy of PCR tests with faster and simpler nanopore system

A new diagnostic tool developed by UCSC's Holger Schmidt and his collaborators can test for SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus with the same or better accuracy as high-precision PCR tests in a matter of hours.

The Institute of Arts and Science & the San Jose Museum of Art present "Seeing Through Stone"

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences at UC Santa Cruz (IAS) and San José Museum of Art (SJMA) are pleased to present Seeing through Stone, a multi-sited exhibition bringing together works by international artists whose works engage a history of struggle against prisons and their harms.

UC Santa Cruz Arts Division presents “Search Party”

The Environmental Art & Social Practice (EASP) MFA looks at the intersection of the arts in terms of climate change and other systemic conflicts. This year’s MFA show is the second ever and features work from seven artists.

Art of hope: Celebrating the teaching and activism of Corita Kent

The latest exhibition at Cowell College’s Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery, "A Sign of Hope: The Art and Teaching of Corita Kent," reintroduces an artist who challenged societal norms and championed hope and love.

Important parking information for Banana Slug Day on April 13

Parking information for Banana Slug Day on Saturday, April 13, when UC Santa Cruz will be welcoming 6,000 admitted students to campus.

Celebration of Life for Zainab Mansoor

AVC for Student Development and Engagement and Dean of Students Garrett Naiman invites students to a Celebration of Life in honor of fellow Banana Slug Zainab Mansoor, who was tragically killed in February.

Staff Scholarship Award Program Spring Cycle closing April 15, 2024

The Spring 2024 Cycle for the Staff Scholarship Award Program will be closing at 11:59 p.m. on April 15, 2023.

Global social change leaders gather at UC Santa Cruz for Right Livelihood International Conference

From April 23 through 27, UC Santa Cruz will host social change leaders and student activists visiting from around the world for the Right Livelihood International Conference, which includes a series of public events and will launch a new international student network and international research partnerships.

Good turnout at Annual Teaching Week

The Teaching and Learning Center and the Academic Senate held the 2nd Annual Teaching Week at UC Santa Cruz.

Ph.D. student takes gut-wrenching research to the stage

Natalie Pedicino, a Ph.D. student in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, will bolt up to San Francisco on May 3 to distill her past three years of research into a three-minute lightning talk that will test her stage presence and science-communication skills.

First results from DESI make the most precise measurement of our expanding universe

We now have the largest 3-D map of our cosmos ever created, thanks to DESI—a powerful instrument mounted atop a telescope in Arizona with a robotic array of 5,000 fiber-optic “eyes” that look into the night sky.

Santa Cruz County youth aim to improve community mental health through better support for immigrants

A three-year partnership between UC Santa Cruz and United Way to empower young change-makers is wrapping up this spring, with youth leaders from across Santa Cruz County preparing to distribute resource kits for local immigrants.

UCSC ranked #12 among top public colleges for high-paying tech salaries in new Wall Street Journal list

New rankings from the Wall Street Journal and the Burning Glass Institute place UC Santa Cruz as the number 12 school for high-paying tech salaries.

Review of Proposed Revisions to Personnel Programs for Staff Members 2.210 (Absence from Work)

UC is now seeking to expand paid sick leave for part-time and full-time employees

The Science Division announces recipients of Distinguished Alumni Awards

Dr. José de Jesús González, Dr. Maximiliano Mateo Cuevas, and Dr. Charles A. Lawson are this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients for the Science Division.

Join DroneCamp 2024 and learn how to use drones for mapping and field data collection

CITRIS and the Banatao Institute’s CIDER Program invites you to join them at the 2024 DroneCamp, a collaborative five-day training program that covers everything you need to know to use drones for mapping and field data collection.

Educator and champion: Professor Bruce Thompson inspires generations through teaching and philanthropy

Bruce Thompson has taught tens of thousands of students during his three-decade career at UCSC; now, he’s making an impact in a new way.

SC Warriors playoff discount & SAB Virtual Spring Forum on April 23rd

The Staff Advisory Board invites you to attend their Spring Forum with Chancellor Larive on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The purpose of the SAB-supported forums is to provide staff with an opportunity to ask questions of campus leadership.

UC Santa Cruz joins consortium advancing Earth system science programs

UC Santa Cruz has joined a nonprofit consortium of 126 North American colleges and universities focused on research and training in Earth system science.

Deer fawning season alert

Please be aware that spring is the prime birthing season for a wide variety of campus wildlife, including deer.

New research reveals steps California must take to capture more jobs from lithium battery boom

A new study from the UC Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation, New Energy Nexus, and the UC Berkeley Labor Center demonstrates the need for strategic investments and policy approaches to encourage build-out of the lithium supply chain within California in an environmentally friendly and economically inclusive manner.

50+ years of memories: UC Santa Cruz Alumni Reunion Weekend

Alumni classes 1965-74 are invited to return to UCSC for a weekend filled with events, gatherings, and reconnecting. The class of 1974 will be celebrating their 50th anniversary milestone.

Ten UC Santa Cruz speakers shine bright in TEDxSantaCruz lineup

Ten speakers affiliated with the University of California, Santa Cruz join the TEDxSantaCruz lineup on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at the Crocker Theater, on the Cabrillo College campus.

Hahn Parking Lot 101 closure April 1 – April 19 

Between April 1 and April 19, as UC Santa Cruz welcomes over 10,000 admitted and prospective students and their families to campus, access to the Hahn Parking Lot 101 will be restricted during business hours.

SAB nomination period is now open

Are you interested in serving our campus community and giving back to your fellow staff members? Consider joining the Staff Advisory Board!

Research on understudied lung cancer drivers may improve treatments

Angela Brooks has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s prestigious R01 program to study how gene isoforms impact cancer progression and what treatments might be most effective or lead to drug resistance.

Kat Gutierrez wins LEAD California's 2024 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement

In acknowledgment of her dedication to community engagement, LEAD California awarded Kat Gutierrez, assistant professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the prestigious 2024 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement.

UC Santa Cruz names new, rare succulent species from Orange County

A new, rare species of succulent plant from Orange County has been named by Stephen McCabe, a researcher with the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, with Kristen Hasenstab-Lehman and Matt Guiliams of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The naming of new species is part of an effort by multiple entities to help conserve the many threatened species in the genus Dudleya, which are also known, ironically, as liveforevers.

April in Santa Cruz Creative Music and Arts Festival 2024: "A Time For Change"

The annual month-long celebration of the arts is back at UC Santa Cruz. There will be a dozen performances by talented professionals in art forms including dance, animation and much more.

The Hindustani music concert featuring Uday Bhawalker accompanied by Sukhad Manik Munde

As a part of the (unofficially titled) Indian Music Series, University of California, Santa Cruz is welcoming Uday Bhawalkar to campus for a concert on Friday, April 12. The renowned vocalist will be performing Dhrupad music, one of the oldest musical genres in the Hindustani tradition.

Staff Scholarship Award Program Spring Application Cycle OPENS TODAY

Equity, civic-mindedness drive UC Santa Cruz’s Global and Community Health Program

Many of UC Santa Cruz’s core values are embodied in the Global and Community Health Program, which draws students who seek to study real-world problems encountered locally and worldwide, preparing them for a career in health care, policy, research or advocacy.

Deep Read 2024 gears up

With book giveaways, email explorations, salons, community conversations, and more, The Humanities Institute is preparing an immersive experience with its latest Deep Read selection, the bestselling and Pulitzer Prize–winning novel Trust.

Advancing diversity and writing excellence: Oakes College’s new leadership

The Division of Undergraduate Education at UC Santa Cruz, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new associate provosts of Oakes College, Xavier Livermon and Jody K. Biehl. The appointments, in effect since December 2023 and January 2024, respectively, offer Oakes College with leaders who will bring unique perspectives and experiences to their roles.

Community encouraged to take precautions following a string of burglaries

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is encouraging the campus community to take extra precautions following an attempted burglary and completed burglary of a campus mailroom and a string of car break-ins.

New gifts launch projects and experiential learning in Sikh studies

Two new gifts to UC Santa Cruz will raise awareness and understanding of Sikhism through two distinct projects. Each project includes paid internships for students.

Distinguished leaders join inaugural Chancellor’s Advisory Board

With a goal of advancing the mission of UC Santa Cruz and broadening the university’s impact, Chancellor Cynthia Larive has announced the formation of an external Chancellor's Advisory Board.

Celebrating and Observing Ramadan, Easter and Passover

With the end of winter quarter instruction this week and final exams starting on March 18, this is a stressful time. Students observing these holy days may miss classes and/or request extensions for assignments. Some will also limit or avoid the use of technology, including virtual learning platforms.

Scientists find unexpected proteins in bacteria motors

A team of scientists, co-led by Karen Ottemann, a professor of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, recently found three unexpected proteins while studying the motors that power the flagella of a species called Helicobacter pylori. The proteins, which are normally found in another type of appendage on a separate group of bacteria, seem to exert control over the motion of the flagella. These proteins, known as PilN, PilO, and PilM, had never been found associated with a flagella before.

Information about Ramadan at UCSC

This message is intended to provide our campus community with information about observing and celebrating Ramadan.

Industrial fishing poses greater risk to marine life due to untracked activity, UC Santa Cruz researchers find

A new study led by a scientist at UC Santa Cruz's Institute of Marine Sciences finds that blue whales, tunas, and other top predators in the northeast Pacific Ocean face greater risk of harm from industrial fishing than previously thought.

Important changes to UCSC Google service

In February 2021, Google announced changes to Google Workspace for Education ending unlimited free storage.

‘Digital twins’ project will help clean up space junk, repair and decommission spacecrafts

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ricardo Sanfelice and a team of researchers have been awarded $2.5M to model complex aerospace engineering problems.

UC Santa Cruz breaks records with increased applications for Fall 2024

The University of California, Santa Cruz has once again received a record number of applications highlighting the desirability of the educational experience the campus provides. Leading at the intersection of innovation and social justice, UC Santa Cruz is actively fostering a community of forward-thinkers committed to driving positive change. The campus draws a diverse and accomplished applicant pool, comprising scholars poised to catalyze positive change worldwide.

Nominations for the UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development are open until March 22

Designed for mid-career faculty and staff participants, and sponsored by the Office of the President, the program is open to all employees who are committed to the initiative's mission.

Notice of open comment period ALPR policy

The Division of Finance, Operations, and Administration is inviting comments on the proposed Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) policy through April 5, 2024.

Annual Pre-Retirement Planning Series for July 1 retirements and those within 5 years of UC retirement

UC Santa Cruz’s Benefits Office is offering the 2024 Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop series through March 22.

The Staff Advisory Board reminds you to attend our Winter Forum on Wednesday, March 6

Our guests are members of different departments on campus that deal with discrimination, harassment and dispute resolution, as well as disability accommodation requests and complaints.

Dining Services opens Owl's Nest Cafe, located in Kresge College

Dining Services and the Division of Student Affairs and Success are pleased to announce the opening of Owl’s Nest Cafe. Located in Kresge College, Owl’s Nest provides food service Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Staff Advisory Board is pleased to announce the Staff Scholarship Program

Using funds raised during Giving Day from generous UCSC community members, UCSC career, non-represented staff can take courses, enroll in seminars and webinars, and attend conferences that support career advancement. Up to $500 per fiscal year will be reimbursed.

Vote for UCSC in STAT Madness 2024!

Vote for UCSC in the 2024 STAT Madness competition!

Center for Coastal Climate Resilience signs 4-year, $2.75 million agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for work on nature-based solutions

Coastal communities face escalating risks from climate change, natural disasters, and the loss of coastal habitats, such as salt marshes, mangroves, and coral reefs, and the outlook is particularly dire for many of our most vulnerable communities. In response to these pressing issues, the UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering With Nature program recently signed a 4-year, $2.75 million cooperative agreement. They aim to address these challenges with equitable, nature-based solutions.

UC Santa Cruz-based center leads system-wide commitment to White House food security initiative

The Center for Economic Justice and Action (CEJA) at UC Santa Cruz will lead the University of California’s participation in the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities.

United for Equity: Central Coast K-16 Regional Collaborative launch event celebrates a groundbreaking collaboration

On Feb. 9, leaders from the Central Coast K-16 Regional Collaborative, representing 30-plus educational institutions and industry partners across the Central Coast, gathered to launch an initiative aimed at addressing long-standing inequities and streamlining educational and career pathways.

Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu launches her new book: "The Movies of Racial Childhoods"

To celebrate, Shimizu will be hosting a book launch on the University of California, Santa Cruz Campus at the Sesnon Gallery, where the book will be available for purchase from Two Birds Books. The book will be discussed in conversation with Shimizu and the Sesnon Gallery director Valeria Miranda.

Open Educational Resources cut student costs and increase engagement

Many students face a financial challenge when it comes to covering the cost of course materials each quarter. To help reduce this financial burden, a growing number of instructors at UC Santa Cruz are using Open Educational Resources (OER).

Center for Research in Open Source Software welcomes James Davis as new faculty director

Professor of Computer Science and Engineering is the new faculty director of the Center for Research in Open Source Software (CROSS).

Planned gift bolsters Año Nuevo's perpetual impact

Año Nuevo is part of the University of California Natural Reserves System and one of the five reserves overseen by UC Santa Cruz. John Fox is including UC Santa Cruz in his estate plans to benefit the reserve far into the future.

Cultivating community treasures

Chancellor’s Associate Francis Garcia shares his connection to UCSC

The Center for Creative Ecologies presents "Nuclear Nows: Contemporary Art, Radiation, and Militarized Ecologies”

This two-part symposium is the work of Zoe Weldon-Yochim, a Ph.D. Candidate in Visual Studies, in collaboration with T.J. Demos, Professor in the Department of the History of Art and Visual Culture and Director of the Center for Creative Ecologies, and will discuss the intersection of contemporary art, militarized ecologies, and nuclear nationalism.

The UCSC Music Department presents "The World Making Aura of Sonic Blackness" with Moor Mother & James Gordon Williams

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, the University of California, Santa Cruz Music Department presents a very special performance by guest artist Moor Mother (Camae Ayewa) and James Gordon Williams, assistant professor of music composition at UC Santa Cruz in the Recital Hall of the Music Center.

Mourning the tragic death of our student

It is with the deepest sorrow that I share the news that one of our students succumbed on Friday to fatal injuries she endured early that morning at Seabright State Beach.

Continuing student housing application period closes March 4

UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement Webinar Series

I write on behalf of Michelle Deutchman, executive director for the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, to make you aware of a webinar series for UC faculty and staff that is occurring right now.

Closer water monitoring needed as wildfires increase

UC Santa Cruz researchers warn that wildfires can change the chemistry of nearby streams that people and wildlife depend on for drinking water. But they found that the baseline water-chemistry data needed to detect such changes aren’t always available.

Scientists begin to crack open climate-change riddles hiding in ancient coral

An international team of researchers on an expedition co-led by UC Santa Cruz Professor Christina Ravelo collected cores of fossil coral off the coast of Hawai'i to look for signs of climate and sea-level change over the past half million years.

Stranger Things VR game co-written by UCSC’s Samantha Gorman launches in partnership with Netflix, Meta

A new virtual reality (VR) game set in the world of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things launches today — and UC Santa Cruz Assistant Teaching Professor of Computational Media Samantha Gorman is a key creative mind behind it as the game’s co-writer and narrative director.

Invitation to the SAB Virtual Winter Forum

The Staff Advisory Board enthusiastically invites you to attend our second Winter Forum on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.

Kimberly Lau appointed provost of College Nine and John R. Lewis College

The Division of Social Sciences has selected Literature Professor Kimberly Lau as the new provost of College Nine and John R. Lewis College.

Annual notice on employees responsible for reporting discrimination, sexual violence or sexual harassment

To promote a healthy campus climate, we encourage everyone in our community to report incidents of sexual violence, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation to EEP.

Planned power outage at residential campus on Sunday, February 25

UC Santa Cruz will experience a planned power outage from 7 a.m to 3 p.m on Sunday, February 25. The outage will impact most of the residential campus including all ten colleges and many upper campus facilities.

Net wins

The UC Santa Cruz table tennis team, an informal group formed only in 2022, quickly began finding success at tournaments—but its biggest wins may be the community, friendship, and leadership skills the team has built along the way.

UC Santa Cruz awarded SEA Change Bronze Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

UC Santa Cruz has been awarded a 2024 STEM Equity Achievement (SEA) Change Initiative Institutional Bronze Award. The award recognizes the university’s commitment to long-term, sustainable institutional transformation in support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) through self-assessment.

Chemists use peptides from Alzheimer’s and Type II diabetes to describe five new rippled beta-sheets

Scientists from the University of California, Santa Cruz, synthesized peptides from proteins associated with Alzheimer’s and Type II Diabetes and described five new rippled beta-sheet structures.

Deadline to register to vote in March primary is Feb. 20

February 20 is the deadline to update your registration online to vote in the March 5 California Primary Election. 

Office of Equity and Equal Protection announces new systemwide anti-discrimination policy

The Office of Equity and Equal Protection (EEP) is pleased to announce the issuance of a new systemwide policy on Anti–Discrimination.

President Drake announces new Systemwide Office of Civil Rights

The University of California’s first Systemwide Office of Civil Rights was launched on Feb. 20, 2024.

Community Voices Series event remembers Santa Cruz's fourth Chinatown

The second UC Santa Cruz Community Voices Series event featured a conversation between UC Santa Cruz Community Archivist Rebecca Hernandez and local philanthropist and developer George Ow Jr.

Two UC Santa Cruz scientists named 2024 Sloan Research Fellows

Assistant Professors Roxanne Beltran and Jacqueline Kimmey have been awarded Sloan Research Fellowships, one of the most prestigious honors bestowed on early-career scientists, each receiving $75,000 to delve into new areas of research in their respective fields of marine ecology and microbiology.

Lessons from COVID reveal how monopoly power in the biopharmaceutical industry is evolving

In his latest paper, Politics Professor Matt Sparke and his coauthor use the case of COVID to demonstrate both the enduring problem of bio-pharmaceutical monopolies and the ways they have been extended and entrenched through complex market-state interconnections.

Legal Studies major Lauren Elscott found her passion with music and events on campus

Lauren Elscott is senior in the legal studies program whose true passion lies in music and events. At UC Santa Cruz she discovered the electronic music minor and how to be involved on campus.

UC Santa Cruz earns national acclaim: awarded NAFSA’s 2024 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization

In recognition of excellence in internationalization efforts, the University of California, Santa Cruz has been selected to receive the prestigious 2024 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Student Gabriella Goss wins $500 Alumni Leadership Award from Ecology Project International

Her project draws inspiration from her Ecology Project International (EPI) course experience in the Galapagos Islands, where she witnessed the thriving wildlife in an ecosystem largely spared from human interference. This prompted her to explore the negative impact of human activities on animal habitats, specifically focusing on the millions of animals killed annually by vehicles.

Protein designer awarded $2.5M to develop bioluminescent protein for deep tissue imaging

Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Andy Yeh was awarded a nearly $2.5 million grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to develop completely artificial enzymes that can produce bioluminescence in the body for deep tissue imaging.

UC Santa Cruz welcomes new AVC for planning, design, and construction

In Memoriam: Frank Andrews, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry

With enormous gratitude, we celebrate the life of UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus Frank Andrews, who died of cancer on January 31, 2024, at age 91.

UC Santa Cruz Physicist Joel Primack wins 2024 AAAS Abelson Prize

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded the prestigious 2024 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize to Joel R. Primack, distinguished professor of physics emeritus at the University of California, Santa Cruz and a key architect of the Cold Dark Matter theory.

Join the Banana Slug art contest

Get ready to unleash your inner artist and celebrate creativity like never before. The Assembly Bill 1850 (AB 1850) Banana Slug Art Contest is here to bring a splash of color and imagination into your life.

Widespread machine learning methods behind ‘link prediction’ are performing very poorly, study shows

New research from UC Santa Cruz Professor of Computer Science and Engineering C. “Sesh” Seshadhri published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences establishes that the metric used to measure link prediction performance is missing crucial information, and link prediction tasks are performing significantly worse than popular literature indicates.

After Man: Alterhuman Ethics and Poetics at the Climate Change Tipping Point

Join associate professor micha cárdenas for her talk about the meeting point between the end of humanity and contemporary art.

Commencement schedule announced

This spring’s ceremonies will be held on the East Upper Field from June 14–17, 2024.

Update on the campus budget

Campus leadership has been involved in discussions to address a projected growing structural deficit in our core budget in a timely manner.

The UCSC’s African American Theater Arts Troupe presents Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage

Light-hearted comedy captures the struggles of the formerly incarcerated staff as they hope for a better life

UCSC Central Asian Ensemble honors traditional Uzbek music with special guest master dutarist Rozibi Khodjaeva

UC Santa Cruz is home to the only Western dutar ensemble. They will be playing along with Rozibi Khodjaeva, a master dutar player who is visiting from her home in Uzbekistan. Under the instruction of associate music professor Tanya Merchant, the show will be a culmination of what her students have learned so far.

Breaking Records and Feeding Hope

Addressing Bias and Bigotry: Call for Ideas

The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) is providing each campus with on-time funds to combat bias, bigotry and discrimination stemming from recent global events.

Bioelectronics enable precise control of organoids for better understanding of neuro diseases, neuron circuits

UC Santa Cruz researchers have developed a new plug-and-play bioelectronics system that enables researchers to precisely control neuronal activity in cortical organoids, which will help unlock new discoveries on how brains form neural circuits and the underpinnings of neurodevelopmental and degenerative diseases.

To plan a sustainable future for seafood access in small island developing states, researchers highlight solutions hiding in plain sight

To better understand how fisheries-based food systems might respond to change, a research team led by UCSC Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Katherine Seto took a deeper look at the strategies that people in the small island developing state of Kiribati currently use to access seafood.

Space Management Policy Update

March 5 is Election Day in California

Attend a housing information session

Housing information sessions are the best opportunity for continuing students to learn about the housing application and assignment process.

UC Santa Cruz's second annual Teaching Week Feb. 26 - March 1

The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and the Academic Senate are delighted to present UC Santa Cruz’s second annual Teaching Week which will take place February 26–March 1, 2024. This is an opportunity for the entire campus to celebrate the many changes to the culture and practice of teaching and learning on our campus and to shine a light on all of the work so many of you have put into transforming your educational practices.

Campus division renamed to University Advancement

UC Santa Cruz has renamed the Division of University Relations to the Division of University Advancement.

Undergraduate Public Fellows Program connects humanities studies with real-world impact

The Humanities Institute's Public Fellows Program offers a mutually enriching opportunity for students to bring the humanities skills and knowledge they acquire in their university courses to diverse roles at non-profit organizations, museums, cultural institutions, and publishing venues.

UC Santa Cruz Summer Session offers exclusive tuition discount to California Community College students

UC Santa Cruz Summer Session is launching a new 50 percent per-credit Summer Session tuition discount exclusively for California Community College students.

Search launches for Associate Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing and Educational Services

The Division of Student Affairs and Success is pleased to announce the launch of a national recruitment for our associate vice chancellor for colleges, housing and educational services (AVC CHES).

Bryant Terry touts power of food and community at 2024 Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation

Food justice advocate, chef, and author Bryant Terry called on people to seek alternatives to the industrialized food system during his keynote address for UC Santa Cruz’s 40th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation.

The Department of Performance, Play, and Design depends on crucial funds from Measure 11

Many are hoping for an adjustment to Measure 11, which dictates the quarterly ticket price for all shows. If the measure makes it onto the ballot and passes it will bring in hundreds or thousands of dollars in revenue.

Our plans for Commencement 2024

This spring’s ceremonies will be held on the East Upper Field from June 14–17, 2024.

Institute for Social Transformation releases five-year impact report

UC Santa Cruz's Institute for Social Transformation is celebrating its five-year anniversary and released an impact report reflecting on progress thus far. 

Important Update on Preferred, Primary, Lived, and Legal Names in MyUCSC

We are excited to share important updates regarding the implementation plans for the UC Gender Recognition and Lived Name (GRLN) Policy announced on December 12, 2023, by CP/EVC Lori Kletzer.

Promoting safe campus transit services

The safety of our campus community is our utmost priority and we want every rider to be confident that our drivers and shuttles are meeting or exceeding expectations in the delivery of transit services.

UC Santa Cruz provides international travel support to campus community

UC Santa Cruz is now providing expanded services to faculty, staff, and students traveling internationally.

A new cohort of drone pilot students start in the 2024 CIDER Drone Pilot Training Program

The CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) welcomed its 2024 Drone Pilot Training Program cohort in an orientation session on January 8.

2023-24 CITRIS UC Santa Cruz Tech for Social Good Program's student project teams kick off

The 2023-24 CITRIS Tech for Social Good program at UC Santa Cruz started in January with kick-off meetings with the winning technology development track teams.

We are all in this together: Favianna Rodriguez and the ecology of social movements

The redwood trees that tower over the UC Santa Cruz campus are glorious manifestations of an ecosystem built on symbiotic relationships. The mighty redwoods, the iconic banana slug, the small sorrel are all interwoven in their existence and survival.

Guide to 2024-2025 continuing undergraduate student housing

On Monday, January 29, all undergraduate students currently living in university housing received this email update about the 2024-25 continuing undergraduate student housing process. This email includes information about housing information sessions, the application period, the housing waitlist, and off-campus housing resources.

Faculty and staff invited to attend a student housing webinar on Feb. 7

Dave Keller, interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing and Educational Services invites all faculty and staff to attend a housing webinar at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7. The webinar will provide updates about the continuing student housing process.

Renowned Sitarist Nishat Khan playing at UC Santa Cruz

The classical Indian musician will play at Music Center Recital Hall along with tabla player Nitin Mitta. The two are internationally recognized musicians. We will be welcoming Khan back after he last played in 2015.

Music Professor Russell Rodriguez wins the Américo Paredes Prize

The American Folklore Society awarded UC Santa Cruz professor Russell Rodriguez the annual Paredes prize in recognition of his work in the arts with the local community and his contributions to folklore and tradition.

Preparing for storms on Wednesday and Thursday

Over the coming days, we expect a major winter storm to affect Santa Cruz County alongside much of California.

Do tree-planting campaigns follow best practices for successful forest restoration?

Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl's latest research reviewed publicly available information to see if there have been improvements in recent years in whether tree-planting organizations apply best practices for successful reforestation.

Add/Drop/Swap and Undergrad Part-Time Deadline Extended

Planning for possible disruptions on Friday

There have been several posts on social media calling for a demonstration at the base of campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. While we do not know how the event will unfold, blocking entrances is disruptive activity and not legally protected speech or sanctioned labor activity.

Institute of Arts and Sciences announces new interdisciplinary initiative on climate change

A new multi-year initiative will bring together arts and science to start a conversation about marine biology and the effects of climate change. The new exhibit is set to premier in 2025, and the project is already in progress as the Friedlaender lab collaborates with nationally recognized artists.

National Endowment for the Humanities gives $60,000 award to two UCSC faculty members

The National Endowment for the Humanities included two UC Santa Cruz professors in their most recent round of grants and awards. Drs. Jennifer Derr and Stacy Kamehiro are using their newly awarded funding to continue in the projects that focus on diverse groups and global impacts.

Renowned chef, food activist Bryant Terry to deliver keynote address at 40th Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation

Acclaimed chef, author, and food justice advocate Bryant Terry will deliver the keynote address at UC Santa Cruz’s 40th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation. The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Important updates regarding 2024-25 continuing student housing process

Tech insider Guy Kawasaki to moderate panel featuring Jeremiah Owyang and Luca de Alfaro

“Artificial Intelligence in the Academic and For Profit Environments” will be hosted at UC Santa Cruz’s Silicon Valley campus on Jan. 30, beginning with a reception at 5:30p. The panel will start at 6p. More details are available here.

Information security statement on generative AI

Although AI offers new and powerful capabilities for research and education, it also poses a potential risk to institutional data that UC Santa Cruz is legally and ethically obligated to protect.

Section of Hagar Road closed

A section of Hagar Road between Steinhart Way and just above the East Remote Parking Lot will remain closed until further notice. The heavy rain appears to have caused damage to the road.

Institute of the Arts & Sciences announces inaugural artists in the Coha Nowark Art + Science Residency Program

Innovative PET technology will enable precise multitracer imaging of the brain

UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Shiva Abbaszadeh is developing technology that will enable precise multitracer positron emission tomography imaging of the human body’s most complex organ with the support of a $4 million NIH grant.

Terrie Williams honored with 2024 National Academy of Sciences Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal

The National Academy of Sciences will honor 20 individuals with awards recognizing their extraordinary scientific achievements in a wide range of fields spanning the physical, biological, social, and medical sciences. Among the esteemed awardees is Terrie M. Williams, a comparative ecophysiologist from the University of California, Santa Cruz, who will be honored with the 2024 NAS Award in the Evolution of Earth and Life - Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal.

Call for participation: Campus roads Bike and Pedestrian Safety Study

The University of California, Santa Cruz has recently launched the Campus Roads Bike and Pedestrian Safety Study to identify safety enhancements and develop conceptual street designs for key campus corridors.

Duke University Press publishes Arts Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu’s new book: The Movies of Racial Childhoods

UC Santa Cruz’s Dean of the Arts Division, award-winning filmmaker and author publishes her fourth sole-written book, exploring contemporary representations of Asian American youth.

Resources supporting community during Israel-Hamas War

Last quarter our UC Santa Cruz community was deeply affected by the conflict in Israel and Palestine. With the violence continuing, we anticipate that our students, instructors and staff will continue to be impacted by these events. A number of resources are available on campus to our instructional community and students to support trauma-informed and inclusive teaching and learning and to uphold the health and well-being of our community members.

UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience partnering with EY on Open Science Data Challenge on Coastal Resilience for students

Climate change is here, and so are its impacts on our communities. Globally, coastal hazards produce increasing costs, often to the most vulnerable populations. That’s why UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and the University of California Disaster Resilience Network (UCDRN) are partnering with EY on its 2024 Open Science Data Challenge, focused on coastal resilience. CCCR will be hosting an event on campus on Jan. 25 for interested undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty to learn more about this significant opportunity.

UC Santa Cruz will lead development of next-generation telescope alignment system

The National Science Foundation recently awarded $3.9 million to researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz as the lead institution for the development of a next-gen telescope alignment system. The researchers will work with an international team to build and test systems in Santa Cruz and eventually install the final designs in seven telescopes at three ground-based observatory sites around the world.

Students search for hidden black hole activity

When stars get too close to the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, the black holes shred them apart in a process called a tidal disruption event (TDE). These TDEs cause bright flashes, but recent models suggest that scientists should see more of them than have been observed.

Insights from UCSC-made COVID-19 tracking tool will guide the future of studying pathogens in real time

A new paper by a team of UCSC pathogen genomicists offers guidance for the future of web tools for tracking pathogen evolution.

Smarter Balanced Unveils Initiative with IBM Consulting to Promote Responsible Use of AI in Educational Measurement

Today, Smarter Balanced announced a new initiative to develop measurement-focused principles and guidelines for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational assessments. With experience creating scalable, trustworthy AI strategies, IBM Consulting will collaborate with Smarter Balanced to build a foundational AI framework that can help accelerate enhancements in accessibility, accuracy, and fairness while minimizing bias.

Invitation to the SAB Virtual Winter Forum on January 31, 2024

The purpose of the SAB-supported forums is to provide staff with an opportunity to ask questions of campus leadership.

STEM Education Central Coast Conference connects teachers with each other and a wealth of local resources

UC Santa Cruz faculty and staff helped to organize an upcoming conference that will share strategies for student success in STEM and connect teachers from 11 local school districts and offices of education with more than 20 local organizations to exchange ideas on region-specific science topics to engage students.

Alumni and professor authors return to UCSC

Ten alumni authors and two former professors will be featured in the Creative Writing Program’s Living Writers Reading Series in Jan. through March.

UC Santa Cruz Humanities Division secures $1 million grant for Employing Humanities initiative

Investment from the Mellon Foundation will propel new program focused on experiential learning and career readiness for humanities students.

Leading the Change: Call for Interdisciplinary Proposals

I write to invite you to apply for the Leading the Change Collaborative Series. This series will support approximately two events per quarter from Spring 2024 through Winter 2025 that provide opportunities for collaborative, interdisciplinary conversations.

Training program helps prevent harassment in fieldwork environments

Fieldwork often puts researchers and students in remote environments that have unique challenges. The unusual setting of fieldwork can make sexual harassment and assault more likely, and it also calls for distinct approaches to prevent and respond to it. To address this systemic problem, University of Santa Cruz scientists developed a sexual harassment prevention and awareness training program specifically tailored to fieldwork environments.

New director of Athletics and Recreation

Chris Spells has been named UC Santa Cruz’s new director of Athletics and Recreation. He brings a depth of experience overseeing daily athletic operations for NCAA varsity sports and recreational programming.

Plan for Summer this Winter

UC Santa Cruz Summer Session offers courses spanning various disciplines each summer. The various sessions run from June 24 through August 30 and attract a diverse community of continuing students, visitors, and high school students. Explore the available summer courses at summer.ucsc.edu now and prepare for open enrollment starting on May 1.

Transfer Summit will convene to discuss transfer student experience

You are invited to attend the 2024 Transfer Summit on Friday January 12 from 2-5 PM at the Stevenson Event Center. The goal of the summit is to create a high-level shared understanding amongst faculty and staff of the many aspects of the transfer student experience.

UC Santa Cruz Division of Undergraduate Education appoints Soraya Murray as new Provost of Porter College

The Division of Undergraduate Education at UC Santa Cruz is pleased to announce the appointment of Soraya Murray as the new Provost of Porter College, effective July 1, 2024. Murray, an esteemed interdisciplinary scholar with a passion for mentorship, will bring a unique perspective to her new role.

UC Santa Cruz Division of Undergraduate Education appoints Shelly Grabe as new Provost of Rachel Carson College

The Division of Undergraduate Education at UC Santa Cruz proudly announces the appointment of Shelly Grabe as the new Provost of Rachel Carson College, effective July 1, 2024. Dr. Grabe, a Professor of Social Psychology at UC Santa Cruz, brings a depth of experience in research, activism, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Global study shows extreme short-term drought has even greater impacts on grasslands and shrublands than previously thought

UC Santa Cruz scientists supported a new global study showing that the effects of extreme short-term drought have been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands.

Pioneering perspectives

UCSC alumnus Bob Dodge belonged to the inaugural graduating class of UC Santa Cruz. He attests that the time he spent at UCSC was among the most transformative periods of his life.