Press Releases

Math professor Alexander Gamburd wins Presidential Early Career Award

Alexander Gamburd, professor of mathematics at UCSC, has won a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the White House announced today.

Stronger coastal winds due to climate change may have far-reaching effects

Future increases in wind strength along the California coast may have far-reaching effects, including more intense upwelling of cold water along the coast early in the season, "dead zones" in coastal waters, and increased fire danger in Southern Californi

Three UCSC professors elected AAAS Fellows

Three UCSC professors have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Ocean acidification could have broad effects on marine ecosystems

Concern about increasing ocean acidification has often focused on its potential effects on coral reefs, but broader disruptions of biological processes in the oceans may be more significant, according to Donald Potts, professor of ecology and evolutionary

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

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

Campus named Employer of the Year for longtime alliance with HOPE

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

UCSC to host international renewable energy program

Last summer, U.S. and Danish students learned firsthand about renewable energy technologies being implemented in Denmark through a program organized by UCSC faculty. Next year, the campus will host the four-week summer program, along with NASA Ames Resear

UCSC receives $150,000 grant for Jewish Studies program

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

Magnetic nanotags allow sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers

A team led by researchers at UCSC and Stanford has developed a compact prototype detector that uses magnetic nanotechnology to spot cancer-associated proteins in a human blood serum sample with much higher sensitivity than current detectors.

Astronomy professor Douglas Lin receives Outstanding Faculty Award

The Division of Physical and Biological Sciences has given its 2007-08 Outstanding Faculty Award to Douglas Lin, professor of astronomy and astrophysics.

Biologists John and Vicki Pearse receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The Western Society of Naturalists has awarded its 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award to UCSC biologists John and Vicki Pearse.

UCSC earns top ranking for scientific impact of astronomy research

UCSC is the top-ranking university in the country for the quality of its research in astronomy and astrophysics, according to a new analysis of papers published in scientific journals and how often those papers are cited by other scientists.

Mysterious microbe may play important role in ocean ecology

An unusual microorganism discovered in the open ocean may force scientists to rethink their understanding of how carbon and nitrogen cycle through ocean ecosystems.

Princeton awards Madison Medal to astronomer Claire Max

Princeton University will present the James Madison Medal, one of its top honors for alumni, to Claire Max, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz who has developed techniques to enable astronomers to more clearly observe the universe.

November 14 symposium marks a productive first year for UCSC's Chemical Screening Center

In its first year of operation, the UCSC Chemical Screening Center has enabled researchers to identify a variety of potentially useful compounds, including promising leads for the development of new drugs to treat infections, cancer, and neglected disease

Earth scientist Gregory Rau is finalist for ConocoPhillips Energy Prize

Gregory Rau, a senior researcher at UCSC's Institute of Marine Sciences, was chosen as a finalist for the ConocoPhillips Energy Prize for his energy and carbon management proposal.

Expert on origins of life to give free public lecture November 13 at UCSC

Biochemist David Deamer will discuss the origins of life in a free public lecture on Thursday, November 13, at UCSC.

Aspiring teachers to learn novel approach to science instruction

Aspiring teachers will learn cutting-edge techniques for teaching science to young children in a collaboration led by UC Santa Cruz.

Anthropologist Melissa Caldwell to address Nov. 8-9 international conference on global food security

Food policy expert Melissa Caldwell will discuss the global food crisis during an international conference sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Black men tell tales of transformation in new book Ain't I a Feminist?

Black men tell tales of transformation in the new book <i>Ain't I a Feminist?</i> by Aaronette White, associate professor of psychology.

Serendipitous observations reveal rare event in life of distant quasar

Thanks to the sharp eyes of a UCSC undergraduate, astronomers have obtained a surprise view of a never-before-observed event in the birth of a galaxy.

Biologist Daniel Costa appointed to Ida Benson Lynn Endowed Chair in Ocean Health

Daniel Costa is a leading authority on marine mammals, seabirds, and the impacts of humans on marine environments. His appointment to the Ida Benson Lynn Endowed Chair in Ocean Health recognizes Costa's important contributions in these areas and provides

Biologist John Thompson honored for contributions to ecology

John Thompson, Distinguished Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will receive the 2009 Per Brinck Oikos Award for contributions to the science of ecology.

Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz wins prestigious Packard Fellowship

Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics, is the ninth young scientist at UCSC to receive a prestigious Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.

Study finds high mortality of endangered loggerhead sea turtles in Baja California

A new study underscores the enormous impact of bycatch (marine life accidentally killed by fishing operations) on sea turtles.

Physicists Sriram Shastry and Peter Young honored by American Physical Society

The American Physical Society has awarded two of its annual prizes to physics professors at UC Santa Cruz.

How children learn to 'think like scientists' is focus of prof's work at Children's Discovery Museum

Psychology professor Maureen Callanan is partnering with Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose to explore the ways kids learn to "think like scientists."

Four social scientists honored for teaching and research

Four social scientists were honored for teaching and research today (Tuesday, October 7) during the annual fall convocation hosted by the dean of the Division of Social Sciences.

Baskin School of Engineering will showcase faculty research on Friday, October 17

Advances in sustainable energy, information systems, DNA sequencing, and video-game design are among the highlighted topics in a day of UCSC engineering faculty presentations.

Defusing the nuclear threat will be topic of 2008 Maitra Lecture on Saturday, October 18

Martin Hellman, an eminent engineer whose latest project focuses on reducing the risk of nuclear war, will give the eighth annual Sidhartha Maitra Memorial Lecture on Saturday, October 18.

Media Advisory: Statement from Chancellor Blumenthal in response to adoption of AB 2296

Settlement provides $457,000 in financial aid for students in computer game design major

Students at UC Santa Cruz majoring in computer game design are the lucky beneficiaries of a settlement reached in a class action lawsuit involving video gaming employees at Sony.

Biologist Marm Kilpatrick honored by American Ornithologists' Union

The American Ornithologists' Union has awarded its Ned K. Johnson Young Investigator Award for 2008 to UCSC biologist A. Marm Kilpatrick.

UCSC wins NSF grant to train more math and science teachers

Regional schools in need of qualified math and science teachers will benefit from a $750,000 grant to UCSC from the National Science Foundation's Robert Noyce Teacher Scholars Program.

Valley networks on Mars formed during long period of episodic flooding, study finds

A new study suggests that ancient features on the surface of Mars called valley networks were carved by recurrent floods during a long period when the martian climate may have been much like that of some arid or semi-arid regions on Earth.

Grant provides funds for high-throughput DNA sequencer

UCSC scientists will be able to sequence DNA using next-generation high-throughput instrumentation, thanks to new funding from the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences.

Helping minority entrepreneurs succeed would reduce wealth inequality, economist says

African Americans aren't getting the same boost from self-employment that Asians and whites enjoy, and the racial disparities demand new policy initiatives, says economist Robert Fairlie.

Alumnus Joseph DeRisi wins $250,000 Heinz Award

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

Researchers attract record $131 million in funding in 2007-08

UCSC researchers attracted a record $131 million in external grants and contracts to the campus in the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Linguistics professor receives grant to help preserve endangered language

UCSC professor of linguistics Sandra Chung has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a collaborative project to help preserve the endangered Chamorro language.

UCSC art professor presents exhibit in subways and galleries of Japan

"Are We There Yet?" is the title of UCSC assistant art professor Dee Hibbert-Jones' new public artwork and interactive sound installation--on exhibit in Japan throughout September.

UC Santa Cruz team developing a high-tech dictionary for the classroom

Dictionaries in the classroom may go the way of typewriters if researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have their way.

NSF grant provides scholarships for UC Santa Cruz engineering students

A new scholarship program will provide financial and academic support for students in the Baskin School of Engineering, thanks to a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

New space telescope reveals entire gamma-ray sky

NASA's newest observatory, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), has begun its mission of exploring the universe in high-energy gamma rays using instruments developed by UCSC physicists.

Linguistics grad program at UCSC celebrates outstanding 22 years

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

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

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

Large Hadron Collider set to unveil a new world of particle physics

The field of particle physics is poised to enter unknown territory with the startup of a massive new accelerator--the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)--in Europe this summer.

UCSC water polo teams to compete in NCAA Division III for one more year

UC Santa Cruz is pleased to announce that both the men's and women's water polo teams will compete in NCAA Division III during the 2008-2009 academic year.At the conclusion of the 2008-2009 season, both teams will return to their positions as club sports

UCSC grad student receives Princess Grace award

UCSC graduate student Kimberly Bautista has been awarded a 2008 Princess Grace Honorarium. She is one of 44 recipients across the country who were recognized for distinction in the fields of theater, dance and film.

Study shows clumps and streams of dark matter in inner regions of the Milky Way

Using one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world to simulate the halo of dark matter that envelopes our galaxy, researchers found dense clumps and streams of the mysterious stuff lurking in the inner regions of the halo, in the same neighborhood

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

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

Two UCSC professors receive prestigious Humboldt Research Awards

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has chosen Robert Coe and James Zachos, both professors of Earth and planetary sciences at UC Santa Cruz, to receive Humboldt Research Awards this year.

UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures announces 2008-09 season

Researchers find new mode of gene regulation in mammals

UCSC researchers have discovered a type of gene regulation never before observed in mammals--a "ribozyme" that controls the activity of an important family of genes in several different species.

Staff tree trimmer wins tree-climbing championship

Staff tree trimmer Jessica Petrini won the women's division of the Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture Tree Climbing Championships.

Moore Foundation awards $3.7 million in additional funding for UCSC ocean scientist Jonathan Zehr

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded a four-year, $3.7 million grant to Jonathan Zehr, professor of ocean sciences at UCSC.

Higher temperatures helped new strain of West Nile virus spread, study finds

Higher temperatures helped a new strain of West Nile virus invade and spread across North America, according to a new study.

Evidence of massive asteroid impact on Mars supported by computer simulations

The dramatic differences between the northern and southern hemispheres of Mars are the result of a massive asteroid impact, according to studies by UCSC planetary scientists.

Microchip developed by UCSC engineer is helping restore vision to the blind

Last year, Wentai Liu watched as surgeons implanted a microchip he had designed into the eye of a blind patient. For Liu, a professor of electrical engineering at UCSC, it was a major milestone in two decades of work on an artificial retina to restore vis

UCSC biochemist Seth Rubin named Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences

The Pew Charitable Trusts has named Seth Rubin, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.

New study raises concerns about proposed mitigation strategy for marine bycatch

A recent proposal would compensate for marine bycatch by reducing other impacts on affected species, but a new analysis suggests that this strategy could end up doing more harm than good.

Freshman 'SIR' numbers reflect UCSC's increasing popularity

Class of 2008's commencement exercises, celebrations take place June 12-15

Undergraduate awards ceremony caps annual Student Achievement Week

Students, staff, faculty, family, and friends gathered on the East Field on Friday, June 6, as accomplishments in an array of disciplines were recognized at this year's Student Achievement Awards Ceremony. The ceremony capped Student Achievement Week, an

George R. Blumenthal inaugurated as UCSC chancellor in campus ceremony

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

UC students travel to Denmark for renewable energy summer program

Faculty at UCSC have organized a renewable energy program that will bring together U.S. and Danish students for four weeks this summer in Lolland, Denmark.

Three UCSC graduate students win big grants for biotechnology research

Three UCSC graduate students have been selected to receive training grants intended to hasten innovations in a variety of biotechnology-related fields. The two-year grants provide $50,000 per year for each student.

New HIV browser gives researchers access to valuable data from vaccine trials

A new HIV data browser developed by UCSC and the nonprofit organization Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases (GSID) will give researchers access to a wealth of data collected during clinical trials of an AIDS vaccine.

UCSC humanities dean wins international award

Georges Van Den Abbeele, dean of humanities at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has been awarded the 2008 Blaise Pascal Medal for Social Sciences by the European Academy of Sciences.

Strange ring found circling dead star

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found a bizarre ring of material around the magnetic remains of a star that blasted to smithereens.

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

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

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

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

VETS program aims to help veterans returning to the classroom

Veterans Education Team Support (VETS), a program launching this spring and run by Services for Transfer and Re-Entry Students (STARS), is for veterans returning to school.

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

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

UCSC grad students contribute 'Bureau of Disruptions' exhibit to San Jose global digital arts festival

Peregrine falcons at San Jose City Hall draw crowds online

Wildlife biologist Glenn Stewart is both pleased and amused at the huge popularity of the webcams he has helped set up to allow people to watch peregrine falcons in action.

UC Santa Cruz research team earns NASA award

The outstanding performance of the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) will soon be recognized with a prestigious NASA Public Service Group Achievement Award.

Week of events spotlights student achievement

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

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

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

Thirty-Meter Telescope focuses on two candidate sites

After completing a worldwide survey of astronomical sites for the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT), the TMT Observatory Corporation board of directors has selected two outstanding sites, one in each hemisphere, for further consideration.

Moore Foundation renews support for marine microbiology research at UCSC

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded a $4.8 million grant to UCSC to fund ongoing research in marine microbiology.

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

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

Sharon Daniel honored by Tribeca Film Institute for artistic excellence

UC Santa Cruz awarded $7.2 million grant for stem cell research center

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has approved a $7.2 million grant to fund a new stem cell research center at UCSC.

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

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

EPA names UC Santa Cruz sixth-largest campus purchaser of 'green power' for second year in a row

For the second year in a row, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified the University of California, Santa Cruz, as the sixth-largest campus purchaser of "green power" in the country.

Seismologist Thorne Lay elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Thorne Lay, professor of Earth and planetary sciences at UCSC, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.

Astronomer Claire Max elected to National Academy of Sciences

Claire Max, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UCSC, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of her distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Compact galaxies in early universe pack a big punch

A team of astronomers looking at galaxies in the universe's distant past have discovered nine young, compact galaxies, each weighing in at 200 billion times the mass of the Sun.

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

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

Films by four UC Santa Cruz students featured during Reel Work Film Festival

Films about the immigrant experience and last fall's writers' strike are among the works by four UC Santa Cruz students that will be screened during the seventh annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival, which takes place April 25-May 11.

Grateful Dead donates archives to UC Santa Cruz

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

Anthropologist Erin Vogel featured on Animal Planet May 6

Field work in Borneo can be hot, sweaty work. Just ask the <i>Animal Planet</i> crew that filmed anthropology's Erin Vogel for a program scheduled to air Tuesday, May 6.

Grateful Dead to announce partnership with UCSC at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium - Watch press conference

UCSC computer scientists develop solutions for long-term storage of digital data

UCSC computer scientists have developed a new solution for storing vast amounts of digital information in a way that allows future generations to recover it.

Alumnus-lecturer creates Renaissance-style paintings for Wisconsin church

Improve teacher quality and retention by broadening teacher preparation, professor says

Aspiring teachers come to the profession with a wealth of life experience that shapes their training, their work in the classroom, and their longevity in the occupation, says the author of the new book <i>Teaching What They Learn, Learning What They Live<

UCSC alumna Dana Priest wins Pulitzer Prize for Walter Reed exposé

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

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

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

Scientists obtain first direct observations of protein-synthesis mechanism

Research by UCSC molecular biologist Harry Noller and his collaborators has led to the first direct observations of the mechanism for protein synthesis in living cells.

Hatchery fish outnumber wild chinook salmon in troubled fall run

A recent study indicates that wild salmon may account for just 10 percent of California's fall-run chinook salmon population, while the vast majority of the fish come from hatcheries.

New findings from Tibetan Plateau suggest uplift occurred in stages

New evidence from an eight-year study by UCSC and Chinese researchers indicates that the Tibetan Plateau rose in stages, with uplift occurring first in the central plateau and later in regions to the north and south.

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

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

UC Santa Cruz anthropologists confirm link between diet and teeth of chimpanzees and orangutans

For the first time, anthropologists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have measured the mechanical properties of foods eaten in the wild by orangutans and chimpanzees to test assumptions about the link between diet and the teeth of primates.

New book spotlights the experiences of Mexicans in Chicago

Chicago is home to one of the largest populations of Mexicans in the United States, and the experiences of Mexican immigrants in the Windy City offer a revealing lesson in how the forces of racism work, according to the author of the new book <i>Mexican C

UC Santa Cruz engineering students win national robotics competition

A team of four students from UCSC's Baskin School of Engineering won the first-place trophy in a national student robotics competition for their design of a solar-powered robot that can climb up a vertical ribbon carrying a payload.

Become a docent at the UCSC Farm & Garden

Do you enjoy gardening, learning about food and farming issues, and sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge with others? If the answer is "yes!," then consider becoming a tour guide at two of Santa Cruz's most beautiful locations.

National engineering honor society installs chapter at UC Santa Cruz

The Engineering Honor Society at UC Santa Cruz was officially installed as the California Alpha Delta Chapter of Tau Beta Pi in a ceremony held on Saturday, March 8, at UCSC's Baskin School of Engineering.

Nearby star should harbor detectable, Earth-like planets

A rocky planet similar to Earth may be orbiting one of our nearest stellar neighbors and could be detected using existing techniques, according to a new study led by UCSC astronomers.

Biotech students learn about neglected diseases from alumna Nina Grove

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

Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, researchers find

The ecological impacts of introduced rats on islands extend far beyond seabird nesting colonies, according to a new UCSC study that provides support for efforts to eradicate rats from the Aleutian Islands.

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

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

Why does popcorn cost so much at the movies?

Movie theaters are notorious for charging consumers top dollar for concession items such as popcorn, soda, and candy. Are moviegoers just being gouged?

Past greenhouse warming events provide clues to what the future may hold

Scientists studying an episode of extreme global warming in Earth's past are piecing together an increasingly detailed picture of its causes and consequences.

Animated tutors help remedial readers, language learners, autistic children

Tools developed by researchers exploring language and speech comprehension can become powerful aids for remedial readers, children with language challenges, and anyone learning a second language, according to psychology professor Dominic Massaro of the Un

UCSC project aims to provide a virtual speech therapist via cell phone

UCSC researchers have received funding from Microsoft Research to develop a virtual speech therapist, accessible on a cell phone, to aid stroke survivors in Malaysia.

Astronomers find one of the youngest and brightest galaxies in the early universe

NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have uncovered what may be one of the youngest and brightest galaxies ever seen in the middle of the cosmic "dark ages," just 700 million years after the beginning of our universe.

Alums teach UCSC film students about life in the movie biz

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

UCSC's new Center for Integrated Water Research will help cities and regions secure safe and reliable water

A new interdisciplinary research center at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is bringing an innovative, regional approach to the challenge of meeting the demand for safe and reliable water.

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

Unusual supernovae may reveal intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters

A strange and violent fate awaits a white dwarf star that wanders too close to a moderately massive black hole.

Election advisory: UC Santa Cruz experts available for commentary and analysis

As the local, state, and national election season heats up, the following experts at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are available for media interviews.

Undergraduate applications to UC Santa Cruz soar

More high school seniors and prospective transfer students than ever applied to study at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for fall 2008.

Changing fashions govern mating success in lark buntings, study finds

A study of how female lark buntings choose their mates, published this week in <i>Science</i>, adds a surprising new twist to the evolutionary theory of sexual selection.

Graduate student's film featured at Sundance Film Festival

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

UC Santa Cruz professor investigates the extraordinary power of insults

Sea otter study reveals striking variability in diets and feeding strategies

Scientists studying southern sea otters at different sites in California's coastal waters were not surprised to find that the dietary diversity of the population is higher where food is limited. But this diversity was not reflected in the diets of individ

New nanostructured thin film shows promise for efficient solar energy conversion

Combining two nanotech methods for engineering solar cell materials appears to yield better results than either one alone does, according to UCSC chemist Jin Zhang.