Donor News

Michael McCawley appointed director of admissions at UC Santa Cruz

Astronomers' pristine gas discovery among top scientific breakthroughs of 2011

Lists from Science and Physics World of the top scientific breakthroughs of the year include the discovery of primordial gas clouds by UCSC astronomers.

UC Santa Cruz astronomer Jerry Nelson to receive 2012 Franklin Medal

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has announced that Jerry Nelson, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, will receive the 2012 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering.

Do you use "vocal fry?" It's the most popular story on ScienceNOW, ever

Science communication student Marissa Fessenden's article about "vocal fry" is the most popular story ever published on Science magazine's online news site.

UCSC community again embracing holiday opportunities to give

The UCSC community once again pooled its resources to support a number of holiday giving drives aimed at providing food, gifts, and basic necessities to needy children and families in Santa Cruz County.

Study of research impact ranks UCSC 21st in the world

UC Santa Cruz ranks 21st in the world in a five-year measure of the top 500 universities based on the impact of its researchers' scholarly publications.

Still time to make a year-end gift to UC Santa Cruz

Environmental Studies faculty stands up for experiential education

Faculty in UCSC's Environmental Studies program have teamed up to launch a fundraiser to protect the future of its experiential education courses.

Education researchers win $2 million grant to prepare teachers who help English learners

Education researchers at UC Santa Cruz have received nearly $2 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education to develop methods of training prospective elementary school teachers how to best teach English to English learners while also teaching grade-level content.

Free computers help community college students improve skills

In the first-ever field experiment involving the provision of free computers to students for home use, UC Santa Cruz economics professor Rob Fairlie found that when students had access to a computer at home their grades went up along with -- not surprisingly -- their computer skills.

Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz named to Silicon Valley's '40 Under 40'

Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz is among 40 "rising stars" in Silicon Valley recognized by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.

House names Capitol meeting room in honor of Gabe Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to name a room in the Capitol for UC Santa Cruz alumnus Gabe Zimmerman (Stevenson, '02, sociology), the Congressional community outreach director who was killed in the January shooting rampage in Tucson.

Soc Doc alumna reports from Egypt’s Tahrir Square

UCSC alumna Bridgette Auger was following women activists in Egypt’s Tahrir Square last week when they came under fire during a clash between protesters and police. Auger—who received her Master's degree in Social Documentation from UCSC earlier this year—shot video footage of the incident, which can be seen on the Daily Beast web site.

SSC and Theater Arts team up for holiday extravaganza

After a brief hiatus, the popular year-end holiday co-production by Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Theater Arts Department returns this year for "A Year with Frog and Toad"—running through December 11 at UCSC’s Mainstage Theater.

Submarine springs offer preview of ocean acidification effects on coral reefs

Observations at submarine springs found along the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are giving scientists a preview of the possible fate of coral reef ecosystems in response to ocean acidification.

Writing instructor's essay included in natural history anthology

An essay by Sarah Juniper Rabkin, a lecturer and researcher in the UC Santa Cruz Environmental Studies Department is included in "The Way of Natural History" (Trinity University Press, 2011), an anthology in which more than 20 writers argue that attention to nature is a key pathway to nurturing our humanity.

UCSC grad is an editor of the 'Occupied Wall Street Journal'

Despite the bust-up of Occupy encampments nationwide, a UC Santa Cruz graduate who helps edit the newspaper for the popular movement credits media outreach with spreading the message of economic fairness beyond the downtown parks where the movement began.

Pulitzer Prize winning poet to read at 2nd Morton Marcus event, Nov. 20

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Kay Ryan—the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2008-2010, who just a few weeks ago received a MacArthur (“genius”) Fellowship award--will be the featured guest at the 2nd annual Morton Marus Memorial Poetry Reading, Sunday, November 20.

UCSC leads $4 million NOAA project to monitor harmful algal blooms

Scientists are launching a major effort to understand the conditions leading to blooms of toxic algae along the California coast.

Arboretum celebrates partnership with Amah Mutsun tribe

The Arboretum and the Amah Mutsun tribe are working together on a project that highlights native plants traditionally used by the Mutsun people.

UCSC fundraisers honored at Silicon Valley Philanthropy Day

Two UCSC fundraising teams will be recognized by the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Astronomers find clouds of primordial gas from the early universe

For the first time, astronomers have found pristine clouds of the primordial gas that formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang.

Slug men's water polo hopes to make big splash at national championships

This will be a momentous weekend for the UC Santa Cruz men's water polo team. The Banana Slugs are set to make history as they head to Atlanta as the first-ever team from a Division III school to compete in the National Collegiate Club Championship, a Division I tournament.

United Way kicks off workplace fundraising campaign at UCSC

The economic slump has increased the urgency of the United Way's latest fundraiser. The UCSC community is stepping up to help with a workplace campaign that runs through Nov. 11.

UCSC wins $2.6 million grant for organic farming research

UC Santa Cruz will continue and expand its leading role in sustainable agriculture research with a $2.6 million federal grant to strengthen collaboration with Central Coast farmers to promote organic production in the region.

Video chat with Chancellor Blumenthal

Speaking from the newly remodeled McHenry Library, Chancellor Blumenthal welcomes new and returning students, notes the increasing diversity of the student body, and highlights recent campus accomplishments.

Tom Pettigrew wins social psychology career award

Thomas F. Pettigrew, research professor of social psychology at UC Santa Cruz, is one of two recipients of a new Career Achievement Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP).

UCSC Arboretum holds Dried Flower and Succulent Wreath Sale Nov. 12 and 13

Wonderful holiday decorations and gifts will be available from the UCSC Arboretum at the Dried Flower and Succulent Wreath Sale on November 12 and 13.

UCSC's Museum of Natural History holds open house and fundraiser

Two master naturalists will share their wisdom with the community when the UC Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Collections (MNHC) holds its third annual open house and fundraiser Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Science and Engineering Library periodicals room on the UCSC campus.

UCSC presents inaugural Sikh and Punjabi Studies conference Nov. 10-12

On November 10-12, leading scholars from the United States, Canada, and England will come together for the inaugural conference in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at UC Santa Cruz.

UCSC cholera biofilm team wins Deloitte QB3 Award for Innovation

A team of UC Santa Cruz researchers working to find new drugs to fight cholera has won a $10,000 Award for Innovation

Excess nutrients threaten Elkhorn Slough ecosystem

A new study documents the effects of high nutrient levels in Elkhorn Slough, especially where water control structures limit tidal exchange.

2011 Founders Celebration Dinner: recognizing extraordinary achievement

A Nobel-prize-winning cancer researcher, a biotech industry veteran, and a central figure in the founding of UC Santa Cruz, were among the honorees at the Founders Celebration gala dinner, which drew 350 people to the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz on Friday.

Baskin School of Engineering promotes increased participation of women in computing

During the past two years, the number of women majoring in computer science at UC Santa Cruz has increased by 40 percent.

2011 UCSC Foundation Forum: on the front lines of the cancer war

The UCSC Foundation Forum, “At the Dawn of Personalized Medicine," presented a rare, front-lines look at the future of personalized cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Researchers work with high school teachers on new state writing standards

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz, in collaboration with local educational agencies, have won a $250,000 grant to help high school English teachers in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District prepare for new state standards in reading and writing.

UCSC honors Marti Noxon at Hollywood Film/TV alumni event

Award-winning writer and producer Marti Noxon (Mad Men, Grey’s Anatomy, Glee) was presented with the first UCSC Film & Digital Media Prestigious Alumni Award at a ceremony held last week at the Soho House in West Hollywood.

West Nile virus transmission linked to land use patterns, 'super-spreaders'

In most places, only a few key species of bird "hosts" and mosquito "vectors" are important in transmission of West Nile virus.

UCSC sponsors SACNAS national conference in San Jose, October 27-30

UCSC is supporting the efforts of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.

Beyond calories and consumption, new book critiques obesity orthodoxies

Julie Guthman, associate professor of community studies, challenges many widely held assumptions about the “obesity epidemic” in her new book, "Weighing In: Obesity, Food Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism."

Elliot Aronson to deliver fall Emeriti Lecture Oct. 27

Elliot Aronson, emeritus professor of psychology, will deliver the fall 2011 Emeriti Lecture, "The Psychology of Self-Persuasion: Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts," at UC Santa Cruz on Thursday, October 27.

Physicist Bill Atwood awarded Panofsky Prize in Experimental Particle Physics

The American Physical Society has awarded the 2012 Panofsky Prize in Experimental Particle Physics to physicist William Atwood.

Google chief economist kicks off finance lecture series at UC Santa Cruz

Hal Varian, chief economist at Google and a UC Berkeley emeritus professor, is the inaugural speaker of a quarterly lecture series being launched by a new financial and economic risk-analysis initiative at UC Santa Cruz.

UCSC ranked third in research influence in world university survey

In an analysis of the world's top universities, UCSC ranked third in research influence.

Community water projects in rural Kenya help raise family income

Rural family incomes tend to rise when Kenyan women don't have to spend several hours a day lugging water to their villages, UC Santa Cruz sociology professor Ben Crow writes in a new paper in the journal World Development.

Private contributions to UCSC rise 10 percent

Private donors gave nearly $22 million to UC Santa Cruz during the 2010-11 year, increasing their giving in the wake of state budget cuts to the university. During a year in which state support for UCSC declined by $31 million, total giving to the campus jumped nearly 10 percent.

Geologist Casey Moore honored by Geological Society of Japan

The Geological Society of Japan has awarded its International Prize to UCSC geologist Casey Moore.

UCSC grads turn senior project into game design company

A new iPad game now available from Apple's App Store showcases the professional quality of the work done by UCSC students in the computer game design program.

Founders Dinner on October 21 to honor achievement, service, and scholarship

UC Santa Cruz will host its fifth annual Founders Celebration dinner at the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz on Friday, October 21.

Five UCSC students win Fulbright scholarships

Five UC Santa Cruz students in four disciplines are winners of Fulbright scholarships for a year of research and study abroad. They will travel to China, Germany, Italy, and Mexico for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Baskin School of Engineering showcases research advances on Thursday, October 20

Advances in three exciting areas of technological innovation--computer games, genomics, and network science--will be presented by faculty in the Baskin School of Engineering at the school's annual Research Review Day.

Arboretum's fall plant sale on Oct. 8 features beautiful, unusual plants

The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum will hold its annual Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, October 8, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Eucalyptus Grove on High Street.

Experts discuss the future of cancer diagnosis and treatment on Oct. 21

Nobel laureate J. Michael Bishop, Genentech chairman Art Levinson, and UCSC's David Haussler discuss the dawn of personalized medicine in UCSC Foundation Forum.

LALS post-doc's research proposal wins top award from UC-Mexico funder

Tania Cruz Salazar's research on immigration by indigenous youth recently won the UC MEXUS Monarch Award for the most outstanding proposal submitted for funding this year.

Frans Lanting’s multimedia show to highlight UCSC evening at Flint Center

For more than two decades, acclaimed nature photographer Frans Lanting has documented wildlife from the Amazon to Antarctica, in an effort to promote understanding about the Earth and its natural history. On October 15, he will join with the campus for a remarkable evening of art, science and life, at the Flint Center in Cupertino.

"Science Notes 2011" now available online

Sneaky salmon-snatching sea lions, African island tree frogs, and octopus-shaped sand dollars--these stories and more appear in Science Notes 2011, the annual magazine published by UCSC's Science Communication Program.

The New McHenry: It’s Not Your Parents’ Library

I’m sitting in a “Group Study” room of the newly renovated McHenry Library at UC Santa Cruz and I’ve got to admit—I’m pretty relaxed.

UCSC hosts fall harvest festival on September 25

Celebrate the bounty of fall at the 17th annual Fall Harvest Festival, Sunday, September 25 at UC Santa Cruz’s 25-acre organic farm with live music, food, apple tasting, apple pie bake-off, garden talks, hay rides, events for kids, and tours.

Prominent Indian statesman Karan Singh to deliver Satyajit Ray Lecture

Distinguished Indian statesman and diplomat Dr. Karan Singh will deliver the 2011 Satyajit Ray Lecture at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, September 24, at 5:30 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall.

Archaeology probes West African cities and impact of European influence

UCSC anthropologist J. Cameron Monroe writes about archaeological exploration of sub-Saharan African cities that played a prominent role in the slave trade of the 17th through 19th centuries.

New material shows promise for trapping pollutants

UCSC chemists have developed a new type of material that can soak up pollutants from water.

UC Santa Cruz expert explains origins of political crisis in Nigeria

The car bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Aug. 26 is an ominous sign of the increasing militancy of disaffected Muslim youth in Africa's most populous nation, according to UC Santa Cruz professor Paul M. Lubeck, who spent six weeks this summer conducting research in Kano, Nigeria's largest city in the predominantly Muslim north.

Annual UCSC plant sale kicks off fall gardening season

The UCSC Farm & Garden’s Fall Plant Sale offers a rich and timely selection of organically raised vegetable seedlings, perennials, and California natives Friday and Saturday, September 9 and 10.

UCSC’s Dickens Project featured in August issue of New Yorker

In the August 29 issue of the New Yorker, staff writer Jill Lepore has written a fascinating feature story about the Dickens Project at UC Santa Cruz.

UC Santa Cruz receives $500,000 gift to establish George Hitchcock poetry endowment

UC Santa Cruz has received a gift of $500,000 to establish The George P. Hitchcock Modern Poetry Fund at Porter College.

Resolution introduced to name Capitol room in honor of Gabe Zimmerman

A resolution has been introduced in Congress to name a meeting room at the U.S. Capitol in honor of UC Santa Cruz alumnus Gabe Zimmerman, the congressional staffer killed in the January shooting spree that wounded his boss, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.

UCSC moves forward with ecological horticulture apprenticeship program

The pioneering Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture program at the UC Santa Cruz Farm and Garden will continue to offer hands-on training in small-scale organic agriculture despite a significant loss of state and federal funding to the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS).

Shakespeare Santa Cruz kicks off 30th anniversary summer festival July 19

Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC) opens its 30th anniversary season on July 19 at the Mainstage Theater, with Shakespeare’s most popular farce-The Comedy of Errors.

Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems

The decline of large predators and other "apex consumers" at the top of the food chain has disrupted ecosystems all over the planet, according to a review of recent findings.

New endowment supports students at UCSC Arboretum

A gift of $127,000 from the estate of World War II Navy veteran Dudley Green has established a new endowment in support of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum.

Costume designers bring life to Shakespeare characters, from Falstaff to the 'Tavern Tarts'

How would Falstaff dress himself? What would the "Tavern Tarts" wear? Shakespeare Santa Cruz's costume designers shared a few secrets about an art form that changes the way audiences experience a Shakespeare play.

Evolutionary / Revolutionary: an evening of art, music, science

The University of California, Santa Cruz will present Evolutionary/Revolutionary, a remarkable evening of art, science and life, on Saturday, October 15, at the Flint Center in Cupertino.

Hire Education video contest winner chosen

Film and digital media major Adam Mieuli, who just graduated in June, won our contest with his creative video that featured both style and substance.

UCSC researchers contribute to detailed ovarian cancer analysis

A team of UCSC researchers contributed to an analysis of genomic changes in ovarian cancer that has provided the most comprehensive and integrated view of cancer genes to date. Their work focused on understanding the molecular pathways in the cell that are disrupted in ovarian cancer.

UCSC professor investigates social impact of technology

How can we as citizens use technology to contribute to the public good? That’s a key question fueling the research of UC Santa Cruz associate professor of film and digital media Warren Sack.

Researchers win $2 million grant to study spread of bat-killing fungus

Two UC Santa Cruz researchers, Winifred F. Frick and A. Marm Kilpatrick, have won a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to study the spread of a fungus that is decimating bat populations in the northeastern United States.

Film & TV industry alums reconnect with campus

“The UC Santa Cruz student may not get the first job compared to his or her Ivy League competitor...but I assure you they will get the BEST job in the end...because they will out-think them.” That was the takeaway message from the keynote address by UCSC alumnus—and president of Lionsgate Television—Kevin Beggs at the June 3-4 Film Symposium presented by the Arts Division.

Professor documents the immigrant experience in Santa Cruz County

In her new book, "I'm Neither Here nor There, Mexicans' Quotidian Struggles with Migration and Poverty," Professor Patricia Zavella describes how poor and working class Mexican Americans and migrants struggle for identity in Santa Cruz County.

EPA administrator speaks of commitment to environmental justice

In her College 10 commencement address June 12, Lisa P. Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, spoke of her commitment to environmental justice and lauded College 10's focus on social justice.

As the slug rises: Once subversive, UCSC's beloved mascot turns 25

This year marks the 25th anniversary of UC Santa Cruz's famous banana slug mascot, a once-subversive symbol on campus. This month, a former chancellor and various alumni looked back on the days when the fate of this character hung on a slender thread of slime.

Video chat with Chancellor Blumenthal

Chancellor Blumenthal reflects on spring commencement, campus achievements and challenges over the 2010-2011 academic year, and the 25th anniversary of the banana slug becoming the official mascot of UC Santa Cruz.

In Memoriam: George Malloch

George Malloch Jr., who served as a trustee of the UC Santa Cruz Foundation from 1990 to 2002, died on May 21 in Germany. A resident of Brookdale in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mr. Malloch was president of the foundation from 1997-1999.

Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas honored at 39th annual performance

Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas was presented with two awards of recognition during the troupe's 39th annual spring concert including Watsonville Mayor Daniel Dodge proclaiming June 3 "Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas Day" in Watsonville.

Five UCSC instructors honored for their teaching excellence

Five instructors at UC Santa Cruz received the campus's Excellence in Teaching Award during the annual year-end ceremony on Friday honoring undergraduate student achievement. Students nominate faculty and the Academic Senate Committee on Teaching selects awardees, based on input from deans, department chairs, and materials submitted by nominees.

A summary of summery things to do at UCSC

The long, lazy days of summer are a great time to explore UC Santa Cruz and its off-campus facilities. Whether you want to soak up some culture with a play, learn about exotic plants, or get up close and personal with marine mammals, UCSC offers the opportunity.

10x10: 10 grads in 10 days

UCSC's Class of 2011 includes these outstanding 10 new graduates, whose profiles--including photos and videos--will roll out here over the two weeks before commencement.

UCSC documentary exhibition premieres at Del Mar Theater

Soon-to-be graduates of the Social Documentation (Soc Doc) program at UC Santa Cruz will premiere their masters thesis video documentaries at the Del Mar Theater in Santa Cruz, Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. The screening is free and open to the public.

President of Lionsgate Television to give keynote address at UCSC Film Symposium

UCSC alumnus Kevin Beggs, the president of Lionsgate Television Group, will deliver the keynote address for a two-day film symposium—Bridging the Gap—at UC Santa Cruz, June 3-4.

Solar-powered scoreboard coming to Lower East Field

Wells Fargo Bank is paying for the first permanent outdoor playing field scoreboard in campus history. The $15,000 scoreboard will be solar-powered and a much better fit for the 300 spectators that come to the men’s and women’s intercollegiate soccer matches.

UCSC economist expects emerging economies to push for next IMF head

The resignation of the head of the International Monetary Fund sets the stage for a tussle between developing countries and European economies, according to Joshua Aizenman, an international economics expert at UC Santa Cruz.

UC Santa Cruz students reap the benefits of Measure 43

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of Measure 43, the student-funded Sustainable Food, Health, and Wellness Initiative at UC Santa Cruz that has treated thousands of students to a broad menu of ways to learn about food, including workshops, campus conferences, events, and classes.

New book questions effectiveness of peace-building workshops

In his new book, UCSC psychology professor Phillip L. Hammack questions the effectiveness of peace-building workshops involving Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in the United States.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson joins eclectic UCSC commencement speakers

Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, joins an eclectic selection of speakers as UC Santa Cruz's 10 colleges and graduate division hold commencement ceremonies June 10-12 when more than 3,000 students will receive bachelors, masters, Ph.D degrees, and graduate certificates.

UCSC to host tennis championships

UC Santa Cruz Athletics Department has been selected as one of the sites for the 2011 NCAA Men's Tennis Division III Championships.

Alumnae best current women's soccer team in friendly game

Graduates grabbed their cleats and headed back to campus for the Women's Soccer Alumni game on April 30. The alumnnae came out victorious, winning 2-0.

Jewish Studies conference set for UC Santa Cruz on May 22-24

A conference designed to highlight the role women have played in the forging of Italian Jewish identity will take place May 22-24, on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

UCSC Foundation president elected to Glaucoma Research Society

UC Santa Cruz Foundation President Gary Novack was recently selected as a member of the Glaucoma Research Society.

Destiny and development in the Mayan tradition of midwifery

Barbara Rogoff is accustomed to choosing what she will write about. But with her most recent book, "Developing Destinies: A Mayan Midwife and Town," the project chose her. The book is part memoir, part ethnography, part research study in child developmental psychology. It's also clearly a labor of love.

Analysis shows personal contact reduces tension and prejudice

In a new book, "When Groups Meet: the Dynamics of Intergroup Contact," Thomas F. Pettigrew, an international expert on racism, and Linda R. Tropp, associate professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, analyze research that shows how bringing groups together can mitigate prejudice.

College Nine celebrates 10 years with film, performances, receptions

Nine is 10. College Nine celebrates its 10th anniversary May 13-15 with a multitude of events including "Peace on Fire: Global Blues, Poetry, & Politics," a spoken-word and live music performance Saturday, May 14, featuring Angela Davis, Corey Harris, Ekua Omosupe, and Shailja Patel at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.

Slug men's tennis swings through Southern California

The Slug tennis team returned from a road trip to Southern California on April 15 and 16 with three solid wins under their belt.

Senior Slugs pay it forward with student-to-student philanthropy project

This year, 21 UCSC seniors are asking classmates to help fellow undergraduates pay for their education. Council members hope to inspire 15 percent of their class to contribute, and expect to raise about $10,000 for the Class of 2012.

Well-known alumni writers discuss their craft in May 1 symposium

UC Santa Cruz alumnus David Talbot, founder of Salon.com and best-selling author of "Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years," will kick off "A Writer's Life: A Celebration of Writing at UCSC" Sunday, May 1. Talbot will be joined by other well-known UCSC alumni novelists, journalists, and screenwriters.

Three UCSC professors elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Three UCSC faculty are among 212 leaders in the sciences, arts, humanities, business, public affairs, and nonprofit sector, who have been elected this year as fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Scholarship winner reports from National Conference for Media Reform

Corinne Warnshuis, a fourth-year sociology major at UC Santa Cruz, reports from the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston after winning a scholarship to attend.

UCSC looks ahead with Inventing the Future of Games

University research and an enthusiasm for bridging disciplines mark the pathways to the future of games, according to speakers at the first-ever Inventing the Future of Games symposium, held April 15.

UCSC Farm & Garden’s Annual Spring Plant Sale slated for April 30 and May 1

The UCSC Farm & Garden’s Spring Plant Sale takes place Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, in the Barn Theater parking lot at the base of the UC Santa Cruz campus, near the intersection of Bay and High streets in Santa Cruz. The sale will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Saturday, members of the Friends of the Farm & Garden enjoy priority early entry starting at 9 a.m.

Second Rethinking Capitalism conference attracts large audience

The second Rethinking Capitalism conference at UC Santa Cruz April 7-9 attracted attentive audiences – much from the Santa Cruz community – for three days of discussions on the perils facing capitalism and government efforts designed to prop it up.

Elliot Aronson wins UC distinguished emeriti award

Elliot Aronson, emeritus professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named winner of the 2010 Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award given to outstanding University of California professors in the humanities or social sciences for research and activities since retirement.

Community invited to 2nd 'Day By the Bay' celebration at UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz will host its second annual Day by the Bay celebration on Saturday, April 30. Part of the campus's alumni reunion weekend, Day by the Bay will feature a morning forum, a lunchtime picnic, and a host of other activities.

Sesnon Gallery’s 40th Anniversary Exhibition opens April 5

The Sesnon Gallery at UC Santa Cruz will toast its 40th anniversary this spring with a special exhibition--featuring a provocative cross-section of what it has offered the campus and community for the past four decades.

Elliot Aronson nominated for book, emeriti awards

Elliot Aronson, emeritus professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been nominated for the 2010 Northern California Book Award in Creative Nonfiction and the Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award of the University of California.

Social Sciences announces winners of distinguished alumni and emeriti awards

The UC Santa Cruz Social Sciences Division has named Peter R. Stein, (College Eight, '75) as winner of the 2011 Distinguished Social Sciences Alumni Award. Education professor emeritus Art Pearl has been selected to receive the 2011 Distinguished Social Sciences Emeriti Faculty Award.

Arts Dean to launch new ‘Creativity and Innovation’ lecture series

The UCSC Arts Division will debut a new series of free public lectures titled “Creativity and Innovation.” Dean David Yager has selected nine speakers—all noted for their unique ability to bridge innovation and creativity within their professional career paths.

Nominations sought for 2011 Chancellor's Achievement Awards for Diversity

You are invited to submit nominations for the 2011 Chancellor's Achievement Awards for Diversity. These awards will honor and showcase people and programs that have made outstanding contributions to furthering diversity, inclusion and excellence at UC Santa Cruz. Eligible recipients include undergraduate and graduate students, student organizations, faculty, non-senate academics, and staff employees, campus units (e.g., offices, departments or divisions) and academic or administrative programs.

Neanderthal genome research featured in UCTV report

Research on the Neanderthal genome by UC Santa Cruz bioinformatics professor Richard E. "Ed" Green is featured in the winter edition of "State of Minds," a 30-minute video magazine produced by University of California Television.

Honoring Gabe Zimmerman: UCSC nears endowment goal

Donors are closing in on their goal to establish the Gabriel Zimmerman Scholarship, honoring the hard-working, socially conscious UCSC grad who died in the Jan. 8 shootings in Tucson, Arizona.

UCSC economist testifies on widening wealth gap and barriers to financing

UC Santa Cruz economics professor Rob Fairlie told a U.S. Senate committee Thursday that significant financial barriers are keeping minority businesses from opening and expanding even in a recovering economy.

UCSC announces Baskins’ $1 million engineering gift at Scholarship Benefit Dinner

Chancellor George Blumenthal announced a special $1 million gift from Jack and Peggy Downes Baskin for engineering graduate fellowships at UCSC's eighth annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner.

Alums Dana Priest, Richard Harris win prestigious journalism awards

Two UC Santa Cruz alums, Richard Harris (Crown, 1980) and Dana Priest, (Merrill, 1981) have won prestigious journalism awards for their reporting last year on the Gulf oil spill and the national security complex.

UCSC scientist uses storm-chasing weather radar to track bats

Storm chasers have become bat counters. A UC Santa Cruz scientist, working with meteorologists at the University of Oklahoma, is using mobile storm-chasing radars to follow swarms of bats as they emerge from their caves each night to forage on insects.

New research center focuses on state's interconnected crises

The Center for Collaborative Research for an Equitable California, headquartered at UC Santa Cruz, is a new University of California research initiative that seeks to address the state’s interconnected crises in the economy, education, employment, environment, health, housing, and nutrition.

Sports roundup: Men's hoops, rugby, lacrosse

In early February competition, Slug men's basketball, rugby, and lacrosse came up with mixed results--but one Slug athlete hit a milestone.

Scholarship Benefit Dinner to provide vital financial support for students

UC Santa Cruz will host its eighth annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner on Saturday, February 26, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose.

UC Santa Cruz earns spot on 2011 Peace Corps Top Colleges rankings

UC Santa Cruz ranks 6th on Peace Corps's 2011 rankings of the top volunteer-producing colleges and universities (medium-size schools category).

Men's hoops: Half and half in Texas

The men's basketball team recently traveled to Irving, Texas, for a two-game tournament, with split results.

Rev. Deborah Johnson to receive Tony Hill Memorial Award

The Reverend Deborah L. Johnson, founding minister and president of Inner Light Ministries, has been chosen as the recipient of the third annual Tony Hill Memorial Award.

UCSC hosts alumni and friends night at SAP Open Tennis Tournament

Fernando Verdasco and Gael Monfils will play during UCSC Alumni and Friends Night at the SAP Open Tennis Tournament on February 9.

Scholarship fund established in honor of Gabriel Zimmerman

A scholarship fund has been established at UC Santa Cruz in honor of Gabriel Zimmerman, the UCSC alumnus who was killed in the shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz. that wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Men's hoops: Slugs come back, beat Pac Union College 72-63

The UCSC men's basketball team improved its overall record to seven wins and nine losses with a 72-63 victory over Pacific Union College.

Congressional aide Gabriel Zimmerman / Asesor del Congreso Gabriel Zimmerman

It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that one of the victims of the violence in Arizona on Saturday was UC Santa Cruz alum Gabriel Zimmerman.

Alumnus Gabriel Zimmerman remembered for social conscience, consensus-building

Friends and colleagues remembered UC Santa Cruz alumnus Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, one of six people fatally shot Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

Civil rights activist Terrence Roberts to address King Convocation Jan. 31

Civil rights activist Terrence Roberts will speak at UC Santa Cruz's 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation on Monday, January 31.