Press Releases

Michael McCawley appointed director of admissions at UC Santa Cruz

Lick Observatory open to public December 26 through January 1

Lick Observatory will be closed to the public December 24 and 25, but visiting hours will be extended for the rest of the holiday period.

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.

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.

Computer scientist Martín Abadi elected 2011 AAAS Fellow

Computer security expert Martín Abadi has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Music professor offers first in-depth look at jazz icon Carla Bley

A new book by UC Santa Cruz music professor Amy Beal marks the first comprehensive look at the music and influence of Carla Bley—an innovative American composer and performer who has surprisingly been overlooked in the field of jazz studies.

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.

UCSC Arts and Humanities faculty win USA fellowships

Two UCSC faculty are among the 50 writers, dancers, musicians, filmmakers and other artists nationwide who have been awarded $50,000 USA fellowships grants.

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.

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.

Ocean scientist Tom Guilderson wins E. O. Lawrence Award

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the 2011 E. O. Lawrence Award in Biological and Environmental Sciences to ocean scientist Tom Guilderson.

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.

Ulcer-causing bacteria tamed by defect in cell-targeting ability

Without the ability to swim to their targets in the stomach, ulcer-causing bacteria do not cause the inflammation of the stomach lining that leads to ulcers and stomach cancer.

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.

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.

Ancient lunar dynamo may explain magnetized moon rocks

A novel mechanism that could have generated a magnetic field on the moon early in its history may explain the presence of magnetized rocks on the lunar surface.

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.

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.

UCSC art historian contributes to Touré’s new book on “post-blackness”

History of Art and Visual Culture assistant professor Derek Conrad Murray adds to candid conversation about race in the age of Obama

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.

Fermi telescope adds surprising new pulsars to growing collection

Scientists using NASA's Fermi telescope have discovered nine new gamma-ray pulsars and a surprisingly powerful millisecond pulsar.

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.

Panelists to discuss renewable energy from the ocean in annual Norris Lecture Nov. 10

Panelists will explore the current prospects of deriving renewable energy from the ocean in the annual Ken Norris Memorial Lecture at the Seymour Center on Thursday, November 10.

UCTV Seminars now online and accepting submissions from researchers

University of California Television (UCTV) has launched a web portal that offers UC researchers a simple and cost-effective place to find and share peer-to-peer scholarly presentations in any academic discipline via video and visual media.

Study finds early growth trajectories have long-term effects on fitness

Researchers describe how food supply and environmental conditions affect the growth rates of organisms, which in turn influence future survival and reproduction.

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.

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.

Social Sciences honors teachers, staff members, students

Three teachers in the social sciences were honored for teaching and research as the division held its annual staff and faculty fall breakfast Oct. 12.

UCSC’s digital artists take over museum for one night only-Oct. 21

This Friday, October 21, student and alumni artists from UCSC’s Digital Arts & New Media (DANM) program will transform Santa Cruz’s Museum of Art & History into a dynamic hub of new interactive digital art and technology.

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."

Galaxy mergers not the trigger for most black hole feeding frenzies

A survey of distant galaxies shows that galaxy mergers are not responsible for most active galactic nuclei.

UCSC team makes final round of QB3 Award for Innovation contest

A UCSC research team is among five finalists competing for online votes to win a $10,000 innovation prize.

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.

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.

Educational Partnership Center receives $14 million in federal outreach grants

UC Santa Cruz's Educational Partnership Center has been awarded two GEAR UP federal grants to serve students in Pajaro Valley and South Monterey County.

Crab pulsar beams most energetic gamma rays ever detected from a pulsar

Astrophysicists have detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar at energies far beyond what current theoretical models of pulsars can explain.

UCSC steps up 'zero waste' projects

UCSC staff and students started off the school year by recycling a whopping 38,840 pounds of cardboard within the first two weeks of the fall quarter. The campus aims for zero waste by 2020.

Sociologist Lisa Jean Moore to present annual Baskin Ethics Lecture, Oct. 19

Lisa Jean Moore, professor of sociology and gender Studies at Purchase College, State University of New York, will deliver the second annual Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture on Wednesday, October 19.

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.

Psychology professor wins early career award

Phillip Hammack, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded the Louise Kidder Early Career Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), a division of the American Psychological Association.

Two Truths and a Lie

“Two truths and a lie is a creative writing exercise in which students write about three events in their life, two true, one a lie, and the class tries to figure out which is the lie,” says UCSC associate literature professor Micah Perks.

Scientists release most accurate simulation of the universe to date

The Bolshoi supercomputer simulation, the most accurate and detailed large cosmological simulation run to date, gives physicists and astronomers a powerful new tool.

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.

Video shows tool use by a fish

The first video of tool use by a fish has been published in the journal Coral Reefs by biologist Giacomo Bernardi.

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.

New book sheds light on survival of Jewish culture

This October, UCSC professor of literature and history Nathaniel Deutsch will offer the first complete translation of a little known ethnographic questionnaire--and the story of an ambitious attempt to document a culture during an extraordinarily volatile time in world history.

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.

Astronomers confirm first planet orbiting two stars

A world with multiple suns is a common trope in science fiction, and scientific reality has now caught up, with a report from NASA's Kepler mission of a planet orbiting two stars.

Small distant galaxies host supermassive black holes

Using the Hubble Space Telescope to probe the distant universe, astronomers have found supermassive black holes growing in surprisingly small galaxies, suggesting that central black holes formed at an early stage in galaxy evolution.

Biologist Harry Noller honored by Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2012 Gregori Aminoff Prize in Crystallography to UCSC molecular biologist Harry Noller and two of his collaborators.

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.

Welcoming new students for fall 2011

UC Santa Cruz students are scheduled to begin moving into university housing on Wednesday, September 14, in anticipation of the 2011-12 school year. The first day of instruction in the fall quarter is Thursday, September 22. The fall-quarter "move-in" for students living on campus is scheduled to continue through Sunday, September 21.

Remembering 9/11: UCSC trustee has turned 'tragedy into good'

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.

Constitution Day on September 17

Constitution Day is September 17, the anniversary of the signing of our country's founding document. UC Santa Cruz invites you to discover some of the interesting and informative materials about the Constitution that are available on-line through a University of California web site.

Lick Observatory will be closed to public from September 12 through October 5

Lick Observatory will be closed to the public from Monday, September 12, through Wednesday, October 5, for building maintenance.

Someone I'd Like You to Meet…

If you open the Atlantic magazine’s Fiction 2011 special issue, you’ll find “Someone I’d Like You to Meet.” Written by UC Santa Cruz alumna Elizabeth McKenzie, it’s one of nine remarkable short stories included in the magazine by some of the finest fiction writers in the country today.

New material shows promise for trapping pollutants

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

Seymour Center recruits volunteers for school programs and exhibit guides

The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is recruiting volunteers to work with the center's school programs and serve as exhibit guides.

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.

UCSC film lecturer Leo Chiang up for Emmy Award in Sept.

Leo Chiang--a lecturer in the Social Documentation M.F.A. Program at UC Santa Cruz—has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his documentary film, "A Village Called Versailles."

Andrew Szasz wins highest honor in American environmental sociology

UC Santa Cruz sociology professor Andrew Szasz is the 2011 recipient of the Frederick Buttel Distinguished Contribution Award of the Environment, Technology, and Society section of the American Sociological Association, the highest honor bestowed in American environmental sociology.

Astrophysicists report first simulation to create a Milky Way-like galaxy

A simulation of galaxy formation by UCSC astrophysicists solves a longstanding problem in cosmology.

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 offers new degree in network and digital technology

The Baskin School of Engineering is offering a new major in network and digital technology.

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.

Three waves of evolutionary innovation shaped diversity of vertebrates

Analysis of genomes finds three periods of innovation in gene regulation occurred during the evolution of animals with backbones.

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.

UCSC undergraduates exhibit summer research projects

More than 80 students presented their summer research projects at the 2011 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Mount Hamilton not recommended for viewing Perseid meteor shower

There are plenty of good places from which to observe the Perseid meteor shower this weekend, but atop Mount Hamilton is not one of them.

New face of public safety: Nader Oweis sworn in as UCSC chief of police

Sworn into office on Tuesday, Nader Oweis, UCSC's brand-new police chief, is known for his years of experience and his cool-headed responses to stressful situations.

UCSC’s annual literary celebration of Charles Dickens ‘full to bursting’ this summer

In 2005, San Francisco Chronicle book critic David Kipen observed that the Dickens Project at UC Santa Cruz "may just be literary California's best-kept secret. "Now in 2011, that secret is definitely out.

'Big splat' may explain moon's mountainous far side

The mountainous region on the far side of the moon may be the remains of a collision with a smaller companion moon.

New book explores Russian dachas and the link with nature

UC Santa Cruz anthropology professor Melissa L. Caldwell writes about dachas, the little garden cottages where city-bound Russians go to connect with nature and end up working hard.

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.

Science Communication lecturer earns Emmy nomination

Ken McLaughlin, a lecturer in news reporting for UCSC's Science Communication Program, has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his reporting on "Torn Apart," a multimedia project on immigration published in the Mercury News.

Physicists report progress in understanding high-temperature superconductors

A new theory may explain the unusual properties of high-temperature superconductors, a longstanding unsolved problem for theoretical physicists.

Alumna named opinion journalist of the year

Lois Kazakoff ('76, Cowell, linguistics), deputy editorial page editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, has been named opinion journalist of the year by the National Conference of Editorial Writers.

New organic gardening course offered at UCSC Farm and Garden

A new, comprehensive organic gardening course is being offered at UC Santa Cruz this summer, starting September 7 and running for nine weeks on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings.

Microscopes borrow tricks from astronomy to see deep into living tissues

UCSC researchers are developing new microscope technologies to enable biologists to see deep within living tissues.

UCSC Summer Orientation draws 7,300 participants

This year, 3,300 incoming first-year students, 890 transfer students, and a total of 7,300 people, signed up for UCSC’s lively schedule of Summer Orientation events, which took place July 19 through July 26.

Jin Zhang named Fellow of American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has named Jin Zhang, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, to the 2011 class of ACS Fellows.

State budget shortfall forces second fee increase for fall 2011

The UC Board of Regents approved a plan to close a $1 billion budget shortfall through a combination of higher student tuition, cost-cutting measures, and operational efficiencies.

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.

Seymour Center is supported by New Leaf Market program

Shoppers at New Leaf Markets have selected the Seymour Marine Discovery Center as one of five local organizations that can be supported by a special "bring your own bag" rebate program.

UCSC alum Gillian Welch does it again

Forty-five seconds into the new Gillian Welch CD, you realize this is the real deal. It’s a low-key affair—in the absolute best possible way—with exquisite musicianship, haunting harmonies, and superlative songwriting. It’s also the first Gillian Welch album to come out in nearly eight years, and it’s well worth the wait.

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.

Tuition, fee increases sought to meet budget shortfall

With cost-cutting and revenue-generating measures in place to fill the bulk of a billion-dollar budget gap resulting from steep cuts in state funding, the University of California staff is preparing to recommend to the Board of Regents that roughly one-quarter of the shortfall be offset with tuition and fee increases, UC Vice President Patrick Lenz said Friday, July 1.

UC Santa Cruz sees strong demand from prospective freshmen

Approximately 4,100 prospective freshmen have expressed their intent to enroll in UC Santa Cruz this fall, based on University of California systemwide data released June 30. More than one-third of the prospective new students are from groups traditionally underrepresented at four-year universities.

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.

Condors land at UC Lick Observatory

Five California condors made a historic fly-by and stopover at the UC Lick Observatory atop Mt. Hamilton earlier this week.

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.

Tracking of top marine predators reveals Pacific Ocean hot spots

Two big regions of the North Pacific Ocean are magnets for marine life according to results from the Tagging of Pacific Predators project.

Mandolin masters David Grisman and Mike Marshall lead 8th annual symposium at UCSC

Founded by legendary mandolinists David Grisman & Mike Marshall, the annual Mandolin Symposium at UC Santa Cruz is now heading into its eighth year, beginning on June 26.

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.

Campus IT leader wins service award

Mary Doyle, vice chancellor for information technology, has been named the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) 2011 Distinguished Service Award Recipient.

Free poetry reading and music at UCSC's Alan Chadwick Garden June 25

On Saturday, June 25, from noon until 2 p.m., a bevy of award-winning poets will read from their work at “A Garden of Poetry and Music,” with music by guitarist Bruce Abrams and piper Jay Salter. The event is free and open to the public

Bioinformatics expert David Haussler awarded Oxford's Weldon Memorial Prize

David Haussler, professor of biomolecular engineering, has been chosen to receive the 2011 Weldon Memorial Prize given by the University of Oxford.

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.

President Obama meets astronomer Jerry Nelson and other Kavli Prize winners

President Barack Obama met in the Oval Office with UCSC astronomer Jerry Nelson and other recipients of the 2010 Kavli Prizes.

Biochemist David Deamer explores how life began in new book, 'First Life'

David Deamer's new book presents an engaging and accessible overview of research into life's beginnings.

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 artists featured in ‘First Friday’ Santa Cruz community art tour

"First Friday"--Santa Cruz’s popular monthly art and gallery tour--now features more than two dozen venues around the downtown area. On June 3, three of those venues will showcase the work of UCSC student artists.

Felicia Rice featured at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center

Alumna Felicia Rice (Cowell '78)—now manager for UCSC’s Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. program (DANM)—will be featured in The Art of the Book in California: Five Contemporary Presses, an exhibition at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center.

Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas performs on June 3-4

On June 3 and 4, students in Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas mark the organization’s 39th anniversary with a spring dance performance on UC Santa Cruz’s Theater Arts Main Stage.

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.

Earth scientist James Gill receives Humboldt Research Award

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has elected Earth scientist James Gill to receive a Humboldt Research Award.

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.

Vaccine expert Phillip Berman named finalist for Health Care Heroes Award

The Silicon Valley Business Journal has named vaccine expert Phillip Berman a finalist for the 2011 Health Care Heroes Award.

Sociological association awards Tom Pettigrew distinguished career award

Thomas F. Pettigrew, research professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named winner of the William Foote Whyte Distinguished Career Award of the Sociological Practice and Public Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association.

Paul Koch named interim dean of physical and biological sciences

UCSC has appointed Professor Paul Koch to serve as interim dean of the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.

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.

Ant Farm founder and emeritus professor Chip Lord to be honored at UCSC film symposium

Years before he joined the faculty at UCSC, Chip Lord was a member of the Ant Farm, a groundbreaking, experimental art and architecture collective he founded in 1968 with fellow architect Doug Michels.

Psychology professor awarded prestigious Spencer fellowship

Phillip L. Hammack, assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named a 2011-2012 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow.

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.

Porn & Pong author Damon Brown to speak May 20 on video games and human sexuality

Author Damon Brown will speak on "Human Sexuality and Video Games" at UCSC on May 20.

Bill Doyle traces the early history of UC Santa Cruz in new book

William T. Doyle, a founding faculty member of UCSC, has written a book that traces the early history of the campus.

UC president responds to 'May revise' of California budget

University of California President Mark Yudof says the "all-cuts" budget scenario described in Governor Brown's revised 2011-12 California budget would double the UC system's cut, to $1 billion. "A cut of this magnitude would be unconscionable — to the university, its students and families, and to the state that it has served for nearly a century and a half," the president said.

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.

Peter Limbrick to deliver Arts Division Dean’s Research Lecture

Last fall, associate professor of film and digital media Peter Limbrick received the UCSC Arts Division's Excellence in Research Award for his new book "Making Settler Cinemas." In honor of this newly established award by arts dean David Yager, Limbrick will present a free public lecture on Monday, May 23

SCIPP researchers apply particle physics expertise to cancer therapy

UCSC physicists are working with medical researchers to develop a new imaging technology to guide proton therapy for cancer treatment.

Africa's sea turtles need passports for protection

Satellite tracking of olive ridley sea turtles has revealed that existing protected areas may be inadequate.

Galileo data reveal magma "ocean" under Io's surface

Data from NASA's Galileo spacecraft reveals a subsurface "ocean" of magma beneath the surface of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io.

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.

Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco presents findings from Saturn in May 25 lecture

Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco will present findings from the Cassini spacecraft now in orbit around Saturn in a free public lecture on Wednesday, May 25.

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.

Graduate student research showcased at May 6 symposium

The University Center at UC Santa Cruz will come alive on Friday, May 6, with poster, oral, or multimedia presentations that will be featured at this year's Graduate Research Symposium. In its seventh year, the symposium is designed to recognize and promote the outstanding and diverse research being carried out by graduate students from all disciplines on campus.

New endowment supports teaching and research at the Arboretum

A gift from botanist Jean Langenheim has established a new endowment in support of the UCSC Arboretum.

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.

Strawberry & Justice Festival Takes Place at CASFS Farm on May 5

This year the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS), UCSC’s Food Systems Working Group, and University Café are hosting a free, campus-oriented event on the theme of strawberries and social justice. The event will take place at the CASFS farm on Thursday, May 5 from 4 pm to 7 pm.

Dedicated Admissions officer to receive Outstanding Staff Award

Michael McCawley, associate director of Admissions, has been selected as the 2010-11 UCSC Alumni Association Outstanding Staff Award recipient.

UCSC launches Center for Entrepreneurship

UCSC has launched a new Center for Entrepreneurship, which offers students across disciplines comprehensive, hands-on experience in bringing innovations to market.

'Day by the Bay' attracts large crowd to campus

Windy conditions on UCSC's East Field on Saturday required a venue change for UCSC's annual "Day by the Bay" picnic. But the 1,500 people who flocked to the Cowell College Courtyard for the annual event found plenty of activities to enjoy: food, beverages, college and department exhibits, and plenty of spectacular student entertainment. The alumni reunion weekend also featured a forum, a wine reception, and other events.

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.

Two Cowell students awarded scholarships for study abroad

Two students were recently awarded Cowell College Scholarships for their upcoming study abroad experiences.

Digital Arts exhibition showcases interactive new media art

“If plastics could speak, what would they say?” So begins graduate student Meredith Drum in the written description of her project, "Louisiana Re-Storied," for the UC Santa Cruz Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) 2011 MFA Exhibition.

Campus Earth Summit keeps sustainable conversations going

The all-student organized Earth Summit on April 22, now in its 10th year, brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members to share ideas and strategize on how to transform UCSC into a sustainable campus.

UCSC art alumni exhibition on view at Porter College through May 7

Feedback, an art exhibition currently running through May 7 at the Porter College Faculty Gallery, presents the work of a variety of UCSC alumni who are active and practicing artists from New York to California.

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.

Psychology professor links cultural identities, educational success

In her new book, UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Catherine R. Cooper examines how culturally diverse youth can develop pathways to college without losing ties to their families, peers, and cultural communities.

Resources related to the crisis in Japan

UC Santa Cruz has prepared this page in an effort to keep members of the campus community informed about the crisis in Japan. This site also includes information on just a few of the relief organizations that can benefit from your support.

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 Literature professor Karen Tei Yamashita wins California Book Award

Karen Tei Yamashita--professor of literature and co-director of the Creative Writing Program at UC Santa Cruz--has been honored with a 2011 California Book Award.

UC Santa Cruz increases access for California students seeking freshman admission

Numbers released today (April 18, 2011) by the UC Office of the President show that UC Santa Cruz offered admission to 17,917 prospective first-year students from California high schools – an increase of more than 1,100 – out of the record 26,136 California high school seniors who applied. UCSC also increased offers of admission to out-of-state and international students.

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.

Baby falcons draw viewers to nest cameras in annual ritual

It's that time of year again, when thousands of online viewers are captivated by adorable baby falcons huddled together in their nest boxes.

Beyond Earth Day: UC Santa Cruz students launch Earth Week 2011

Earth Week is one of the most far-ranging and ambitious student-run sustainability events in UCSC history, with a Campus Earth Summit, lagoon clean-up, climbing wall and much more.

Bioinformatics expert Ed Green awarded Searle Scholars grant

The Searle Scholars Program has awarded a $300,000 research grant to Richard E. (Ed) Green, assistant professor of biomolecular engineering.

UCSC creates new major in robotics engineering

A new major in robotics engineering at UC Santa Cruz is the first of its kind in the UC system.

SocDoc graduate director wins Guggenheim Fellowship

Renee Tajima-Peña, graduate director of the masters Social Documentation program at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for 2011.

Labor activist to speak on the rise of right-wing populism April 21

Bill Fletcher Jr., a longtime labor activist, will present a free, public lecture, "Right-Wing Populism and the Crisis of Organized Labor," 4 p.m. Thursday, April 21 in Humanities I, Room 210, at UC Santa Cruz.

Nuclear policy expert to discuss implications of Fukushima nuclear plant disaster April 19

Daniel Hirsch, a UC Santa Cruz lecturer on nuclear policy, will give a free, public lecture Tuesday, April 19 on the aftermath of the current nuclear plant disaster in Japan.

UCSC hosts Jewish Maccabiah Day games

Jewish students from from a number of college campuses came to UC Santa Cruz last Sunday (April 10) to compete in the first Maccabiah Day in Northern California.

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.

Center for Visual and Performance Studies to host conference on Pasolini

On April 29-30, the UCSC Arts Division’s center for Visual and Performance Studies (VPS) will host an international conference titled "Pasolini’s Body: New Directions in Pasolini Scholarship" at the Cowell College Conference Room.

Professor to create large photographic work for African embassy

The U.S. State Department has commissioned associate art professor Elliot Anderson to create a large-scale photographic work for a new embassy in Zambia, Africa.

Cuban video project screens rural documentaries April 15 at UCSC

Short video documentaries produced by Cuban campesinos will be shown Friday, April 15 when Cuban filmmaker Carlos Rodriguez visits UC Santa Cruz as part of a tour of U.S. universities. The event is free and open to the public and runs from 12:30-2 p.m. in the Cervantes Room at the Bay Tree Book Store building.

Center for Sustainable Energy and Power Systems wins Business Journal award

A 2011 Energy Award for Best Conservation Leader recognizes Baskin School of Engineering's efforts to address energy sustainability through research and teaching.

Cosmology and particle physics are focus of public talk on Monday, April 25

Princeton University physicist Curtis Callan will give a free public lecture on cosmology and particle physics on Monday, April 25.

New atlas takes a graphic approach to global inequalities

In 2001, the UC Atlas of Global Inequality went online at UC Santa Cruz. Now, millions of hits later, the interactive research project has been turned into a book, The Atlas of Global Inequalities, by two UC Santa Cruz professors.

Cutbacks and concerns: Staff Advisory Board Forum addresses impacts of $19 million budget cut

Chancellor George Blumenthal spoke of inevitable layoffs, the need to raise revenues, and the far-ranging impacts of ongoing $19 million budgets cut at the Staff Advisory Board Forum on Thursday.

Campus fun with Carnival Cruz and Prediction Walk/Run

On Friday, May 13, UCSC Wellness brings a mini-vacation to all staff, faculty, and students with the Carnival Cruz and the Prediction Walk/Run.

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.

History alum winning acclaim for second feature film

UCSC alumnus Cary Joji Fukunaga has followed his award-winning debut film Sin Nombre with Jane Eyre, his own take on the classic 1847 novel by Charlotte Bronte.

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.

Spring Plant Sale on April 16 marks California Native Plant Week

The UCSC Arboretum will hold its annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 16.

UCSC shines in survey of senior women in astronomy

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics has more senior women faculty members than any other astronomy department in the country.

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.

Author Tobias Wolff to kick off Spring Living Writers Series

Each quarter, the Humanities Division’s Living Writers Reading Series brings visiting authors and poets to UCSC, providing students with an in-depth look into the world of the working writer. This spring, the series kicks off on March 31 with Tobias Wolff, the acclaimed author of This Boy’s Life

New book by Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack finds meaning in the cosmos

A new book by Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack explores the cultural and social implications of the modern scientific understanding of the universe.

Rethinking Capitalism conference examines illusion of safety nets

The second annual Rethinking Capitalism conference, April 7-9 at UC Santa Cruz, will investigate the social systems that help prop up and preserve capitalism in the aftermath of the crisis of 2008. Free and open to the public.

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.

Information from County Public Health related to Japan crisis

Santa Cruz County Public Health has distributed the following information related to Japan's nuclear emergency

The future of UC Santa Cruz: UC Regents discuss budget cuts, impacts

The University of California Regents devoted one day of their bimonthly meetings this week to discuss the impact of proposed half-billion-dollar cuts to the UC system, including an estimated $31 million cut to UC Santa Cruz.

Offensive graffiti on campus

Chancellor Blumenthal writes to the UCSC community, informing students, staff, and faculty of the discovery on campus of offensive graffiti.

"Inventing the Future of Games" symposium unites academic and industry leaders

"Inventing the Future of Games," a day-long symposium April 15 in Silicon Valley, will explore the possibilities of the next decade of gaming innovation and technology.

All tsunami warnings for Santa Cruz area cancelled

All tsunami advisories for Santa Cruz area have been canceled.

UC Santa Cruz graduate student's research focuses on Japan's quake response

Carla Takaki Richardson has been intently watching Twitter feeds and social media posts from Japan after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami devastated the country's northeastern coast. She returned in January after 18 months in Kobe, Japan researching the country's disaster management information systems.

Genome scientists gather in Santa Cruz for back-to-back meetings

Leading scientists in the field of genome sequencing and analysis will gather in Santa Cruz for two meetings during the week of March 14 to address challenges and progress in genome research.

Gilead grant supports collaborative drug discovery program with UCSC

Biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences is supporting a collaborative drug discovery program using UCSC's unique collection of marine natural products.

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.

Author gives UCSC’s annual Dickens event a shout-out in Oprah interview

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley lauded UCSC’s annual summer celebration of writer Charles Dickens during a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey. Their chat took place for a special video broadcast to an audience that included more than two million of her bookclub members from around the world.

Seymour Center presents lecture on scientific diving in Antarctica

Master divers Steve Clabuesch and Cecilia Shin will discuss diving beneath the ice in Antarctica in a public lecture on Sunday, March 20.

Bullfighting droids face off in UCSC student robotics competition

UCSC engineering students will give a public demonstration of bullfighting robots on Thursday, March 10.

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.

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.

Lick Observatory reduces Visitor Center hours

The Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton is reducing its Visitor Center hours due to budgetary constraints.

Game design grad programs make Princeton Review/GamePro top 10

UCSC's graduate programs in game design were named among the top 10 in the nation by the Princeton Review and GamePro Media.

Clam chowder slugs win first place awards at Boardwalk cook-off

UC Santa Cruz Dining chefs and students won first place awards at the 30th Annual Santa Cruz Chowder Cook-Off at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk last weekend.

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.

Summer child care camp on campus

Early Education Services is launching a new summer camp on campus with child care for children ages 14 months through entering fourth grade. The summer camp will be available with two, five-week sessions, from June 20–July 22 and July 25–August 26.

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.

Jane Pinckard joins Center for Games and Playable Media as associate director

The UCSC Center for Games and Playable Media has appointed Jane Pinckard as its new associate director.

Alumnus Kent Nagano wins Grammy award for Best Opera Recording

Renowned conductor and UC Santa Cruz alumnus Kent Nagano received a Grammy Award for “Best Opera Recording: "Saariaho: L'Amour De Loin” at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

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.

UCSC alumni have opportunity to serve on the UC Board of Regents

UC Santa Cruz alumni have the rare opportunity to help shape the future of the University of California by becoming a voting member of the UC Board of Regents.

Bioinformatics expert Richard Green wins Sloan Research Fellowship

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship to Richard E. (Ed) Green, assistant professor of biomolecular engineering.

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.

Conference explores right-to-the-city movements

A daylong conference at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, February 26 will explore the growing urban organizing movement. "Whose City: Labor and the Right-to-the-City Movements" will feature leading thinkers and activists in the burgeoning city movement on three panel discussions on issues of housing, wages, and economic justice; environmental justice and green jobs; and race, class, and citizenship.

Computer engineering professor wins Technical Achievement Award

The IEEE Computer Society has awarded a 2011 Technical Achievement Award to computer engineer J. J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves.

Seymour Center presents lecture on Pacific coast sea otters

Sea otter biologist Benjamin Weitzman will provide an in-depth look at sea otters along the Pacific coast in a public lecture at the Seymour Center on Sunday, February 20.

Acclaimed playwright and film director Luis Valdez to visit UCSC

Acclaimed playwright, director, and filmmaker Luis Valdez will join his son--UCSC theater arts lecturer Kinan Valdez--for two special audience talks after performances of Luis's play "Mummifed Deer," Feb. 26 and Mar. 4 at the Mainstage Theater.

Psychology professor's book explores everyday feminism

In a new book, Aaronette M. White, an associate professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, collects the personal reflections of 18 African Americans who are practicing feminism in their everyday lives.

UCSC's Richard Green honored for top research paper in Science

Bioinformatics expert Richard Green has won the Newcomb Cleveland Prize for his paper on the Neanderthal genome.

Anthropology graduate student wins prestigious Paper Prize

Sarah Bakker, a graduate student in anthropology, is the first UC Santa Cruz student to win the prestigious Paper Prize from the Society for the Anthropology of Europe.

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.

Six small planets orbiting a Sun-like star amaze astronomers

A remarkable planetary system discovered by NASA's Kepler mission has six planets around a Sun-like star, including five small planets in tightly packed orbits.

Shakespeare Santa Cruz announces 30th Anniversary Season

Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC) artistic director Marco Barricelli announced the company’s 2011 lineup today, noting some exciting new developments as SSC heads into its 30th Anniversary season.

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).

Arboretum propagates cuttings from the last wild S.F. manzanita

Arboretum staff propagated cuttings from the last known San Francisco manzanita in the wild.

UCSC astronomers find most distant galaxy candidate yet seen

Astronomers have found what may be the most distant galaxy ever seen, about 13.2 billion light-years away.

Library wins prestigious award for promotion of Grateful Dead Archive

The University Library is one of five libraries nationwide that has received the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award—which “recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in library public relations.”

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.

Physicist Bill Atwood shares Rossi Prize for work on gamma-ray telescope

The 2011 Bruno Rossi Prize has been awarded to UCSC physicist Bill Atwood, Stanford physicist Peter Michelson, and the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope's Large Area Telescope (LAT) team.

Sandra Faber honored by American Astronomical Society

The American Astronomical Society has awarded the 2011 Henry Norris Russell Lectureship to astronomer Sandra Faber.

UCSC to present major West Coast ‘Paul Bowles Centennial Celebration’

The seventh and last international centennial event celebrating the birth of renowned American writer and composer Paul Bowles will take place at UCSC, Feb. 4–6. Conceived by a UCSC music lecturer and inheritor of Bowles' musical estate, the 3-day event will include rare music, film, art, and an academic conference.

UCSC receives more than 36,000 undergraduate applications for Fall '11

More than 36,000 prospective undergraduates – the most ever – have applied for admission to the University of California, Santa Cruz for the upcoming fall quarter.

UCSC, City of Santa Cruz collaborate to improve Santa Cruz Tickets

UC Santa Cruz and the City of Santa Cruz have once again collaborated on their joint ticketing system, Santa Cruz Tickets, working together to upgrade it into a more functional, customer friendly, and appealing online ticket sales site.

Global Game Jam returns to UC Santa Cruz for third year

Participants in the 2011 Global Game Jam will race to create video and board games in 48 hours.

4th annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival set for January 23

Twenty-nine purveyors of delectable chocolate treats will offer their wares for tasting Sunday, January 23, 2011 from 1–4 p.m. as the UC Santa Cruz Women's Club presents the 4th annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival at the Cocoanut Grove, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

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.

Two UCSC engineering professors elected 2010 AAAS Fellows

Two professors in the Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Astronomers release the largest color image of the sky ever made

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey III has released the largest digital color image of the sky ever made.

Paul Whitworth to deliver 45th annual UCSC Faculty Research Lecture-Feb. 3

UC Santa Cruz professor of theater arts Paul Whitworth will deliver the 45th annual UCSC Faculty Research Lecture on Thursday, February 3, at 6 p.m. in the Mainstage Theater.

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.

Stem cell discovery could lead to improved bone marrow transplants

The discovery of a key molecule for establishing blood stem cells in the bone marrow may lead to improvements in bone marrow transplants.

Natural gas outage affects some colleges, other areas of campus

At approximately 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 6, campus crews shut down a natural gas line that serves a large area of the campus core. This action was taken in response to a report and confirmation of a leak in a low-pressure line at the intersection of McLaughlin Drive and Chinquapin Road. Campus crews are on site.

UCSC National Book Award Finalist to appear at Bookshop Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz literature professor and National Book Award Finalist Karen Tei Yamashita will discuss her acclaimed novel I Hotel at Bookshop Santa Cruz on January 25.She will also appear at UCSC on January 13 as part of the campus’s Winter 2011 Living Writer Series.

UC Santa Cruz makes Kiplinger's 'best value' list

UC Santa Cruz, which opened with its first class of students just 45 years ago, is No. 69 on a new report listing the "best values" in public higher education.

Fulbright Scholar Program funds prof's environmental work in Chile

Environmental toxicologist Russell Flegal is busy with teaching and research projects during a six-month visit to Chile as a Fulbright Scholar.