Social Sciences

Year of the Slug: A look back at 2012 at UC Santa Cruz

Higgs boson, condors, pumas, the Grateful Dead Archive … 2012 was yet another year of discoveries, breakthroughs, newsmakers, and honors for UC Santa Cruz. Here’s a look back at a few highlights of the year at UCSC.

Tracking pumas

UCSC students get first-hand scientific experience while monitoring the elusive big cats as part of the Puma Project.

Working with families and students to create college-going communities

For some it was the distance from home, others the redwoods, and still others the chance to work in computer game design. Tuesday, 15 UC Santa Cruz students, all graduates of San Fernando High School, had the chance to tell one of the people responsible for their matriculation how they ended up at UCSC.

UCSC sanitation activist speaks at World Toilet Summit in South Africa

A UC Santa Cruz Ph.D candidate in sociology and public toilet activist is scheduled to deliver a plenary session Thursday at the 12th World Toilet Summit in Durban, South Africa.

Mercury in coastal fog linked to upwelling of deep ocean water

Scientists have found clues to how mercury gets into coastal fog in California.

Emerging vector-borne diseases create new public health challenges

Land-use change, globalization of trade and travel, and social upheaval are driving the emergence of diseases in many regions.

Scientists develop new approach to support climate projections

A recalibration of climate sensitivity based on records of past climates agrees with IPCC estimates for the future.

Emerita professor wins prestigious educational anthropology award

Margaret A. "Greta" Gibson, professor emerita of education and anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, has won the 2012 George and Louise Spindler Award in Educational Anthropology.

Science educator Doris Ash wins University of Stockholm lecture award

Doris Ash, associate professor of education at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded the Svend Pedersen Lecture Award from the University of Stockholm.

Gift from Narinder Kapany establishes endowed chair in entrepreneurship

Narinder Singh Kapany has made a gift of $500,000 to UCSC to establish an endowed chair in entrepreneurship.

Three environmental studies grad students win sustainable ag awards

Three UC Santa Cruz environmental studies graduate students are among 16 students nationwide awarded sustainable agriculture scholarships from Annie's Homegrown Inc., a natural foods manufacturer and distributor.

Cowell alum elected president of the California Psychological Association

Robert deMayo (Cowell, psychology, '78) has been elected president of the California Psychological Association, one of the largest professional associations representing psychologists in the nation.

Analytical advisor to NY Fed presents lecture on liquidity and leverage

Allan M. Malz, senior analytical advisor in the Markets Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will give a free public lecture on “Liquidity, Leverage and the Financial Crisis” Wednesday, November 14th, from 4-5:30 p.m. at UCSC.

Early Education Services wins funding to expand hours, services for students

A $165,000 grant to Early Education Services at UC Santa Cruz has enabled the program to extend childcare hours for students' children and provide an observation room for developmental psychology research.

CASFS hosts author Michael Pollan before Santa Cruz benefit appearance

Author and UC Berkeley journalism professor Michael Pollan visited the UC Santa Cruz Farm on October 25 before taking part in the "Everybody Eats" benefit panel discussion later that evening at Santa Cruz High School.

Alan Richards to speak on petrol politics and the Arab spring Nov. 13

Alan Richards, UC Santa Cruz professor emeritus of environmental studies, will speak on “Petrol Politics in the Wake of Arab Spring” at the next "pub science talk" Tuesday, November 13 at the Red Restaurant and Bar, in downtown Santa Cruz.

Interdisciplinary conference focuses on development and climate change

Conflicts between development and climate change will bring together researchers and practitioners in both areas for an all-day conference at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, October 27.

Social Sciences division honors teaching, staff, and scholarship

Social Science faculty, staff, and students honored for outstanding achievement, teaching excellence, and scholarship.

UCSC professor premieres explosive documentary at Pacific Rim Festival

“The very first day of shooting the film there was a huge explosion,” said Gustavo Vazquez, UCSC professor of Film and Digital Media. Vazquez was high up in the Peruvian Andes filming "Playing with Fire," a kaleidoscopic portrait of the small town of Celendín...

10th Practical Activism Conference coincides with College Ten's 10th anniversary

Angela Davis, UC Santa Cruz distinguished professor emerita, will be the keynote speaker at the 10th Practical Activism Conference Saturday, October 20 at Colleges Nine and Ten on the UCSC campus.

Triloki Pandey wins Gandhi medal for non-resident Indians

Triloki N. Pandey, a professor of anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Medal by the NRI Welfare Society of India.

Election forum October 22 explores what's at stake for California

A forum on the November election and what's at stake for California will take place Monday, October 22, from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. at the multipurpose room of Colleges Nine and Ten on the UCSC campus. It is free and open to the public.

Terry Freitas Café honors memory of inspirational young alumnus

Café Revolucion has been rededicated as the Terry Freitas Café, commemorating a UCSC grad who died while in service to an indigenous people.

UCSC ranked second for research influence in world university rankings

In a new analysis of the world's top universities, UC Santa Cruz is ranked second in research influence.

CP/EVC Galloway explains forensic sciences to high school students

In a talk at Scotts Valley High School Thursday night (October 4), Alison Galloway, UC Santa Cruz campus provost and executive vice chancellor, described how scientists assist in homicide investigations.

Virtual anthropology uses digital copies to increase access for students

The trouble with working with bone fragments in an anthropology lab is they're often fragile and always one of a kind. What if you could create identical copies, enough for each student?

Memorials honoring Aaronette White set for October 3 and 18

Memorial celebrations of the life of Professor Aaronette White are scheduled for October 3 and 18 on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Farm-to-Fork dinner supports scholarships for farm apprentices

Late summer sunshine bathed rows of corn, pumpkins, salad greens, and strawberries as 125 guests enjoyed the recent Farm-to-Fork Benefit Dinner at the UC Santa Cruz Farm.

Education graduate student wins prestigious internship

Saúl I. Maldonado, a third-year doctoral student in the education department at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded an internship with the American Evaluation Association's Graduate Education Diversity Internship program.

UCSC hosts 'Genomics Gets Personal: Property, Persons, Privacy' Sept. 27

UC Santa Cruz will convene a world-class panel of medical and legal experts September 27 at the UC San Francisco Mission Bay campus to discuss the fundamental ethical, social, and legal issues surrounding personal genomic research.

Dedication set for Terry Freitas cafe

A dedication ceremony is set for 5-7 p.m. Thursday, September 20 for the Terry Freitas Cafe at Colleges Nine and Ten on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

UCSC Farm & Garden hosts fall harvest festival September 30

Apples, corn, cider, and pumpkins take center stage at the 18th annual Fall Harvest Festival, Sunday, September 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UC Santa Cruz’s 25-acre organic farm.

Memorial honoring the life of M. Brewster Smith set for September 30

A memorial celebrating the life of UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of Psychology M. Brewster Smith is set for Sunday, September 30, 2012, from 2-4 p.m. in the La Feliz Room at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Lab.

UCSC plant sale kicks off fall gardening season September 14, 15

The UCSC Farm and Garden’s Fall Plant Sale, one of the largest all-organic events of its kind in the Monterey Bay Area, takes place September 14 and 15.

UCSC study shows how urchin-loving otters can help fight global warming

A new study by two UC Santa Cruz researchers suggest that a thriving sea otter population that keeps sea urchins in check will in turn allow kelp forests to prosper and help reverse a principal cause of global warming.

Friedland named Distinguished Rural Sociologist

William H. Friedland, professor emeritus of community studies and sociology at UC Santa Cruz, had been named Distinguished Rural Sociologist by the Rural Sociological Society.

UCSC taps Tang Museum director to lead innovative museum project

The UC Santa Cruz Arts Division announced today that John Weber—currently Dayton Director of the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York—has been hired to guide the development of a new institute of the arts and sciences.

UCSC research funding tops $140 million for 2011-12

UCSC researchers attracted $140.3 million in external grants and contracts to the campus in the 2011-12 fiscal year.

USDA grant aids organic farming training program at UC Santa Cruz

Training for beginning organic farmers on the Central Coast will get a significant boost from a three-year U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) at UC Santa Cruz.

In Memoriam – Aaronette M. White

Professor Aaronette M. White, a gifted professor of social psychology who loved teaching and was beloved by her students, has died unexpectedly at age 51.

Professor emeritus M. Brewster Smith dies at 93

M. Brewster Smith, professor emeritus of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, whose research and testimony contributed to the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that banned school segregation, died Saturday in Santa Cruz.

In-depth organic gardening course offered at UCSC Farm & Garden

A comprehensive organic gardening course is being offered this summer and fall by the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden at the historic Alan Chadwick Garden and UCSC Farm on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Apple's software brings attention to mountain lion research

Apple's release of its "Mountain Lion" operating system is drawing attention to the real thing prowling just a few miles from the company's headquarters. Since 2008, UCSC researchers have captured 36 mountain lions as part of the UCSC Puma Project to better understand the cats' physiology, behavior, and ecology.

Student refines skin-care product plan to win business design competition

Winner of the 2012 Business Design Competition at UC Santa Cruz is "Refine for Men," a complexion enhancer developed by sophomore Edgar Osorio who was a runner up last year.

Organic cut flower growing and bouquet making workshop, June 30

A workshop on how to grow and assemble beautiful flower arrangements will take place Saturday, June 30, with Zoe Hitchner and Orin Martin from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UCSC Farm at UC Santa Cruz.

Graduate students offer free lecture on Alaska wilderness and predators

UC Santa Cruz wildlife biologists Yiwei Wang and Rachel Wheat will hold a free public lecture on Alaskan wildlife and the importance of salmon to the Alaskan ecosystem, Monday, June 25th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the UCSC Arboretum.

Free poetry reading and music at Alan Chadwick Garden, Saturday, June 23

Saturday, June 23, from noon until 2 p.m., a bevy of award-winning poets will read their work at “A Garden of Poetry and Music,” with piano music and vocals by Colin and Sheila Hannon in the historic Alan Chadwick Garden.

UCSC prison expert Haney testifies on the perils of solitary confinement

UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Craig Haney, the nation's leading expert on inmate mental health, told a U.S. Senate subcommittee Tuesday that, for many inmates, "solitary confinement precipitates a descent into madness."

Researchers find increase in Lyme disease mirrors drop in red fox numbers

A continued increase of Lyme disease in the United States, once linked to a recovering deer population, may instead be explained by a decline of the red fox, UC Santa Cruz researchers suggest in a new study.

UCSC's Psychology Department wins national award for public service

The Psychology Department at UC Santa Cruz has won a prestigious national award from the American Psychological Association (APA) for service in the psychological sciences.

Daniel Press named executive director of CASFS

Environmental studies professor Daniel Press has been named executive director of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Year of the Slug: Great UCSC moments in 2011-12

From the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame to cancer research to its ranking as one of the top “young” universities in the world, UCSC stood in the spotlight this year.

Spotlight on outstanding work: Student Achievement Week recognizes accomplishment

Computer programmers, actors, robotics students, apprentice astronomers and fine artists showed off their skills during this year’s Student Achievement Week celebration.

UCSC psychology society holds first undergraduate research conference

The UC Santa Cruz chapter of Psi Chi is highlighting undergraduate research in psychology this week as it hosts the department's first Undergraduate Research Conference.

Guthman's examination of obesity crisis wins a second book award

UC Santa Cruz professor Julie Guthman's latest book, Weighing In, Obesity, Food Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism (2011, University of California Press) has been selected by the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS) for its annual book award.

Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas celebrates 40th anniversary with a spring concert

Grupo Folkórico Los Mejicas, the student-organized folklórico dance group at UC Santa Cruz, celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special spring festival. Performances are Friday, June 8th from 7-10 p.m. and Saturday June 9th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the UC Santa Cruz Mainstage Theater.

UCSC Farm & Garden market cart opens Tuesday, June 5

Collaborative mural creates images, opportunities for understanding

UC Santa Cruz students are transforming a stark concrete retaining wall at the entrance to College Nine into a striking, colorful mural bearing a message of peace. Painting began this week near the Namaste Lounge. Dedication is set for 12:30-1 p.m. Tuesday, May 29.

Lemur extinctions and ecological retreat followed arrival of humans in Madagascar

A study of lemurs in Madagascar suggests that factors driving lemur extinctions have also sparked an ongoing "ecological retreat" by surviving species.

Recognizing excellence in teaching at UCSC

The 2011-12 Excellence in Teaching Awards honored eight caring professors who inspired their students at UCSC. UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal presented the awards at the Stevenson Event Center on campus.

UCSC social scientists examine the economic crisis and its social impacts

UC Santa Cruz social scientists will examine and assess the causes and effects of the unprecedented global economic recession during a one-day forum Tuesday, May 22 at University Center.

Anthropology Ph.D. student wins Newcombe Fellowship

Adding to the awards for her innovative research into religious minorities, UC Santa Cruz anthropology Ph.D. candidate Sarah Bakker is one of 21 national winners of a coveted fellowship for scholars working on dissertations that involve religious themes.

Grad students present impressive array of research projects at symposium

Graduate students from across the divisions presented their work at the 8th Annual Graduate Research Symposium.

Seed library holds its second seed exchange, Saturday, May 26

The UC Santa Cruz Demeter Seed Library invites community members from all over Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Area to its second exchange of 2012, happening on Saturday, May 26 from noon to 3 p.m. at the UCSC Farm.

Reporter who revealed undocumented status to speak at Chavez convocation

Jose Antonio Vargas, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose article "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant," last year revealed his immigration status, will be the keynote speaker at the 9th annual César Chávez Convocation at UCSC.

Graduate students present research at annual symposium May 11

Graduate student research will be on display at the University Center on Friday, May 11, during the annual Graduate Research Symposium.

Indian finance experts visit UCSC for advice on reforming India's economic system

Two experts investigating ways to reform India's financial system visited UCSC for a workshop on economic systemic risks as they provide technical support to a commission that is advising India's ministry of finance.

Zimmerman scholarship ceremony leads to discussion of public service

Two families, linked by sorrow and promise, met for the first time as the Gabe Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship was presented to Yethzéll Díaz. A panel discussion on Careers with a Conscience followed the ceremony.

Registration open for spring and summer 3-day 'Garden Cruz' classes

Intensive class will provide a solid foundation to further the lifelong study, enjoyment, and practice of organic gardening. Class instructors include Orin Martin, manager of UCSC's Alan Chadwick Garden, and local organic farmers Zoe Hitchner and Sky DeMuro of Everett Family Farm.

Walking and talking: Learning outside the classroom door

In her essay, UCSC lecturer Candace Calsoyas discusses the Aristotelian method of conversation and learning while on foot, a practice she introduced in Albania and brings to the College Eight core course.

Haney joins commission to study high rates of incarceration

UC Santa Cruz professor of psychology Craig Haney has been named to a National Academy of Science panel of leading scholars and experts on corrections to study the causes and consequences of high rates of incarceration in the United States.

Environmental studies researchers take studies to new heights

UC Santa Cruz environmental studies associate professor Jeff Bury and Adam French, an environmental studies Ph.D. candidate, were among 31 high-altitude scientists and researchers from around the world who traveled to Nepal last September to study and find solutions for destructive glacial floods.

UCSC Farm & Garden’s annual spring plant sale slated for May 5-6

Aronson, Palca win Social Sciences division awards

The UC Santa Cruz Social Sciences Division has named NPR science correspondent Joe Palca and psychology professor emeritus Elliot Aronson as winners of its distinguished alumni and emeriti faculty awards.

White House names College Ten alumna a Pacific Islander champion of change

Terisa Tinei Siagatonu, (College Ten,'11, community studies) is one of nine Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders and organizations named by the White House as Champions of Change.

Why letting salmon escape could benefit bears and humans

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz and in Canada suggest that allowing more Pacific salmon to spawn in coastal streams would mean a long term win-win for ecosystems and humans.

Exhibition documents anthropology's focus on emerging worlds

Emerging Worlds, a new faculty exhibition now open at Porter Sesnon Gallery on the UC Santa Cruz campus, documents and illustrates the research theme of UCSC's anthropology department.

Peregrine falcon chicks hatch on San Francisco high-rise

Four fluffy, white peregrine falcon chicks have hatched in a nest on the San Francisco skyline where they can be viewed via a web cam hosted by UCSC's Predatory Bird Research Group.

Seven assistant professors win Hellman fellowships to assist their research

Seven assistant professors at UC Santa Cruz have been named winners of the Hellman Fellows Program that supports research projects by promising junior professors who show capacity for great distinction in their research.

Peregrine falcon eggs on San Francisco high-rise about to hatch

Four peregrine falcon eggs in a nest at the San Francisco headquarters of PG&E are expected to hatch any day, according to the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, which has successfully reintroduced peregrine falcons to the wild after the species was nearly decimated 40 years ago.

UCSC forest research site joins Global Earth Observatory, nearly triples in size

The nearly 15-acre Forest Ecology Research Plot located within the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve has been accepted into the global network of the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Tropical Forest Science / Global Earth Observatory.

Nesting eagles highlight success of restoration program

Discovery of a pair of bald eagles building a nest near Watsonville's Pinto Lake highlights the success of a wildlife conservation effort begun 26 years ago, according to Glenn R. Stewart a UC Santa Cruz alumnus and director of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird (SCPBRG) Research Group at UCSC's Long Marine Lab.

Bridgeman named winner of Dickson emeriti award

Bruce Bridgeman, professor emeritus of psychology and psychobiology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named the Edward A. Dickson Professor of Psychology for the 2012-13 academic year.

Sign-ups now open for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program

Memberships in the CASFS/UCSC Farm’s 2012 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program are now available.

Julie Guthman's examination of obesity crisis wins book award

Anew book by Julie Guthman, associate professor of Community Studies at UC Santa Cruz, was named winner of the 2012 James M. Blaut Innovative Publication Award.

Research center wins grant to study ethics of community research

The Center for Collaborative Research for an Equitable California (CCREC), based at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded a $277,550 grant to conduct a 15-month study on the ethics of research in local communities.

Education professor's journal article on LGBTQ street youth wins two honors

A journal article by Cindy Cruz, an assistant professor of education at UC Santa Cruz, has been selected as the 2012 article of the year by a subgroup of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies.

Winner selected for first Gabe Zimmerman scholarship

Yethzéll Díaz, a senior majoring in Latin American and Latino studies and sociology, is the recipient of the first Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship at UC Santa Cruz named for the UCSC alumnus and slain congressional aide.

Big cats on campus: mountain lion sightings prompt UCSC expert forum

Excited by two recent mountain lion spottings on and near campus, a large crowd attended a UCSC forum on these powerful but shy and elusive predators.

Farm apprentice graduate honored in Bronx Black History Month ceremony

Karen Washington, a graduate of the 2008 apprenticeship class at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UC Santa Cruz, was honored at the annual Black History Month Celebration in the Bronx, N.Y.

Investor behavior expert to describe investors' worst enemy

Finance professor Terrance Odean, an expert on investor behavior, will speak on "The Investor's Worst Enemy," Tuesday, February 28, 2012 from 2-3:30 p.m. in Room 180, the Simularium, in the Engineering 2 building on the UCSC campus. His lecture is free and open to the public.

Mountain lion research seminar set for Monday on campus

Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers, who has been tracking and studying mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains for three years, will discuss his research at an informational seminar "Mountain Lions and People in the Santa Cruz Mountains," 7 p.m. Monday, February 13, in Classroom Unit 2.

New book traces UCSC’s role in organic and sustainable farm movement

A new book published by the UCSC Library’s Regional History Project offers a window into the 40-year history of how UC Santa Cruz--and California’s Central Coast—became leaders in the organic farming and sustainable agriculture movement.

Community Studies alumna brings one-woman show to Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz alumna Taren Sterry returns to Santa Cruz as Hospice of Santa Cruz County and the UCSC Community Studies department co-sponsor her one-woman show, 180 Days, Thursday, February 16, 7-9 p.m. at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz.

Phillip Hammack receives early career award in psychology

Phillip. L. Hammack, assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named recipient of the 2011 Early Career Award of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Division of Peace Psychology, American Psychological Association (APA).

Lecturer's book named Outstanding Scholarship in Medical Anthropology

A book co-written by Barbara Rose Johnston, an occasional lecturer at UC Santa Cruz, has been selected for Outstanding Scholarship in Medical Anthropology by the Society for Medical Anthropology, a division of the American Anthropological Association.

Catherine Cooper wins 2012 Social Policy Book Award

A book published last year by psychology professor Catherine Cooper has been selected for the 2012 Social Policy Book Award by the Society for Research in Adolescence.

Legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle presents 6th Keeley Lecture

Legendary oceanographer, explorer, and author Sylvia Earle will present the sixth Fred Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at the UC Santa Cruz Music Recital Hall. Free and open to the public.

UCSC's Paul Lubeck provides analysis on insurgency in Nigeria's north

Bombings Friday (January 20) struck the northern Nigerian city of Kano where UCSC sociology professor Paul Lubeck conducted research last summer and where many UCSC students have worked as interns as part of the Global Information Internship Program (GIIP).

9th annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner to support UCSC students

UC Santa Cruz will host its ninth annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner--one of UCSC's premier fundraising events--on Feb. 25 in San Jose. The proceeds provide significant undergraduate scholarships and fellowships for students.

Conference focuses attention on Labor Across the Food System

A free public conference at UC Santa Cruz February 3 and 4 will address the question of "Labor Across the Food System." Scholars, researchers, and activists from California and beyond will gather to discuss the role of labor and social justice in reshaping the contemporary global food system.

In Memoriam - Jack Schaar

After a recent diagnosis of cancer, Professor Emeritus Jack Schaar died on December 25.