May 2015 News Archive

Steck Award honoree delves into the trauma of civil war

The response has been overwhelmingly positive for Dominic Romano's project, which examines physical and historical trauma.

Large bloom of toxic algae under way in Monterey Bay and beyond

Researchers have detected large blooms of toxin-producing algae in Monterey Bay, raising concerns about potential effects on marine mammals and

Scientists discover a protein that silences the biological clock

A protein associated with cancer cells is a powerful suppressor of the clock that drives the daily rhythms of cells throughout the

‘True Original’ alumni return for UC Santa Cruz 2015 commencement ceremonies

Several distinguished alumni – all True Originals – will return to campus as UC Santa Cruz holds commencement ceremonies during this 50th anniversary year for 10 colleges, graduate

UC Santa Cruz receives gift to establish University Librarian Presidential Chair

UC Santa Cruz has received a $500,000 gift from The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, plus matching funds from the UC Regents, to establish a $1 million Richard

Julie Guthman wins excellence award for research in food justice issues

Julie Guthman, UC Santa Cruz professor of social sciences, whose research looks at agricultural systems, food justice issues, and environmental health, has been selected to receive the 2015

Lecturer Picnic and Rally

In Memoriam: Joseph F. Bunnett

Professor Emeritus Joseph F. Bunnett, a long-time member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, passed away on May

Possible rally on Monday, June 1

Campus lecturers have announced plans for a "Support UCSC Lecturers" picnic from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a rally scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. This is an advisory to be prepared and to stay informed.

UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden’s market cart produce stand opens June 2

Tuesday, June 2 is opening day for the UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden's Market Cart at the corner of Bay and High streets at the base of

Robert P. Kraft, eminent astronomer and former director of UC Observatories, dies at age 87

Kraft was a widely recognized researcher and a gifted administrator who helped guide astronomy into the modern

Accounting's Bob Shepherd wins state CPA society outstanding educator award

Robert Shepherd, former director of the economics accounting track at UC Santa Cruz, has been named winner of the 2015 Outstanding Educator Award by the California Society of

Campus Election Results

The results of the Spring 2015 Campus Elections are now available at elections.ucsc.edu

Celebrating Slug success

By Richard Hughey, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education — Spring quarter always has a focus on accomplishments – commencements and other ceremonies, of course, but also Student Achievement Week, our recognition of undergraduates who take particular advantage of the opportunities here to engage in research, projects, and performance.

Welcome to Retirement Event June 18th / Staff Appreciation Picnic May 28th / Thumbs Up Deadline June 1st

Dates for retirement event, staff appreciation picnic and thumbs up deadline.

Dance professor fights cultural amnesia with ‘Splinters in Our Ankles'

'Splinters in Our Ankles' is UC Santa Cruz theater arts professor Gerald Casel’s choreographic response to what he calls "the collective cultural amnesia" about the Philippine national

UC Santa Cruz plans Center of Excellence in Data Science Research

The Data, Discovery, and Decisions (D3) center aims to foster collaboration between industry and

Campus visit by U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights

The OCR staff will visit UC Santa Cruz on May 26-28 to talk with students directly about their experiences on campus related to sexual violence/harassment prevention and response.

Community Crime Bulletin — Car Burglary in North Remote Parking Lot

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking the community's help in finding two suspects who burglarized a car shortly after 3 p.m. on May 20 in the north remote parking lot.

A sense of community: Wendy Baxter recognized with Outstanding Staff Award

Outstanding Staff Award honoree Wendy Baxter’s colleagues and students praise her unique ability to create a feeling of home and acceptance for undergraduates and work

Center for Emerging Worlds hosts screenings of films on global Islam

The UC Santa Cruz Center for Emerging Worlds presents two nights of film and video on the theme of global Islam, Friday and Saturday, May 29, 30 at

Community effort provides new 'gold standard' for genomic data analysis

UC Santa Cruz researchers contributed to a comprehensive assessment of methods for identifying mutations in cancer

New center will bolster support for innovation and entrepreneurship

By Sue Carter, Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development — One of the most exciting things about working at a research university is being surrounded

Proposal to increase parking fees

For those who haven't yet submitted comments about the current proposal to increase UCSC parking fees, I'd like to remind you that the deadline for submittal is next Tuesday, May 26th.

Undergraduate Education seeks part-time administrator: Cowell College Provost

The Division of Undergraduate Education is undertaking a search for a part-time faculty administrator

Gifts from alum Sage Weil provide $3 million for open source research at UC Santa Cruz

Alumnus Sage Weil has established an endowed chair and provided an additional $2 million for research in open source

UC Santa Cruz politics professor Mark Massoud wins Guggenheim Fellowship

Mark Fathi Massoud, assistant professor of politics and legal studies at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to further his research on law in war-affected

LASER talk to explore research in environmental art, recycling, ocean medicines, and film

UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences will present its final LASER talk of the academic year on campus this spring on Tuesday, May 19, at

Emeritus psychology professor Pavel Machotka wins systemwide emeriti award

Pavel Machotka, professor emeritus of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has won a 2015 Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award that honors UC emeriti professors in the humanities and

Against all odds: Astronomers baffled by discovery of rare quasar quartet

Astronomers discovered four quasars, each one a rare object in its own right, in close physical proximity to each

Today's budget news

Chancellor Blumenthal and Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor Alison Galloway update the campus on the governor's budget proposal.

Berries, flowers from campus Farm & Garden go on sale at Quarry Plaza

On Friday, May 15th, Wednesday, May 20th, and Wednesday, May 27th, a limited engagement produce and flower stand will open at Quarry Plaza with berries and beautiful flower bouquets from the Alan Chadwick Garden.

Persistence yields progress in AIDS vaccine research at UC Santa Cruz

Veteran vaccine researcher Phil Berman has developed a new approach based on an old vaccine and recent advances in HIV

Student-organized campus clean up nets 285 pounds of litter in three hours

In just three hours, participants of the First Annual Campus Clean-Up during Alumni Reunion Weekend collected 285 pounds of litter from across campus, the UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Office reports.

Students to document, share trip to World Economic Forum on Africa

"Focus on Africa," taught by documentary filmmaker Melvin Cox (Merrill, '73), has been offered through Merrill College. Cox is discussing Africa's current affairs with students and teaching them

Campus utility power interruptions expected May 16-18

Utility-supplied electric power at UC Santa Cruz will be disrupted from 11 p.m. Saturday, May 16 to 7 a.m. Sunday, May 17 and from 11 p.m. Sunday, May 17 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 18.

VOTE NOW in 2015 Campus Elections

Student polls are now open for the Spring 2015 Campus Elections.

Nearly two dozen students supported by NSF grants

Twenty-two UC Santa Cruz graduate and undergraduate students have been supported by National Science Foundation fellowships in the past academic year.

Center for Analytical Finance workshop looks at high-frequency trading

The chief economist of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will open a daylong workshop and conference on high-frequency trading, Friday, May 15 at UC Santa Cruz.

First annual Arts Division emeriti awards honor Chip Lord and Lewis Watts

Photographer Lewis Watts (Art Department) and media artist Chip Lord (Film and Digital Media) were honored at an inaugural luncheon to recognize the contributions of emeriti faculty in

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum inspires young author's nature guide

Nature walk and book signing on May 17 celebrates the publication of 'The Budding Naturalist's Guide to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum' by 15-year-old Kelly

Serving the world through discovery

By Chancellor George Blumenthal — Even after nine years as chancellor, I find myself struck in new ways by the impact this university has on the world. Across the disciplines, UC Santa Cruz scholars are contributing to the public good.

Community Crime Bulletin – Peeping in Bathroom, Merrill College

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in obtaining suspect information about a peeping incident Saturday morning at Merrill College, A Dormitory.

Astrophysicist Piero Madau inducted into Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars

Piero Madau, distinguished professor of astronomy and astrophysics, was honored for achieving marked distinction in the physical sciences.

Staff Appreciation Picnic May 28 and Thumbs Up awards

Please join the Chancellor and Staff Advisory Board for the annual staff appreciation picnic on the East Field, Thursday, May 28, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

CASFS updates instructor's manual for teaching small farm direct marketing

The new edition of "Teaching Direct Marketing and Small Farm Viability: Resources for Instructors," 2nd Edition, draws on nearly 50 years of experience teaching beginning organic farmers and

Volunteer profile: Steve Schnaidt

Volunteering is a way to give back to a special institution and a community that gave me opportunities to explore, learn, grow, fail, and succeed.

Setting up for success

The men's volleyball coach has taken the emphasis off wins and losses, encouraging players to build character by "scoring points" in the classroom, applying for jobs, and

'CAVE Lab' offers immersive virtual reality tools for research and teaching

A new multi-disciplinary facility featuring interactive 3-D visualization technology is available to researchers across

Community Advisory – Fires at Pogonip

In the past year, the university has been notified about numerous illegal fires on Upper Campus and city/state park lands adjacent to campus.

Spreading science education, one telescope at a time

UC Santa Cruz grad student Tuguldur Sukhbold is using grant money to bring telescopes to schools in Mongolia so that science-starved kids might be exposed to the wonders

Astronomers set a new distance record for galaxies

Astronomers have pushed back the cosmic frontier of galaxy exploration to a time when the universe was only 5 percent of its present

Spring brings campus elections

By Alma Sifuentes, Associate Vice Chancellor of Campus Life and Dean of Students — Campus elections are a hallmark spring-quarter event. Each year, hundreds of students participate as candidates, as authors of proposed referenda, and as volunteers assisting with the process. Thousands of students will participate as voters!

Bettina Aptheker featured in NBC’s 'Rebels & Revolutions' documentary

An interview with UC Santa Cruz professor Bettina Aptheker will be featured in Rebels & Revolutions, the second installment of NBC Bay Area’s year-long documentary series Bay Area

Barrios Unidos founder to speak at 12th Cesar Chavez Convocation

Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez, founder and executive director of Barrios Unidos, is the keynote speaker for the 12th annual Cesar Chavez convocation, 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the

Student study tells the stories of low-wage workers in Santa Cruz County

A year-long study by UC Santa Cruz students that finds low-wage workers in Santa Cruz County earn about $10 an hour compared with the county median of $17.81