Alumni News

Undergraduate applications mark new record

More than 52,000 students—a new record—applied to be new first-year students for the fall 2017 quarter, a 6.9 percent increase from the previous year.

Anthropologist's new book explores compassionate care and community in Moscow

"How and why do people engage with social problems and injustices?" asks UC Santa Cruz anthropology professor Melissa Caldwell in her new book, "Living Faithfully in an Unjust World: Compassionate Care in Russia."

Researcher wins $1 million grant to study English-language proficiency practices

Peggy Estrada, an associate research scientist in Latin American and Latino studies at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded a three-year $999,999 grant to study how to best help school-age English learners achieve English language proficiency and academic excellence.

New program helps humanities grad students consider work in the public sphere

From a Holocaust study center in Norway and a small environmental center in northern Alaska, to the Japanese American Museum in San Jose and the Santa Cruz County jail, humanities Ph.D. students expanded their horizons this year thanks to a new program started by the UC Santa Cruz Institute for Humanities Research (IHR).

UC Santa Cruz Community Sailing Club takes best in show for third straight year

Campus inventors recognized for recent patents

The Office of Research is working to bolster patent activities and services for technology transfer, part of an effort to help faculty, students and staff commercialize inventions and discoveries.

Alumna Kate Schatz pens second NY Times bestseller with ‘Rad Women Worldwide’

Rad Women Worldwide, the follow-up to UC Santa Cruz alumna Kate Schatz’s New York Times bestselling book Rad American Women A-Z, is a showcase of extraordinary women from 31 countries around the world.

Students make gains in math placement, thanks to online adaptive learning

A pilot program in online adaptive learning at UC Santa Cruz has led to higher placement in math courses for newly admitted freshman students.`

Campus to renew Kresge College

Since February, a diverse committee of staff, faculty, and students has worked with a team led by Studio Gang Architects to explore prospects for a renewal of Kresge College’s complex and aging physical space.

Phi Beta Kappa celebrates 30 years on campus

The UC Santa Cruz chapter of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa will celebrate its 30th anniversary from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday at the Merrill Provost House.

UC policy on undocumented members of our community

Issued yesterday by the UC Office of the President, this statement clearly articulates UC’s commitment to the privacy and civil rights of everyone in our community.

UC Catalyst award furthers paleogenomics research

By analyzing DNA from ancient humans, pathogens and other genomes, the UC Santa Cruz Human Paleogenomics Lab looks to understand how the twin forces of culture and biology have shaped human genomic diversity, demography, and health.

UC Santa Cruz recognized as top performer in sustainability

The 2016 Sustainable Campus Index ranked UC Santa Cruz No. 10 on the list of Doctoral/Research Institutions.

Title IX office adds investigators, plans campaign to raise awareness of domestic and dating violence

When Tracey Tsugawa arrived at UC Santa Cruz in August 2014 she was more than simply the new campus Title IX Officer. She was the entire Title IX office. Today, Tsugawa and a staff of four handle a growing number of reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Two admissions office veterans top 71 years

Michael McCawley and David Kamimoto in the UC Santa Cruz admissions office have helped students and families for 71 years.

Feminist studies professor Karen Barad receives multiple honors in Europe

Karen Barad--professor of feminist studies, philosophy, and history of consciousness at UC Santa Cruz--also happens to have a Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics and quantum field theory...

Using memory to foster well-being

Psychology Ph.D. Artie Konrad has found his dream job at Facebook, where he is a user experience researcher on the On This Day project.

Caring for our animal friends

The student-run Pre-Veterinary Club is designed to support and energize those who want a career working with animals.

Restorative justice and civil rights leader Fania Davis to give Baskin Ethics Lecture

Fania Davis, co-founder and executive director of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, will deliver the 2016 Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture on Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Music Center Recital Hall.

Ride-sharing available through Zimride matching service

UC Santa Cruz subscribes to Zimride, a campus-specific ride-matching service. Zimride helps you offer or request rides for your daily trips to and from campus or one-time road trips (such as getting to local airports, or getting home for Thanksgiving).

Students to pitch viable ideas for positive environmental change

The first Startup Weekend Santa Cruz for Sustainable Solutions & Social Impact, Nov. 18–20, is just one of more than 200 events happening in November as part of Global Startup Weekend.

Elementary school students visit voting rights exhibition at UCSC on Election Day

Seventy-five 4th and 5th grade two-way immersion (Spanish-language) students from Delaveaga Elementary School came to UC Santa Cruz on Election Day to explore two art exhibits currently on display.

StoryCruz: New beginnings

With freshman Slugs roaming the campus, StoryCruz set out this fall to see how they're faring.

How big does a lottery jackpot have to be to boost college attendance?

To better understand the connection between parental resources and college attendance you might start by looking at lottery winners.

Politics student named 'Women in Green Forum Youth Trailblazer'

Maxine Jimenez (Kresge ’19, politics and community studies) is the 2016 recipient of the Women in Green Forum Youth Trailblazer Award.

Women's soccer headed to NCAA championship

The Banana Slugs will play Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday at Burns Stadium in Claremont.

Black Panther exhibition opens Nov. 10 at McHenry Library

An exhibition titled "Pictures and Progress: the Black Panther 1966-2016" will open November 10 on the 3rd and 4th floors of UC Santa Cruz’s McHenry Library.

Practicing the ancient art of kendo

A sports club gives students the opportunity to train in the Japanese martial art that focuses on improving oneself and one’s technique, on teamwork, and contributing to society.

UC Santa Cruz’s Robin Hunicke shares the spotlight at TEDWomen

Robin Hunicke, director of art and design in the Games and Playable Media program at UC Santa Cruz, showcased her innovative work at a gathering of TEDWomen Experience.

All hands on tech

A group of students with the Everett Program at UC Santa Cruz recently spent the weekend collaborating with Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement, a nonprofit in Salinas dedicated to youth empowerment.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant offers opportunities for Latino students to transfer to UCSC

Cultivamos Excelencia is meant to motivate and retain Hispanic/Latino and other high-need students at San Jose City College to complete their bachelor’s degrees at UC Santa Cruz.

Campus to kick-off Quarry Amphitheater restoration

One of the key priorities in the Campaign for UC Santa Cruz, the amphitheater will be restored and reopened for fall 2017.

‘Look Back in Time: Russell Crotty and Lick Observatory’ exhibition opens in San Jose

'Look Back in Time: Russell Crotty and Lick Observatory,' the first traveling exhibition of the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, opens November 13 at the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art.

Five questions with UC Santa Cruz humanities dean Tyler Stovall

Tyler Stovall became dean of the UC Santa Cruz Humanities Division in 2015. Now beginning his second full academic year as dean, we sat down with Dean Stovall to discuss the state of the humanities at UC Santa Cruz and beyond.

Founders Celebration 2016 celebrates excellence, generosity, vision

Hundreds of revelers turned UC Santa Cruz’s Science & Engineering Library into a “collision space” of ideas during the 11th annual Founders Celebration, a time to celebrate excellence and generosity.

Pedestrians may run rampant in a world of self-driving cars

Imagine an urban neighborhood where most of the cars drive themselves. What would it be like to be a pedestrian? Actually, pretty good, according to Adam Millard-Ball, assistant professor of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz. In fact, pedestrians might end up with the run of the place.

UC Santa Cruz ranks among greenest universities

Coming in at No. 7, UC Santa Cruz is the highest ranked UC in The Princeton Review's "Top 50 Green Colleges."

Learn to grow garlic at Oct. 29 workshop

A garlic-growing workshop is set for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the UC Santa Cruz Hay Barn.

Initial findings to be released in study of microaggressions on campus

For the past year, UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Christy Byrd implemented a mobile app to track student experiences of microaggressions—the subtle ways assumptions and attitudes based on race, sexual orientation, or gender are communicated in everyday conversation.

UC Santa Cruz project wins U.S. agriculture grant to diversify food studies

A $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help Colleges Nine and Ten at UC Santa Cruz expand projects in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties to promote food security and food justice among predominantly Spanish-speaking, farmworker families.

Annual social sciences research event explores politics of change

How and why politics and policy are failing minority groups was a central theme at the UC Santa Cruz Division of Social Sciences’ fourth annual research event, "Politics of Change?! The Social Sciences Take on 2016."

Anger as a tool for change: The role of rage and hostility in politics

"A free society is a passionate society,” UC Santa Cruz politics professor Daniel Wirls observed during 'Anger in Politics: From the Bard to the Donald,' the latest in the Institute for Humanities “Questions that Matter” lecture series.

Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History holds open house and fundraiser

Art and science mix when the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History at UC Santa Cruz holds its fifth open house and fundraiser Nov. 12-13 at the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn.

UC Santa Cruz expands food support options for students

UC Santa Cruz students who may be temporarily short on cash for meals or have ongoing needs related to food security now have multiple support options on campus.

The impact of the presidential election on U.S. foreign affairs

Aside from the boorish behavior and a penchant for secrecy, the presidential election will influence how the United States pursues foreign policy over the next four years. Three UC Santa Cruz politics professors offer brief insights based on their point-of-view and expertise.

Institute of Arts and Sciences launches UC Santa Cruz Satellite Reef project

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences will launch the UC Santa Cruz Satellite Reef project with an opening workshop on Oct. 21 at UCSC’s Stevenson Event Center, followed by a workshop on Oct. 23 at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.

Theater Arts professor Ted Warburton wins national dance award

Edward (Ted) Warburton, professor of dance and associate dean of the arts at UC Santa Cruz, is the recipient of the National Dance Education Organization’s 2016 Outstanding Dance Researcher Award.

UC Santa Cruz ranks fourth worldwide for research influence

With a citation score of 99.8, UC Santa Cruz ranked fourth and tied with UC Berkeley and California Institute of Technology.

Community gathers to strengthen public dialogue about Santa Cruz’s housing crises

New research by UC Santa Cruz sociology professors Miriam Greenberg and Steve McKay highlights housing issues

Town hall to solicit feedback on the future of UC Santa Cruz athletics

The Special Committee on Athletics will provide information to campus leadership about the athletics program, particularly options for future funding.

Learning to be a guardian of the Earth

Student Raymond LeBeau, a member of the Pit River tribe, is honing his skills and his familiarity with environmental law at UC Santa Cruz in order to help tribal communities.

UC Santa Cruz politics student gets VIP access to vice presidential debate

When Austin Downs (College Ten ’17, politics) arrived in Washington D.C. in August little did he know he would attend the vice-presidential debate two months later.

Research Frontiers Evening focuses on politics three weeks before election

“Politics of Change?!” is the timely topic for the 2016 Research Frontiers Evening Wednesday, Oct. 19, presented by the UC Santa Cruz Social Sciences Division three weeks before the presidential election.

Film restored by UCSC arts alum to screen in celebration of Santa Cruz’s 150th anniversary

Mothers of Men, a 1917 women’s suffrage film shot on location in Santa Cruz, will be screened at the Del Mar Theater on Oct. 13 as part of the city’s celebration of its 150th anniversary.

From number to name: Dedication a proud moment for Rachel Carson College

The ceremony was a chance to honor a pioneering environmentalist and the legacy of UC Santa Cruz students.

Study finds that the more you Google, the more likely you are to keep Googling

People who use the internet to retrieve information are more likely to use it again and less likely to use their memory, according to a study by UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Benjamin Storm.

Student research project looks at affordable housing crisis in Santa Cruz

A UC Santa Cruz multi-media research project on the affordable housing crisis in Santa Cruz is scheduled to be presented to the public 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13 at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz.

Non-citizenship series begins with talk on 'Citizenship and the Politics of Exclusion'

Bridget Anderson, a leading labor and migration scholar, will deliver the keynote address in the first of a series of events exploring non-citizenship.

Supporting campus goals, campus fundraising hits new record

The Campaign for UC Santa Cruz is bringing critical new resources to the student experience, excellence in research, and the campus commitment to environmental and social justice.

The mighty Phyllis

Phyllis the elephant seal was named after a "go-getter" philanthropist. Now this 853-pound mother of two is a go-getter herself, breaking long-distance records for swimming.

UC Santa Cruz receives largest gift in campus history

UC Santa Cruz has received a gift of an extraordinary archive of photographs documenting the people, landscape, and politics of California in the mid-20th century.

Campus invited to Rachel Carson College dedication

Campus leaders will reflect on Rachel Carson and the history of the college, and the hand-carved wood sign at the college’s entrance will be unveiled.

2016-2017 Campus Food & Garden Guide now available

UC Santa Cruz ranks in the top 20 of Sierra magazine’s list of “Cool Schools” in large part because of its dedication to improving the campus food system.

A tale of two fetuses

In 'What Becomes Us,' a new novel by UC Santa Cruz literature professor Micah Perks, twin fetuses tell the story of a pregnant woman who abandons her controlling husband in Santa Cruz and moves to a small upstate New York town.

Cultural competency training aims to help foster an inclusive culture

For the past eight years, Diversity and Inclusion Program Coordinator Donnae Smith has been delivering a training to students to help them support the difficult conversations that can come when students from a variety of backgrounds come together in an intimate, college environment.

Giving voice to the voiceless

Andres Arias (Oakes, 2016), a double major in Latin American and Latino studies and sociology, has immersed himself in California migrant communities to conduct original research about this vulnerable and often voiceless population.

Pesticide predicament for California's strawberry growers

The powerful fumigant methyl bromide will be retired from California’s strawberry fields at the end of this year after more than 20 years of fierce debate over its effects and alternatives.

UC Santa Cruz embarks on equity initiative for Latino, low-income students in STEM fields

The UC Santa Cruz Science Education & Mentorship In Latino Lives in Academia (SEMILLA) Project,will enable the campus to create a comprehensive set of interventions—guided by analysis and research teams—to support students in clearing the barriers they face inside and outside the classroom.

Anger in Politics: From Shakespeare to Donald Trump

What place does anger have in public life? On the eve of an historic election, the Institute for Humanities Research at UC Santa Cruz, in collaboration with the research group Shakespeare Workshop--will present a public conversation about anger and politics, from Shakespeare to Donald Trump.

Entering class increases diversity, access

The growth in undergraduate enrollment, 650 more California undergraduates than fall 2015, is part of the University of California’s commitment to enroll 5,000 more students across the UC system, providing greater access to the state’s students.

Campus strengthens bridges to high school students via summer session offerings

Local high school students took courses, helped with research, worked campus jobs, and even lived on campus this past summer.

Philanthropy in pursuit of a healthier planet

Alec and Claudia Webster, who help steward the philanthropy of the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, look at how they can accomplish the most good with their gifts.

College Eight becomes Rachel Carson College

The naming gift from the Helen and Will Webster Foundation recognizes Carson for her courage and pivotal role in awakening the public to environmental issues.

UC Santa Cruz ranks among top 30 U.S. public universities

The campus also is one of the top 100 national universities, according to the annual rankings by U.S. News and World Report

Julie Snyder: Serially great journalism

UC Santa Cruz alumna, who will receive this year’s Alumni Achievement Award, talks about making the hit podcast Serial and how her college years laid the foundation for a career in broadcast journalism

Student challenges assumptions about transgender athletes

At 19, Chloe Anderson transitioned from male to female. The 24-year-old transfer is one of the first transgender athletes to participate in volleyball at the NCAA Division III level.

Big questions to be explored at Silicon Valley Campus grand opening

The celebration, showcasing the multidisciplinary teaching and research hub, will feature an open house, a ribbon cutting, and a handful of engaging talks by leading campus thinkers.

Alumnus Tom Franco Collaborates with Art

Growing up in Palo Alto, CA into a gifted artistic family, it seems natural that Tom Franco would want to pursue a career in art. Both of his parents studied art at Stanford University; his mother, Betsy Franco, is a well-known author of teen and young adult books, and both of his brothers, James Franco and Dave Franco, are famous actors.

Football, farming, and food security

Former NFL star defensive end Kalimba Edwards is on an ambitious mission: He hopes to one day create a self-sustaining food system that can feed the nation’s hungry and homeless.

UC Santa Cruz highlighted in Green College Honor Roll

UC Santa Cruz scored 99 points—the most possible—in a listing meant to provide a comprehensive measure of a school's performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.

Organic farming and gardening training program accepts applications in 50th year

Aspiring organic farmers and gardeners are invited to apply for the 2017 apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The class of 2017 will mark the 50th year of the Apprenticeship, the longest running university-based organic farming and gardening training program in the U.S.

UC Santa Cruz receives NEH grant to broaden career opportunities for Ph.D. students

UC Santa Cruz is one of 28 colleges and universities nationwide to receive a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to plan and implement changes to graduate education that will broaden the career preparation of a Ph.D. student beyond a career in the academy.

StoryCruz: Alumni Weekend 2016

Alumni Weekend revelers tell their UC Santa Cruz stories, reminiscing about their student days and reflecting on how college set the stage for their lives and careers.

Film professor Shelley Stamp wins 2015 book award from Theatre Library Association

UC Santa Cruz film and digital media professor Shelley Stamp has been honored with a 2015 Book Award from The Theatre Library Association. The awards are given annually for the best English language works of scholarship on theatre, film, and broadcasting.

UC Santa Cruz moves up in worldwide ranking

The campus ranked No. 83 internationally and No. 43 within the United States, according to Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) published by a Shanghai education-consulting firm.

UC Santa Cruz sailboat wins national championship

A UC Santa Cruz sailboat, crewed by the campus’s former and current boating directors, won the national championship for its class during races off the Santa Cruz coast the last weekend in July.

Educational Partnership Center awarded $1.2 million to help students pursue higher education

Talent Search provides disadvantaged youth with connections to high-quality tutoring services and counseling services to improve financial aid literacy and financial planning for postsecondary education.

Book by UC Santa Cruz alumnus tops President Obama’s Summer Reading List

A memoir of surfing by UC Santa Cruz graduate William Finnegan, (Cowell, '74, English literature) is at the top of President Obama's 2016 Summer Reading List.

Seven alumni invited to join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Seven UC Santa Cruz alumni are among the 683 artists and executives who have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year.

UC Santa Cruz names Susan Solt new dean of Arts Division

UC Santa Cruz has appointed Susan Solt as dean of the Arts Division, effective August 15.

National conference marks 10 years of growth in sustainable agriculture education

With growing numbers of students and educators interested in sustainable agriculture, food justice, and experiential education, the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association (SAEA) conference held July 29–31 at UC Santa Cruz highlighted hands-on educational efforts that bridge scientific and social issues.

UC president encourages teenage girls to aim high during visit to campus

UC President Janet Napolitano visited UC Santa Cruz this week and stopped in on Dickens Universe, UCSC Farm, games and robotics programs, Youth Empowerment Institute, and COSMOS sessions.

Catherine Jones wins 2016 Abbott Prize for best book on the history of children

Associate professor of history Catherine Jones has been honored with the Grace Abbott Book Prize for the best book published in 2015 on the history of children and youth.

UCSC humanities dean contributes to Time Magazine’s ‘25 Moments That Changed America’

In late Spring, Time Magazine reached out to 25 historians and asked them to nominate a pivotal moment in history that has changed our nation. One of the distinguished historians that Time contacted for the piece is UC Santa Cruz humanities dean Tyler Stovall.

Financial aid director tapped to serve on student aid commission's advisory board

The California Student Aid Commission is responsible for some of the largest grant programs available at the University of California.

UC Santa Cruz increases admissions offers for Californians

The campus accepted nearly 4,728 more California high school students than last year—a 27 percent increase—and also marked gains in the numbers of African American, Asian American, and Chicano/Latino students admitted.

Derek Conrad Murray appointed to Art Journal editorial board

UC Santa Cruz associate professor Derek Conrad Murray, an interdisciplinary theorist in the History of Art and Visual Culture Department, has been appointed to the Editorial Board of Art Journal.

Stories of research, excitement, and surprise at Graduate Research Symposium

UC Santa Cruz storytelling project StoryCruz captures first-person narratives from graduate students describing their research and their hopes.

UCSC’s Gail Project wins first prize in national 'Shout Out for the Humanities' contest

Why is studying the humanities–history, literature, languages, philosophy, culture–important? How would you convince your parents, an employer, a politician, or others that there is value in pursing the humanities?

Sci-fi meets soprano with Star Trek opera

UC Santa Cruz–affiliated professors and staff are boldly going where no one has gone before by taking Star Trek into the high-culture realm of arias and recitatives.

Campus altar honors lives lost in Orlando

The Cantú Queer Center, the Chicano Latino Resource Center, and the Women’s Center have created an altar that will be on display through July. The centers are happy to collaborate in other community support efforts.

Play depicts the struggles, lessons of ALS

The one-woman performance of The Voice Bank, brought to UC Santa Cruz as a faculty member suffers from ALS, is about finding strength in the face of the disease—and about letting go.

'Rebels and visionaries' are the focus of Social Sciences' summer reading list

From farmer to feminist, hacker, judge, surfer, scientist, geologist, and community organizer–meet the people who dared to think and act differently in the Division of Social Sciences’ Second Annual Summer Reading List.

New campus archivist launches campaign to document 51 years of history

For Teresa Mora, the essence of UC Santa Cruz’s 51-year story is in the details—the newsletters, meeting minutes, images, correspondence, and dog-eared reports stashed away in forgotten boxes.

A day in the sun for UC Santa Cruz grads

As they awaited to receive their diplomas, UC Santa Cruz scholars reflected on friendship, mentors and inspiration.

UC Santa Cruz is a summer conference hotspot

Whether you are interested in studying planets, dowsing the days away, or learning a brand-new cheerleading technique, there’s a UC Santa Cruz conference that will suit your needs.

Citizens academy helps to ‘humanize the badge’

The nine-week program is offered three times a year to give a behind-the-scenes, hands-on perspective of the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement.

Biology grad wins seed funding for biotech startup company

Antonio Lamb followed his passion for molecular biology, and his biotech startup now has $100,000 in seed funding.

Chancellor’s Achievement Awards for Diversity honor work, commitment

The campus recognized work done by students, faculty, staff, and programs to promote diversity and inclusion on campus through the 2016 Chancellor’s Achievement Awards for Diversity.

Art professor Dee Hibbert-Jones wins Northern California Area Emmy award

UC Santa Cruz associate professor of art Dee Hibbert-Jones has been honored with yet another award for her acclaimed animated documentary film, "Last Day of Freedom."

Baskin School recognizes women graduating with engineering degrees

Women make up 19 percent of engineering undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz this year, up from 12 percent in 2005. The event is meant to help retain women in the engineering school.

The sky is no limit for planet-hunting grad student

Astronomy grad student Jennifer Burt helped write software that turned a powerful telescope at Lick Observatory into the first automated planet finder in the world.

Nine faculty members honored with Excellence in Teaching awards

The awards honor instructors who have demonstrated exemplary and inspiring teaching. Students make the nominations and more than 620 were received this year.

Linguistics professor Pranav Anand receives Dizikes Award for teaching in Humanities

Associate professor of linguistics Pranav Anand was presented with the John Dizikes Teaching Award in Humanities at the Humanities Division’s 2016 Spring Awards celebration held at the Cowell Provost House.

Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship winner is immersed in public service

Graduating senior Katie Sweeney (Cowell, ’16, community studies) has been awarded the fifth Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship named for the 2002 UC Santa Cruz graduate killed in the January 2011 shooting in Tucson that wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Commencement 2016 is about to begin

Continuing a tradition from last year, nine colleges and the graduate division have invited alumni to participate as keynote speakers as UC Santa Cruz holds commencement ceremonies Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 10-12.

Two UC Santa Cruz film professors receive Fulbright Scholar Awards

Film and Digital Media professors Sharon Daniel and Irene Lusztig have been honored with Fulbright Awards for research during the 2016-17 academic year.

Athletics opinion poll wins student support

63 percent of voting undergraduate students were in favor of establishing a new undergraduate fee that would be approximately $90 per student per quarter.

Staff contributions recognized with campus, systemwide awards

In addition to the annual Outstanding Staff Award, two systemwide awards were given to UC Santa Cruz staff members.

History professor Greg O'Malley to create new public database about the slave trade

With the help of a $220,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, UC Santa Cruz history professor Gregory O'Malley plans to add his research to one of the most utilized resources in the digital humanities.

Survey seeks ideas, comments about Cowell and Stevenson coffee shop operations

An advisory committee to help inform operations of the Stevenson and Cowell college coffee shops has created a survey to gauge campus-wide opinion.

Economics professor outlines rapid success of America's 'other one percent'

Nirvikar Singh, UC Santa Cruz professor of economics and director of the Center for Analytical Finance, described the rapid economic success of Indians in the U.S. during a keynote address at TieCon 2016.

Pouring it on

The bronze pour at UC Santa Cruz's metal casting workshop—the UC system’s last working foundry—has become a tradition on campus combining performance, ancient ritual, and hands-on hard work.

Trans-identified students celebrate new, inclusive housing option

The new trans-inclusive housing option is the result of student activism that informed ongoing administrative discussions about how to better serve the trans community.

Chancellor open to workable funding plans for NCAA program

Chancellor Blumenthal said that simply asking the campus to fully fund the program—which will cost more next year because of new federal labor laws—places it in direct competition with academic priorities.

Smoke signals

Graduate student Eric Crosbie's research delves into cigarette packaging and why some countries have been able to legislate tobacco warning labels while others haven't.

Campus recognized for sustainability efforts in education, practices

The campus earned awards from the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference for its lighting retrofit and optimization in the McHenry Library; its carbon neutrality roadmap; and its sustainability minor and Sustainability Living Undergraduate Research Program (SLURP).

EVC's 'Beyond Compliance' town hall confronts culture around sexual misconduct

About 100 students, staff, and faculty confronted issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault on campus during a May 10 town hall meeting convened by Alison Galloway, campus provost and executive vice chancellor.

Kicking up confidence while having a ball

The UC Santa Cruz women’s soccer team goes beyond expectations with high GPAs and outreach to the community with kids' soccer clinics.

Alumna Carmen Perez returns to campus as Chavez Convocation keynote speaker

UC Santa Cruz alumna Carmen Perez returns to campus as keynote speaker for the 13th annual Cesar Chavez Convocation scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, 7–9 p.m. at the College Nine/Ten multipurpose room.

Strawberry and Justice Festival features music, speaker panels, free strawberries

This year's annual Strawberry and Justice Festival festival takes place Thursday, May 19 from 4–6:30 p.m. at the Hay Barn at UC Santa Cruz and features live music, free food, and guest speakers.

Alumnus Ken Corday Funds Arts Division Endowment in Television and Film Writing

Ken Corday (Porter 1977) and the Corday Foundation have made a substantial financial contribution to the UC Santa Cruz Arts Division to establish the Kenneth R. Corday Family Presidential Chair Endowment in Writing for Television & Film.

UCSC Night at the Museum to spotlight African American art and history

The UC Santa Cruz Institute for Humanities Research will present 'UCSC Night at the Museum: The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection', a free public event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, on Wednesday, May 18.

Events explore traumatic journeys migrants endure on the way to the border

The series of UC Santa Cruz events on human migration continues Friday and Saturday, May 6–7 with “Rethinking Migration,” the first in the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Sawyer Seminar on non-citizenship and part of the Chicano Latino Research Center's Borders and Belonging series.

Original crowd funder honored with Distinguished Social Sciences Alumni Award

Before crowdfunding, there was Drummond Pike. The 1970 politics graduate of Stevenson College was awarded the Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award for his accomplishments in combining philanthropy with political activism.

Hastings Law professor to speak on prisons and transformation of punishment

Professor Hadar Aviram of UC Hastings College of the Law will speak on the American prison system and the transformation of punishment as part of the continuing UC Santa Cruz and UC Hastings Social Justice Lecture Series Monday, May 9.

LASER talk to feature research in astrophysics, film, art, and marine biology

UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences will continue its series of LASER talks on campus this spring on Wednesday, May 11, at 7 p.m. in the Digital Arts Research Center.

StoryCruz: A feeling of home

The founder of UC Santa Cruz's Smith Renaissance Society talks with two alumni of the group about their experiences and moving on to his next project.

Experiencing the 6x9-foot world of solitary confinement

UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Craig Haney is a key participant in a virtual reality form of journalism, "6x9 - a virtual experience of solitary confinement," by the British newspaper "The Guardian," that places viewers into a virtual prison cell.

UC Santa Cruz Humanities Division celebrates International Jazz Day at Kuumbwa

A capacity crowd filled Kuumbwa Jazz Center Saturday night for "Race, Class, and Culture through the Lens of Jazz"--a special event presented by the UCSC Humanities Division, featuring a panel of jazz scholars, followed by an inspired performance by Bay Area jazz singer Kim Nalley.

Nostalgia, Teach-Ins, hot jazz and good conversation: well-wishers flock to UC Santa Cruz Alumni Weekend

UC Santa Cruz’s Alumni Weekend festivities reflected the eclecticism and adventurous learning that first put this campus on the educational map more than 50 years ago.

Enrollment opens for UCSC Summer Session

There are more than 250 courses ranging from creative writing, to medical Spanish, to geography of national parks.

Extraordinary woodblock prints by visiting Chinese artist on exhibit at UC Santa Cruz

Thirteen stunning woodblock prints are now on display by acclaimed Chinese artist Xiang Silou in The Eternal Line: Ordinary Stories--an exhibition running through May 7 at the Porter Faculty Gallery on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Campus launches mobile app to track shuttles in real time

Transportation and Parking Services, in collaboration with undergraduate and graduate students, has launched SlugRoute, which tracks campus buses in real time.

Percolating ideas

Grad student Sarah Beganskas is studying what could become part of the solution to California’s water crisis: collecting storm runoff so it can seep into the ground instead of being diverted to rivers and seas.

Art students contribute work to de Young Museum’s New Generations Student Showcase

The work of three UC Santa Cruz undergraduate art majors will appear in the de Young Museum’s 20th annual New Generations Student Showcase.

History professor Peter Kenez honored with top UC award for emeriti faculty

The 2016 Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, honoring emeriti professors in the University of California system, has been awarded to UC Santa Cruz professor emeritus of history Peter Kenez.

Borders and Belonging series features film screening, photo exhibit, and discussions

Human migration, borders, and notions of citizenship are at the heart of a series of events that help celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Department of Latin American and Latino studies at UC Santa Cruz.

Campus again ranks No. 1 among Peace Corps’ top volunteer-producing Hispanic-serving institutions

Thirty-two alumni are serving in the Peace Corps. More than 800 UC Santa Cruz alumni have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers with the Peace Corps, which was founded four years before the campus opened in 1965.

Cafe Ivéta opens in Quarry Plaza

Cafe Ivéta is now open on the ground floor of the Graduate Student Commons building at Quarry Plaza.

Alums Martha Mendoza, William Finnegan win 2016 Pulitzer Prize

Journalism's highest honor is awarded to the Associated Press and Mendoza for public service and in biography to Finnegan for his surfing memoir.

Two faculty members honored with Dickson Emeriti Professorship Awards

Chip Lord, professor emeritus of film and digital media, and Lewis Watts, professor emeritus of art, were each awarded Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professorships in recognition of their outstanding achievements in scholarship and teaching.

UC Santa Cruz art professor Dee Hibbert-Jones wins 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship

UC Santa Cruz associate professor of art Dee Hibbert-Jones has been awarded a 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship in film and video.

Student-organized events highlight Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Four weeks of events and activities are scheduled this month to raise awareness and support survivors of sexual violence as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).

Hitting it out of the park

Not playing softball was not an option for student Nessa Esparza—so she went to bat for the first women’s competitive fast-pitch softball team at UC Santa Cruz.

UC Santa Cruz receives $1 million to support Institute of the Arts and Sciences

Alumnus Nion McEvoy has donated $1 million to support programming for UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences over the next five years.

Digital Arts & New Media graduate exhibition to focus on the blind spot

Thirteen graduate students from the Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. Program (DANM) at UC Santa Cruz will conclude two years of artistic study with Blind Spot—an exhibition on campus April 28 through May 1 at the Digital Arts Research Center.

Grad Slam highlights research—but also ability to explain it

Fun, informative event celebrates grad student research while conveying the necessity of clear, compelling communication to a broad audience.

Student entrepreneurs pitch startups at the fourth annual Business Design Showcase

About 16 teams are expected to participate in the annual event that draws together some of Silicon Valley’s most prominent entrepreneurs.

Study reveals the invisible workforce serving Silicon Valley’s tech industry

When you hear about free gourmet lunches at Silicon Valley’s biggest tech companies, the cafeteria worker might not come to mind. Or the shuttle bus drivers, janitors, security guards, and landscapers who serve the region’s tech elite.

Alum Fritz Chesnut Creates Stunning Visual Art on Every Canvas

Visual artist and UC Santa Cruz alum (Porter 1995) Fritz Chesnut was exposed at an early age to art, especially since his mother earned her PhD in art education and his father, who has a Master’s in German, also studied music.

Exhibition to feature work of 23 UC Santa Cruz art faculty

The work of 23 current Art Department faculty at UC Santa Cruz will be featured at "In Conversation with UCSC Studio Art Faculty"--an upcoming exhibition that will take place at both the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery on campus, and the R. Blitzer gallery on the west side of Santa Cruz.

Alumni Weekend: Keynote speakers to explore the question of how we learn

A distinguished group of speakers will explore the question, “How do we learn?,” at an Alumni Weekend event that will range from virtual reality to adaptive learning techniques.

Grad students face off in second annual Grad Slam competition April 6

Ten graduate students will face off April 6 in the second annual Grad Slam competition, a spirited forum during which doctoral students present their research in three minutes.

Living Writers Series to feature acclaimed alums Elizabeth McKenzie and Kate Schatz

Out of Line--the spring edition of the Creative Writing Program’s 2016 Living Writers Series--features eight writers who generally have fun with the unexpected.

Alumni Weekend 2016: Get ready for the ride, and Come Home

Alumni are welcomed back to campus for a weekend of reminiscing and reveling, with a plethora of events ranging from the scholarly to the celebratory.

Robert Reich’s Santa Cruz appearance to be web streamed live

The upcoming Santa Cruz appearance by former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich at the Rio Theatre April 5, sponsored by the UC Santa Cruz Blum Center, will be streamed online live, broadcast on KZSC, and simulcast at the Music Recital Hall on campus.

The storyteller and the detective

Alumna and best-selling author Laurie R. King reflects on the craft of storytelling and on her legendary fictional character, Mary Russell.

Alumna Anne Flett-Giordano Credits her Extraordinary Writing Career to One Crazy Night at Porter College

Growing up in Danville, California, Emmy Award-winning comedy screenplay writer and UC Santa Cruz, Porter College alum Anne Flett-Giordano got an early start on how to tell enthralling stories.

Arts Dean's Lecture Series to explore climate justice, art, activism, and the environment

"Climate Justice Now!--Art Activism, Environment Today" is the title of the 2016 Arts Dean’s Lecture Series--an array of free public talks running March 30 to May 25 at UC Santa Cruz.

Other Minds donates archives to UC Santa Cruz

Other Minds—the acclaimed San Francisco-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of new and experimental music—has donated its archives to UC Santa Cruz.

Female computer science grad students find supportive environment at UC Santa Cruz

UCSC's Department of Computer Science is producing successful female graduates at a time when women remain underrepresented in the tech workforce.

Message on Cowell, Stevenson coffee shops

The Cowell and Stevenson coffee shops play an important role in our college communities and are valued institutions for generations of alumni. At no point were they going to close.

Forums set for proposed renovations of Cowell, Stevenson coffee shops

Cowell and Stevenson colleges will hold two community forums during the first week of April to gather input on proposed renovations and other changes to the college coffee shops.

UC Santa Cruz launches online programming course by Ira Pohl

UC Santa Cruz has launched a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), C++ for C Programmers (Part A), on the Coursera platform.

Alan Christy named provost of Cowell College

Associate professor of history Alan Christy has been named the new provost of Cowell College, effective July 1, 2016.

Groundbreaking master of science fiction Samuel Delany to read at UC Santa Cruz

The UC Presidential Chair in Feminist Critical Race & Ethnic Studies and the Living Writers Series will present an evening with acclaimed science-fiction novelist and critic Samuel R. Delany at the Music Center Recital Hall.

Campus diversity officer pushes for institutional change

Campus Diversity Officer for Staff and Students Sheree M. Marlowe promotes institutional change for historically marginalized communities, which at UC Santa Cruz includes African American students, transgender students, and students with disabilities.

Discovering the UC Santa Cruz Campus: Jim Clifford to give Spring Emeriti Faculty Lecture

"In the Ecotone: The UC Santa Cruz Campus" is a new book by emeritus humanities professor Jim Clifford that reflects on the campus as an extraordinary architectural and ecological site.

Determined to increase diversity in the sciences

Alumnus Blake Riggs uses his own story of prejudiced encounters, personal stumbles, and tenacity to encourage students of color.

Social psychologist Claude Steele visits for talk on stereotypes and identity

Claude M. Steele, a renowned social psychologist and UC Berkeley’s executive vice chancellor and campus provost, will speak on his research on stereotypes and identity, Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 4 p.m. at the College Nine/Ten Multi-Purpose Room, UC Santa Cruz.

Alumni create moving tribute to movement

'Muscle Memory' is a multimedia undertaking exploring creativity, aging, and the gifts of the UC Santa Cruz dance program.

‘Questions That Matter’ public humanities series to focus on games and play

Over the past decade, the revolution in gaming has created new communities, identities, and careers. Games can now help detect early dementia, reduce pain felt by burn victims, and may help speed healing from concussions...

UC Santa Cruz researchers evaluate groundwater supply and management

Court adjudication of California's groundwater basins is more often focused on resolving conflicts among water users and less on sustainable groundwater management, according to a UC Santa Cruz study commissioned by the State Water Resources Control Board.

'Ecosystems of California' documents one of Earth's most biodiverse places

"Ecosystems of California" is a new comprehensive reference of California’s ecological abundance, featuring contributions from 149 experts including 19 with ties to UC Santa Cruz.

Jewish studies conference to examine Venice Ghetto and the future of memory

The Center for Jewish Studies at UC Santa Cruz will present a one-day conference, The Venice Ghetto at 500 and the Future of Memory," on campus February 23, at the Humanities 1 Building.

Organic gardening workshop series features reduced rate for students

"Garden Cruz: Organic Matters," a workshop series in March on the art and craft of organic, French-intensive food and flower gardening, offers reduced rates to UCSC students involved in campus garden projects.

Community studies majors present findings after six-month field study

The six-month full-time field study has been the heart of the community studies major at UC Santa Cruz since the program began in 1969. Last week, students in the reinstated major described their field-study experiences during a poster session.

Acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker to screen and discuss film about President Obama’s sister

The UC Presidential Chair in Feminist Critical Race & Ethnic Studies and the Living Writers Series will present two evening events with visiting Nigerian filmmaker Branwen Okpako, Feb. 10-11.

Inaugural Fred Keeley Coastal Scholars learn by doing

Erica Ferrer (Cowell, ’16, marine biology) and Linda Pineda (College Eight, ’16, Earth sciences) are the inaugural recipients of the Fred Keeley Coastal Scholarship–a new program that supports hands-on summer research for UC Santa Cruz students interested in coastal sustainability.

Wells Fargo funds coastal sustainability fellowships and graduate program

$560,000 grant will support graduate fellowships and development of a new graduate program.

LASER talk to spotlight research on pumas, filmmaking, river people, and ancient DNA

UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences will present its first LASER talk of 2016 on Tuesday, February 2, on campus at the Digital Arts Research Center.

Endangered species: American public libraries

Focusing his lens on shared commons that are under threat, alumnus Robert Dawson spent 21 years photographing 526 of the nation’s public libraries.

Institute of Arts and Sciences to launch campuswide 'Collective Museum' Feb. 11

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) at UCSC will kick off its innovative first exhibition project--Collective Museum, by the Portland-based artist group Public Doors and Windows, Feb. 11.

Active learning movement gains momentum

Classrooms across campus are seeing less lecturing and more student engagement.

After Paris climate deal, what's next?

After a landmark deal at last month’s United Nations climate change conference, three UC Santa Cruz environmental studies professors who closely follow climate change offer thoughts on next steps in advance of a major climate conference at UCSC in February.

UC’s Global Food Initiative addresses student food security challenge

It’s hard to do your best academically when you’re not eating well, but that’s the dilemma facing many University of California students.

Holocaust survivor and scholar Hedwig Rose to give public talk at UCSC on Jan. 21

Following her father’s arrest by the Nazis in 1942, six-year-old Hedwig Rose, her mother, and sister spent three years hidden in an Amsterdam cellar by a Christian friend until the country was liberated on May 5, 1945.

Film by UC Santa Cruz art professor nominated for Academy Award

Last Day of Freedom, an animated short by UC Santa Cruz associate professor of art Dee Hibbert-Jones and San Francisco artist Nomi Talisman, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the category of best documentary short.

Students, chapter recognized for work in advancing science diversity

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science gives undergraduate students opportunities to meet with professionals in their fields, showcase their work, and ask questions about graduate school and career development.

UC Santa Cruz names Alexander Wolf new dean of Baskin School of Engineering

Currently a professor of computer science at Imperial College London, Wolf will begin his term as dean on July 1, 2016.

Welcome to Winter Quarter

Welcome back for Winter Quarter and Happy New Year. I hope you all enjoyed a restful break.

UC Santa Cruz alumna to join National Council on the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities announced today that UC Santa Cruz alumna Patricia Limerick is one of three prominent and accomplished individuals who will join the Endowment’s advisory board.

Student interest in UC Santa Cruz reaches another all-time high

UC Santa Cruz attracted a record 49,133 applications from high school seniors and 9,969 applications from transfer students—also an all-time high—during the recent application cycle for a total of 59,102 applications.

Craft becomes art for celebrated Kiowa artist and alumna

Alumna Teri Greeves uses the traditional skill of beadworking to tell stories in new ways, to create a new language that draws people together.

Ivéta Gourmet to open campus café at Quarry Plaza during winter quarter

The owners of Ivéta Gourmet, who run a popular café on Santa Cruz’s west side, will open a café in the Graduate Student Commons building at Quarry Plaza on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Chair of National Endowment for the Humanities to deliver 2016 Maitra Lecture

The Institute for Humanities Research will present the 15th annual Maitra Lecture, featuring alumnus William “Bro” Adams, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, on Thursday, January 28.

Film, panel to focus on tech industry’s diversity shortcomings

Sponsors hope that girls in middle school, young women, and underrepresented groups who see the movie will be inspired by the role models in the profession and see a future for themselves in the industry.

UC Santa Cruz, UC Hastings offer joint law, masters in applied economics, finance

UC Santa Cruz and UC Hastings College of the Law will offer a concurrent degree program that gives candidates a law degree and a master’s in applied economics and finance.