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Research

December 12, 2016
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.
December 09, 2016
UC Santa Cruz team chosen to compete in Amazon's Alexa Prize Challenge
UCSC computer scientists have won a sponsorship from Amazon to develop a "socialbot" that can converse with humans.
December 06, 2016
Growing mosquito populations linked to urbanization and DDT's slow decay
Rising temperatures due to climate change were found to have less influence on mosquito populations than land use changes and the decay of residual DDT in the environment.
December 06, 2016
Some bats develop resistance to devastating fungal disease
White-nose syndrome has decimated the little brown bat, but researchers found populations that appear to have developed resistance to the disease.
December 04, 2016
UC Santa Cruz biologist Harry Noller wins $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
From antibiotics to the origins of life, Noller's findings on the protein factories of all cells have broad implications.
November 28, 2016
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...
November 28, 2016
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.
November 21, 2016
Structure of human astrovirus could lead to antiviral therapies, vaccines
Research led by structural biologist Rebecca DuBois is laying the foundation for new antiviral therapies and vaccines for human astroviruses.
November 16, 2016
New analysis adds support for a subsurface ocean on Pluto
A liquid ocean deep beneath Pluto's frozen surface is the best explanation for features revealed by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
November 14, 2016
At Long Marine Lab, scientists and marine mammals are partners in research
Marine mammals reveal hidden aspects of their biology to scientists working to understand the challenges facing wild populations
November 10, 2016
New initiative launches with $1 million Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarships
Applications for the $1,500 undergraduate research scholarships are now open until Nov. 30. Fifty scholarships will be awarded to students in any discipline.
November 02, 2016
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.
October 27, 2016
UC Santa Cruz advances in U.S. News and World Report's global rankings
The campus has continued to increase its ranking, now tied at No. 27, even as the number of universities reviewed has expanded
October 26, 2016
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.
October 26, 2016
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.
October 26, 2016
Toxins from freshwater algae found in San Francisco Bay shellfish
Study shows toxins from freshwater algal blooms can also contaminate coastal waters and marine shellfish.
October 25, 2016
Enormous dome in central Andes driven by huge magma body beneath it
Magma injected into the crust from below has contributed to the uplift of the spectacular Altiplano-Puna plateau.
October 25, 2016
Coastal wetlands save hundreds of millions of dollars in flood damages during hurricanes
Study led by UCSC researchers finds wetlands prevented more than $600 million in property losses during Hurricane Sandy.
October 21, 2016
High-tech sensors monitor ecosystems in climate change research program
UC Santa Cruz scientists lead a UC-wide consortium using the Natural Reserve System as a climate impacts laboratory.
October 20, 2016
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.
October 19, 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.
October 14, 2016
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.
October 14, 2016
Astronomer Ryan Foley wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
Foley is the 12th UCSC faculty member, and fifth UCSC astronomer, to receive a Packard Fellowship.
October 14, 2016
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
October 05, 2016
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.
October 05, 2016
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.
October 03, 2016
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.
October 03, 2016
Study implicates glial cells in fragile X syndrome
Genetic defect behind a common cause of mental retardation affects not only neurons but also the more numerous glial cells in the brain.
September 29, 2016
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.
September 23, 2016
New senate faculty further campus expertise across divisions
UC Santa Cruz has more than three dozen new senate faculty members joining this academic year, bringing the campus total up to 568.
September 15, 2016
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.
September 15, 2016
UC Santa Cruz student games featured at IndieCade Festival
The UCSC game design program will be well represented at IndieCade, the biggest event in the indie games community.
September 14, 2016
New optofluidic platform features tunable optics and novel 'lightvalves'
UCSC engineers developed an integrated platform for biological sample processing and optical analysis.
September 13, 2016
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
September 13, 2016
NSF funds UC Santa Cruz project to develop assisted public transit services
With a grant of nearly $1 million, UCSC engineers will create a service for passengers with special needs.
September 08, 2016
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.
September 06, 2016
UC Santa Cruz among greenest universities in Sierra Club ranking
Coming in at No. 18, the ranking underscored UC Santa Cruz’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and encouraging sustainability.
September 01, 2016
Astronauts sequence DNA in space using technology developed at UC Santa Cruz
DNA was sequenced in microgravity for the first time using a device based on UCSC's nanopore sequencing technology.
August 30, 2016
Anomalous grooves on Martian moon Phobos explained by impacts
Planetary scientists explain mysterious grooves on the surface of Mars' moon Phobos.
August 26, 2016
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.
August 23, 2016
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.
August 23, 2016
Early exposure to manganese causes attention deficits in rats
New findings support concerns about the adverse effects of excess manganese on children.
August 18, 2016
Most island vertebrate extinctions could be averted, concludes new study
Control and eradication of invasive species could prevent as much as 75 percent of all island-level extinctions.
August 16, 2016
Female fish can favor sperm from preferred males despite external fertilization
A new way in which a female can choose the best father for her offspring is seen in a colorful Mediterranean fish.
August 04, 2016
Analysis of metastatic prostate cancers suggests treatment options
A new study of prostate cancer provides computational approaches to identify individualized targets for therapy.
August 03, 2016
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.
August 03, 2016
Energetic cost of rearing a pup seen in soaring metabolic rate of sea otter mom
New measurements show resting metabolic rate of a female sea otter increases by over 50 percent when she is nursing a pup.
July 29, 2016
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.
July 21, 2016
St. Baldrick's Foundation funds Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative with $2.5 million grant
Precision medicine project aims to double the number of childhood cancer patients benefitting from genomic analysis.
July 06, 2016
Astronomers find evidence of water clouds in first spectrum of coldest brown dwarf
Difficult spectroscopic observations reveal properties of the coldest known object outside of our solar system.
July 06, 2016
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.
July 06, 2016
‘The Blob’ overshadows El Niño
The Blob and El Niño are on their way out, leaving behind a disrupted marine ecosystem along the West Coast.
June 28, 2016
Ecologist Kristy Kroeker named Faculty Climate Action Champion for 2016-17
Kroeker will address how environmental changes in the ocean could affect human health.
June 24, 2016
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.
June 21, 2016
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?
June 14, 2016
Grant supports research on technology solutions for low vision
Computer engineer Roberto Manduchi is among the first grantees in an initiative to help people with chronic visual impairment.
June 13, 2016
Novel capping strategy improves stability of perovskite nanocrystals
Organometal-halide perovskites are promising materials for solar cells, LEDs, and other applications.
June 10, 2016
Alzheimer's researchers find clues to toxic forms of amyloid beta
A subtle change to the amyloid beta protein stabilizes an intermediate form with enhanced toxicity.
June 07, 2016
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."
June 07, 2016
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.
June 06, 2016
Ice age bison fossils shed light on early human migrations in North America
Scientists used bison fossils to date the opening of an ice-free corridor along the Rocky Mountains during the Pleistocene.
June 02, 2016
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.
May 26, 2016
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.
May 25, 2016
This solar greenhouse could change the way we eat
Thanks to solar technology developed at UC Santa Cruz, greenhouses are enjoying a new moment in the sun.
May 20, 2016
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.
May 20, 2016
Astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz awarded Niels Bohr Professorship
Award from the Danish National Research Foundation provides $5 million to fund research in theoretical astrophysics.
May 13, 2016
Proton-conducting material found in electrosensory organs of sharks
Scientists measured surprisingly high proton conductivity in a jelly that fills unique organs in sharks, skates, and rays.
May 11, 2016
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.
May 06, 2016
Shellfish response to ocean acidification depends on other stressors
Researchers found the vulnerability of mussels to harmful effects from acidic seawater varies among different locations.
May 05, 2016
Shallow slow-motion earthquakes detected offshore of New Zealand
Scientists documented slow slip in the shallow portion of an offshore subduction zone for the first time.
May 04, 2016
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.
May 04, 2016
Drought helps predict how climate change might affect an endangered species
A study documenting the effects of California's drought on an endangered lizard provides a glimpse into the future.
May 02, 2016
Awards recognize top presentations at Graduate Research Symposium
Graduate student researchers from across the divisions explained their work to a diverse audience during the symposium.
April 28, 2016
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.
April 27, 2016
New book by ecologist James Estes recounts pioneering research in Alaska
Known for groundbreaking research on sea otters and coastal ecosystems, Estes tells the story of his influential career in marine science.
April 25, 2016
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.
April 21, 2016
UCSC student entrepreneurs headed for major international trade show
Developers of a robotic camera system will join the UC delegation to the Hannover Messe, the world's biggest industrial fair.
April 21, 2016
Astronomer Jonathan Fortney prepares for Cassini mission's grand finale
NASA has tapped Fortney to support the final act of its Cassini mission and serve on a science team starting to plan for a potential future mission to Uranus or Neptune.
April 19, 2016
Student entrepreneurs pitch business ideas at annual showcase in Silicon Valley
This year's Business Design Showcase competition in Silicon Valley featured 16 entries.
April 13, 2016
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.
April 11, 2016
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.
April 07, 2016
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.
April 06, 2016
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.
April 04, 2016
BRCA Exchange aggregates publicly accessible data on breast cancer genes
UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute led development of a web portal for patients, clinicians, and researchers.
March 29, 2016
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.
March 28, 2016
An eccentric 'hot Jupiter' yields clues to planet formation and evolution
Astronomers investigate how some gas giant planets end up so feverishly close to their stars.
March 21, 2016
Study shows biodiversity benefits of removing invasive mammals from islands
A global study documents conservation gains from efforts to eradicate invasive species from island ecosystems.
March 21, 2016
Current rate of carbon emissions is unprecedented in past 66 million years
New analysis shows that carbon emissions from human activities are moving the Earth's climate system into uncharted territory.
March 18, 2016
Coral analysis reveals how ocean ecosystems responded to climate shifts
Long-lived deep-sea corals hold clues to past ocean conditions in their growth rings.
March 18, 2016
Ocean acidification takes a toll on California's tide pools at nighttime
Ocean acidification will put many marine organisms at risk by exacerbating normal changes in ocean chemistry.
March 17, 2016
Pluto's varied landscape reveals surprisingly complex geology
Pluto's icy surface shows an astonishing variety of landscapes and evidence of active geological processes in images from New Horizons.
March 17, 2016
Scott Brandt appointed to Sage Weil Presidential Chair for Open Source Software
VCR Scott Brandt has been appointed as the inaugural holder of the Sage Weil Presidential Chair for Open Source Software.
March 14, 2016
Leukemia study reveals role of RNA binding protein in driving cancer
A protein abnormally expressed in cancer cells was found to promote the proliferation of B cells in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
March 14, 2016
Cellular response to tissue stiffening may delay progression of breast cancer
Study identifies cellular signaling pathway associated with better prognosis for breast cancer patients
March 10, 2016
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.
March 10, 2016
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.
March 10, 2016
UC researchers publish roadmap for successful groundwater governance
UC Santa Cruz hydrologist Andrew Fisher coauthored recommendations for forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies.
March 09, 2016
Bats in Asia found to have resistance to white-nose syndrome fungus
Some declining North American bat species could eventually evolve resistance to the devastating disease, scientists say.
March 08, 2016
Earth scientist James Zachos honored by European Geosciences Union
Zachos will receive the 2016 Milutin Milankovic Medal for his groundbreaking contributions to climate science.
March 03, 2016
Astronomers break cosmic distance record (again)
UCSC astronomer Garth Illingworth and his collaborators have been pushing the limits of current telescopes to study the most distant galaxies, breaking the record twice within a year
February 24, 2016
Autonomous acoustic sensors help researchers find endangered seabirds
Technology to detect and record bird calls may be more cost-effective than surveys by field biologists.
February 23, 2016
Biomolecular engineer Camilla Forsberg receives Presidential Award
The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers.
February 19, 2016
Researchers use 3D printing to make ultrafast graphene supercapacitor
Supercapacitor advances could lead to highly efficient energy storage systems for smartphones and other devices
February 18, 2016
Astronomers plan science projects for powerful new space telescope
UCSC astronomers are involved in planning for WFIRST, a powerful new space telescope now under development by NASA.
February 12, 2016
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.
February 04, 2016
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.
February 02, 2016
New analysis shows insect diversity is nothing new
An unbiased statistical analysis of insect fossil records finds diversity unchanged over the past 125 million years.
February 01, 2016
Study documents drought's impact on redwood forest ferns
California's prolonged drought has taken a toll on ferns in the understory of coastal redwood forests.
January 27, 2016
Prestigious Switzer Fellowship awarded to UCSC grad student
Graduate student Joseph Hoyt has been awarded a Switzer Environmental Fellowship.
January 27, 2016
Mercury levels in rainfall are rising in parts of North America, study finds
Trends are consistent with increased mercury emissions in Asia and decreased emissions in North America.
January 26, 2016
UC Santa Cruz awarded four NEH grants
UC Santa Cruz has been awarded four grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support faculty research and the Dickens Project.
January 25, 2016
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.
January 14, 2016
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.
January 11, 2016
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.
January 07, 2016
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.