2017
University News
- December 22, 2017
Looking back at a year of shooting for the stars
At UC Santa Cruz, the year 2017 was a time to revive campus traditions, champion across-the-lanes thinking, take bold risks, and look to the stars.
- December 19, 2017
Tom Killion: A life in color
Alumnus Tom Killion, whose intricate woodcut prints have captured scenes of rugged beauty for decades, brings his traveling exhibit to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History in January.
- December 14, 2017
UC Santa Cruz marks gains in transfer, frosh applications
High school seniors and transfer students showed record interest in UC Santa Cruz with the campus receiving more than 67,000 applications for fall 2018.
- December 13, 2017
Two UCSC biologists receive Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor awards
Biology professors Beth Shapiro and Erika Zavaleta won HHMI funding for their innovative science education proposals.
- December 11, 2017
UC Santa Cruz students tackle poverty and income inequality
Each year, undergraduate and graduate student scholars of the Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory Governance take a deep dive into a wide range of issues related to fiscal equity, affordable housing, and food insecurity as they build the skills they will need to help build a more equitable society.
- December 11, 2017
Undocumented journalist describes immigrant experience, American dream
Jose Antonio Vargas was invited to speak on campus as part of Kresge College's Media and Society Lecture Series and for the students in Kresge's Core course.
- December 11, 2017
Physicist Tesla Jeltema probes the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy
Jeltema has a leading role in the Dark Energy Survey, a major international collaboration that is gathering precise measurements of the evolution of cosmic structure.
- December 08, 2017
Navigating the path toward inclusion and equity
As Campus Diversity Officer Teresa Maria Linda Scholz nears her one-year anniversary on the job, she reflects on her work so far, where we are, and how far we have to go.
- December 07, 2017
Heart monitors on wild narwhals reveal alarming responses to stress
As sea ice melts, new findings add to concerns about the effects of ocean noise and increased human activity on deep-diving Arctic whales.
- December 06, 2017
'A Celtic Christmas' features music lecturer and arts alumnus William Coulter
For the past two decades, Tomaseen Foley’s 'A Celtic Christmas' has toured the country, offering a staging of a night before Christmas at a remote farmhouse in the west of Ireland during the 1940s and 50s. The show’s music director is award-winning guitarist William Coulter, who has been performing and recording traditional music for nearly 25 years.
- December 05, 2017
Study finds variation within species is a critical aspect of biodiversity
Researchers compared the ecological consequences of variation within species and among species, and found similar effects in many cases.
- December 04, 2017
Merrill College namesake Charles E. Merrill Jr. dies at age 97
A philanthropist, artist, and writer, Charles E. Merrill Jr. facilitated the founding gift to UC Santa Cruz’s fourth college.
- December 01, 2017
State innovation funds supported hundreds of startups
With its share of AB 2664 funding, UC Santa Cruz developed a multifaceted innovation and entrepreneurship program.
- November 29, 2017
Global SPHERE Network promotes research opportunities for high school students
A coalition of top U.S. educational institutions has launched a mentor network and online database to increase access to STEM research opportunities for high school students.
- November 29, 2017
Science comes alive with 'A Seal Named Patches'
A new children’s book by a pair of alumni scientists is making a splash.
- November 29, 2017
Big data for social good: Tri-county initiative will benefit K-12 students
Rod Ogawa and Rebecca London are helping launch a data-sharing initiative that will benefit K-12 students in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties.
- November 28, 2017
A horse is a horse, of course, of course—except when it isn’t
An analysis of ancient DNA has revealed a previously unrecognized genus of extinct horses that once roamed North America.
- November 28, 2017
Researchers seek clues to tropical biodiversity in study of spiral gingers
Biologist Kathleen Kay leads an investigation into the origins of plant diversity in the tropics with funding from the National Science Foundation.
- November 28, 2017
Central Coast community college students urged to chart course to UC
Higher education leaders told a room full of community college students that a University of California education is accessible and affordable for transfer students.
- November 21, 2017
TRACTION art talk to feature influential British filmmaker and installation artist Isaac Julien
TRACTION: Art Talks, a new artist lecture series launched this fall by the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, continues on November 28 with influential British filmmaker, photographer, and installation artist Isaac Julien.
- November 20, 2017
A Thanksgiving feast for Slugs who stay on campus
A large and hungry crowd is expected at UC Santa Cruz’s annual Harvest Dinner on campus Thanksgiving Day at College Nine/Ten Dining Hall. This organized dinner has its roots in informal student-run feasts on campus.
- November 20, 2017
Turkey tale: How the big birds have pecked their way into campus legend
Noisy gaggles of wild turkeys have claimed UC Santa Cruz as their home turf. Now they are blocking cars, drawing comments from students, raising concerns about impacts, and attracting followers on Facebook.
- November 20, 2017
Video tags reveal surprising details of blue whale feeding behavior
Like most vertebrates, blue whales tend to be 'right-handed,' but they roll to the left when attacking from below to feed on patches of krill near the surface.
- November 19, 2017
Cross country team finishes season with championship appearance
UC Santa Cruz’s cross country team wrapped up a banner racing season over the weekend as the men's team placed 26th at the NCAA Division III National Championships.
- November 16, 2017
Passenger pigeon genome shows effects of natural selection in a huge population
A new analysis of DNA recovered from museum specimens explains the surprisingly low genetic diversity of the passenger pigeon population.
- November 16, 2017
Tackling challenges on the way to a national championship
UC Santa Cruz’s men’s rugby team looks forward to a promising 50th season
- November 15, 2017
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant supports $1.5 million project expanding humanities impact
A $1.5 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is now supporting a new five-year project at UC Santa Cruz. It includes a two-part humanities initiative that is designed to support doctoral student success for students from diverse backgrounds, and to expand the impact of the campus’s public humanities “Questions That Matter” outreach program.
- November 15, 2017
Pluto's hydrocarbon haze keeps dwarf planet colder than expected
A new analysis of Pluto's atmosphere explains why the New Horizons spacecraft measured temperatures much colder than predicted.
- November 15, 2017
Study reveals structure and origins of glacial polish on Yosemite's rocks
Glaciers left smooth shiny surfaces on many of the rock formations in Yosemite, and geologists now understand how this 'glacial polish' formed.
- November 09, 2017
Astronomer Xavier Prochaska receives Outstanding Faculty Award
J. Xavier Prochaska, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, has received the 2016-17 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.
- November 07, 2017
History alumna pushes back against taboo on talking about death
History alumna Morgan Brown’s life changed drastically shortly after she graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2012 with a B.A. in history. Her mother was killed by a commercial truck driver who swerved into her lane and hit her car in a head-on collision.
- November 06, 2017
Bioinformatics leaders partner to build platform for NIH Data Commons
The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of Chicago, and the Broad Institute will create the Commons Alliance Platform with funding from the National Institutes of Health.
- November 03, 2017
Solar greenhouses generate electricity and grow crops at the same time, UC Santa Cruz study reveals
The first crops of tomatoes and cucumbers grown inside electricity-generating solar greenhouses were as healthy as those raised in conventional greenhouses, signaling that "smart" greenhouses hold great promise for dual-use farming and renewable electricity production.
- November 02, 2017
A sound artist, sociologist, evolutionary biologist, and two art curators walk into a room…
UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences will resume its popular series of LASER talks this fall on campus, Tuesday, November 14, at 7 p.m. in the Digital Arts Research Center.
- November 02, 2017
Scientists identify hotspots of coastal risks in Latin America and the Caribbean
500,000 people are at high risk from coastal hazards, according to a new study by researchers at UC Santa Cruz and the University of Cantabria, Spain.
- November 01, 2017
A month of generosity
Fall Into Philanthropy is a month-long funding drive that puts the spotlight on UC Santa Cruz programs that bolster research, endowment funds and student scholarships, while fostering a culture of giving.
- November 01, 2017
New book reveals role of U.S. corporate elites in school privatization, foreign policy, agribusiness, banking reform
Bill Domhoff's new book, Studying the Power Elite: Fifty Years of Who Rules America?, presents a new, detailed analysis of the interplay of corporate elites on contemporary topics, including the privatization of public schools, foreign policy, agribusiness, and banking reform.
- November 01, 2017
ENVS prof Elliott Campbell receives global environmental change award
Elliott Campbell, associate professor of environmental studies, will receive a 2017 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award from the American Geophysical Union during its December meeting in New Orleans.
- November 01, 2017
New center, fellows renew commitment to teaching
Twenty-two faculty fellows are supported by the new Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning (CITL), which was established in July 2016 to revitalize the university's longstanding commitment to outstanding teaching.
- October 31, 2017
MCD Biology launches undergraduate biomedical research initiative
Biology professor Jeremy Sanford is taking a bold new approach to the undergraduate biology lab experience.
- October 31, 2017
Fishing physician
Alumnus Greg Olsen not only leads a successful medical practice, but also a booming commercial fishing business
- October 26, 2017
Five-day Pacific Rim Music Festival to feature historic collaboration with Korean performing artists
A dazzling array of traditional and contemporary Korean music will be performed at the 2017 Pacific Rim Music Festival, October 25-29, on the UC Santa Cruz campus.
- October 26, 2017
Geologist Gary Griggs publishes two new books on coastal issues
'The Edge' focuses on California’s unique coastline, while 'Coasts in Crisis' offers a global perspective on the issues facing coastal regions throughout the world.
- October 25, 2017
UC Santa Cruz to host ‘Freedom, Justice, Difference: The Merchant of Venice Now’ at museum
Since it was first performed in 1605, The Merchant of Venice, has been one of Shakespeare’s most controversial works. For the past 400 years, a debate has raged among critics and scholars over whether or not it is anti-Semitic.
- October 25, 2017
Want to save 41 percent of the planet’s highly threatened vertebrates? Work on islands
A new study has mapped the world’s most vulnerable island species and identified invasive species as a key threat to their survival.
- October 25, 2017
Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell steps in to leadership, asks others to step up, too
Two months into her new job, Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell has brought energy, focus, and vision to the division.
- October 23, 2017
Physicist Michael Dine wins Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Physics
A UC Santa Cruz physicist has won the Sakurai Prize for the second year in a row.
- October 23, 2017
Art and natural history to converge at “Artstravaganza!” open house at the Kenneth S. Norris Center
Students and members of the Santa Cruz community will have a chance to learn about illustrating nature and browse through the center’s growing collection at the open house on November 4-5.
- October 23, 2017
UC Board of Regents chair visits to connect with campus community
As Board of Regents chair, George Kieffer's goals include focusing on the quality of undergraduate education, examining the costs of higher education, preserving the university’s historic excellence in teaching, research and public service, and continuing to expand access to more and diverse Californians.
- October 20, 2017
Local cancer charity group funds four cancer researchers at UC Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group has given more than $450,000 in grants to the campus since 2005.
- October 20, 2017
Cross country bolstered by new faces
Bolstered by a crop of fresh faces who have already made an impact in the early season, the Banana Slugs returned a core group from last year’s squad, which placed seventh at the NCAA West Regionals.
- October 19, 2017
Award-winning poet Dorianne Laux to read at 8th annual Morton Marcus memorial event
Award-winning American poet Dorianne Laux will be the featured guest at the eighth annual Morton Marcus Poetry Reading, Thursday, November 16, at 5:30 p.m. in the Humanities Lecture Hall at Cowell College.
- October 19, 2017
European migrant crisis influenced by faith groups pursuing 'alternative justice'
Churches and other faith-based organizations are playing a distinctive role in the European migrant crisis, according to geographer Katharyne Mitchell.
- October 18, 2017
Understanding the coevolving web of life as a network
A new study exploring how mutualistic species coevolve suggests rapid environmental change can destabilize networks of interacting species.
- October 18, 2017
Dean Alex Wolf leads growing engineering school in era of technological change
As he begins his second full academic year as dean, Alex Wolf discusses his first year and his plans for the future of the engineering school in a wide-ranging interview.
- October 17, 2017
Into the heart of a frozen continent
Antarctica has a hold on James McClintock (biology, ’78, Cowell), who has made 15 journeys to this unforgiving place. His research has included studies on ocean acidification, the effects of climate change on marine life, and the discovery of chemicals contained in seaweed and sponges.
- October 16, 2017
First observations of merging neutron stars mark a new era in astronomy
A UC Santa Cruz team made the first ever observations of a visible event linked to the detection of gravitational waves, using the small Swope Telescope in Chile.
- October 16, 2017
Astronomer Alexie Leauthaud wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
Leauthaud is the 13th UCSC faculty member, and sixth UCSC astronomer, to receive a Packard Fellowship.
- October 16, 2017
Migration, climate, housing among the topics featured during fifth annual UC Santa Cruz Research Frontiers Evening Oct. 26
Six UC Santa Cruz researchers who are tackling "key issues of the 21st century" will be featured during the fifth annual Division of Social Sciences Research Frontiers Evening on October 26.
- October 13, 2017
$10.5 million education grant will help UC Santa Cruz prepare students for college
The Educational Partnership Center's “Paving a Path for a College-Going Generation” project plans to serve 1,930 at-risk, underrepresented students in the predominantly agricultural towns of Gonzales, Greenfield, Soledad, and King City.
- October 12, 2017
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen to speak at UC Santa Cruz on Oct. 19
On October 11, the MacArthur Foundation awarded Viet Thanh Nguyen a 2017 MacArthur Fellowship for his work as a fiction writer and cultural critic, citing his contributions to “challenging popular depictions of the Vietnam War and exploring the myriad ways that war lives on for those it has displaced.”
- October 12, 2017
Paleogenomic analysis sheds light on Easter Island mysteries
New paleogenomic research conducted by an international team led by UC Santa Cruz sheds light on the early inhabitants of Easter Island.
- October 11, 2017
UC Santa Cruz to dedicate new Coastal Biology building on October 21
The newest building on UCSC's vibrant Coastal Science Campus is now home to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
- October 11, 2017
Social Sciences honors outstanding staff, teaching, research
The Division of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz presented four major awards today (Wednesday, October 11), recognizing outstanding accomplishments by faculty, staff, researchers, and emeriti faculty.
- October 10, 2017
Lick Observatory hosts Latino students and parents for night of astronomy
An evening event for high school students and their family members, called La Noche de las Estrellas, was the observatory's first Spanish-language event.
- October 10, 2017
New neurocognitive theory of dreaming links dreams to mind-wandering
In his new book, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology Bill Domhoff presents an integrated neurocognitive theory of dreams that is grounded in the similarities between dreaming and drifting waking thought.
- October 10, 2017
Quarry Amphitheater poised to rock again
The campus community is invited to celebrate its re-opening at noon on Thursday, Oct. 19, and the local community is invited to see it as part of Founders Celebration from 2–4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21.
- October 09, 2017
Nearly 70 percent experience "rent burden" in Santa Cruz County, according to UC Santa Cruz survey results
Nearly 70 percent of renters surveyed in Santa Cruz County experience "rent burden," defined as spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities, according to preliminary results of a survey of 1,700 renters across the county conducted by UC Santa Cruz.
- October 06, 2017
Fall Living Writers Series explores histories of war, refuge and social justice
"Beyond the Wall: War, Refuge, and Home" is the name of this fall’s installment of the Living Writers Series at UC Santa Cruz. Curated by the campus’s award-winning author and literature professor Karen Tei Yamashita, the series runs through December 7 at the Humanities Lecture Hall.
- October 05, 2017
Chancellor to tell students UC education is attainable, affordable
As part of Achieve UC, Chancellor George Blumenthal will speak to approximately 300 Pajaro Valley High School students about pursuing higher education.
- October 04, 2017
Sound Designer and UCSC Alum Ren Klyce Makes All the Right Noises
With five Oscar nominations for film sound editing and mixing, UC Santa Cruz alumnus Ren Klyce’s career has taken a sky-rocket climb since he decided to major in music back in 1983.
- October 03, 2017
Founders Celebration 2017: recognizing extraordinary achievement and generosity
J. Herman Blake, Linda Peterson and Carl Walsh will receive UC Santa Cruz’s highest honors at Founders Celebration Dinner at Porter Dining Hall
- October 03, 2017
UC Santa Cruz, community colleges seek to strengthen ties
A meeting with California higher education leaders has led to seven strategies to further strengthen ties between UC Santa Cruz and community colleges.
- October 02, 2017
A megawatt researcher
Physics grad student Katie Hellier—who also has a degree in fashion—is doing research into new solar cell materials.
- October 02, 2017
Games and Playable Media faculty to discuss future trends at IndieCade Festival
SceneSampler, a game from UCSC's Social Emotional Technology Lab, is an official game selection to be demonstrated at the international festival of independent games.
- October 02, 2017
Checking in or checking out? Millennials go online to build their offline lives
As the most tech-savvy and connected generation begins college this year, Assistant Professor of Psychology Adriana Manago says they are technological trailblazers rather than passive consumers.
- September 29, 2017
Gail Project exhibition studies military occupation of Okinawa through a photographic lens
Now in its fourth year at UC Santa Cruz, The Gail Project was inspired by a collection of photographs taken in 1952 by American Army Captain, Charles Eugene Gail. "The Gail Project: An Okinawan-American Dialogue" opens on campus October 5 at the Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery.
- September 27, 2017
Fostering understanding
An exhibition at the Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz is a vivid collaboration between artists and current and former foster youth, with stories of hardship, hope and identity.
- September 26, 2017
Ravens, wolves, and floating orbs: Outdoor artworks enchant visitors to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum
Mysterious bronze wolves, giant eucalyptus leaves, and delicate ceramics await visitors to “Art in the Arboretum: Environmental Installations."
- September 26, 2017
New faculty further campus scholarship, research
The new professors, spread across all five divisions, further build on campus strengths in many key areas.
- September 25, 2017
Move-in 2017: Jittery nerves and words of wisdom
Move-in week at UC Santa Cruz was a time for parental advice, long goodbyes, meeting roommates, exploring the wooded campus and making "fast friends."
- September 25, 2017
Move-in 2017, a photographic journey
Move-in is always a time of mixed emotions: anticipation, joy, excitement, and even nervousness for students. A series of photographs captures some of the scenes.
- September 25, 2017
UC Santa Cruz student Saloni Gupta earns Sutter scholarship for medical school
Saloni Gupta, a senior studying human biology, was awarded the annual Primary Care Physician award, a $10,000 scholarship.
- September 25, 2017
Free public talk by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, pioneer of microfinance, on Oct. 10
The public is invited to attend a free talk by microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday, October 10, in the College 9/10 Multipurpose Room at UC Santa Cruz.
- September 22, 2017
Women's golf looking to continue upward trajectory
After the Slugs earned a sixth-place finish at the American Southwest Conference championships, Coach Pauline Pera believes her team this season can continue to improve.
- September 20, 2017
Join the fun at the Harvest Festival on Oct. 1
Celebrate the abundance of the fall harvest with live music, cooking demonstrations, tasty food, activities for kids, and tours of the UCSC Farm at the annual UC Santa Cruz Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- September 18, 2017
UC Santa Cruz music alumnus lands job as head archivist of Bob Dylan Archive
Five weeks ago, UC Santa Cruz alumnus Mark Davidson moved from Austin, Texas, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to begin a new job at the Bob Dylan Archive.
- September 18, 2017
New mirror-coating technology promises dramatic improvements in telescopes
An electrical engineer teamed up with astronomers to improve telescope mirrors using thin-film technology from the electronics industry
- September 12, 2017
Love 'em or hate 'em, robots are here to stay so let's make them better, says psychology prof
Leila Takayama's work focuses on improving the design and function of personal robots to make them more appealing to humans, expanding what they can do for us.
- September 12, 2017
Campus moving forward with Kresge renewal
In the coming years, UC Santa Cruz will embark on an extensive two-phase renewal and revitalization of Kresge College.
- September 12, 2017
An advocate for awareness
Alumna Dyane Harwood is sharing her journey with postpartum bipolar disorder to raise awareness and help others struggling with postpartum mental illness
- September 09, 2017
UC Santa Cruz initiated fiber-optic project brings high-speed broadband to Central Coast communities
Installation is complete on a 91-mile fiber optic cable made possible by UC Santa Cruz that will bring reliable, speedy internet broadband to underserved communities across 430 square miles from Watsonville through the Salinas Valley to Soledad.
- September 07, 2017
Beyond Compliance to launch ambitious education, outreach initiative
Beyond Compliance—the UC Santa Cruz initiative to engage faculty in reshaping campus culture with the goal of creating an environment free from sexual violence and sexual harassment—has announced an ambitious, multi-year plan to move the campus closer to this future.
- September 07, 2017
Geologists to deploy vast array of seismometers along Alaska Peninsula
A team of geologists will deploy a vast array of seismometers along the Alaska Peninsula in an experiment they hope will solve long-standing mysteries.
- September 07, 2017
UC Santa Cruz ranked third worldwide for research influence
In a new analysis of the world’s top universities, UCSC ranked third in research influence as measured by the number of times its faculty’s published work is cited by scholars around the world.
- September 05, 2017
Join campus effort to support first-gen college students, campus community
With more than 42 percent of undergraduate students as the first in their generation to attend college, UC Santa Cruz launched its First Generation Initiative in spring 2016. The program, modeled after the successful, pioneering efforts of UC Irvine, now includes all ten UC campuses.
- September 01, 2017
UC Santa Cruz hosts international workshop for Thirty Meter Telescope
Work on TMT is in high gear at UC Santa Cruz and other partner institutions and countries around the world.
- September 01, 2017
SciCom graduates spanned the country to cover the solar eclipse
From NASA to the New York Times, graduates of the Science Communication Program played a major role in conveying the scientific and societal impacts of the August 21 solar eclipse to eager readers.
- September 01, 2017
Parents know best: How everyday conversations foster children's learning
For more than two decades, developmental psychologist Maureen Callanan has collaborated with Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose to study how children learn to think about the world around them.
- August 31, 2017
Coastal wetlands dramatically reduce property losses during hurricanes
A new scientific study reports that coastal wetlands significantly reduce annual flood losses and catastrophic damages from storms.
- August 30, 2017
Study uncovers hidden factors that shape sea life around islands and seamounts
A study of reef fish on a chain of volcanic seamounts and islands off the coast of Brazil has enabled scientists to extend to marine organisms the landmark theory of island biogeography.
- August 30, 2017
American pika disappears from large area of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains
Study documents local extinction of pikas from the largest area yet reported and projects climate change will cause drastic decline for the charismatic mammal within decades
- August 29, 2017
Humanities alum Michael Scherer joins 'Washington Post' as national political reporter
Michael Scherer will join the Washington Post as a national political reporter in September. One of the first students in the Creative Writing Program led by literature professors Micah Perks and Karen Yamashita, Scherer graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 1998 with a B.A. in Literature.
- August 29, 2017
Century-old seal pelts reveal changes in Ross Sea ecosystem
Scientists found valuable samples for comparison to modern Weddell seals in the huts of Antarctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott.
- August 29, 2017
Giving fish a fighting chance
Alumnus Brycen Swart identified how warmer river temperatures were hurting Chinook salmon fry—and he earned a medal for conserving them.
- August 28, 2017
USDA awards $2.5 million grant to UC Santa Cruz to expand organic strawberry research
UC Santa Cruz researchers who have pioneered alternatives to methyl bromide in commercial strawberry production have received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will take their work national.
- August 25, 2017
'Sierra' magazine names UC Santa Cruz a ‘Cool School’
Coming in at No.23, the ranking underscored UC Santa Cruz’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and encouraging sustainability.
- August 24, 2017
NSF awards $1.5 million grant for data science research at UC Santa Cruz
A cross-disciplinary team of computer scientists, statisticians, and mathematicians is developing the theoretical foundations of the emerging field of data science.
- August 23, 2017
What causes algal blooms to become toxic?
NOAA grant funds an investigation to find what triggers production of the toxin domoic acid by marine algae in events that can harm wildlife and close coastal fisheries.
- August 23, 2017
Lessons of regional recovery from around the country
As the country's political and cultural divides appear insurmountable, Chris Benner says hope can be found at the local and regional level.
- August 22, 2017
Alum and independent filmmaker Peter Bratt directs, writes, and produces documentary about labor activist Dolores Huerta
Independent filmmaker Peter Bratt, a 1986 politics graduate of Cowell College, has written, directed, and produced a new documentary about legendary labor activist Dolores Huerta.
- August 21, 2017
Murals tell a story of pan-Latino solidarity in SF's Mission District
Graduate student Mauricio Ramírez is an artist, a muralist, and a native San Franciscan who is fascinated by the murals in the Mission District of San Francisco—and by the progressive coalition of artists and immigrants that coalesced during the decades they were painted.
- August 21, 2017
Launchpad offers a boost to innovation
Launchpad, managed by the Industry Alliances & Technology Commercialization (IATC) Office, will be offering $5,000, $10,000, and $15,000 grants to promising UCSC technologies in science and engineering. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 28.
- August 17, 2017
Florida flood risk study identifies priorities for property buyouts
A study of flood damage in Florida proposes prioritizing property buyouts based on flood risk, ecological value, and socioeconomic conditions.
- August 16, 2017
UC Santa Cruz humanities alumna named 2017 Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow
Sophia Magnone (Ph.D. Literature, 2016) is one of 20 new Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows nationwide who will take up two-year assignments working in the fields of policy, civil rights, arts and culture, and the media.
- August 15, 2017
Message on Charlottesville violence
The horrific events that unfolded in Charlottesville this weekend remind us that we must be vigilant in our fight against all who promulgate hate and violence based on race, faith, sexual orientation or personal belief. Silence is complicity.
- August 11, 2017
Chasing the eclipse
Douglas Duncan, director of the Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado, and a distinguished UC Santa Cruz astronomy grad, is leading an eclipse-watching trip to Wyoming.
- August 11, 2017
Tuning in to social justice
Professor-turned-radio show producer Sylvanna Falcón talks about the importance of public scholarship in the Trump era.
- August 10, 2017
Social psychology sheds light on Trump's appeal
The surprising election of Donald Trump prompted a widespread desire to understand the factors at play in his unexpected victory. A recent analysis suggests that five social-psychological phenomena helped power Trump to victory: authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, prejudice, relative deprivation, and intergroup contact.
- August 09, 2017
New analysis casts doubt on predicted decrease in Oklahoma earthquakes
Seismologists say a significant seismic hazard continues despite recent reductions in injection of wastewater from oil and gas production.
- August 09, 2017
Telling stories that haven't been told
Filmmaker and alumnus Tal Skloot aims to show a different perspective with eclectic, meaningful subject matter.
- August 08, 2017
Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest sun-like star
Four Earth-sized planets orbit the nearest sun-like star, tau Ceti, which is about 12 light years away and visible to the naked eye, astronomers say.
- August 07, 2017
Dickens Universe thriving at UC Santa Cruz
Nearly 300 people attended the Dickens Universe this year--a unique weeklong event held each summer among the redwood trees at UC Santa Cruz.
- August 03, 2017
History professor Alma Heckman named Neufeld-Levin Chair of Holocaust Studies
Assistant professor of history and Jewish Studies Alma Rachel Heckman has been appointed as the new holder of the Neufeld-Levin Holocaust Endowed Chair at UC Santa Cruz
- August 03, 2017
At Porter College, art and life intertwine
Public art is part of student life at Porter College, which has maintained a fine-arts focus since its inception in 1969.
- August 03, 2017
UC Santa Cruz celebrates 50 years of organic farming
The three-day celebration culminated with a joyful dinner presided over by famed chef, restaurateur, and organic food advocate Alice Waters.
- August 02, 2017
Food movement grows beyond "voting with your fork" to embrace collective action, policy engagement, and regulation
After 20 years of scholarship at the forefront of food activism, Julie Guthman is gratified to see the movement expanding beyond market-based strategies that have catered to consumers with cash to burn.
- July 27, 2017
UC Santa Cruz humanities alum wins Cabot Prize for journalism in Latin America
Washington Post correspondent and UC Santa Cruz alumnus Nick Miroff has been awarded a 2017 Maria Moors Cabot Prize for his reporting in Latin America.
- July 24, 2017
Master gardener Orin Martin celebrates 40 years at the Alan Chadwick Garden
Orin Martin, who is celebrating his 40th anniversary with the UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden this month, enjoys every minute, calling the students and apprentices he shares his days with "the light of the world."
- July 21, 2017
Superluminous supernova marks the death of a star at cosmic high noon
At a distance of 10 billion light years, a supernova detected by the Dark Energy Survey team is one of the most distant ever discovered and confirmed.
- July 19, 2017
Library receives Recordings at Risk grant to preserve Cabrillo Festival tapes
UC Santa Cruz is the recipient of a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources to digitize 69 open-reel audiotapes of live music performances from the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
- July 19, 2017
Intercollegiate athletics program charts course into the future
The NCAA Division III program, which has been under a budget cloud for the past several years, can now confidently look toward the future. The program has been bolstered by a new student fee, was recently restructured so it aligns with other successful Division III programs in the nation, and will head into the coming season with more awareness than ever before.
- July 17, 2017
UCSC arts research center awarded $250,000 grant from U.S. Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service has awarded a $250,000 grant to the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure, a research center based in the Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz.
- July 17, 2017
Did life begin on land rather than in the sea?
A paradigm-shifting hypothesis laid out by UC Santa Cruz astrobiologists David Deamer and Bruce Damer could reshape our idea about the origin of life.
- July 10, 2017
Growing farmers and the food movement for 50 years
The experiment in organic gardening that began at UC Santa Cruz in 1967 is now the oldest university-based organic research and education facility in the country.
- July 10, 2017
Gardening workshops July 29 are part of UC Santa Cruz celebration of 50 years of organic farming
The public is invited to attend an afternoon of gardening workshops on Saturday, July 29, as part of the "First 50 Celebration" of the UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden.
- July 06, 2017
Campus admits record number of California transfers
UC Santa Cruz offered admission to 27,216 students for the upcoming academic year with a record number of offers made to California community college students. The largest portion of admissions offers—19,258 or 70 percent—are to California students.
- July 03, 2017
'Little Cub' gives astronomers rare chance to see galaxy demise
A primitive galaxy that could provide clues about the early universe has been spotted by astronomers as it begins to be consumed by a gigantic neighboring galaxy.
- June 29, 2017
UC Santa Cruz launches new data science research center
Data, Discovery, and Decisions (D3) research center provides a platform for collaboration between industry and academia in the emerging field of data science.
- June 28, 2017
UC Santa Cruz names Katharyne Mitchell new dean of Social Sciences Division
UC Santa Cruz has appointed Katharyne Mitchell as dean of the Division of Social Sciences, effective Aug. 15.
- June 28, 2017
Nanopipette technology wins first place in NIH 'Follow that Cell' challenge
Biomolecular engineer Nader Pourmand has spent years developing technology to measure and track changes within a single living cell over time.
- June 27, 2017
Awards spotlight commitment to teaching
Seven UC Santa Cruz faculty members were recognized for their extraordinary commitment teaching.
- June 23, 2017
UC Santa Cruz faculty awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts
Two faculty members from the UC Santa Cruz Arts Division have each received $25,000 Art Works grants from the National Endowment for the Arts to support their latest documentary film projects.
- June 23, 2017
Lick Observatory kicks off popular Summer Series
Natalie Batalha, who earned her doctorate in astrophysics from UC Santa Cruz, was the keynote scientist on the second evening of the 37th annual Summer Series at the Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton.
- June 23, 2017
First-generation stories: Headed to UCLA to continue cancer research
Our podcast catches up with new grad Hector Navarro, a first-generation college student who's off to big things.
- June 23, 2017
Astronomy grad students honored by International Astronomical Union
Caroline Morley and Morgan MacLeod are among the first winners of the IAU Ph.D. Prize in recognition of outstanding scientific achievement.
- June 22, 2017
Steck Award recipient seeks to solve atomic structure of human astrovirus
Edmundo Perez (College 10 ‘17, bioengineering) is being recognized for his work on how the human immune system blocks virus infection and disease.
- June 22, 2017
Worm studies investigate how grandparents' experiences can affect our genes
In the hot field of epigenetics, Susan Strome's lab is studying tiny roundworms to understand the mechanisms behind surprising observations in human populations.
- June 22, 2017
Knight Foundation funds project on breaking 'filter bubbles' in science journalism
The Science Communication Program will explore ways to broaden the reach of science journalism and improve civic discourse on science-related issues.
- June 21, 2017
Sweet emotion
Researching a book on America’s obsession with ice cream took alumna Amy Ettinger on some madcap adventures—and also led her to explore memories of her own life.
- June 21, 2017
Mountain lions fear humans, fleeing when they hear our voices, new study reveals
New research into the behavior of mountain lions indicates that they don't like encountering humans any more than we like bumping into them on hiking trails.
- June 21, 2017
African leopards revealed: Study documents minute-to-minute behavior of elusive cats
The elusive behavior of the African leopard has been revealed in great detail for the first time as part of a sophisticated study that links the majestic cat's caloric demands and its drive to kill.
- June 20, 2017
London’s Barbican Centre celebrates career of film professor B. Ruby Rich
The work of feminist writer, film critic, LGBT activist, and UC Santa Cruz professor of film and digital media B. Ruby Rich will be celebrated this week at the Barbican Centre in London.
- June 15, 2017
LALS doctoral candidate wins Fulbright for study in Mexico
Candy Martinez, a doctoral candidate in Latin American and Latino Studies, has received a Fulbright grant to study how indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, define and cope with trauma.
- June 13, 2017
Looking for life
Alumna Natalie Batalha, who made Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people on Earth, has discovered approximately 4,000 new planets—some of which may turn out to be capable of supporting life.
- June 13, 2017
Astronomer Jerry Nelson, pioneering designer of large telescopes, dies at age 73
Jerry Nelson, a pioneering astronomer known for his innovative designs for advanced telescopes, died June 10 at his home in Santa Cruz.
- June 13, 2017
New graduates head into two-year teaching corps
Five UC Santa Cruz graduates are joining about 6,800 new graduates and professionals who have committed to work two years in rural and urban schools as part of Teach For America
- June 13, 2017
Farm & Garden’s Market Cart produce stand opens June 20
Celebrate the start of summer on Tuesday, June 20, when the Farm & Garden’s Market Cart opens for 2017.
- June 12, 2017
Bettina Aptheker receives Dizikes Award for teaching in Humanities
Distinguished Professor of Feminist Studies Bettina Aptheker was presented with the John Dizikes Teaching Award in Humanities at the Humanities Division’s 2017 Spring Awards celebration held at the Cowell Provost House.
- June 08, 2017
‘Love on Haight’ exhibit celebrates Summer of Love at McHenry Library
"Love on Haight: the Grateful Dead and San Francisco in 1967"--a new exhibit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the historic Summer of Love--has just opened at McHenry Library’s Dead Central.
- June 07, 2017
Accelerating success: 5 startups chosen to jump-start businesses
The UC Santa Cruz Office of Research will provide $500,000 to the accelerator program, which serves early-stage technology businesses that have a product but haven’t started selling it. The accelerator will be run by Santa Cruz Works, a local nonprofit that supports science and technology companies.
- June 06, 2017
Materials Science and Engineering Initiative focuses on sustainability
UC Santa Cruz researchers are developing new materials for a wide range of devices and products, from solar cells to surfboards.
- June 05, 2017
'Hail Mary' mechanism can rescue cells with severely damaged chromosomes
Understanding the mechanisms involved in chromosome repair, and how they can fail, may lead to new strategies to combat cancer.
- June 01, 2017
Genomics Institute joins international Human Cell Atlas Initiative
UCSC researchers will collaborate with partners in U.S. and Europe to build data coordination platform for effort to characterize every cell type in the human body.
- June 01, 2017
Chancellor’s diversity awards recognize work, commitment
Chancellor George Blumenthal presented seven Chancellor's Achievement Awards for Diversity, as well as the WiSE award, during a May 31 ceremony at the Colleges Nine and Ten Multipurpose Room.
- June 01, 2017
Success of Indians in the U.S. showcases importance of education
A new book coauthored by Nirvikar Singh tells the fascinating story of how a population from a poor developing country with low education became the most educated, highest-income group in the world's most advanced nation—in a single generation.
- May 31, 2017
Music alum named Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year
UC Santa Cruz alumna Shelley Phillips (Music,’85) has been named the 2017 Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission.
- May 31, 2017
Athletics fee referendum passes
Measure 68, which proposed a $38.50-per-quarter fee to support the NCAA athletics program and provide access to athletic-related activities to students who meet the Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) criteria, passed with 79 percent of voting students supporting the fee.
- May 31, 2017
STEM Diversity graduation honors student achievement
"You are already catalyzing change," a speaker told students at the end-of-year celebration for graduating seniors and others in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
- May 30, 2017
UC Santa Cruz to launch first-generation faculty campaign
UC Santa Cruz will launch the First-Gen Faculty (FGF) campaign during Student Achievement week, which starts June 5. This initiative is aimed at encouraging professors on campus to identify themselves as first generation — the first in their families to graduate from a U.S. four-year college or university.
- May 30, 2017
Ronnie Lipschutz appointed to chair in integral ecology and environmental justice
Ronnie Lipschutz, professor of politics and provost of Rachel Carson College, was honored as the inaugural holder of the Robert Headley Presidential Chair for Integral Ecology and Environmental Justice.
- May 26, 2017
IHR’s second ‘Night at the Museum’ draws capacity crowd
A capacity crowd filled the atrium floor and lined the balcony stairs of the Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz for the latest public event presented by UCSC’s Institute for Humanities Research.
- May 26, 2017
Koret scholars present research at poster slam
The Koret Scholars Undergraduate Research Slam will feature poster presentations about topics as diverse as a protein link to heart disease, female authorship in science fiction and horror genres, and the qualitative impact that research opportunities can have on the undergrad experience.
- May 26, 2017
Evolutionary biologist John Thompson awarded Darwin-Wallace Medal
Named for Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, the prestigious award recognizes major advances in evolutionary biology.
- May 26, 2017
Hands-on learning is the name of the game in archaeology
In a unique partnership, UC Santa Cruz is collaborating with California State Parks, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, and a private firm to give students hands-on experience in archaeology.
- May 25, 2017
Prion study reveals how abnormal proteins damage nerve cells in the brain
Research on the prion protein may explain why nerve cells degenerate in prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
- May 23, 2017
People of Color Sustainability Collective wins top honors
The Best Practice Award is the highest honor in the field of higher education sustainability in the state. It will be presented during the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference June 26–29 at UC Santa Barbara.
- May 23, 2017
'Be so good they can’t ignore you'
Creative obsession and hard work led alumnus Kalen Egan to his role in producing one of Amazon’s most popular television series, The Man in the High Castle.
- May 23, 2017
Alumna committed to improving financial literacy for women
Sherry Paul committed herself to financial literacy after witnessing the negative impact of financial inequities—what happens when people don’t have money to support their basic needs and their ideals.
- May 22, 2017
Alison Galloway to discuss "Life of the Dead" at the Rio Theatre on June 6
Forensic anthropologist Alison Galloway will give a public lecture on June 6 about the natural history of human decomposition and her work analyzing human remains.
- May 18, 2017
'Zoot Suit' still relevant four decades later
When Zoot Suit premiered at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 1978, it was more than just an instant success. As former Los Angeles Times theater critic Sylvie Drake recently observed, “it exploded on the stage with the force of a sociopolitical A-bomb.”
- May 18, 2017
High school students wrestle with ethical quandaries
With coaching from the UC Santa Cruz Ethics Bowl team, underrepresented students from regional high schools gathered to discuss thorny questions on topics ranging from white privilege to sports and gender at the second annual Invitational Ethics Bowl.
- May 18, 2017
Outstanding Staff Award: Lived experience brings need for humanities into sharp focus
Irena Polić, this year's Outstanding Staff Award honoree, is a passionate advocate for the humanities. "They are our life," she said. "The humanities show us who we are and where we come from.”
- May 18, 2017
New coral reef fish species shows rare parental care behavior
Evolutionary biologist Giacomo Bernardi and his students discovered a new species of damselfish that cares for its young.
- May 18, 2017
Graduating senior propelled by curiosity and a desire to give back
Jenn Figueroa arrived at College Ten from her hometown of Northridge and proceeded to take advantage of every extracurricular program offered by College Nine and College Ten.
- May 17, 2017
Astronomer Sandra Faber awarded Gruber Cosmology Prize
Faber's groundbreaking studies of galaxies helped establish many of the foundational principles of modern cosmology.
- May 16, 2017
Diving in: Students in beginning swim class learn more than the backstroke
Students who never learned to swim are gaining confidence and relieving stress in level 1 swim class—as well as opening themselves up to new possibilities such as surfing and scuba diving.
- May 16, 2017
Gary Griggs stepping down after 26 years as director of Institute of Marine Sciences
Peter Raimondi, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will serve as director on an interim basis starting July 1.
- May 16, 2017
Study unveils T cell signaling process central to immune response
Recognition of an antigen by the T cell receptor triggers the first steps leading to an immune response.
- May 12, 2017
Environmentalism Outside the Box: An Ecosex Symposium
"Environmentalism Outside the Box: An Ecosex Symposium" is the title of a free public event that will take place on May 18-19, hosted by the E.A.R.T.H. Lab, a research center of the Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz.
- May 12, 2017
United we stand: Staff and faculty have long invested in the community through giving to the United Way
UC Santa Cruz's long tradition of supporting United Way continues with a spring campaign that is aimed to increase giving throughout the community.
- May 12, 2017
Science and social justice: Oakes College facilitates empowerment, encouragement, advancement, and equity
Oakes is more than an academic college. It is a home away from home for those who are passionate about social justice issues.
- May 11, 2017
Theater Arts professor Kimberly Jannarone named National Humanities Center Fellow
One of 34 chosen from more than 600 applicants, Kimberly Jannarone will spend the year in the company of national and international scholars from 14 states, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
- May 10, 2017
UC Santa Cruz genetics lab helps solve the mystery of 'Miranda Eve'
Ancient DNA expert Ed Green helped identify the remains of a 19th-century baby Jane Doe found in San Francisco backyard.
- May 09, 2017
UC Santa Cruz receives gift to establish Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies
UC Santa Cruz has received a $500,000 gift from the Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation, plus matching funds from the UC Regents, to establish the $1 million "Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies."
- May 09, 2017
Technology doesn't have to be a headache
Psychology Professor Steve Whittaker is working to improve the way we interface with technology--and harnessing it to improve our well-being.
- May 08, 2017
Sisters Julie and Kristen Gautier-Downes Turn Loss into an Art
Twin sisters, Julie and Kristen Gautier-Downes both decided to pursue the arts at UC Santa Cruz, graduating in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Julie earned her BA in Studio Art, with an emphasis in photography, and went on to acquire an MFA in Photography at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) while Kristen received a BA in Studio Art with a concentration in painting.
- May 05, 2017
UCSC to present environmental video installation at SF’s Minnesota Street Project
UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences will present a dramatic, four-screen video installation in San Francisco, hosted and co-sponsored by Minnesota Street Project, the city’s new contemporary art venue, May 20 through June 24.
- May 04, 2017
Social Sciences Professor Julie Guthman wins Radcliffe Fellowship
Julie Guthman has been awarded a Radcliffe Institute Fellowship that will support a year-long residential research project at Harvard University.
- May 04, 2017
U.S. farmland becoming a hot commodity as investors buy up acreage
Institutional investors have been buying up farmland across the country in a trend that could have significant impacts on farmers.
- May 02, 2017
Climate scientist James Zachos elected to National Academy of Sciences
Election to the academy is one of the highest honors a U.S. scientist can receive.
- May 01, 2017
Alumni Weekend 2017: Glorious weather, vibrant events bring Slugs home
Revelers took a Fun Run, got a crash course in activism, rekindled old friendships, let their hair down, and paid tribute to Sammy the Slug at UC Santa Cruz Alumni Weekend 2017.
- April 27, 2017
Cultivating potential: How UC Santa Cruz is helping undocumented students thrive
Thanks to more than a half-dozen programs, undocumented students on campus have been able to get support, assistance, and encouragement—and the campus benefits from nurturing their passion and talent.
- April 27, 2017
Ripples in cosmic web measured using rare double quasars
Astronomers have made the first measurements of small-scale ripples in the primeval hydrogen gas left over from the Big Bang.
- April 26, 2017
Inspiring young students to branch into STEM
This spring, an enterprising group of Watsonville High School students put on lab coats and safety goggles and got a behind-the-scenes look at the labs of UC Santa Cruz's Science Hill.
- April 26, 2017
Sikina Jinnah named a 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
Sikina Jinnah, associate professor of politics, was awarded a 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards available to scholars in the social sciences and humanities.
- April 26, 2017
Social psychologist Phil Hammack studies well-being of LGBTQ youth
Phil Hammack is only partway through an ambitious study of the physical and psychological well-being of LGBTQ youth, and he is already surprised by his observations.
- April 26, 2017
From founding farmer to champion of the fair food movement
Oran Hesterman, author of Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All and president and founder of Fair Food Network, talks about his roots on the UCSC Farm.
- April 24, 2017
Community Supported Agriculture season is about to begin
Join the campus’s 2017 Community Support Agriculture program and get a fresh-picked box of organic produce from the UCSC Farm each week--at a 5 percent discount if you sign up by May 1.
- April 24, 2017
Lyme disease researchers seek consensus as number of cases grows
Reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States have tripled in the past 20 years.
- April 24, 2017
Pioneering biologist Robert L. Sinsheimer dies at age 97
Sinsheimer served as chancellor of UC Santa Cruz from 1977 to 1987.
- April 21, 2017
Students to consider sustainable funding model for intercollegiate athletics
The Office of Physical Education, Recreation, and Sports is proposing a $38.50 -per-quarter fee, which if approved would provide the NCAA Division III program with approximately $1.1 million beginning in fall 2018.
- April 20, 2017
Planet hunting alumna Natalie Batalha among Time's 100 most influential people
Natalie Batalha, a NASA scientist who earned her Ph.D. in astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, has been named to Time magazine's annual list of the "100 most influential people in the world."
- April 19, 2017
Ninja Press to publish new book by award-winning UC Santa Cruz poet Gary Young
"In Japan" is the title of an elegant new collection of poems from UCSC humanities lecturer and alumnus Gary Young that will soon be published by Ninja Press.
- April 19, 2017
UC launches climate video series featuring UCSC alumnus M. Sanjayan
Climate Lab is an innovative six-part video series on climate change solutions produced in partnership with Vox.
- April 18, 2017
Planet hunting citizen scientists produce quick results for astronomers
The Exoplanet Explorer project led by UCSC astronomer Ian Crossfield got a big boost from a live television broadcast in Australia
- April 17, 2017
Star Party slated for Alumni Weekend
UC Observatories/Lick Observatory and the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics are joining forces to put on a Star Party, replete with jazz, informative talks from foremost experts on astronomy, constellation identification, and telescopes for viewing celestial objects once night falls.
- April 17, 2017
Farm & Garden’s plant sale April 29-30 highlights 50th anniversary
The UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden’s annual Spring Plant Sale will have a 50th Anniversary flavor this year, featuring some of legendary gardener Alan Chadwick's favorite plants.
- April 14, 2017
Computer pioneer Harry Huskey dies at age 101
Harry Huskey, professor emeritus of computer science, worked on early computing systems and helped universities around the world establish computer science programs.
- April 14, 2017
Climate experts release latest science on sea level rise projections
A report led by UCSC geologist Gary Griggs addresses how much the ocean will rise along California's coast in coming decades.
- April 13, 2017
Film professor receives California Documentary Project grant from Cal Humanities
UC Santa Cruz associate professor of film and digital media John Jota Leaños is the recipient of a 2017 California Documentary Project grant from California Humanities.
- April 13, 2017
Five graduate student alumni return for awards
The five honorees will be presented with the first Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni Award and be part of panel discussions where they’ll share their stories on career and entrepreneurship opportunities.
- April 13, 2017
Dancing for joy: Los Mejicas dance troupe provides a home away from home
For 45 years, the Los Mejicas folklorico dance troupe has connected students with their cultural traditions--and each other.
- April 11, 2017
Theater arts professor Danny Scheie wins Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award
UC Santa Cruz professor of theater arts Danny Scheie has received a 2017 award from The San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and recognizing excellence in theatre arts.
- April 11, 2017
Lick Observatory's summer series brings a wide variety of musicians and scientists to Mt. Hamilton
Lick's summer program features live music, evening lectures by world-renowned astronomers, and opportunities for the public to view celestial objects through two historic telescopes.
- April 10, 2017
Social Sciences Professor Julie Guthman wins 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship
Julie Guthman, a professor of social sciences and a leading scholar on the history and geography of California agriculture, has been awarded a 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship.
- April 07, 2017
Philosopher and three scientists to explore ethics and the language of conservation
The Institute for Humanities Research at UC Santa Cruz will present the inaugural event of its new research group, The Language of Conservation, on Friday afternoon, April 14, in the Humanities 1 building.
- April 07, 2017
A role model for girls who code
Regine De Guzman, a self-taught coding whiz, wants to close the Silicon Valley gender gap by encouraging girls to pursue tech careers. She will share her words of wisdom at the upcoming TEDxLosGatosHighSchool.
- April 07, 2017
Telling our stories, understanding each other
Dear World, an award-winning, international storytelling project, comes to the UC Santa Cruz campus starting on Thursday, April 13 and continuing through Friday, April 14.
- April 07, 2017
Growing farmers and the food movement for 50 years
Fifty years after students transformed a brush-covered rocky hillside into a verdant organic garden, UC Santa Cruz is widely regarded as a trailblazing force in sustainable agriculture education and research.
- April 06, 2017
Students take lead on planning Sexual Assault Awareness Month events
The events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), hosted by several campus offices, include nationally acclaimed speakers, yoga, and art workshops, Title IX Office open houses, a community town hall meeting, and ongoing discussions about sexual violence issues on campus—in addition to a march and rally at the end of the month.
- April 05, 2017
Alumni to run for fun—and a good cause
UC Santa Cruz’s famous forests and meadows will be the venue for this beautiful and challenging 5K stomp across the campus in support of student scholarships on April 29.
- April 04, 2017
Three faculty members honored with Dickson Emeriti Professorships
Murray Baumgarten, professor of English & Comparative Literature, E.G. Crichton, professor of art, and Catherine Cooper, professor of psychology, were awarded Dickson Emeriti Professorships in recognition of outstanding achievements in scholarship and teaching.
- April 03, 2017
Alumni Weekend Teach-Ins 2017: stem cell research and standing up to "alternative facts"
This year’s Teach-In lecture series will include eye-opening presentations about the potentials of stem cell research and the role of the humanities in a ‘post-truth world.'
- April 03, 2017
Alums launch video game based on ancient Mesoamerican myth
"Ulama: Arena of the Gods," a collaboration from three Games and Playable Media alums, launched March 28 on the Steam platform.
- March 29, 2017
UCSC and Chinese officials sign agreement for Graduate Student Scholars Program
New program will bring top Chinese students to UC Santa Cruz for graduate studies in astronomy and astrophysics.
- March 27, 2017
Art imitates life: The Black Panther Party and the birth of a comic book series
A Special Collections exhibit organized by graduate students examines the famed Marvel Comics Black Panther series and its connections to black history, including the Black Panther Party.
- March 27, 2017
Grad student composer wins commission to create new piece for Other Minds Festival
UC Santa Cruz grad student Brian Baumbusch has received a grant to create a new composition that will be performed at the acclaimed Other Minds Festival of contemporary music in 2018.
- March 27, 2017
Honoring the legacy of César E. Chávez on campus
The legacy of César Chávez, who would have been 90 years old this Friday, includes deep and lasting relationships with many UC Santa Cruz alumni, faculty, and staff, whose lives were changed through the nonviolent farmworker movement that started in the ’60s and continues today.
- March 24, 2017
Prop. 8 plaintiff Kris Perry receives Distinguished Social Sciences Alumni Award
"You only win your civil rights by fighting for them," says alumna Kris Perry, who will be honored at a reception on Friday, April 28.
- March 23, 2017
Astronomers observe early stages of Milky Way-like galaxies in distant universe
New observations reveal massive, dusty galaxies with high rates of star formation and large, extended layers of gas.
- March 23, 2017
Universe's ultraviolet background provides clues about missing galaxies
A new technique to detect the cosmic ultraviolet background radiation may show why there are so few small galaxies.
- March 22, 2017
Colorful new species of sea slug named after Long Marine Lab's Gary McDonald
McDonald, who has spent decades studying and documenting California nudibranchs (sea slugs), was honored by fellow researchers.
- March 22, 2017
Rescuing data and shoring up environmental agencies in the Trump era
Sociologist Lindsey Dillon is part of a network of data champions monitoring federal websites to preserve scientific data and track changes made by the Trump administration.
- March 22, 2017
Water wizards: Building an underground savings account to bolster water supply
An innovative water-conservation strategy diverts water from overflowing rivers to fallow farmland, where it seeps into the soil and replenishes depleted aquifers.
- March 21, 2017
Alumnus takes students into Africa
Melvin Cox's Focus on Africa class has taken more than a dozen students to the continent over the past two years, showing another side of Africa—one that is multiethnic and multicultural, with thriving cities and economic opportunities.
- March 16, 2017
UC Santa Cruz alum named executive director of largest international society of Jewish Studies
UC Santa Cruz alumnus Warren Hoffman has been named the next Executive Director of the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS)--the largest international society of students and scholars of Jewish studies.
- March 16, 2017
Tropical reforestation and climate change
Tropical reforestation is an important part of the global effort to mitigate climate change, but ecologist Karen Holl says current international goals may be overly ambitious.
- March 16, 2017
Scientists reveal how an ancient biological clock works
Scientists at UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, and UC San Diego have determined the molecular basis of the cyanobacterial circadian clock.
- March 16, 2017
Gun safety advocate Shannon Watts to speak at Gabriel Zimmerman Award benefit
Gun safety advocate Shannon Watts will be the keynote speaker at a campus reception to celebrate the life of alum Gabriel Zimmerman.
- March 15, 2017
Need for speed may contribute to dolphin and whale strandings
The energetic cost of swimming at high speed when startled may be a factor in strandings of dolphins and whales.
- March 15, 2017
Lick Observatory offers new Public Evening Tours of telescopes in 2017
Growing demand has led to expanded opportunities for the public to see and view through the observatory's telescopes.
- March 14, 2017
Graduate applications hit new high
The Office of Graduate Studies has received 4,744 applications for the 2017-18 academic year. In the last five years, the campus has marked a 36 percent increase in the number of applications.
- March 13, 2017
UC Santa Cruz named one of the country’s best colleges for undergraduate film majors
UC Santa Cruz is featured in a Top 10 list of Best Bachelor’s Program for Film, Video and Photographic Arts along with USC, NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Rhode Island School of Design.
- March 13, 2017
Alumni Weekend keynote to feature co-chair of Women's March on Washington
Alumna Carmen Perez, longtime community organizer, activist, and a national co-chair of one of the largest demonstrations in history, will speak on the role and importance of protest with a purpose.
- March 13, 2017
Flowering times shift with loss of species from a grassland ecosystem
Loss of biodiversity may exacerbate changes in the timing of biological events already being driven by climate change, study finds.
- March 13, 2017
Study shows how river channels adjust to large sediment supplies
New findings undermine a common assumption about gravel-bedded river channels.
- March 10, 2017
Reef madness: A coral grows at UC Santa Cruz
Hundreds of students and community members are contributing their handiwork to the Crochet Coral Reef, a massive participatory art project that combines higher geometry with handicraft while calling attention to the disappearing wonders of the marine world.
- March 09, 2017
Giving Day 2017 raises more than $520,000 for a wealth of worthy projects
The spirit of friendly competition added excitement to this 24-hour online giving fest, which raised money for a wide array of good causes.
- March 08, 2017
Study supports increased funding for long-term ecological research
Despite critical importance to scientists and policymakers, funding for long-term ecological and environmental studies has declined while funding for short-term studies has increased.
- March 08, 2017
Saving victims of deadly toxic mushrooms
Alumnus Todd Mitchell headed a clinical trial on using an extract of milk thistle seeds to overcome toxic mushroom poisoning and developed what has come to be known as the "Santa Cruz Protocol."
- March 07, 2017
Restorative justice circle to foster dialogue around sexual violence/sexual harassment
The session, part of the campus’s Beyond Compliance initiative, will be from 7–9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15 at the Namaste Lounge in Colleges 9/10.
- March 06, 2017
Film professor Shelley Stamp wins 2017 international media and history book prize
Film and digital media professor Shelley Stamp has been named the recipient of the 2017 Michael Nelson Book Prize, presented by the International Association for Media and History for her latest book, "Lois Weber in Early Hollywood."
- March 03, 2017
Astronomer Ruth Murray-Clay appointed to chair in theoretical astrophysics
Investiture ceremony honors Murray-Clay as the inaugural holder of the E. K. Gunderson Family Chair in Theoretical Astrophysics
- March 03, 2017
Dean Paul Koch receives 'Insight Into Diversity' magazine's Giving Back Award
National award honors university administrators for their commitment to diversity and for giving back to others
- March 02, 2017
Gift from Narinder Kapany will establish Sikh book collection and study room at McHenry Library
UC Santa Cruz has received a gift from Dr. Narinder Kapany to establish the Sundar Singh Kapany Book Collection and the Sundar Singh Kapany Group Study Room in the University Library.
- March 02, 2017
UCSC Grad Slam winner envisions surfing on shrimp shells
John Felts, a second year Ph.D. electrical engineering student, earned top marks for his talk about creating environmentally friendly surfboard foam from shrimp shells.
- March 01, 2017
With more than 100 featured projects, UC Santa Cruz hosts Giving Day 2017
The website site will go live at 12:01 a.m. on March 8 for donors to make gifts and track their favorite projects in real-time. Giving Day 2017 builds on the success of last year’s event, when nearly 3,000 donors came together to collectively give $340,000.
- February 28, 2017
Climate change experts focus on solutions in face of shifting U.S. policy
UCSC Climate Conference brought together top climate scientists and policy experts for a series of talks and panel discussions.
- February 27, 2017
Campaign for UC Santa Cruz enters home stretch
The campaign is the university’s first campuswide effort to build a culture of giving in support of students, faculty, and campus programs. Launched in 2009 and publicly announced in fall 2013, the campaign has raised $311 million in gifts.
- February 23, 2017
Vast luminous nebula poses a cosmic mystery
Glowing nebula appears to be part of the cosmic web of filaments connecting galaxies, but what's lighting it up?
- February 21, 2017
A dedication to dance
The hard-working members of UC Santa Cruz's Kahaani have been bringing their flashy moves, high standards and creativity to the competitive Bollywood dance circuit for the past three years.
- February 21, 2017
UCSC biomolecular engineer Russ Corbett-Detig wins Sloan Research Fellowship
Corbett-Detig studies evolution and genetic diversity in species ranging from fruit flies to humans.
- February 21, 2017
Exploring the dark waters of grief
Alumna Shannon Fowler, whose life changed in an instant with the tragic death of her fiancé, finds acceptance of death and grief—and has rediscovered her love of the ocean.
- February 17, 2017
Curating the African American and Holocaust museums in a post-fact world
UC Santa Cruz will present a free public discussion about building museums, engaging the public, and how to represent difficult memories on Feb. 22 at Kresge Town Hall.
- February 17, 2017
Oscar nominee ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ to screen with panel discussion at Del Mar Theater
UC Santa Cruz will present a film screening of "I Am Not Your Negro"--an award-winning documentary on the life and work of writer James Baldwin, followed by a panel discussion, Feb. 21, at the Del Mar Theater
- February 16, 2017
UC Santa Cruz receives $191,000 grant to benefit grad students in humanities, arts, social sciences
UC Santa Cruz is one of five universities nationwide selected by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) to be part of its new University Initiative program.
- February 15, 2017
Diversity, inclusivity key to a growing economy
The face of small business is shifting. From 2007–2012, Latino-owned businesses in the U.S. grew by 34.5 percent and African American-owned enterprises grew by 46.3 percent. A quarter of all new businesses were started by immigrants.
- February 15, 2017
Donation by rugby alumnus lights up Lower East Field
The lights turned on this month, thanks to a generous donation by rugby alumnus George Kraw (1971), who played mostly “lock” and “break-away” on the first rugby team in 1967.
- February 14, 2017
GameSpace offers a playable visualization of 16,000 videogames
UCSC researchers developed the game as a tool to help people find information about videogames.
- February 13, 2017
Film professor contributes to new PBS documentary on race in America
UC Santa Cruz assistant professor of film and digital media Jennifer Maytorena Taylor has produced one of several short pieces that comprise The Talk: Race in America, a new film premiering Feb. 20 on PBS.
- February 13, 2017
Astronomy team releases planet-search data, finds more than 100 candidates
The HIRES spectrometer, designed and built by UCSC astronomer Steven Vogt, has been a planet-hunting workhorse for over two decades.
- February 10, 2017
'Ecosystems of California' book wins PROSE Award for Excellence
Coedited by UCSC ecologist Erika Zavaleta, the book won two prestigious awards from the Association of American Publishers.
- February 10, 2017
Civil rights leader, former NAACP president inspires crowd at MLK Convocation
Benjamin Jealous had a strong message of hope, inclusion and resistance during his keynote address at the convocation at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.
- February 10, 2017
Planting seeds, growing confidence
Innovative nonprofit founder, sustainable farmer and youth advocate Doron Comerchero is this year’s Tony Hill Award winner
- February 09, 2017
Music professor receives patent to help fight bark beetles ravaging Western forests
UC Santa Cruz music professor David Dunn has joined forces with two forest scientists from Northern Arizona University to combat an insect infestation that is killing millions of trees throughout the West.
- February 09, 2017
High-demand courses to be offered in summer session
The focus for summer 2017 is to offer high-demand courses in small class sizes. There will be 20 online courses, up from 11 last summer, as well as more than 250 on-campus courses across 30 departments.
- February 09, 2017
Chancellor appointed to governing board of state stem cell agency
Chancellor George Blumenthal has been appointed to a seat on the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
- February 08, 2017
The mighty Phyllis returns after record-shattering swim
The tagged elephant seal's landing at Año Nuevo means she swam about 7,400 miles, longer than any elephant seal recorded over two decades—then she gave birth to a baby boy.
- February 07, 2017
Drought identified as key to severity of West Nile virus epidemics
Researchers found that drought dramatically increases the severity of West Nile virus epidemics in the United States.
- February 06, 2017
Waves Passing in the Night: a talk about astrophysics, harmony, and boundaries
Acclaimed writer and UC Santa Cruz alumnus Lawrence Weschler will join Academy Award-winning sound and film editor Walter Murch, and noted campus astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz on Feb. 13, in the Music Center Recital Hall.
- February 06, 2017
UCSC climate conference draws top scientists, policy makers Feb. 24-25
UCSC will host a national conference on climate change featuring top climate scientists and policy experts from across the country.
- February 06, 2017
Black hole meal sets record for length and size
New observations confirm a theoretical model developed by UCSC astrophysicists of a black hole tearing apart a star.
- February 03, 2017
Marlene Tromp selected as UC Santa Cruz campus provost and executive vice chancellor
Tromp will serve as the chief academic officer and provide academic leadership to UC Santa Cruz.
- February 02, 2017
Crochet coral reef exhibition to open Feb. 10 at Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery
"Crochet Coral Reef: CO2CA-CO2LA Ocean," an exhibition by Margaret and Christine Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring, is an artistic response to global warming and the growing problem of plastic trash accumulating in the ocean.
- February 02, 2017
Multicultural Career Conference poised to celebrate 30 years
The Multicultural Career Conference is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary in early February, marking a long history of connecting students with alumni who know the challenges of beginning a career.
- January 30, 2017
Sandra Chung to deliver 51st annual Faculty Research Lecture
UC Santa Cruz professor of linguistics Sandra Chung will deliver the 51st annual Faculty Research Lecture on Tuesday, February 7, at 7 p.m. at the Music Recital Hall in the Performing Arts Complex.
- January 30, 2017
Civil rights leader who revitalized NAACP to headline MLK Convocation
Benjamin Jealous will address the crowd at the 33rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation in downtown Santa Cruz on Thursday, February 9.
- January 27, 2017
Nwadiuto “DT” Amajoyi: Leadership learned
Born in Nigeria, Nwadiuto “DT” Amajoyi (College Nine ’13, psychology) has written speeches for a senator and prepared case files for Ugandan inmates. Now she’s pursuing an international law degree.
- January 26, 2017
Science Internship Program creates opportunities for high school students
SIP alumni and their families are raising funds to extend the program's reach and support need-based scholarships.
- January 23, 2017
End of the pipeline
In a new book, Professor Flora Lu looks at the oil industry's impact on the Waorani, an indigenous Ecuadorian population living in a region renowned for its ecological diversity.
- January 19, 2017
New book explores why the discovery of sex in plants took so long
The scandalous idea of sexual reproduction in plants was hotly debated for 150 years before finally gaining acceptance in the 19th century.
- January 17, 2017
UC Santa Cruz receives $2.2 million for innovation and entrepreneurship program
New support program will help bring research innovations to the marketplace and spur economic development in the Santa Cruz area.
- January 13, 2017
From Klingon to Dothraki: Understanding invented languages
Fans of made-up languages can learn more about the magic behind those invented words and phrases in a first-time course offered by the UC Santa Cruz Linguistics Department.
- January 11, 2017
UC Santa Cruz hosts Northern California High School Ethics Bowl
Each winter, high school students from Salinas to Marin County travel to Santa Cruz to participate in the Northern California High School Ethics Bowl.
- January 09, 2017
Access advocate Haben Girma to speak on campus
Girma's talk is part of Allies for Inclusion: The Ability Exhibit, a traveling interactive display created to build awareness about people with disabilities.
- January 09, 2017
Axel Alonso: Diversity’s superhero
Alumnus Axel Alonso, editor-in-chief at Marvel Comics, has worked to make comic book characters and their creators reflect our diverse world.
- January 09, 2017
Jan. 18 teach-in highlights activism in the Trump era
UC Santa Cruz joins UCLA, UC Berkeley, and other college campuses for a nationwide day of democratic education and action
- January 06, 2017
UC Santa Cruz will host annual hackathon January 20 to 22
Hack UCSC 2017 will draw software developers, designers, and entrepreneurs for a coding marathon.
- January 05, 2017
UC Santa Cruz engineers work with Samsung on promising new memory technology
Innovations in "spintronics" have led some to predict the eventual emergence of a universal memory technology to replace all others.
- January 04, 2017
Moore Foundation grant funds UC Santa Cruz groundwater sustainability project
The $854,000 grant supports research and solutions for the sustainability of groundwater in California.
