Home / 2018 / Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies

December 06, 2018
Wild animals key to mediating landscape’s capacity to store carbon, researchers say
Advances in remote sensing technologies are helping scientists to better measure how global landscapes—from forests to savanna—are able to store carbon, a critical insight as they evaluate the potential role of ecosystems in mitigating climate change.
November 14, 2018
Entrepreneur and UC Santa Cruz benefactor Will Webster dies at 90
Webster, a major donor who invented revolutionary cardiac devices, established a foundation that spearheaded significant campus changes.
November 09, 2018
ENVS doctoral candidate Paulo Quadri takes top honors for NYC talk
Paulo Quadri, a doctoral candidate in environmental studies, was recognized for giving one of the three best talks during the American Museum of Natural History’s annual Student Conference on Conservation Science.
November 07, 2018
Beyond campaign rhetoric: What's really needed to secure California's economic future
With the world's fifth-largest economy, California has legitimate bragging rights as it proudly leads the "resistance" to federal attacks on immigrant rights, environmental policy, and progressive values in general. But that's not the whole story.
November 01, 2018
Exhibit showcases art inspired by the UC Santa Cruz Natural Reserves
'Reserves of Inspiration: Exploring UC Santa Cruz Natural Landscapes' opens November 6 at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery in Cowell College.
October 10, 2018
UCSC hosts free public forum Oct. 22 on the Santa Cruz housing crisis
Six UC Santa Cruz scholars will discuss rent control and other proposals to address the Santa Cruz housing crisis during a free public forum on Monday, October 22, in the Kresge Town Hall.
October 09, 2018
UC Santa Cruz honors outstanding staff, teaching, research
The Division of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz presented several major awards today (Tuesday, October 9) to recognize outstanding accomplishments by faculty, staff, researchers, and emeriti faculty.
October 08, 2018
Nine in 10 Silicon Valley jobs pay less now than 20 years ago, new research reveals
The vast majority of workers in Silicon Valley have been excluded from the area’s enormous economic boom, according to the results of a new study that reveals that nearly nine in ten jobs pay less today than they did 20 years ago.
September 27, 2018
UC Santa Cruz wins USDA grant to support beginning farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has funded an effort by UC Santa Cruz to help programs that support beginning farmers and ranchers evaluate their effectiveness.
September 19, 2018
Community engagement enhances graduate education
Associate Professor Elliott Campbell and Professor Chris Benner co-taught a Spring Quarter class to connect first-year graduate students with environmental problems in the Salinas Valley Basin and to foster collaboration with off-campus stakeholders.
September 17, 2018
NSF funds UC Santa Cruz study of tech in agriculture
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz are leading a new, NSF-funded, multi-campus initiative to explore the intersection of agriculture, food, and technology.
August 06, 2018
Coastal Science and Policy graduate program welcomes first cohort of students
The new graduate program in Coastal Science and Policy at UC Santa Cruz will welcome its first cohort of students in fall 2018.
July 30, 2018
Natural habitat can help farmers control pests, but not always a win-win
An international team of scientists found that natural habitat surrounding farm fields is not always an effective pest-control tool for farmers worldwide.
July 26, 2018
New meta-analysis reveals pace and extent of river recovery
A new global meta-analysis by UC Santa Cruz researchers reveals patterns of river responsiveness to disturbances such as oil spills, wastewater contamination, and fires.
July 13, 2018
New research calculates capacity of North American forests to sequester carbon
Researchers have calculated the capacity of North American forests to sequester carbon in an analysis that for the first time integrates the effects of natural forest growth and climate changes that are likely to alter the growth process.
July 05, 2018
Learn how to grow and assemble beautiful bouquets
Learn how to create beautiful homegrown organic flower arrangements at a lecture and demonstration workshop on July 15.
June 29, 2018
Farm ranked among top college farms
The UC Santa Cruz Farm has been ranked among the top 15 college farms in the country by Best Value Schools.
June 19, 2018
Reforming California's commercial property tax system would boost the economy, report says
Reforming California's property tax structure to tax commercial properties at their market value would boost the economy by generating new revenue, stimulating development, and diversifying industry, according to a new report by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
June 11, 2018
Help from the wizarding world
A gift from a Harry Potter–themed virtual running club enables a UC Santa Cruz professor to observe whales in Antarctica
May 29, 2018
Awards luncheon celebrates excellence in student scholarship
Students in the Division of Social Sciences gathered with friends, family members, faculty, staff, and donors on Thursday, May 24, to celebrate excellence in student scholarship and creativity.
May 25, 2018
Diverse campus landscapes are ideal outdoor laboratories—and classrooms
UC Santa Cruz is known for its beautiful landscapes, but its meadows, forests, farm fields, and coastal bluffs also support a range of scientific research and hands-on learning opportunities for students.
May 21, 2018
Cowell Ranch Hay Barn website debuts
The popular Cowell Ranch Hay Barn now has its own website with information about how to rent the facility and adjacent Ocean View Field.
May 18, 2018
Undergraduate builds handcrafted bee hotels to attract pollinators
Mindful that the population of European honeybees is crashing worldwide due to Colony Collapse Disorder, Environmental Studies senior Forest Peri wanted to make a welcoming home for native bees.
April 30, 2018
Cowell Ranch Hay Barn recognized for energy-efficient systems
The newly restored Cowell Ranch Hay Barn continues to reap recognition and awards, the latest from professionals in the field of building systems design.
April 19, 2018
Bill McKibben, Daniel Ellsberg headline Right Livelihood Laureates' Conference at UC Santa Cruz
Climate change activist Bill McKibben and whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg are two of the crusading global leaders gathering May 15-17 at UC Santa Cruz for the Right Livelihood Conference, a three-day series of public events focused on advancing social and environmental justice.
April 17, 2018
Spring Plant Sale Takes Place April 28-29
The UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden's Spring Plant Sale takes place Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29, in the Barn Theater parking lot at the base of the UC Santa Cruz campus, near the intersection of Bay and High Streets.
April 16, 2018
Teaching on the edge
Four of UC Santa Cruz’s most innovative educators will offer insights and advice about fostering lively, dynamic, and relevant classrooms during a special edition of the Alumni Weekend Teach-Ins.
April 10, 2018
Coastal stream restoration projects concentrated where residents are 'whiter, wealthier, and more educated,' researchers find
Stream restoration efforts along the coast of Central California are unevenly distributed, with activity more likely to occur in areas that are more highly populated and dominated by residents who are "whiter, wealthier, and more educated," according to an analysis by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
March 16, 2018
Soil fungi may help determine the resilience of forests to environmental change, according to UC Santa Cruz study
A major new study by Kai Zhu reveals that soil fungi could play a significant role in the ability of forests to adapt to environmental change.
March 13, 2018
Homegrown help
New ag tunnels will allow the UC Santa Cruz Farm and Garden to provide a year-round supply of healthy, low-cost produce to dining halls, food pantries, and market pop-ups on campus as part of the effort to address food insecurity.
February 28, 2018
Fixing damaged ecosystems: How much does restoration help?
A new meta-analysis of 400 studies that document recovery from large-scale ecosystem disturbances worldwide suggests that while ecosystems can bounce back, they rarely mend completely, with the final stages of recovery being most difficult.
February 23, 2018
USDA funds efforts to bring underrepresented students into agriculture
A unique collaboration between UC Santa Cruz and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is supporting underrepresented students who are interested in agriculture-related fields.
February 21, 2018
At the nexus of food, energy, and water: Elliot Campbell bridges the research gap
Elliott Campbell is an environmental engineer who is drawn to research at the nexus of food, water, and energy.
February 09, 2018
Climate Conference features visionary artist and Smithsonian biologist
The fifth annual Climate Science and Policy Conference presented by UC Santa Cruz brings together a visionary artist and a Smithsonian scientist for an engaging, interdisciplinary conversation about how humans and ecosystems will cope on a warming planet.
January 18, 2018
Elliott Campbell appointed to chair in water resources and food system sustainability
Elliott Campbell, associate professor of environmental studies, was honored as the inaugural holder of the Stephen R. Gliessman Presidential Chair in Water Resources and Food System Sustainability.