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Social Consciousness

December 20, 2018
Isaí Ambrosio named UCSC's inaugural "activist-in-residence"
Isaí Ambrosio is going back to school in January. The program director of the Davenport Resource Service Center (DRSC) has been named the inaugural activist-in-residence of UCSC's Research Center for the Americas (RCA).
December 13, 2018
New book reframes activism of Native leaders who sowed seeds of Red Power Movement
In her new book, Anthropology Professor Renya Ramirez portrays her grandparents, legendary Native leaders Henry and Elizabeth Cloud, as "Christian warriors" whose activism sowed the seeds of what would come to be known as the Red Power Movement.
December 05, 2018
Alumna Irma Eréndira Sandoval leads Mexico's anti-corruption efforts
Mexico's new president tapped UC Santa Cruz alumna Irma Sandoval to lead the government's anti-corruption efforts.
December 04, 2018
DVD box set curated by Shelley Stamp wins 2018 New York Film Critics Circle Award
"Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers"--a Kino Classics box set curated by UC Santa Cruz film and digital media professor Shelley Stamp and executive produced by actress, director, and screenwriter Illeana Douglas--has received a 2018 Special Award from the New York Film Critics Circle.
November 28, 2018
Racial bias taints neighborhoods—and residents, research reveals
In her research, Courtney Bonam explores the assumptions people make about neighborhoods and schools that are either predominantly black or white, and she has uncovered racial bias in the way people perceive communities.
November 16, 2018
Last chance to see 'Forest Law' by Ursula Biemann and Paulo Tavares at UC Santa Cruz
Forest Law 2014, a 38-minute multi-channel video installation and photo text assemblage based on research carried out by Ursula Biemann and Paulo Tavares in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is currently on display at the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery through December 1.
November 15, 2018
Student pushes for authentic representation of deaf community
Chrissy Marshall became interested in making videos about deaf culture because as a child, she saw very little representation of deaf people in the media or on YouTube.
November 15, 2018
Campus opens new hub for student food security, support
A new basic needs cafe at Cowell College offers free coffee, prepared meals, a juicing station and pastries—all intended to provide low income students with healthy options and alleviate stressors related to feeding themselves.
November 07, 2018
SocDoc alumna’s film about Syrian women refugees to have world premiere at DOC NYC
We Are Not Princesses, the first feature film by UC Santa Cruz alumna Bridgette Auger (SocDoc ’11) will have its world premiere on November 14 at DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the United States.
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 05, 2018
From asexuality to heteroflexibility: 21st century ushers in new openness about intimate relationships
The 21st century has ushered in a "quiet revolution" in the diversity of intimate relationships, and a leading scholar says the scale and pace of this social transformation warrants a "reboot" of relationship studies.
November 01, 2018
Legendary poet Gary Snyder to read at UC Santa Cruz for annual Morton Marcus event
Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet, essayist, and environmental activist Gary Snyder will be the featured guest at the ninth annual Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading on Thursday, November 15, at the Music Center Recital Hall on the UC Santa Cruz campus.
October 19, 2018
Visionary tech pioneer Jaron Lanier to deliver Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture
Computer scientist, composer, visual artist, and acclaimed author Jaron Lanier will deliver the 2018 Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture on Monday, October 29, at the Music Center Recital Hall. He will speak on the topic, "How the Internet Failed and How to Recreate It."
October 17, 2018
UC Santa Cruz receives Mellon Foundation humanities grant to explore Earth Futures
Catastrophic environmental breakdown, mass species extinction, financial collapse, racist separatism, global nuclear war…there is much speculation these days that we are living at the end of democracy, liberalism, capitalism, a cool planet, and civilization as we know it...
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.
October 03, 2018
Oakes College Provost House name change honors visionary
The Oakes Provost House will be renamed to honor Emeritus Professor and founding Oakes College Provost J. Herman Blake at a ceremony this month.
October 03, 2018
Housing crisis impacting city and county employees, survey reveals
Those who work for and serve the city and county of Santa Cruz are being impacted by the housing crisis, according to researchers who surveyed nearly 500 people.
October 02, 2018
Central Valley Freedom Summer registers voters, changes lives
For most kids who grow up in the Central Valley, the goal is to get out. But this summer, 25 UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced students turned that narrative on its head and returned home, eager to give back to their communities.
October 01, 2018
19 UCSC film students collaborate on documentary about Santa Cruz housing crisis
"At Capacity"—a collectively-made documentary feature film by 19 students in a UC Santa Cruz film class--will screen twice at the 2018 Santa Cruz Film Festival, which takes place downtown October 3-7.
September 28, 2018
LA County's new public defender is guided by 'presumption of innocence'
This fall, UCSC alum Ricardo Garcia will take the helm of the LA County Public Defender's Office—the largest and oldest public defender's unit in the country.
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.
August 29, 2018
Gifts to UC Santa Cruz fund new presidential chair for diversity in astronomy
UCSC astronomer Sandra Faber and her husband made the lead gift to establish an endowed chair named in honor of Faber's mentor, distinguished astronomer Vera Rubin.
August 27, 2018
Film professor Jennifer Taylor wins grant from the SFFILM 2018 Documentary Film Fund
UC Santa Cruz associate professor of film and digital media Jennifer Maytorena Taylor has received a grant from the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund to support her latest project, "The Gut."
August 17, 2018
Alumna Reyna Grande pens NY Times op-ed on immigration
Earlier this week, the New York Times published an op-ed by UC Santa Cruz alumna Reyna Grande titled "The Impossible Choice My Father Had to Make." The piece was a response to a statement by Ivanka Trump that appeared to blame immigrant parents for the separation of families this summer at the U.S.-Mexico border.
August 13, 2018
New book by UC Santa Cruz arts professor examines cultural impact of video games
In her new book, 'On Video Games: The Visual Politics of Race, Gender and Space,' UC Santa Cruz professor Soraya Murray goes beyond the technical discussions of games and instead offers a deep dive into their cultural dimensions.
August 09, 2018
Aspiring archaeologists get hands-on experience in Haiti, St. Croix
J. Cameron Monroe, associate professor of anthropology, took four Howard University undergraduates on an archaeological expedition to Haiti and St. Croix this summer as part of a UC partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
August 07, 2018
Certificate program seeks to reframe sustainability
The certificate program seeks to examine sustainability not only through the lens of the environment, but also through the lens of people. Registration opens Aug. 14.
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.
August 01, 2018
Deportation and family separation impact entire communities, researchers say
The deportation and forced separation of immigrants has negative effects that extend beyond individuals and families to entire communities in the United States, according to the Society for Community Research and Action, which has issued a policy statement calling for changes to U.S. policy.
August 01, 2018
UC Santa Cruz ranks among most LGBTQ-friendly campuses
The Affordable Colleges Online ranking looks at academic rigor, affordability, and support for LGBTQ students. UC Santa Cruz came in at No. 30 overall and No. 5 among UC campuses.
July 25, 2018
Alumna author Kate Schatz spotlights ‘rad girls’ under age 20
'Rad Girls Can': Stories of Bold, Brave, and Brilliant Young Women is the title of the latest book by UC Santa Cruz alumna Kate Schatz, the New York Times best-selling author of 'Rad Women Worldwide' and 'Rad American Women A-Z.'
July 20, 2018
Professor’s new film 'Redneck Muslim' now streaming on PBS
Redneck Muslim, a new short film by associate professor of film and digital media Jennifer Maytorena Taylor, is one of 25 films currently screening in the 2018 PBS Online Film Festival as a presentation of the PBS series POV.
July 19, 2018
UC Santa Cruz receives grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has awarded a $57,000 grant to the UC Santa Cruz Arts Division’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences.
July 06, 2018
Gallery between North and South Korea features exhibition by art professor Jimin Lee
The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea is an unlikely setting for an art gallery. Established in 1953 as part of an armistice agreement that ended three years of brutal war, the DMZ is a 2.5-mile-wide band that runs 155 miles across the Korean peninsula, serving as a buffer zone between the two countries...
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 26, 2018
B. Ruby Rich invited to join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
UC Santa Cruz arts dean's eminent professor of film and digital media B. Ruby Rich has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. The world's preeminent film organization, it is best known for presenting the annual Academy Awards.
June 21, 2018
Five UC Santa Cruz students present futuristic game at IndieCade Showcase
A group of five students from UC Santa Cruz presented their game, "Meet Me in the Garden," at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles last week as part of the annual IndieCade Showcase.
June 14, 2018
The new queer teenager
Queer youth today are in a paradoxical situation, coming out earlier and becoming leaders even as they cope with the significant challenges of adolescence, Psychology Professor Phil Hammack told a panel convened by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
June 12, 2018
Standing tall and giving back
For graduating senior Asante Nkosi, a double major in sociology and history allowed him to connect his experiences with his interest in black U.S. history, the Civil Rights Movement, and the contemporary moment.
June 11, 2018
SocDoc graduate documentary films to be screened June 13 at Del Mar Theater
UC Santa Cruz will present the premiere of thesis films by three graduating students in the field of social documentation on Wednesday, June 13, at the Del Mar Theater in downtown Santa Cruz.
June 06, 2018
Global experts attend academic summit on solitary confinement
Forty-five of the world's experts on the psychological and physical effects of solitary confinement gathered in Santa Cruz recently for a two-day academic summit.
May 22, 2018
Bettina Aptheker to lead 'Women In the Arts' panel at Kuumbwa
The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies and The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz will present "Always Moving Uphill: Women in the Arts," on Tuesday, May 29, at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in downtown Santa Cruz.
May 11, 2018
Angela Davis joins May 22 panel discussion about mass incarceration
Angela Davis will join a May 22 panel discussion about mass incarceration, solitary confinement, and criminal justice reform that is being convened by Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Haney.
May 10, 2018
Sue Carter named provost for Rachel Carson College
Professor Sue Carter said her vision for Rachel Carson College is to strengthen its role in supporting students as they seek to create a more sustainable future and make it a place for them to gain skills needed for green careers in which they can develop sustainable innovations to preserve the environment.
May 08, 2018
UCSC Night at the Museum to explore global impact of 1968 protest movements
The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz will present "UCSC Night at the Museum: Global 1968—Race and Revolution around the World," a free public event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, on Wednesday, May 16.
May 01, 2018
Undergraduate Eric Medina wins $15,000 Strauss Scholarship to reinvigorate Oakes Garden
Eric Medina, a fourth year at UC Santa Cruz double majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology and Latin American and Latino studies, has received a $15,000 public service scholarship to reinvigorate the garden at Oakes College.
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
DANM 2018 MFA student exhibition culminates two years of intensive study and creative work
Nine graduate students from the Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. program (DANM) will conclude two years of artistic study at UC Santa Cruz with "Interstices"--an exhibition of their work running April 27-29, at the UCSC Digital Arts Research Center.
April 11, 2018
Building a feminist psychology of resistance
On a fateful trip to Nicaragua in 2005, Shelly Grabe, now an associate professor of psychology, met women who were organizing to fight domestic violence, and she saw what real and lasting social change looked like.
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.
April 03, 2018
UC Santa Cruz honors alumni: bestselling author Hector Tobar and historian Virginia Espino
Award-winning journalist and author Héctor Tobar and filmmaker Virginia Espino are the 2018 recipients of the Social Sciences Division's Distinguished Alumni Award.
April 02, 2018
Community Studies class showcases public health leaders in 'Year of Alumni'
Eight alumni are returning to campus this spring as guest lecturers in a special-edition public health class offered by Community Studies.
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.
March 08, 2018
'And Then They Came for Us' brings history into the present
The Humanities Institute and Cowell College will present a special screening of "And Then They Came for Us," winner of the Accolade Global Film 2017 Humanitarian Award, on March 14 at the Del Mar Theater in downtown Santa Cruz.
March 05, 2018
Mothers in science offer solutions to the conference-childcare conundrum
A Working Group of Mothers in Science has proposed guidelines for scientific conferences to remove barriers for parents.
March 02, 2018
Gun control advocate Gabby Giffords joins fundraiser for Gabe Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship
Former Arizona Congresswoman and gun control advocate Gabby Giffords attended a fundraising event to support the Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship.
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 21, 2018
Another 'gem' in the string of Maitra lectures
The 16th Annual Sidhartha Maitra Memorial Lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Colleges Nine/Ten Multi-purpose Room. Admission is free, with registration. The university will host a post-lecture reception to provide an opportunity for the audience to engage with Rao.
February 20, 2018
Alumna Adilah Barnes joins cast of 'A Raisin in the Sun' at UC Santa Cruz
The Theater Arts Department and the African American Theatre Arts Troupe at UC Santa Cruz will present Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking play, A Raisin in the Sun, on campus, March 2-11, at the Theater Arts Second Stage.
February 12, 2018
Women leaders inspire undergrad during UCDC internship in Nancy Pelosi's office
For Courtney Zuniga, the sight of powerful women like Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi made a lasting impression during her Fall Quarter UCDC internship in Washington, D.C.
February 09, 2018
MLK Convocation: For racial equality, we must hear women
Kimberlé Crenshaw, a law professor known for the development of intersectional theory, praised the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. but noted that the civil rights movement and the Obama era left out the perspectives and voices of women.
February 08, 2018
Arts professor to premiere film at 2018 Berlin International Film Festival
UC Santa Cruz film and digital media professor Irene Lusztig will premiere her new film, 'Yours in Sisterhood,' at the 2018 Berlinale, running February 15-25 in Berlin, Germany.
February 01, 2018
'Spoken/Unspoken: Forms of Resistance' to open Feb. 8 at Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery
The Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery will present Spoken/Unspoken: Forms of Resistance, a new public exhibition running February 8 through March 17 at UC Santa Cruz.
January 30, 2018
As tax time approaches, UCSC students volunteer to help low-income filers
As April 15 looms, a team of UC Santa Cruz undergraduate volunteers is getting ready to provide free tax-preparation assistance to low- and moderate-income residents of Santa Cruz County.
January 25, 2018
Field trip of a lifetime
When he transferred to UC Santa Cruz, Ray Gutierrez didn’t foresee he’d soon be in India making a documentary about youths with disabilities at a crossroads between globalization and tradition.
January 24, 2018
Karen Yamashita's memoir explores Japanese-American internment
Award-winning author and UC Santa Cruz literature professor Karen Tei Yamashita will read from her new memoir on Thursday, February 1, as part of the 2018 winter installment of the Living Writers Series.
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.
January 18, 2018
Judge relies heavily on Haney's testimony in case banning solitary confinement
In a landmark court ruling that prohibits solitary confinement in Canada, a Canadian judge relied heavily on expert testimony by Psychology Professor Craig Haney.
January 17, 2018
New book, The Postgenomic Condition: Ethics, Justice, and Knowledge After the Genome, assesses progress since 2000
Sociologist Jenny Reardon evaluates the promise and pitfalls of genomics in her new book The Postgenomic Condition: Ethics, Justice, and Knowledge After the Genome (University of Chicago Press, 2017).
January 10, 2018
Questions That Matter public humanities series to explore 'Freedom and Race'
The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz will present "Freedom & Race"--the fourth installment of its signature "Questions That Matter" series--on January 30, at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in downtown Santa Cruz. The evening will feature a conversation with humanities dean Tyler Stovall and history of art and visual culture professor Jennifer González.
January 10, 2018
Trump environmental watchdog group issues third report
The Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI), a grassroots watchdog group monitoring the Trump administration's performance on the environment, today (January 10, 2018) issued its third report.