2020  Social Sciences

Research partnership explores bonds between mothers and nonspeaking autistic children

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz and the University of Virginia have been collaborating to better understand behaviors and beliefs that may strengthen relationships between mothers and children with nonspeaking autism.

Surge in online grocery shopping brings a quantity-over-quality jobs shift

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated emerging labor market trends associated with e-commerce in the grocery industry, creating mixed implications for jobs, according to a new report led by UCSC professor Chris Benner.

Campus publishes sixth edition of “inquiry@UC Santa Cruz” research magazine

The stories, crafted by alumni of the world-renowned UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Master’s Program, cover projects across the five academic devisions.

National Academies report on sustainability education features UC Santa Cruz expertise

UC Santa Cruz professor Anne Kapuscinski chaired the committee that developed the report, and campus initiatives were highlighted within as examples of innovative sustainability education.

Psychology research shows ‘water cooler talk’ can have big benefits

In settings where people are working together on a task, making time for small talk allows for a newly-described behavior called "reciprocity in conversation," which is associated with higher levels of task enjoyment.

UC Santa Cruz celebrates its first Rhodes Scholar

Spring 2020 graduate Garima Desai was named among the top 32 scholars from across the U.S. who will have all of their expenses paid to attend graduate school at Oxford University through a Rhodes Scholarship.

Two UC Santa Cruz programs win funding for public interest technology

The Human Rights Investigations Lab and Everett Program at UC Santa Cruz will receive new grant funding through the Public Interest Technology University Network.

Research breakthrough achieves fish-free aquaculture feed that raises key standards

A new aquaculture feed formula eliminates conventional fish meal and fish oil ingredients by combining ingredients derived from two species of marine microalgae.

The 2020 new Slug reality: Handling adversity and transitioning to a virtual learning experience

Remote learning has its challenges, but the newest class of Banana Slugs is making the most out of this uncharted experience.

Quantitative ecologist wins Tansley Medal for plant science contributions

Environmental studies assistant professor Kai Zhu was recently chosen from a global field as one of two recipients of the Tansley Medal for Excellence in Plant Science, presented by the journal New Phytologist.

Big Ideas contest offers up to $20,000 for big ideas in social innovation

Big Ideas contest, open to all UC students, seeks student-led, early-stage projects or ideas with a social impact focus.

MacArthur 'genius' grant winner reflects on early influences at UC Santa Cruz

Forrest Stuart has built his career pursuing burning questions about the societal underpinnings of poverty and criminalization across disciplines. Stuart said his research focus has been influenced both by his childhood and the formative experiences of his undergraduate education at University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned his bachelor’s in politics in 2004.

Physical and Biological Sciences Division honors three prominent alumni

The PBSci Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize contributions to society by graduate and undergraduate alums.

Doctoral candidate wins Switzer Fellowship for environmental justice research in El Salvador

James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Studies, was recently selected for the 2020 Switzer Environmental Fellowship as part of a cohort of 20 top scholar-activists from around the country.

UC Santa Cruz study cited in arguments against gig economy proposition

The report, "On-demand and on-the-edge: Ride-hailing and Delivery Workers in San Francisco," underscores the financial vulnerability of workers in the gig economy.

Challenging how we see the prison-industrial complex

An ambitious two-part exhibit, titled Barring Freedom and Visualizing Abolition, organized by the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, combines art and activism to address prison and policing issues.

UC Santa Cruz Human Rights Lab investigates social unrest in Chile

Human Rights Investigations Labs at UCSC and UC Berkeley collaborated on open source research focused on the human rights crisis in Chile, which began with massive anti-government demonstrations a year ago that prompted a swift and sometimes brutal government crackdown on protestors.

New faculty build on campus strengths

UC Santa Cruz is welcoming 43 new faculty members to campus this academic year. Areas of expertise include psychology, mathematics, astronomy and astrophysics, computer science and engineering, and much more. 

Rising from the ashes

Archaeological researchers from UC Santa Cruz are among the volunteers searching through rubble for homeowners who lost their loved ones’ cremains in the fires that ravaged Oregon and California.

Alumna Martha Mendoza wins Emmy for work on child detention documentary

‘Kids Caught in the Crackdown’ documentary from PBS Frontline and Associated Press investigates the detention of migrant children in federally-funded shelters.

LALS doctoral candidate Candy Martínez awarded Native American Scholars Initiative Fellowship

Candy Martínez, a PhD. candidate in Latin America Latino Studies, has been named a 2020-2021 Andrew W. Mellon Native American Scholars Initiative Fellow at the American Philosophical Society.

The global land rush

In her new book, 'Fields of Gold, Financing the Global Land Rush,' Madeleine Fairbairn looks at forces and players that have transformed farmland into a novel financial asset class.

Summer Session helps students earn degrees

UC Santa Cruz staff and faculty have been steadily working to increase summer session enrollment, leading UCs in online offerings and working with departments to offer the classes students need to graduate.

Election series looks at critical moment in time

The four-part series will address how social movements on the left and right have shaped what is at stake in the election, what institutional barriers to democracy exist in America’s political system, and how patterns of civic engagement are influencing the election.

John R. Lewis College: Providing the tools to stand up against injustice and create change

John R. Lewis College students take on social justice issues while pushing for positive growth and progress in society.

Rising to the Eco-Challenge

Two Slug alumni were part of a grueling, 11-day, 416-mile adventure race called Eco-Challenge Fiji, caught in a 10-episode series streaming on Amazon Prime.

Research buildings saved as wildfire sweeps across Big Creek Natural Reserve

Fire preparedness and hard work by fast-moving fire crews and UC Santa Cruz staff is being credited for saving research and residential buildings at the Landels-Hill Big Creek Natural Reserve on the Big Sur coast.

Economist's research cited in bill to strengthen federal minority business agency

When the COVID–19 pandemic hit, Professor Rob Fairlie knew he needed to shift his research to the economic impact of the crisis.

College Nine: Embracing world cultures and developing tomorrow’s leaders

College Nine encourages students to take part in experiential learning opportunities and inspires them to become global citizens.

Report exposes rampant illegal fishing in North Korean waters

Ground-breaking study reveals hundreds of vessels fishing illegally in one of the world’s most contested ocean regions, contravening UN sanctions and fueling overfishing.

CITRIS UCSC funds new pandemic-related research projects

The campus seed funding program is providing $40K grants for three new projects to address the challenges of COVID-19.

Connecting on campus

Social psychologist Rebecca Covarrubias documents the experiences of students who are the first in their family to attend college.

Merrill College: Embracing individuality and cultural identities

Merrill College values diversity, inclusion, and experiential learning.

Three interdisciplinary projects receive seed funding from UCSC Foundation

Three interdisciplinary projects have received seed funding from the UC Santa Cruz Foundation following a campuswide call for proposals issued by the Office of Research.

Hellman Fellows Program and UC announce $125 million commitment to faculty research

The Hellman Fellows Program and the University of California announced a plan to permanently support the Hellman Fellows Program on all 10 campuses in the UC system.

Michael Soulé, father of conservation biology, dies at 84

Michael Soulé, a professor emeritus of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz who was widely considered the "father of conservation biology," died on June 17. He was 84.

In Memoriam: Allison Endert

Building bridges out of prison walls

Student Alyssa Tamboura began a student-run, volunteer program called Walls to Bridges that mediates meetings between those jailed and their families as a way to work their way back to better relationships.

Committee on Teaching recognizes innovative, dedicated instructors

The UC Santa Cruz Committee on Teaching has announced the eight recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Social Sciences recognizes students amid unprecedented times

The Social Sciences Division announced the recipients of its annual student achievement awards.

Royal Geographical Society publishes special COVID-19 issue

A virtual special issue of Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers features Politics Professor Matt Sparke's article, "Contextualizing Coronavirus Geographically," and provides free access to additional articles that provide perspective on the pandemic.

Two vital buffers against climate change are just offshore

A new study underscores the need to conserve and restore mangroves and coral reefs for coastal protection.

Emerald predators: Ohlone tiger beetles reclaim territory with the help of local scientists

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists released 43 Ohlone tiger beetles to a new home in Santa Cruz County earlier this year with the help of UC Santa Cruz students and reserve managers

Protecting vulnerable children and families during the pandemic

In addition to experiencing higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death, the most vulnerable among us are losing ground in schooling, learning, and development, according to the authors of a new policy brief aimed at lawmakers.

Field courses boost STEM diversity, study reveals

The challenge of diversifying STEM fields may get a boost from the results of a new study that show field courses help build self-confidence among students—especially those from underrepresented groups.

Outbreak inquiry

Faculty have developed two undergraduate classes that are focusing on the effects and experiences of the coronavirus pandemic, even while the pandemic is under way.

Cowell College: Blazing the trail to lifelong learning

UC Santa Cruz’s first college prides itself on academic rigor and the spirit of community, living up to its motto: “The pursuit of truth in the company of friends.”

Washington Post's depictions of autism shift from "cause and cure" to acceptance, study finds

The Washington Post's depiction of autism has shifted over the years from a focus on "cause and cure" toward one of acceptance and accommodation, say the authors of a new study.

CITRIS Seed Funding program invites proposals for pandemic and disaster preparedness projects

CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz is inviting UCSC researchers to apply for research support for projects focused on providing solutions to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and disaster preparedness.

Planting trees is no panacea for climate change, says ecologist

Restoration ecologist Karen Holl has a simple message for anyone who thinks planting 1 trillion trees will reverse the damage of climate change: "We can't plant our way out of climate change."

Team reveals genomic history of ancient civilizations in the Andes

An international research team has conducted the first in-depth, wide-scale study of the genomic history of ancient civilizations in the central Andes mountains and coast before European contact.

Already vulnerable, gig economy workers in San Francisco suffer during coronavirus pandemic, survey reveals

A new survey of app-based ride-hailing and food and grocery-delivery workers in San Francisco underscores the financial vulnerability of workers in the gig economy—and the coronavirus has made their plight much worse.

Video highlights cultural differences in collaboration

A video by Barbara Rogoff, distinguished professor of psychology, about how children learn to collaborate is featured in the 2020 STEM for All Video Showcase competition hosted by the National Science Foundation.

Zavella authors new book about reproductive justice

Pat Zavella, professor emerita of Latin American and Latino studies, has published a new book about the reproductive justice movement that blends research, history, theory, and memoir.

Economist Nirvikar Singh joins panel of experts

Professor of economics Nirvikar Singh has joined a panel of experts convened by the government of Punjab to oversee the revival of the state in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lecturer Ryan Coonerty named UC Free Speech Fellow

Ryan Coonerty, a longtime lecturer in the Legal Studies program at UC Santa Cruz, has been named a 2020-21 fellow of UC’s National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

Watch UCSC participants talk about hope during TEDx Santa Cruz

Last December, TEDx Santa Cruz hosted a day-long extravaganza of talks curated around the theme of "The Art of Hope." Those talks, including ones by several UCSC affiliates, are now available for online viewing.

Agroecology major available this fall

Beginning this fall, students will have an opportunity to enroll in a new agroecology major, an interdisciplinary program housed in the Environmental Studies Department.

Delivery and ridehailing workers lack critical protections from coronavirus

Chris Benner led an online survey of app-based workers in San Francisco, and preliminary results reveal significant financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Broadcasting opportunity

Alumnus Rizal Aliga takes the KZSC model to his high school alma mater, establishing a student-run broadcasting club that builds school spirit while providing students with career and communications skills.

New program advances global and community health

As countries across the globe fight the coronavirus pandemic, UC Santa Cruz is creating a new program that will prepare students and provide research to solve current and future global health problems.

COVID-19: Economist helps build "contact tracing" app for Peru

In an effort to protect people from COVID-19, economist Kristian López Vargas helped lead the development of an app the Peruvian government has launched to improve "contact tracing" .

Discrimination, governance, and trust in the age of COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has upended daily life around the world, and is simultaneously triggering challenging questions of discrimination, governance, and trust, says sociologist Jenny Reardon.

Grow your own veggies? Orin Martin offers tips for novice gardeners

Orin Martin is delighted that people are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with a desire to grow their own veggies, and he has lots of knowledge to share—as well as one plea: Be sure to plant some flowers, too.

California Sea Grant funds sustainable aquaculture project

Pallab Sarker, an associate research professor in environmental studies, has received support from the Coastal Sea Grant program to fund his research into the development of sustainable feed for farmed fish.

Grad student wins support for Joshua tree research

Daniel Hastings, a graduate student in environmental studies, has received a research fellowship award to support his work studying the effects of climate change on the Joshua tree.

Orin Martin recognized for 'Fruit Trees for Every Garden'

Orin Martin's book 'Fruit Trees for Every Garden' has been recognized by the American Horticultural Society as one of the outstanding gardening books of 2019.

Recruiting raptors for rodent control along the Pajaro River levee

UCSC’s Predatory Bird Research Group is working with the Santa Cruz County Flood Control District to encourage hawks and owls to patrol the levee for rodent control.

How to #keepteaching and #keeplearning during a pandemic

Jody Greene is eager—almost desperate—to help her colleagues who are facing the unprecedented challenge of shifting to remote instruction for the entire spring quarter.

Timing is key for parents who want to help children learn at museums, say researchers

Children's museums can be a challenging environment for parents who feel the urge to explain the science behind all the novel activities that dazzle youngsters. New research suggests that timing is key to supporting children's learning in these environments.

Two programs will support undergrads in research, service learning, and peer mentoring

Undergraduates in the Division of Social Sciences will soon benefit from two programs that will provide paid opportunities to do research, engage in service learning, and mentor their peers.

New book debunks myths about who causes crime and why

Craig Haney, a distinguished professor of psychology, is the author of the new book Criminality in Context: The Psychological Foundations of Criminal Justice Reform, a comprehensive analysis of 40 years of research into the root causes of criminal behavior.

Karen Holl publishes a "primer" on ecological restoration

Karen Holl has introduced hundreds of undergraduates to ecological restoration, and now she has published the book she wishes had been available when she first stepped into the classroom.

Geographers recognize Guthman book, Wilted, about the strawberry industry

Julie Guthman has been awarded the 2019 Meridian Book Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work in Geography for her book, Wilted.

UC Santa Cruz joins national "tech for social good" network

UC Santa Cruz has been accepted into a new national network of colleges and universities that have made an explicit commitment to developing technology that will advance the public interest.

Aquaculture to benefit people and the environment

Two graduate students have received a one-year, $150,000 grant to create environmentally sound seaweed and sea cucumber farms on the coasts of Kenya and The Gambia.

Norris Center aims to inspire naturalists across campus

Jessica Correa has loved insects since she was a little girl. Today she is an instructor with the Bird School Project. The Norris Center for Natural History gave her the support that launched her career in environmental education.

Using isotopes to reconstruct life histories within the transatlantic slave trade

Four hundred years after the displacement of millions of Africans began, anthropologist Vicky Oelze wants to use isotope biogeochemistry to trace back and identify the origins of individuals who were abducted and perished in the Americas.

Stevenson College: An inclusive, collaborative social atmosphere

Stevenson College was built on a legacy of responsibility, engagement, and mutual understanding, preparing students to become leaders and to make positive social change in their communities.

Craig Haney testifies before committee charged with revising state's penal code

Craig Haney, distinguished professor of psychology, was the only witness to testify during the first meeting of the newly formed Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.

UCSC taking art/science LASER talk series downtown for special evening at Rio Theater

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the Institute of the Arts and Sciences will bring its local LASER—now in its seventh year of quarterly talks on campus—downtown for a special evening at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz, beginning at 7 p.m.

Jenny Reardon named a fellow of The Hastings Center

Jenny Reardon, professor of sociology and the founding director of the Science and Justice Research Center, has been named a fellow of The Hastings Center, a leader in the field of bioethics.

Graduate student funds for travel to Latin America available through RCA

New funding is available for graduate students traveling to Latin America to conduct preliminary research, thanks to a grant from the Tinker Foundation and matching funds from the university that were received by the Research Center for the Americas.

The power of research

Wilfrido Hernández Flores discovered social science research in the Culture and Achievement Collaborative, and it changed his life

Breaking down barriers to success

First-gen student Reina Garay-Solis is doing undergraduate research to help identify common challenges for first-gen and underrepresented students and find effective institutional practices to address them

The carbon footprint of dinner: How "green" are fish sticks?

Fish sticks may be a tasty option for dinner, but are they good for the planet? A new study of the climate impacts of seafood products reveals that the processing of Alaskan pollock into fish sticks, imitation crab, and fish fillets generates significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Global study of street networks reveals growing urban sprawl

Local streets of the world’s cities are becoming less connected, part of a global trend that is driving urban sprawl and discouraging the use of public transportation.

Public conversation about race and racial reconciliation on Jan. 22

Racial reconciliation and the future of race in America will be the subject of a public conversation with scholars Alondra Nelson and Herman Gray on Wednesday, January 22, at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.

UC Santa Cruz helps develop Egyptian Center of Excellence for Water

UC Santa Cruz is partnering with the American University in Cairo, nine other Egyptian and U.S.-based universities, and industry partners to help Egypt make the most of its limited water supply.

Food and anti-corporate globalization activist Vandana Shiva coming to campus Jan. 25-26

The public is invited to attend two events with legendary food activist Vandana Shiva, who will be at UC Santa Cruz on January 25 and 26.