June 2022
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Allied for exponential impact
The Black Men’s Alliance, established in 1994 as an organization to create community for Black students at UC Santa Cruz, now boasts a population of 60 engaged and active alumni—and wants to expand further.
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Reefense project aims to meld biology and engineering in novel structures for coastal protection
UCSC scientists are part of a DARPA-funded team to develop innovative solutions for coral reef restoration in Florida and the Caribbean to protect coastal infrastructure.
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The team behind a tree of 10 million Covid sequences
10 million sequences of COVID-19’s genomic code have now been organized into a phylogenetic tree in the UC Santa Cruz SARS-CoV-2 Browser, which is the largest tree of genomic sequences of a single species ever assembled.
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Study shows mangrove and reef restoration yield positive returns on investment for flood protection
A robust analysis demonstrates that nature-based solutions to reduce the damage caused by coastal flooding are cost-effective.
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Polar bears in Southeast Greenland shed light on the species’ future in a warming Arctic
The most genetically isolated population of polar bears on the planet, they have limited access to sea ice and use ice from Greenland’s glaciers to survive.
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100,000-year-old polar bear genome reveals ancient hybridization with brown bears
Scientists found that all brown bears today have some polar bear ancestry due to genetic admixture that occurred during a warm interglacial period more than 100,000 years ago.
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Ingenious, tech-based solutions pitched at Santa Cruz Launchpad 2022
The annual UC Santa Cruz business pitch competition and job fair drew in 19 student teams, 25 local companies, and nearly 500 attendees.
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Microbiologist Jacqueline Kimmey named Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences
Kimmey’s lab is investigating how susceptibility to infections is influenced by the daily biological cycles known as circadian rhythms.
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Students dip their toes into coastal science at Younger Lagoon
Ocean Sciences Professor Carl Lamborg uses Younger Lagoon Reserve to teach Field and Lab Methods in Aquatic and Coastal Science.
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Joy and perseverance
Commencement week was a grand celebration that included Slug Crossings, heartfelt speeches, cap tossing, photo ops, and accessorized cap-and-gown outfits. Graduates spoke of the challenges they faced on the way, savored time with their families, and discussed future plans.
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A welcoming place in the redwoods
The Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center is a place for students to claim and proclaim their voices.
