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2022 University News

February 01, 2023
New traditions
UC Santa Cruz alumni Florence Nelson, Stephen Klein, and Nadene Thorne are at the forefront of volunteering at Cowell College.
December 26, 2022
Bering Land Bridge formed surprisingly late during last ice age, study finds
By reconstructing the sea level history of the Bering Strait, scientists found that the strait remained flooded until around 35,700 years ago, not long before humans began migrating into the Americas.
December 20, 2022
UC Santa Cruz earns a top three spot at national codebreaker challenge
More than 440 universities competed in the 2022 National Security Agency (NSA) Codebreaker Challenge, where students are challenged to expand their reverse engineering and other skills necessary for careers in cybersecurity.
December 17, 2022
UCSC researcher explores drug use, harm reduction in San Francisco’s Latino/x community
It’s no secret that the opioid epidemic has devastated our country, especially within communities of color. Latino/xs have seen some of the highest drug addiction rates, which have only increased due to the rise of synthetic opioids like fentanyl and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, San Francisco was the county with the third-highest opioid-related death rate among Latinos in California.
December 16, 2022
New study presents vision of machine learning leveraged for precision medicine
In a new perspective published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics Marcella Gomez details a vision for how the field can move beyond static data to create systems that measure and monitor the real-time responses of the body to a variety of factors and use a machine learning algorithm to produce, and even in some instances carry out, a treatment plan.
December 15, 2022
UCSC Genome Browser selected to first-ever Global Core Biodata Resource List
The UCSC Genome Browser is now part of the first list of Global Core Biodata Resources—a collection of 37 resources whose long-term funding and sustainability is critical to life science and biomedical research worldwide.
December 15, 2022
Biochemist Laura Sanchez receives Allen Distinguished Investigator award
Sanchez is among 16 new Allen Distinguished Investigators awarded a total of $10 million in research funding to support cutting-edge projects in protein lifespan and nutrient sensing.
December 14, 2022
Breaking up is hard to do: Separation of Fiji and Vanuatu tied to Samoan seamounts
New analyses of volcanic rock samples collected in the 1980s link the geologic histories of these South Pacific islands to explain their current locations and character.
December 13, 2022
UC Santa Cruz scholar receives major new grant to support inclusive community development throughout California
As state and federal agencies are investing increasing funding in pandemic recovery, infrastructure development and initiatives to address climate change, a collaboration of renowned scholars led by UC Santa Cruz are working with community groups to ensure equity and inclusion are at the heart of these efforts.
December 13, 2022
De Acker selected to serve as campus ombuds
De Acker will serve as the UC Santa Cruz ombuds, providing impartial, informal, independent and confidential resolution services to faculty, staff, and students.
December 13, 2022
UCSC selects Edward Reiskin as next Vice Chancellor for Finance, Operations and Administration
UC Santa Cruz has chosen Edward D. Reiskin as its next Vice Chancellor for Finance, Operations and Administration and Chief Financial Officer. He will start in early February 2023.
December 12, 2022
Report provides guide to funding for coral reef restoration projects for risk reduction
The report from a multi-agency working group led by UCSC scientists supports communities seeking funding for projects to reduce flood risks by restoring coral reefs for storm hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.
December 09, 2022
Social Sciences dean wins prestigious research award, visiting fellowship in Germany
Social Sciences dean Katharyne Mitchell will be busy packing her bags for the holidays, but not for the reason you may think. She’s heading to Göttingen, Germany, as a visiting scholar for the next six months at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Economic Diversity.
December 09, 2022
Astronomers report most distant known galaxies, detected and confirmed by Webb telescope
Spectroscopic observations with the James Webb Space Telescope confirm four early galaxies dating back to less than 400 million years after the Big Bang, three of which are the most distant confirmed to date.
December 08, 2022
J.J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves elected to the 2022 National Academy of Inventors
J.J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves, distinguished professor and chair of the computer science and engineering department, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
December 07, 2022
Colombia, a global biodiversity hotspot, faces rising threats to bird species from expanding human footprint
A new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters used satellite mapping data to analyze how changes in human footprint on the landscape between 1970 and 2018 overlapped with distributions of 1,469 Colombian bird species. The study is the first of its kind to expand focus from forested regions, like the Amazon and Chocó, to all of Colombia’s terrestrial habitats.
December 06, 2022
UC Santa Cruz innovators among Santa Cruz Works 2022 Titans of Tech
Aviv Elor, alumnus and co-founder of Immergo Labs, and Nada Miljkovic, alumna, entrepreneur, and UCSC educator, are among the 11 Santa Cruz Works Titans of Tech finalists.
December 06, 2022
Computer engineer embarks on bold project for a new vision of distributed shared memory
With the support of a new NSF grant, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Peter Alvaro is embarking on a project, called Memory at Scale On Networks (MaSON), to achieve a bold vision for a novel operating system and network that support a new overall model for programming big data systems.
December 06, 2022
Undergraduates in UC Santa Cruz’s Human Rights Investigations Lab fight for migrant rights
UC Santa Cruz’s Human Rights Investigations Lab, housed in the Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas, has been assisting those seeking asylum in the United States and fighting back against the controversial Title 42 immigration policy.
December 06, 2022
Central Coast K-16 Education Collaborative secures planning grant for six-county region
Spurred by California’s Regional K-16 Education Collaborative Grant Program, educational leaders from Santa Cruz to Ventura formed the Central Coast K-16 Education Collaborative to address the urgent, systemic educational inequities and economic needs in the region.
December 05, 2022
Biologist Needhi Bhalla awarded ASCB Prize for Excellence in Inclusivity
Bhalla was recognized for her research endeavors and high-impact diversity, equity, and inclusivity actions over the years.
December 01, 2022
Integrated platform promises to accelerate drug discovery process
Novel approach integrates complex datasets from screening of natural products libraries, improving characterization of bioactive molecules and their mechanisms of action.
November 30, 2022
New online orientation strengthens sense of belonging among new students
The survey reported significant increases in self-efficacy in students in areas of academic literacy including abilities to find campus resources, selecting courses, time management, and ability to interact with peers, instructors, and staff.
November 29, 2022
Humanities Division welcomes two new associate deans
Literature professor and Creative Writing Program director Micah Perks and associate professor of Feminist Studies Gina Dent began work as associate Humanities deans in September. They known for their advocacy for students and their excellence in teaching, research, and creative activity.
November 29, 2022
Long-standing genomic mystery about the origins of introns explained in new study
A new study led by scientists at UC Santa Cruz and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) points to introners, one of several proposed mechanisms for the creation of introns, as an explanation for the origins of most introns across species.
November 28, 2022
UCSC’s popular GetVirtual internship program expands its impact and outreach with newly launched Coursera course
The brand-new Coursera GetVirtual course is an important addition to a popular program that partners student teams with local businesses while teaching students how to do consulting professionally
November 28, 2022
Braingeneers develop novel method to automate the growth of brain tissue organoids on a chip
A team of engineers and scientists at UC Santa Cruz has developed a new method for remote automation of the growth of cerebral organoids – miniature, three-dimensional models of brain tissue grown from stem cells.
November 28, 2022
Restoration and preservation: Alumna fights for inclusive science and tribal knowledge
UCSC alumna Irene Vasquez works towards a restoration of Yosemite’s cultural and ecological heritage.
November 22, 2022
New JWST data reveal more details of exoplanet WASP-39b's atmosphere
A 'mystery molecule' seen in the initial spectrum has been identified as sulfur dioxide produced by photochemical reactions in the planet's atmosphere.
November 22, 2022
Film by Arts Division Dean continues to gain recognition and spark conversation
Since its premiere in May, 80 YEARS LATER, a feature film by Dr. Celine Parreñas Shimizu, UC Santa Cruz’s Dean of the Division of the Arts, continues to garner praise during the 80th anniversary year of the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in World War II.
November 22, 2022
Growing Our Own - From research opportunities to the professoriate
Solidifying its commitment to increasing the diversity of its faculty, both underrepresented minorities and female faculty, last year, the University of California launched the Growing Our Own initiative.
November 22, 2022
Batalha testifies at Congressional hearing on the initial scientific findings of the JWST
The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most powerful telescope humans have sent to space and, Batalha asserts, it is ushering in a new era of exoplanet science.
November 21, 2022
Kresge College renewal to nearly triple amount of student housing
With a mix of new construction and renovation, UC Santa Cruz is building more housing, constructing new classroom space, and ultimately strengthening the student experience.
November 18, 2022
UCSC's 2022 iGEM team brings home gold medal, earns nomination for best therapeutics project
This year's UCSC iGEM team engineered a yeast-based Type 2 diabetes therapeutic.
November 17, 2022
Science & Engineering Library renovation honors leaders, aims to build community among students in STEM
With newly remodeled floors named in dedication to two trailblazing women in STEM and a new makerspace, the Science & Engineering Library is positioned to build and support community among STEM students at UC Santa Cruz.
November 17, 2022
Webb telescope draws back the curtain on universe’s early galaxies
Initial findings from JWST Early Release Science programs include the discovery of two exceptionally bright galaxies in the early universe.
November 17, 2022
Offshore wind farms may harm seabirds, but scientists see potential for net positive impact
A new study presents a framework for assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy development on marine birds.
November 16, 2022
Remote-controlled microscopes bring complex biology education to students worldwide
As detailed in new research, UC Santa Cruz researchers have developed a method for using remote-controlled, internet-connected microscopes to enable students anywhere in the world to participate in designing and carrying out biology experiments.
November 16, 2022
UC Santa Cruz earns Agricultural Experiment Station designation
The designation marks more than 50 years of industry-leading research in organic agriculture and sustainable farming practices at the campus and opens doors to expand community impact.
November 15, 2022
List of most highly cited researchers features 19 UCSC scientists and engineers
A new list of the world's most highly cited researchers includes 19 scientists and engineers at UC Santa Cruz.
November 14, 2022
UCSC marine sciences professor to lead new Center for Coastal Climate Resilience
Longtime UC Santa Cruz marine sciences professor Michael W. Beck is adding a new role to his resume: director of the campus’ recently announced Center for Coastal Climate Resilience.
November 14, 2022
Engineer deploys research on 'mud batteries' for powering sustainable agriculture
UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Colleen Josephson published new research on the current state and future potential of microbial fuel cells for powering sustainable agriculture systems.
November 14, 2022
New algae exhibit in Madrid: a collaboration that inspires
UCSC Arts and Digital Arts & New Media professor Jennifer Parker is the founding director of the OpenLab Collaborative Research Center at UC Santa Cruz, and co-founder of The Algae Society. Parker along with the Algae Society opened a new exhibit in Madrid titled MIKROS: Un Mundo Oculto.
November 14, 2022
UCSC scientists find microplastics in Monterey Bay water, anchovies, and seabirds
Microparticles recovered from some seabirds exhibited estrogenic activity with potential to disrupt hormone functions.
November 14, 2022
Laurie Garrett recounts public health failures in talk on COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness
Sponsored by UCSC’s Global and Community Health Program, Garrett’s talk highlighted the urgent need to strengthen public health infrastructure.
November 14, 2022
Susana Ruiz receives Hewlett 50 Arts Commission for a new media work focused on Santa Cruz's lost Chinatowns
Susana Ruiz, UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor of Film and Digital Media, together with Emmy Award nominated director of photography and media artist Huy Truong have been selected as one of ten recipients of this year's Hewlett 50 Arts Commissions in Media Arts.
November 10, 2022
Scholars, students, and community working together for transformation at UCSC's All-In Conference
More than 400 university scholars, students, community organizers, foundation representatives, artists, and activists came together in late October for a one-of-a-kind event to build collaborative partnerships for community-engaged research and meaningful social change at the UC Santa Cruz conference: All-In: Co-creating Knowledge for Justice.
November 10, 2022
Death of a star reveals midsize black hole lurking in a dwarf galaxy
By studying intermediate-mass black holes, scientists hope to improve their understanding of the growth of supermassive black holes in massive galaxies.
November 10, 2022
Providing community and opportunity: AIRC's Angel Riotutar
UCSC alumna Angel Riotutar returns to her alma matter as the Director of the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC).
November 10, 2022
Scholarship offers transformative support to UCSC military veteran students
The UCSC Retirees Association Bruce Lane Memorial Scholarship for military veteran students was established in memory of World War II Veteran Bruce Lane, who worked at UC Santa Cruz for 27 years.
November 09, 2022
UCSC researchers win NOAA grants to study climate change patterns in California's marine sanctuaries
Two UC Santa Cruz researchers will be delving deeper into coastal and climate resiliency efforts within California's marine sanctuaries as part of two recent grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
November 09, 2022
New astronomy network catalyzes scientific excellence
A new STEM mentoring network seeks to maximize scientific excellence and output within the astronomy and astrophysics community by cultivating inclusive environments where people with marginalized identities can thrive.
November 08, 2022
UC researchers use grant funding to investigate environmental crimes in Latin America
Thanks to a $180,000 grant from the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), UC Santa Cruz will be able to further its focus on “using tech for social good” in collaboration with two other University of California institutions.
November 08, 2022
Library kiosks provide students with fast access to loaner laptops
With just a CruzID and Gold password, UC Santa Cruz students can now borrow a laptop at both the McHenry and Science and Engineering libraries.
November 07, 2022
Report outlines plans for major research effort on subduction zone geologic hazards
An ambitious interdisciplinary initiative aims to advance understanding of the processes that trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and volcanic eruptions where tectonic plates converge.
November 04, 2022
Closing cell—and academic—gaps
UCSC’s Genomics Institute opens up the world of bioinformatics and programming to students
November 02, 2022
Global analysis shows where fishing vessels turn off their identification devices
A new dataset of intentional disabling of Automatic Identification System devices by fishing vessels provides insights into illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity.
November 01, 2022
Federal grant to advance transfer student success at UC Santa Cruz
Advancing campus-wide efforts to achieve educational equity, UC Santa Cruz has earned a $3 million grant that will support Latinx community college students in transferring to campus and, while they’re here, contributing to research projects and preparing for graduate school.
October 31, 2022
Coha/Gunderson Prize in Speculative Futures seeks 2022-2023 cohort
This year, the Coha/Gunderson Prize in Speculative Futures aims to expand its reach by offering five 2022-2023 prize winners, along with past awardees, the opportunity to participate in The Coha-Gunderson Creativity Workshop, a quarter-long winter workshop followed by a springtime exhibition.
October 28, 2022
Domhoff’s new book discusses developmental dimension of dreaming
UC Santa Cruz professor emeritus Bill Domhoff's new book, The Neurocognitive Theory of Dreaming: The Where, How, When, What, and Why of Dreams, takes a comprehensive look at the full use of neuroimaging findings in relation to spontaneous thought and dream content.
October 27, 2022
Physicist Jairo Velasco Jr. wins $1.25 million award from Moore Foundation
The Moore Foundation’s Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative supports outstanding U.S. experimental physicists pursuing transformative research.
October 26, 2022
Acclaimed poet and bestselling memoirist Natasha Trethewey is guest of honor at the Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading on November 3.
Acclaimed poet Natasha Trethewey, author of the bestselling memoir Memorial Drive, is this year's distinguished speaker at the 13th annual Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading at UCSC on November 3.
October 26, 2022
Transforming Support into Success: Jodi Lee
Thanks to many scholarships and awards, support from UC Santa Cruz resources and faculty members, and support and love from her family, Jodi Lee is now in her first year of graduate school at UCSF —and the first in her family to pursue a Ph.D.
October 25, 2022
Social Documentation MFAs to share thesis documentaries at live screening event November 9
UC Santa Cruz’s annual Social Documentation (SocDoc) exhibition returns live and in person for the first time since 2019, free to the public this November 9th from 7-10pm at the Del Mar Theatre in downtown Santa Cruz.
October 24, 2022
On the intersection of machines and media: Silver Slug Award helps career staff pursue life-long passion
Silver Slug Award recipient and UCSC staff Jeffrey Weekley re-ignites his passion with computational media and pursues his Ph.D. debt-free.
October 21, 2022
The Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas celebrates legacy, community at 30th anniversary naming event
UC Santa Cruz’s Research Center for the Americas celebrated 30 years of groundbreaking work with an official renaming for social justice icon Dolores Huerta on Thursday evening.
October 20, 2022
Food system researcher unpacks the narratives driving a race for new protein sources
UC Santa Cruz professor and food system expert Julie Guthman's latest paper explores the cultural mythologies around protein that are being spread through marketing and fundraising efforts for novel protein products.
October 19, 2022
Electrical engineer will develop next-generation x-ray technology for accessible preventative healthcare
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Shiva Abbaszadeh will develop advanced x-ray technology for coronary artery calcification.
October 19, 2022
Research to identify biological hotspots in the oceans will help reduce human impacts
A grant from the Office of Naval Research funds research using elephant seals to find marine hotspots while providing support for undergraduate researchers, an assessment of ethical considerations, and training to create inclusive environments for field research.
October 19, 2022
COSMOS program serves as a portal for aspiring astrophysicist’s journey to UC Santa Cruz
Her high school experience on campus motivated and inspired Julia Stewart (Crown ’24, astronomy) to matriculate to UCSC. Now she is paving the way for the next generation of math and science protégés seeking their own North Star
October 19, 2022
UCSC faculty, staff, and students support Salton Sea restoration planning
An independent review panel supported by UC Santa Cruz recently completed its work evaluating restoration options to address environmental, public health, and economic issues in the Salton Sea region.
October 18, 2022
Empowering agency: AARCC's Autumn Johnson
Autumn Johnson graduated from UCSC in 2015. Now as the African American Resource and Cultural Center's Director, Johnson provides essential programs and services to current students.
October 18, 2022
Nurturing a ‘home away from home:’ El Centro’s Xiomara Lopez
Eight years after graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Xiomara Lopez is the Director of Chicanx/Latinx resource center, El Centro, coming full circle to the center that transformed her undergraduate experience.
October 18, 2022
Building Community: AAPIRC’s Caz Salamanca
As the Director of UCSC’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Resource Center (AAPIRC), Caz Salamanca strives to provide meaningful space and community for students.
October 18, 2022
Student researchers investigate toxic lead exposure in golden eagles
A gift from the Webster Foundation to UCSC’s Predatory Bird Research Group supports student interns helping to study lead poisoning in eagles and monitor peregrine falcons.
October 18, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Foundation awards $75K to help address student food insecurity
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees has affirmed its commitment to reducing food and housing insecurity for students.
October 18, 2022
STARS celebrates National Transfer Week; shines the spotlight on nine Transfer Excellence Leaders
National Transfer Week is October 17 - 21. To help celebrate, STARS is shinig the spotlight on nine transfer excellence leaders. Read their stories!
October 18, 2022
Big changes are coming to Bay Tree Building; campus community invited to help in the building's redesign
It's full speed ahead for renovating Bay Tree Building into a bustling hub of student services. Designers will be on campus this Thursday to solicit input and feedback about what the space could and should be.
October 17, 2022
Seguimos zapateando
Celebrating its 50th anniversary at UC Santa Cruz, Los Mejicas fosters an appreciation for the beauty and diversity of Mexican culture by teaching and performing the music, dances, and traditions of Mexico.
October 17, 2022
micha cárdenas wins prestigious Gloria E. Anzaldúa Book Prize from National Women's Studies Association
UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Performance, Play and Design, and Associate Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Dr. micha cárdenas has been awarded the National Women's Studies Association’s Gloria E. Anzaldúa Book Prize for her book Poetic Operations: Trans of Color Art in Digital Media.
October 17, 2022
National Science Foundation grant will help establish ethics and equity best practices for emerging forms of science and technology
Sociology Professor Jenny Reardon, founding director of the Science & Justice Research Center at UC Santa Cruz, won a nearly $400,000 grant to study ethics and equity in the design of science and engineering projects.
October 14, 2022
Giving Day 2022: Amplifying opportunities for UCSC students
Focusing on student success, the campus’s largest fundraising event is November 2
October 14, 2022
Investigating bias in technology through Baskin Engineering’s anti-racism research fellowship
The UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering Fellowship for Anti-Racism Research funds engineering students challenging bias and racism in the fields of engineering and technology.
October 13, 2022
Bettina Aptheker: Exploring the complicated history of LGBT people in the Communist Party
Beloved emeritus professor Bettina Aptheker to discuss new book, Communists in Closets, at free event October 25 at UCSC’s Cowell Ranch Hay Barn
October 13, 2022
Two UCSC alumni win awards for excellence in science communication
Jessica Kendall-Bar and Rodrigo Pérez Ortega were winners in the National Academies’ inaugural Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication.
October 12, 2022
Biomolecular engineering professor wins American Cancer Society award to develop technology for cancer early detection
Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Daniel Kim won a four-year, $792,000 Research Scholar award from the American Cancer Society to support his work in developing RNA liquid biopsy technology to diagnose cancer early on.
October 11, 2022
Marking 23 years of service at UCSC - Meet Olivia Silva
For the first time in almost two years the residence halls are full of students and that means work has gone back to normal for Olivia Silva. Along with up to 140 Custodial Services staff and some Dining staff, Silva was one of many on-site workers who played a critical role in the campus response to COVID-19.
October 11, 2022
Arts convocation celebrates the courage to create and the audacity to imagine new worlds
UC Santa Cruz alumnus Rick Carter, a two-time Academy Award winning film production designer and art director, returned to his alma mater on September 28th to receive the Distinguished Banana Slug Award at the second annual Arts Convocation.
October 11, 2022
UC Santa Cruz named 2022 Fulbright HSI Leader
UC Santa Cruz has been named a Fulbright HSI Leader for the second year in a row by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
October 10, 2022
Tahir Amin to speak about unequal access to medications and the global fallout from intellectual property wars: October 18 talk in downtown Santa Cruz
Tahir Amin, a critic of the power structures that result in the unequal distribution of desperately needed medications across the globe, will be the inaugural speaker of the Sawyer Series focusing on “Race, Empire, and the Environments of Biomedicine.”
October 10, 2022
UCSC engineer played crucial role in 2022 Nobel Prize-winning research
UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering Professor Richard (Ed) Green was a major contributor to the Neanderthal Genome Project , the leader of which, Svante Pääbo, received the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
October 10, 2022
Unseen California arts initiative uses NRS reserves as canvas
A new arts initiative aims to connect both professional artists and UC students with the UC Natural Reserve System.
October 10, 2022
Politics Professor Mark Fathi Massoud recognized nationally for teaching and mentoring, research excellence
Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud won two awards during the recent American Political Science Association (APSA) annual meeting.
October 07, 2022
Organizing for lasting impact: Alumni work to support Crown College
Lisa Rose, Jim Lapsley, and Susan Nerton banded together to organize Crown’s 50th reunion during Alumni Week. Now, the trio is organizing to raise money to support Crown College.
October 05, 2022
NSF report led by UCSC computer engineer offers guidance for the future of chip design and manufacturing
A new report from a National Science Foundation (NSF) steering committee led by UC Santa Cruz Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Matthew Guthaus offers guidance on revitalizing the hardware workforce by increasing access to education.
October 05, 2022
Research on shear strength of rock has implications for carbon sequestration
With a $1.1 million grant from the Department of Energy, seismologist Emily Brodsky will address seismic challenges involved in carbon sequestration, geothermal energy, and other areas.
October 04, 2022
Transforming Futures: Amanda Safi
Transforming Futures— a pilot program launched by UC Santa Cruz’s Institute for Social Transformation—awarded seven first generation, underrepresented, and/or low-income UCSC students scholarships to pursue unpaid internships over the summer. Amanda Safi interned with the Office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta.
October 04, 2022
UCSC welcomes 41 outstanding new faculty members
With the start of the 2022-23 academic year, UC Santa Cruz welcomes 41 new senate faculty members. The research and creative scholarship and expertise brought to our campus by these new faculty colleagues will strengthen existing areas of work and open discovery opportunities.
October 04, 2022
Students created a summer of success
This summer, over 11,000 students enrolled in more than 70,000 UC Santa Cruz credits across departments and colleges and through the one-credit Slug Orientation course.
October 04, 2022
UC Santa Cruz launches campuswide conversation that will chart university’s next decade
Seeking to develop an intentional and impactful course for the future, the UC Santa Cruz community will work together this academic year to develop a shared vision that will culminate in Leading the Change: The UC Santa Cruz Strategic Plan, the university’s top leaders announced Monday.
September 30, 2022
UC Santa Cruz earns prestigious Seal of Excelencia certification for work as a Hispanic-Serving Institution
In recognition of intentional campuswide efforts to serve Latinx students, UC Santa Cruz has earned the Seal of Excelencia, following a thorough data-driven review by Excelencia in Education.
September 29, 2022
Expanding opportunity and Transforming Futures
Transforming Futures— a pilot program launched by UC Santa Cruz’s Institute for Social Transformation—awarded seven first generation, underrepresented, and/or low-income UCSC students scholarships to pursue unpaid internships over the summer.
September 29, 2022
Why do you donate to UC Santa Cruz?
UCSC supporters MR Macgill and Ho Nam made a gift to the Institute for Social Transformation in Spring 2022. Their generosity fully funded Transforming Futures— a pilot program which awarded seven first generation, underrepresented, and/or low-income UCSC students scholarships to pursue unpaid internships over the summer.
September 28, 2022
Collaboration between engineering and astrophysics will develop cutting-edge spectrometers-on-a-chip
Two researchers have won an NSF grant that will allow them to pursue the emerging technology of spectrometers on a chip – tiny devices for separating and measuring light at ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths which can enable advances in astronomy when used as part of telescope instrumentation.
September 27, 2022
Preserving Earth’s future: Frontier Fellows program funds undergraduate research
The Earth Futures Institute’s Frontier Fellows program offers undergraduate research opportunities and funding at UC Santa Cruz. The 2022-2023 academic year fellows include fourth years Peter Nguyen, Hayley Coyle, and Aja Bond, each working on their own project to sustain Earth’s future.
September 27, 2022
Frontier Fellows: Peter Nguyen
The Earth Futures Institute’s Frontier Fellows program offers undergraduate research opportunities and funding at UC Santa Cruz. UCSC student Peter Nguyen studies a federally listed endangered flowering plant—Lupinus nipomensis.
September 27, 2022
Campus comes to life as a new academic year begins
After more than two years of virtual and hybrid learning, the beginning of the fall quarter last Thursday marked the welcome return to in-person instruction at UC Santa Cruz. The energy and enthusiasm for the year ahead are evident in the many happenings already occurring across campus.
September 26, 2022
New study shows transmission of epigenetic memory across multiple generations
Changing the epigenetic marks on chromosomes leads to altered gene expression in offspring and in grandoffspring, demonstrating ‘transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.’
September 23, 2022
The enduring power of Ramses The Great
Archaeologist and UCSC history professor Elaine Sullivan to speak October 2 about the religious, cultural and political realms of Pharaoh Ramses II, now the focus of a popular exhibit in San Francisco.
September 23, 2022
UCSC chemistry department garners three NIH MIRA grants
These grants provide five years of funding for research programs at UCSC on protein synthesis, biosynthetic strategies, and biochemical mechanisms involved in cancer.
September 23, 2022
Three UC Santa Cruz alums are revolutionizing telehealth with their virtual reality physical therapy platform
Immergo Labs, founded in 2020, provides an affordable, accessible, and immersive telehealth physical therapy care platform.
September 23, 2022
Partnership across UC campuses will prepare the next generation of leaders in organic agriculture
A USDA grant of more than $700,000 will support a collaboration led by UC Santa Cruz to improve and expand undergraduate education in organic agriculture, with an emphasis on supporting underrepresented students.
September 22, 2022
NSF funding will strengthen infrastructure for open source ecosystems at UCSC
Co-principal investigator Stephanie Lieggi and PI Carlos Maltzahn will develop a plan to recruit research software engineering staff who can establish and maintain the support infrastructure necessary for open source projects to thrive within the university context.
September 21, 2022
UC Santa Cruz’s Research Center for the Americas to be named in honor of Dolores Huerta
UC Santa Cruz will rename the Research Center for the Americas, which is celebrating 30 years of groundbreaking research, in honor of social justice icon Dolores Huerta, whose legacy has influenced the center’s work and values.
September 20, 2022
Karen Miga discusses the future of equitable genomics research with Clinton, Bono
UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Director for Human Pangenomics at the UCSC Genomics Institute Karen Miga joined former President Bill Clinton, U2 lead singer Bono, and Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Ghebreyesus to talk about the greatest health challenges and opportunities the world is currently facing.
September 20, 2022
UCSC names new Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity and Equal Protection
UC Santa Cruz has named Catherine A. Carroll, an attorney with deep experience in equity and equal protection work, as its next Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity and Equal Protection.
September 19, 2022
Astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz to give NSF Distinguished Lecture Oct. 6
The National Science Foundation has invited Ramirez-Ruiz to give a Distinguished Lecture sponsored by the NSF Directorates for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Education and Human Resources.
September 16, 2022
From galaxy to grassroots
UC Santa Cruz graduate alumna Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (M.S. astronomy and astrophysics ’05) splits her focus on issues of both galactic and national scales.
September 16, 2022
Saturn’s rings and tilt could be the product of an ancient, missing moon
A “grazing encounter” may have smashed the moon to bits to form Saturn’s rings, a new study suggests.
September 16, 2022
Karen Miga to speak with former president and other visionaries at the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting
This Tuesday, September 20 at 1:30 PST, Karen Miga will speak during the conference’s closing plenary session, joining Bill Clinton, Lin Manuel Miranda, Dolores Huerta, and more.
September 15, 2022
New program will mentor and train students underrepresented in genomics research
The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute will partner with California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus to mentor and provide genomics research experience for students from these two hispanic-serving institutions.
September 15, 2022
Study reveals the molecular origin of the genetic disease cystinosis
New understanding of how the transporter protein cystinosin functions may lead to better treatments for a devastating genetic disease.
September 15, 2022
Record of Antarctic ice sheet response to climate cycles found in rock samples
The effects of global climate cycles on Southern Ocean temperatures drove cycles of melting and freezing in the East Antarctic Ice Sheet every few thousand years, according to a new study.
September 13, 2022
Creating a more just world is driving force for 2022 Outstanding Staff Awardee
Sarah Woodside Bury is the 2022 recipient of the UC Santa Cruz Outstanding Staff Award. The award recognizes staff members who provide distinguished service each day to the students, staff, and faculty of our campus.
September 13, 2022
UCSC celebrates National Hispanic-Serving Institutions week
In celebration of National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) week, the HSI Initiatives and El Centro teams invite the campus community to participate in a number of special events. These events will highlight what it means to be an HSI and the many resources available to students because UC Santa Cruz is an HSI.
September 12, 2022
UC Santa Cruz recognized for longstanding commitment to undergraduate teaching in latest rankings
UC Santa Cruz is ranked among the top 10 public universities for excellence in undergraduate teaching, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News and World Report. UCSC also ranked as a leading university for social mobility and among top public universities.
September 08, 2022
Innovative climate resilience projects supported by 2022 CITRIS Campus Seed Funding awards
Four winning projects have been funded through the The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz’s Campus Seed Funding program to pursue research relating to climate resilience.
September 08, 2022
UCSC researchers win big at American Sociological Association annual meeting
Professor emeritus Craig Reinarman was honored with the 2022 Senior Scholar Award by the ASA’s Drugs and Society Section, and Ph.D. student Michelle Gomez Parra received the Sociology of Sexualities Section's Martin P. Levine Memorial Dissertation Fellowship. Politics Professors Eleonora Pasotti and Mark Massoud were celebrated for book awards.
September 07, 2022
Computer scientist wins 'test of time' award for foundational work in game theory
Nearly 20 years after publishing his paper “The element of surprise in timed games,” UC Santa Cruz Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Luca de Alfaro received a surprise himself: he won the 2022 CONCUR test of time award.
September 07, 2022
With Pivot Fellowship, astronomer J. Xavier Prochaska turns to oceanography
A new program from the Simons Foundation supports successful researchers who have a deep interest, curiosity, and drive to make contributions to a new discipline.
September 07, 2022
UCSC partners in NSF research hub to use nature to protect coastal communities
A $20 million NSF grant funds the new Climate Risks and Equitable Nature-based Solutions Hub, focusing on coral reef and mangrove ecosystems.
September 06, 2022
HSI Team invites campus community to celebrate Hispanic-Serving Institution Week
Next week, UC Santa Cruz will join universities across the country in celebrating Hispanic-Serving Institution week. Read this letter from the HSI team about all the ways you can join the celebration!
September 02, 2022
Giving basic needs a needed solution
The Redwood Free Market provides free food and basic needs to UC Santa Cruz students to combat food insecurity.
September 02, 2022
New study confirms ‘rippled sheet’ protein structure predicted in 1953
UCSC scientists reported three crystal structures of periodic rippled beta sheets, a novel protein structure with potential applications in biomedicine and materials science.
September 02, 2022
Pioneering radio astronomer Frank Drake dies at 92
Frank Drake, professor emeritus of astronomy and astrophysics and an eminent radio astronomer known for his pioneering efforts in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), died September 2 at his home in Aptos.
September 01, 2022
NASA releases Webb telescope's first exoplanet image
UCSC astronomers led the analysis of the first exoplanet images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
August 31, 2022
Applied mathematician wins DOE grant to improve the safety of particle accelerators
UCSC Professor of Applied Mathematics Dongwook Lee has won a three-year, $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, which will fund his research on improving computer models for safety mechanisms within particle accelerators.
August 31, 2022
Astronomer Ariadna Murguia-Berthier wins 2022 Trumpler Award for Ph.D. thesis
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is honoring Murguia-Berthier for the research she completed as a graduate student in astronomy at UC Santa Cruz.
August 31, 2022
New book explores citizenship rights and Black anti-racist politics in Italy
Associate Professor of Sociology Camilla Hawthorne’s latest book, Contesting Race and Citizenship, explores how Black Italians are fighting for change against the country’s restrictive citizenship laws.
August 30, 2022
Astronomers witness star-slinging tug-of-war between merging galaxies
Observations of a newly-dormant galaxy indicate that it stopped forming stars not because it used up all of its gas but because most of its star-forming fuel was thrown out of the system as it merged with another galaxy.
August 30, 2022
UCSC selects Anju Reejhsinghani as Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Anju Reejhsinghani has deep professional experience in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work, both in the college classroom as an educator and as a senior administrator.
August 26, 2022
NSF award will support project to promote reproducibility in computer science
With the support of a three-year, $900,000 grant from the NSF, Carlos Maltzahn will participate in collaborative research to increase the reproducibility of computer science research.
August 26, 2022
Full circle community
As an Alumni Association Scholarship recipient now in her fourth year studying computer engineering, Katia Avila Pinedo (Merrill ’24, computer engineering) has not only benefited from UCSC’s strong community—she’s helped build and sustain it.
August 25, 2022
JWST makes first unequivocal detection of carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphere
UCSC astronomer Natalie Batalha leads a team that detected carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-39b using the James Webb Space Telescope.
August 25, 2022
Political parties use gerrymandering to counteract shifting voter preferences in key battleground states
Research that focused on battleground states suggests that whichever party controls the redistricting process in the state legislature engineers an 11 percentage point increase in its probability of winning a U.S. House race in the next election. And these advantages often run counter to the will of voters.
August 24, 2022
UCSC’s Ricardo Sanfelice appointed inaugural director of CITRIS Aviation
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ricardo Sanfelice was appointed the as the inaugural director of the CITRIS Aviation initiative.
August 23, 2022
From concept to commercialization: how UCSC researchers revolutionized DNA sequencing
More than a quarter century since the first patents were filed, the UCSC researchers who pioneered nanopore sequencing reflect on the impact of their invention
August 23, 2022
A lifetime of connection starts today
Incoming students and alumni share in the thrill of being Banana Slugs with new summer send-off series
August 23, 2022
New mural in Sinsheimer Laboratories building celebrates diversity in science
The mural by artist Paul Lewin was commissioned as part of the healing process after disturbing incidents of vandalism targeting Black Lives Matter posters.
August 22, 2022
Building communities to stand up against anti-black racism
This month, the Center for Racial Justice (CRJ) at UC Santa Cruz held its first-ever Summer Institute, “Political Education and Liberatory Knowledge,” complete with immersive, hands-on workshops that emphasized solidarity against systemic oppression and community-based strategies to fight anti-black racism and imperialism.
August 22, 2022
Missing carbon monoxide in planetary disks was hiding in the ice
In planetary disks, carbon monoxide is lurking in large chunks of ice, solving the decade-old question, ‘Where is the CO?’
August 22, 2022
‘Water’s Extreme Journey,’ a new exhibit at the Seymour Center, opens in September
A new exhibit opening in September at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center features a maze and interactive activities highlighting the challenges of keeping our water clean.
August 19, 2022
Economics Professor Robert Fairlie takes home the Bradford-Osborne Research Award for the second year in a row
The annual award recognizes the best peer-reviewed paper on diversity and entrepreneurship, and Fairlie was honored for his years-long research on the lack of access to capital for Black-owned startups compared to white-owned startups.
August 18, 2022
Biomolecular engineering professor awarded $1.9M grant to understand and engineer pluripotent stem cells
UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor Ali Shariati and his lab will investigate the molecular feedback mechanisms responsible for the coordination of embryonic stem cell division and differentiation to develop novel strategies for their use in regenerative medicine.
August 15, 2022
Lenses and Mirrors-Shadow the Scientists receives Heising-Simons Foundation grant
Kickstarted by UC Santa Cruz Astronomy and Astrophysics Professor Raja GuhaThakurta, Lenses and Mirrors–Shadow the Scientists brings cutting-edge scientific research to anybody’s computer screen.
August 12, 2022
Astrophysicist Bruce Macintosh appointed director of UC Observatories
UC President Michael Drake has appointed Bruce Macintosh director of UC Observatories, an astronomical research unit headquartered at UC Santa Cruz and serving nine UC campuses.
August 12, 2022
UCSC graduate student wins HHMI Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study
Gilliam Fellowships support exceptional graduate students and their advisers who are committed to increasing diversity among scientific leaders.
August 11, 2022
New study shows COVID-19 genomic recombination is uncommon but disproportionately occurs in spike protein region
An analysis of millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes finds that recombination of the virus is uncommon, but when it occurs, it is most often in the spike protein region, the area which allows the virus to attach to and infect host cells.
August 11, 2022
Mythologizing for a purpose
After years working across industries from filmmaking to horse-wrangling, alumnus Justin DiPego channels both his vast career experience and his UCSC creative education into his latest novel—"Wrong Side of a Workingman."
August 11, 2022
Turning awareness into action
After years of working to bring feminist history and thought to a young audience through her popular Rad Women series, author Kate Schatz (Stevenson ’03, literature and creative writing) moves to turn teaching history into teaching practice and show adults what they can do to combat racism.
August 11, 2022
Envisioning food systems change with new Center for Agroecology Executive Director Darryl Wong
The UC Santa Cruz news team interviewed the Center for Agroecology's new executive director, Darryl Wong, to learn more about the center’s goals for the future and the perspective he’ll bring to the role.
August 10, 2022
Incoming UC Santa Cruz class exemplifies academic excellence and diversity
UC Santa Cruz anticipates welcoming approximately 5,100 new Banana Slugs this fall, concluding an admissions cycle that reflected increased interest in the campus. Campus leaders are carefully managing student enrollment and working to provide more on-campus housing for students because of a statewide housing crisis that is particularly difficult in Santa Cruz.
August 08, 2022
Locally supportive climates may do little to aid mental health for LGBTQ+ youth amidst broader societal stigma
New research shows little difference in mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth between some of California's most and least supportive communities for sexual and gender diversity. The findings also indicate factors that may contribute to this trend.
August 05, 2022
With a focus on student success and research impact, UC President Michael V. Drake visits UC Santa Cruz
The daylong visit included meetings with faculty, staff, and students to learn more about research, teaching, and learning at UC Santa Cruz—and the important work that supports the university’s mission as a Hispanic-Serving research university centered on student success.
August 04, 2022
Dickens Universe returns to campus
The Dickens Universe, now in its 41st year, returned to campus in late July after two years in the virtual realm. The conference turned UCSC into a bustling community of scholars, students, and community members who socialized at Victorian teas, talked about books, and wrapped up their evenings with “post-prandial potations.”
August 03, 2022
New research explores opportunities for eliminating equity gaps in computer science gateway courses
New research shows how addressing “gateways within gateway courses,” specific factors that hold able students back from success in introductory courses, may provide a path forward for closing equity gaps for students pursuing engineering degrees.
August 02, 2022
UCSC student named one of 50 top hackers of 2022
Rising second-year computer science: computer game design student Mansi Saini has been recognized by Major League Hacking for outstanding contributions to the hackathon community.
July 29, 2022
As alumni regent, Art Torres advocated for access, diversity in higher education
Art Torres (Stevenson, ’68, government) worked to support the University of California in advancing the diversity of its student body while serving a two-year term as the alumni representative on the UC Board of Regents.
July 29, 2022
New book traces the scientific and technological development of militarized border
In her new book, Professor of Feminist Studies and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Felicity Amaya Schaeffer draws stunning connections between indigenous ways of life and relationships to the land with modern-day, militaristic border surveillance technologies.
July 28, 2022
Data from elephant seals reveal new features of marine heatwave ‘the Blob’
Instruments carried by migrating elephant seals measured deep warm-water anomalies that lasted much longer than the surface warming.
July 28, 2022
UC Santa Cruz teams with TiE Global to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life
UC Santa Cruz and TiE Global are establishing the Destination Silicon Valley program to leverage the Silicon Valley presence of both organizations and create new learning opportunities for university-based entrepreneurs from across the world, including University of California students and innovators, and others from TiE’s 59 chapters.
July 25, 2022
Steve Kang celebrates a career of seizing challenges
As the first in his family to graduate college and in taking on positions as the second dean of the Baskin School of Engineering and chancellor of UC Merced, Sung-Mo “Steve” Kang has always been someone ready and willing to take on challenges.
July 22, 2022
Measuring the universe with star-shattering explosions
An international team of scientists has analyzed archive data for powerful cosmic explosions from the deaths of stars and found a new way to measure distances in the distant universe.
July 22, 2022
Chancellor earns CUCSA award for staff-supportive leadership
The 2021-22 Outstanding Senior Leadership Award recognizes high-level leaders throughout the system who are supportive and inclusive of UC staff, and encourage equity, diversity and community.
July 21, 2022
Rare corpse flower is about to bloom at the UCSC Arboretum
Visitors to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum will have the opportunity to witness one of the most extraordinary phenomena in the plant world when a rare corpse flower opens its enormous, foul-smelling inflorescence sometime in the next few days.
July 20, 2022
Meet UC Santa Cruz's 2023 alumni council
Dedicating over two decades of service as an alumni volunteer, John Madrid (Oakes ’98, language studies) will now step into the role of alumni council president. The UCSC alumni council will also be welcoming seven new councilors to join the current board totalling a 25 person volunteer board.
July 19, 2022
UCSC alum creates transformational opportunities in the Arts
Best known for producing the U.S.'s longest running daytime soap opera, “Days of Our Lives,” UCSC alumnus Ken Corday is a nine-time daytime Emmy nominated producer. Corday has ushered in new opportunities for the film department at UCSC, and has now expanded his generosity to the music department.
July 19, 2022
Hallmark cancer gene regulates RNA ‘dark matter’
A new study finds that a key genetic mutation that occurs early on in cancer alters RNA “dark matter” and causes the release of previously unknown RNA biomarkers for cancer early detection.
July 19, 2022
Researchers track juvenile elephant seals for insights into mortality rates
An outreach program to bring science and scientists into K-12 classrooms is part of a study investigating the differences between male and female elephant seals.
July 18, 2022
UC-HBCU grants support UCSC faculty collaborations with HBCUs
A summer research program and a historical archaeology course won funding from a UC initiative to support partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
July 18, 2022
UCSC iGEM developing yeast-based type 2 diabetes medication for 2022 international competition
14 UCSC undergraduates are addressing access and cost of Type 2 diabetes medications by creating an alternative, yeast-based treatment that will be presented at the 2022 iGEM Jamboree in Paris.
July 17, 2022
UC Santa Cruz’s new Department of Performance, Play & Design redefines the art of storytelling for the modern era
Earlier this year, the Department of Theater Arts and the Art & Design: Games + Playable Media Program (AGPM) within UC Santa Cruz's Division of the Arts fused to become the the Department of Performance, Play & Design (PPD). It is the only university department in the world to break the traditional silos of theater, dance, and games.
July 15, 2022
DOE supports UCSC ‘spin chemistry’ research with $1.2 million grant
Chemistry Professor Yuan Ping leads a project to develop computational tools for spin dynamics applications in chemistry and materials science.
July 14, 2022
Leaders in health, banking elected to join UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees has elected as new members pharmaceutical and biotherapeutic entrepreneur Greg Reyes, of San Diego, (Kresge ’76, biology) and business banking leader Janet Buck, of Laguna Niguel.
July 13, 2022
ASPIRE program launches to aid conservation in a changing climate
A new program out of the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute involves students in an effort to measure changes in biodiversity and ultimately prevent them.
July 13, 2022
Seismologist Emily Brodsky awarded Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences
Professor Emily Brodsky has received the 2022 Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences, awarded by Northwestern University for achievement and work of lasting significance in the field of Earth sciences.
July 12, 2022
Alternate reality game launching Fall ‘22 will measure resilience of first-year students
“LUX,” a non-traditional research project to measure the resilience of its players, will officially launch this fall, recruiting participants from the incoming first-year class..
July 12, 2022
California budget supports UCSC in building additional housing for hundreds of students
California lawmakers have awarded $89 million to UC Santa Cruz in the 2022-23 state budget, funding that will help to significantly increase student housing at Kresge College.
July 12, 2022
New study dives deep into the sustainability of an alternative aquaculture feed ingredient
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz developed a new life cycle sustainability assessment documenting the environmental benefits and impacts of using the marine microalga Schizochytrium sp. to replace fish oil as an ingredient in aquaculture feed.
July 08, 2022
Narwhals show physiological disruption in response to seismic survey ship noise
Scientists deployed monitoring devices on narwhals to record heart rates, breathing, and diving behavior during seismic air gun pulses from a ship in the fjords of Greenland.
July 07, 2022
The Humanities Division honors faculty, alumni, and students at the 2021-22 Spring Awards
UC Santa Cruz’s Humanities Division marked the end of the school year with their Spring Awards, a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of students, instructors, and alumni.
July 06, 2022
UCSC scholars join researchers statewide on a massive genomic study of California’s biodiversity
The California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP) is a state-funded initiative with a single goal: to produce the most comprehensive, multispecies genomic dataset ever assembled to help manage regional biodiversity.
July 06, 2022
Two from UC Santa Cruz awarded Fulbright grants
Two PhD candidates at UC Santa Cruz have been offered prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for the 2022-2023 academic year.
July 06, 2022
California approves $5 million to fund diversity in science and technology education
Cal-Bridge Program brings together the three levels of the California higher education system to diversify the California public university faculty and tech workforce.
July 01, 2022
Adapted machine learning models will allow for better understanding of federal surveys
With the support of a three-year, $337,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Assistant Professor of Statistics Paul Parker will develop statistical and machine learning methods to best suit the analysis of complex surveys produced by federal statistics agencies.
June 29, 2022
~$6M NSF grant for cyber-physical systems project will enable engineers to explore the next generation of transportation systems
With the support of a nearly $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers at UC Santa Cruz will lead a five year, multi-institutional project to explore a new vision of engineering cyber-physical systems.
June 29, 2022
Destruction and recovery of kelp forests driven by changes in sea urchin behavior
A long-term study of kelp forest dynamics on California’s Central Coast highlights the critical role of sea urchin behavior, not just the size of the urchin population.
June 29, 2022
Autistic adults have become increasingly visible in media, books, television, and more in the past decade, but challenges with representation persist
Researchers documented a shift toward more numerical representation for adults in popular portrayals of autism, which have historically focused on children.
June 28, 2022
UC Santa Cruz celebrates innovative and dedicated teachers
The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching (COT) in collaboration with Chancellor Larive and CP/EVC Kletzer, Cruz celebrated UCSC’s innovative and dedicated teachers with a gathering at the Cowell Provost House in early June.
June 28, 2022
These red flags can let you know when you’re in an online echo chamber
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have identified specific elements of tone and style in online speech that are linked to hyperpartisan echo chambers. These language markers could also prove useful for flagging spaces where disinformation may be likely to emerge.
June 27, 2022
Study finds chaos is more common in ecological systems than previously thought
The idea that chaos is rare in natural populations may be due to methodological and data limitations, rather than the inherent stability of ecosystems.
June 23, 2022
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.
June 22, 2022
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.
June 21, 2022
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.
June 17, 2022
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.
June 16, 2022
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.
June 16, 2022
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.
June 15, 2022
Grant funding will support university-community partnership on inclusive economic development in neighboring city of Salinas
UCSC's Institute for Social Transformation will partner with the Salinas Inclusive Economic Development Initiative in an effort to reduce economic inequality and improve financial stability and quality of life for local families.
June 14, 2022
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.
June 14, 2022
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.
June 14, 2022
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.
June 13, 2022
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.
June 13, 2022
A welcoming place in the redwoods
The Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center is a place for students to claim and proclaim their voices.
June 13, 2022
Hunting in darkness, elephant seals use sensitive whiskers to find prey
Researchers used miniature video cameras to study how free-ranging elephant seals use their whiskers to track down prey in the darkness of the deep ocean.
June 13, 2022
Simulations reveal hydrodynamics of planetary engulfment by expanding star
A new study using hydrodynamical simulations reveals the forces acting on a planet when it is swallowed by an expanding star, as will eventually happen to the inner planets of our solar system when the sun becomes a red giant.
June 13, 2022
Stories of UCSC rugby: The Women’s Rugby Football Club, 1979–2022
Dating back to 1979, the Women’s Rugby Football Club at UCSC has a history of tenacity and dedication to their sport and peers.
June 13, 2022
New executive leadership position for the Arts Division
UC Santa Cruz Dean of the Division of Arts Dr. Celine Parreñas Shimizu has appointed Art Professor Dee Hibbert-Jones to serve as Associate Dean of Research, Exhibition and Engagement.
June 13, 2022
Zimmer to develop Responsible AI course
Zimmer will join colleagues from around the U.S. to plan classes that better explore the impact of artificial intelligence on our world.
June 08, 2022
Prestigious $3.8M NIH grant awarded to biomolecular engineering professor to develop an RSV vaccine
Associate Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Rebecca DuBois will use the five-year grant to develop a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus, a common and potentially dangerous virus.
June 08, 2022
Social Sciences Division recognizes students at annual awards event
The annual Student Awards Luncheon honors undergraduates and graduate students across the Social Sciences Division for excellence in scholarship and creativity.
June 08, 2022
Graduate student’s research helps environmental organizations better serve coastal communities of color
Coastal Science and Policy Program graduate student Kalina Browne led development of a new research report on behalf of Green 2.0, a national watchdog organization focused on diversity and equity in the environmental sector.
June 07, 2022
Proposal for new program, Pathways to the Professoriate in the Arts and Humanities, selected for funding by UC President’s Office
A new cross-divisional initiative to prepare graduate students in the Arts and Humanities at UC Santa Cruz from historically underrepresented groups to go on to the professoriate has been selected for funding.
June 07, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor of the Arts Isaac Julien knighted by Queen Elizabeth
UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor of the Arts Isaac Julien was granted knighthood by Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee
June 06, 2022
CIDER Pilot Training Program helps students reach new heights in drone research and industry
18 students participated in the CIDER’s first-ever Pilot Training Program, which prepared them for success in research and industry opportunities.
June 06, 2022
UC Santa Cruz named No. 2 public university for ‘making an impact’
Princeton Review has named UC Santa Cruz the No. 2 public university in the nation for students focused on making an impact on the world. The honor underscores the university’s commitment to encouraging positive social impact and is an increase from last year’s No. 3 spot.
June 06, 2022
Construction well underway on new student housing at UC Santa Cruz
Committed to advancing student success, UC Santa Cruz leaders are confronting the ongoing housing crisis by providing immediate support programs for students while building new residential buildings to significantly increase the number of students who can live on campus.
June 06, 2022
Associate Professor Nick Mitchell receives 2021-22 Distinguished Teaching Award
Nick Mitchell was honored for his positive impact on students and the leading role he has played in creating new programs that foster the intellectual development of students and UC Santa Cruz
June 03, 2022
‘Crossing Latinidades’ program selects UC Santa Cruz faculty and graduate students for national research and mentoring collaboration
Two UC Santa Cruz faculty were awarded $310,000 grants to lead national research working groups, and two doctoral students have been selected for one-year research fellowships and a summer institute focused on interdisciplinary research methods.
June 01, 2022
Seeking Okinawan rights
UC Santa Cruz doctoral candidate Lex McClellan-Ufugusuku appeared before the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, exploring whether the people of Okinawa could be recognized as Indigenous—meaning they might have the right to block or stop new military bases under guidelines about Indigenous people set up by the U.N.
June 01, 2022
Free public beach tours of Younger Lagoon Reserve have resumed
Tours of the reserve, which were suspended due to COVID-19 precautions, are again being offered through UCSC’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center.
May 31, 2022
Capstone to console: UC Santa Cruz student-developed game releasing to Nintendo Switch
The soon to be released, interactive, fast-paced game Squish was developed by UCSC engineering and arts, games, & playable media students.
May 31, 2022
Amanda Quirk
Amanda Quirk's research on galaxy mergers showed evidence that the Andromeda galaxy had some kind of major galactic collision in the past 4 billion years, and survived—which has implications for our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
May 31, 2022
Benny Mosqueira
Benny Mosqueira felt driven to make something of himself, and he arrived on campus intending to become a medical doctor. Instead, the first-generation college student was captivated by the research opportunities he found at UC Santa Cruz and decided to pursue biomedical research as a career.
May 31, 2022
Brittany Caldwell
Brittany Caldwell, a scholar focused on the impact of early-grade math instruction, has pulled off an impressive feat: earning her Ph.D. in math education and teaching hundreds of students in seminars, all while raising three children.
May 31, 2022
Candy Martinez
The daughter of Oaxacan migrants, Candy Martinez has found a meaningful way to reconnect with her roots, investigating the ways in which Indigenous communities process and heal grief and trauma.
May 31, 2022
Chailen August
Chailen August’s time at UC Santa Cruz put him on a path he never expected. Not only did he embark on a study of drill rap and its interpretation in Ghana, Africa, but, as part of a study-abroad program, he also had a visceral experience of what his enslaved ancestors may have endured.
May 31, 2022
Maxwell Ward
Maxwell Ward always wanted to be an archeologist, following tales of adventure like the search for the tomb of Genghis Khan. But he realizes now that treasure hunting is the smallest part of being an archaeologist. The biggest part today is ethics, and helping make the discipline accessible to native people who have been historically shut out of it.
May 31, 2022
Nicole Rudolph-Vallerga
Being half Latinx and half white, Nicole Rudolph-Vallerga always felt like she didn’t quite fit into either group. So she created her own community with her fall senior art show.
May 31, 2022
Sean Lawrence
With his work studying the relationship between Germany’s Deutsche Bank and the Ottoman Empire, Sean Lawrence shows that many things we think of as unique to our modern capitalistic world really have roots dating back much further.
May 31, 2022
Teresa Faasolo
Teresa Faasolo decided to study computer engineering because she was good at math and highly interested in computers. The major proved more difficult than she had expected, but with help from the Multicultural Engineering Program, she regained her confidence—and found a family.
May 31, 2022
Tiffany-Ellen Vo
Tiffany-Ellen Vo encountered some initial difficulties in college, but with support from the Multicultural Engineering Program she regained her footing. She went on to take advantage of every opportunity she was offered at UC Santa Cruz—and she has already secured a job as a software engineer at Cisco.
May 27, 2022
Year-end exhibition highlights the work of UC Santa Cruz’s 2022 Irwin Scholars
Throughout the month of June, visitors to the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery at UC Santa Cruz will have the chance to see the work of twelve undergraduate artists selected as this year’s Irwin Scholars.
May 26, 2022
Marcella Gomez appointed as the Baskin School of Engineering’s inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Marcella Gomez has been appointed as the Baskin School of Engineering’s inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and will focus on student success and recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented groups in STEM.
May 25, 2022
Sociology doctoral candidate wins national fellowship for research on travel programs that teach youth about the African diaspora
Theresa Hice-Fromille was one of five top scholars selected nationwide for the American Sociological Association’s 2022-2023 Minority Fellowship program. Funding from this and other recent awards will support her dissertation research on travel abroad programs led by Black women that teach youth about the African diaspora.
May 24, 2022
Fellowships support graduate students studying queer movies, Mau Mau Uprising
Raed El Rafaei is examining queer movies made by artists from Lebanon and the diaspora, and Christian David Alvarado is investigating how the Mau Mau Uprising, which ran through the 1950s in Kenya, fits in with the larger processes of decolonization in Africa.
May 24, 2022
Student Union Assembly to host budget forum for campus community on Thursday, May 26
Student Union Assembly (SUA) will host a university budget forum Thursday, May 26. Campus leaders will answer questions about the budget, resource allocation, and the fiscal decision making process.
May 23, 2022
Karen Miga named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022
Karen Miga, assistant professor of biomolecular engineering at UC Santa Cruz, was named one of the 100 most influential people of 2022 by TIME. The honor was announced on May 23.
May 23, 2022
A special outdoor production of The Fairy Queen celebrates the return of fully-staged, live opera at UC Santa Cruz
The UC Santa Cruz Music Department presents Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen in a very special outdoor production to celebrate the return of fully-staged, live opera at UCSC on May 27 and 28, 2022.
May 19, 2022
Invaluable connections through alumni networks: How three slugs came together to help one another
With the help of UCSC alumni Marcia Wall (Stevenson ‘92, English and American literature) and Frank Marquardt (Stevenson ’92, American studies), alumna Morgan Jones (Stevenson ’04, linguistics and cognitive science) was able to land her dream job in UX design.
May 19, 2022
Politics doctoral candidate wins Newcombe Fellowship for research on women’s testimony against sexual violence
Natali Levin-Schwartz is one of 22 winners of a national fellowship award for scholars working on ethical or religious issues. Her dissertation research focuses on how women resist and organize against sexual violence and the role that testimony plays in that process.
May 18, 2022
Stories of UCSC rugby: Leslie Riehl and Pam Krone, the first women on the team
Alumni Leslie Riehl (Cowell ’78, Mathematics) and Pam Krone (Cowell ’75) were the only women on UCSC’s rugby club in 1974, making their stand as women in the sport years before the women’s rugby club formed in 1979.
May 18, 2022
Sloan Foundation funds two-year pilot open source program office at UC Santa Cruz
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded Professor Carlos Maltzahn a $695,000 two-year grant aimed at establishing an open source program office (OSPO) that will serve the entire campus community.
May 18, 2022
New findings enable monitoring for harmful toxin in freshwater environments
Researchers have identified the genes involved in biosynthesis of guanitoxin, a potent neurotoxin produced by some freshwater harmful algal blooms.
May 18, 2022
Instrumentation grant will establish UCSC hybrid robotic systems experimental testbed
A $275K instrumentation funding award from the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program will support a multi-university project to create a hybrid robotics system test environment to run verification and validation testing on autonomous systems.
May 17, 2022
Father of Modern Entrepreneurship to speak during inaugural Entrepreneurial Day at UCSC
The first annual Entrepreneurial Day at UC Santa Cruz will take place Saturday, May 21. The two-part event will feature a fireside chat with Steve Blank, the Father of Modern Entrepreneurship, followed by a resource fair and networking event with clubs from around campus.
May 16, 2022
Large Hadron Collider restarts after major upgrades
UC Santa Cruz physicists have been at the forefront of U.S. participation in the LHC and contributed to a major upgrade of the ATLAS detector during the shutdown.
May 16, 2022
A new class in the Arts Division aims to broaden students’ understanding of careers in the creative economy
Careers in the Creative Economy, a first-time course in the UC Santa Cruz Division of the Arts, has been introducing students to a wide array of professionals in creative fields to help them explore and prepare for arts careers.
May 16, 2022
Grant funding will augment calculus courses to support engineering students’ success
A seed grant from the state-funded California Learning Lab will be used to help address the equity gap in calculus courses and increase retention for engineering students at UC Santa Cruz.
May 16, 2022
Former UCSC Chancellor Karl S. Pister dies at age 96
Former UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Karl S. Pister, who devoted more than 70 years to the University of California, to higher education, and to expanding educational opportunities for students from kindergarten to graduate school, died on Saturday, May 14, at his home in Walnut Creek.
May 12, 2022
UCSC student wins second place at UC systemwide Grad Slam
Astronomy and astrophysics Ph.D. candidate Amanda Quirk came in second place in an elite group of ten competitors at the UC systemwide Grad Slam finale on May 6. She pulled off this feat after winning the UCSC Grad Slam in March.
May 10, 2022
A public dedication in the name of civil rights
Hundreds of campus and regional community members gathered beneath the redwoods encircling Quarry Amphitheater to watch the former College Ten make history, rededicating itself as John R. Lewis College in memory of the legendary civil rights leader.
May 10, 2022
New Department of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies invites students to think critically about race during a time of global reckoning with racism
CRES was first introduced as a degree program in 2014 and, thanks to its rapid growth and strong faculty and student advocacy, gained departmental status in 2021.
May 06, 2022
The Newton you don't know
Caltech professor Jed Buchwald will lecture on Isaac Newton’s attempt to change the history of civilization at inaugural Nauenberg Lecture on May 13
May 06, 2022
May concerts of new work by UC Santa Cruz composers the result of residencies with leading new music artists
UC Santa Cruz doctoral students in composition will premiere several new works this May developed during two unprecedented residencies with top names in the experimental music world.
May 05, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Dean of the Arts Division Celine Parreñas Shimizu will debut her latest film at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 12
Filmmaker and film scholar Celine Parreñas Shimizu, UCSC’s Dean of the Division of Arts, debuts her new documentary at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 12. The feature film 80 YEARS LATER explores the racial inheritance of Japanese American family incarceration during World War II through multigenerational conversations with survivors and their descendants.
May 05, 2022
UC Santa Cruz alumna and thought leader Roshawnna Novellus to deliver Baskin Engineering 2022 commencement address
Roshawnna Novellus—Baskin Engineering computer engineering undergraduate alumna, entrepreneur, and nationally recognized financial inclusion advocate—will deliver the UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering 2022 commencement address.
May 04, 2022
John Brown Childs earns UC’s highest system-wide award for emeriti
UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology John Brown Childs is a 2021-2022 recipient of the Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, which recognizes exceptional legacies of research, teaching, and service.
May 03, 2022
Nearly 30 years of conservation in Santa Cruz, alumna stays connected to the university and invests in students
UCSC alumna Jodi McGraw (Rachel Carson ’94, Environmental Studies and Biology) founded her conservation consulting firm in 2001 and has since hired upwards of 15 UCSC graduates and has sponsored almost 50 UCSC interns.
May 03, 2022
Alumnus covers breaking news in Ukraine
UCSC alumni and New York Times reporter Andrew Kramer (Cowell ’94, history) is on the ground in Ukraine, breaking news for the New York Times.
May 03, 2022
Team of researchers win the public benchmark phase of new Alexa Prize competition
UC Santa Cruz’s team of computer science and engineering (CSE) Ph.D. students came out victorious by a generous margin during the public benchmark phase of the first-ever Amazon Alexa Prize SimBot Challenge, far surpassing other teams in the university competition focused on advancing virtual assistant technology.
May 03, 2022
Deep Read welcomes author Yaa Gyasi to UC Santa Cruz
The annual program of The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz has brought together students, faculty, alumni, and other curious minds from across the globe to unpack and discuss Transcendent Kingdom, the most recent novel by Ghanaian-American author Yaa Gyasi.
May 03, 2022
Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz chosen for prestigious Julio Cortázar Latin American Chair
Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, has been selected to hold the Julio Cortázar Latin American Chair at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, for 2022.
May 02, 2022
International stages to the Quarry, alumna Terisa Siagatonu returns for dedication ceremony
UCSC alumna and award-winning poet, Terisa Siagatonu (John R. Lewis ’11, community studies), will be a keynote speaker at the John R. Lewis College dedication ceremony on May 6.
May 02, 2022
Puzzling it out
Linguistics student David Tuffs started making crossword puzzles to stave off boredom during COVID-19 restrictions. Now he's had his third puzzle published in the New York Times.
May 02, 2022
Wisdom Cole: Paving the way for a new generation of Black leaders
National Director of the NAACP Youth & College Division and UCSC alumnus Wisdom Cole (Oakes ’15, chemistry) will be a keynote speaker at the John R. Lewis College dedication ceremony on May 6.
May 02, 2022
As climate shifts, species will need to relocate, and people may have to help them
A new survey summarizes scientific recommendations for conservationists and land managers tasked with managing biodiversity in a changing climate.
May 02, 2022
UCSC joins multi-institutional effort to advance equity and inclusion in science
The HHMI Inclusive Excellence Learning Community initiative is supporting efforts to redesign the introductory science curriculum.
May 02, 2022
Women's water polo team wins Division III championship
The UC Santa Cruz women's water polo club won the Collegiate Water Polo Association Women’s Division III Club Championship in Middlebury, Vermont, on Sunday.
April 29, 2022
New global and community health majors available this fall
UC Santa Cruz students who want to build a future with better, more equitable health outcomes will have the option to declare one of two new global and community health majors, starting in fall 2022.
April 28, 2022
Maysoon Zayid to bring incisive hilarity to UCSC for Asian American/Pacific Islander Comedy Night
The comedian Maysoon Zayid will perform on campus in the eighth annual Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) Comedy Night at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 30, helping to kick off AAPI Heritage Month.
April 28, 2022
New Google-funded research project applies computer science to aid bird conservation
Two faculty members have begun a new collaboration to use machine learning models to create continent-wide maps of bird habitat connectivity for conservation purposes, and they have recently received a $60,000 Google Research Scholar award to fund this work
April 28, 2022
Afrofuturism takes center stage in the Institute of the Arts and Sciences’ Surge series
UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences offers a month-long series of performances and discussions on Afrofuturism, a global artistic and social movement, utilizing the arts, science, and technology to imagine—and create— a world where African-descended peoples and cultures can live and flourish.
April 28, 2022
Unlocking a cure for carbon monoxide poisoning
UCSC researcher Tim Johnstone has designed small molecules that can bind CO, sequester CO that is already bonded to hemoglobin, and rescue red blood cells exposed to CO, all promising signs for a future antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning.
April 28, 2022
Linguist Sandra Chung elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Sandra Chung, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Linguistics, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.
April 28, 2022
Summer programs draw visitors to Lick Observatory for music and stargazing
Tickets are on sale now for the observatory's popular summer evening programs.
April 26, 2022
Hybrid Alumni Week festivities highlight Slug ingenuity, camaraderie, and social consciousness
Drones soared in the sky, familiar places and faces were rediscovered, cocktail glasses clinked, and old friendships were renewed during the hybrid Alumni Week festivities, which blended analog fun with virtual symposiums.
April 25, 2022
CITRIS drone program lands $1 million grant from James Irvine Foundation
The UC Santa Cruz CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) along with several partners has received a $1 million, 15-month planning grant to support regional drone education and workforce development from The James Irvine Foundation.
April 25, 2022
10 questions all funders should ask before supporting tree-planting campaigns
Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl is concerned that widespread enthusiasm for tree-planting may be leaving restoration best-practices by the wayside. But a new set of research-based questions can help potential funders determine which reforestation campaigns are poised for success.
April 21, 2022
Alumna’s foreign service success earns her a new post as U.S. Ambassador
Claire Pierangelo (Kresge College, History ’82) will be sworn in as Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros on May 2.
April 21, 2022
Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells awarded $1M training grant for postdoctoral researchers
The directors of the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells brought in a new $1M training grant for postdoctoral researchers, and have been awarded over $12M in grants in just two years.
April 20, 2022
New global forecasts of marine heatwaves foretell ecological and economic impacts
The forecasts could help fishing fleets, ocean managers, and coastal communities anticipate the effects of marine heatwaves.
April 20, 2022
New study examines ethics of community-engaged research from the perspective of community partners
Even the most collaborative research models come with ethical challenges, a new study shows. This highlights the importance of equity-centered approaches.
April 20, 2022
Cruz Foam teams up with DiCaprio, Kutcher as advisors and adds a major industry partner
Cruz Foam, a company that started as a Ph.D. student’s project at the UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering and makes a compostable alternative to styrofoam packaging, has added actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher as advisors and investors.
April 19, 2022
Take Back the Night: Chanel Miller to be keynote speaker
Bestselling author Chanel Miller will appear at UCSC in a virtual keynote event that is part of the Take Back the Night series and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This free event will take place on Tuesday, April 26, from 6:30–8 p.m.
April 19, 2022
Thought-provoking new works of media art in exhibition by Digital Arts and New Media MFAs
The UC Santa Cruz Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) MFA program presents unforgetting, the culminating exhibition of its 2022 MFA cohort, on view free to the public at the Digital Arts Research Center April 22-May 1 with a special performance May 20-29 at the Experimental Theater.
April 19, 2022
Superheroes, spaceships, and social wearables: An immersive, social STEM camp for middle school girls sparks interest, builds confidence in STEM
The UCSC-developed STEM camp combines the crafting of wearable technology with social experience to pique interest in computation and technology for middle school girls.
April 18, 2022
The UC in Washington program launches political career
The UCDC program launched alumnus Ricky Le’s (Rachel Carson, Politics ’99) career in national politics.
April 15, 2022
Coming together to heal
UCSC Arts dean and her family establish scholarship in son’s memory
April 15, 2022
Alumni Week focuses lens on news coverage of COVID
Three alumni of UCSC’s prestigious Science Communication Program will talk about what they learned—and how they have coped—with the pandemic at a virtual University Forum during Alumni Week
April 15, 2022
Honoring UC Santa Cruz’s 2022 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni
Each year, UC Santa Cruz’s five academic divisions select one graduate student alumnus/a/i as their Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni honoree. The awards ceremony for the 2022 cohort will take place on April 23 of Alumni Weekend.
April 14, 2022
Kelp restoration project is finalist in LaunchPad pitch competition
Andrea Paz-Lacavex, a graduate student in UCSC’s Coastal Science & Policy Program, leads SPORA, a kelp restoration project in Baja California.
April 14, 2022
Statistics professor wins Hellman fellowship to rethink verbal autopsy survey design
Assistant professor of statistics Richard Li will use his Hellman award to rethink survey design for verbal autopsy, the process of determining cause of death outside of the hospital which is routinely implemented in many low- and middle-income countries throughout the world.
April 14, 2022
Politics professor’s book challenging Western notions of Sharia wins global acclaim
In the past year, Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud's latest book has earned him a series of award recognitions, speaking engagements around the globe, and an invitation to a closed session with resident representatives of the United Nations Development Program.
April 12, 2022
Rock on: summer concert series coming to Quarry Amphitheater
In partnership with Noise Pop Industries, UC Santa Cruz announces summer concert series to be hosted in the Quarry Amphitheater.
April 12, 2022
Watsonville Filipino history digital archive now available for public viewing
The Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive is now viewable online and features oral history recordings, original documents, photos, and family artifacts highlighting Filipino history in the Pajaro Valley.
April 12, 2022
Caitlin Keliiaa and Philip Longo receive American Council of Learned Societies fellowship
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) announced the recipients of their 2022 ACLS Fellowships. Philip Longo, Continuing Lecturer in the Humanities Division’s Writing Program, and Caitlin Keliiaa, assistant professor in UC Santa Cruz’s Feminist Studies Department, will both be receiving awards that will allow them to take leave to continue their scholarly research.
April 12, 2022
Paid fellowship opens doors and opportunities for Humanities students
Unique partnership between The Humanities Institute, a leading national media outlet, and a generous UC Santa Cruz donor amplifies opportunities for UC Santa Cruz students
April 11, 2022
Risa Wechsler named 2022 Physical and Biological Sciences Distinguished Graduate Student Alumna
UC Santa Cruz alumna Risa Wechsler (Ph.D. Physics ’01) has played an instrumental role in groundbreaking research in the cosmology field, with pioneering galaxy structure and cosmic structure surveys, and more than 300 widely cited publications. Wechsler has also been committed to ensuring the growth of diversity and inclusion within the physics and astronomy community.
April 11, 2022
UCSC and Amazon Web Services work to accelerate genomics research
The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to allow researchers to quickly and efficiently execute bioinformatics pipelines on AWS’s global cloud infrastructure.
April 11, 2022
Grazing goats to help reduce wildfire risk
Hundreds of hungry goats will arrive on campus later this week to graze on about 30 acres of vegetation that would otherwise dry into potential wildfire fuel as summer arrives.
April 11, 2022
Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu to receive prestigious award
The Association for Asian American Studies has selected UC Santa Cruz Division of Arts Dean, Dr. Celine Parreñas Shimizu, for its 2022 Excellence in Mentorship Award.
April 08, 2022
Alumni Week to highlight three decades of alumni-sponsored student support
The founders of the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund are using the occasion of its 30th anniversary to increase philanthropic support in the scholarship, setting a goal of raising $100,000 from alumni.
April 07, 2022
Sarah Peelo named 2022 Social Sciences Division Distinguished Graduate Student Alumna
Sarah Peelo (Ph.D. Anthropology ’09) looked to UC Santa Cruz as an institution beaming with women in leadership. Now company president and co-owner of cultural resource management firm, Albion, Peelo is at the forefront of cultural preservation in the Bay Area.
April 07, 2022
William Long named 2022 Arts Division Distinguished Graduate Student Alumnus
William Long’s (B.A. Music ’11, M.A. Music ’13) passion for music began when he was six years old. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. from UC Santa Cruz, Long went on to conduct for San Francisco Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis/St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
April 07, 2022
Harryette Mullen named 2022 Humanities Division Distinguished Graduate Student Alumna
The Humanities Division’s 2022 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumna, Harryette Mullen (M.A. Literature ’86, Ph.D. Literature ’90), published her first poetry book Tree Tall Women in 1981 and has since published dozens of poems, stories, books, and essays that have been published worldwide and reprinted in over one hundred anthologies.
April 05, 2022
How mentorship and a transformative graduate experience inspired alumnus Brian Levine to build a legacy of socially responsible innovation
Baskin Engineering’s 2022 distinguished graduate student alumnus Brian Levine credits his time at UC Santa Cruz for giving him the tools to become a life-long educator and socially impactful researcher.
April 05, 2022
Title IX graduate interns shine a light on sexual violence and sexual harassment research
Two UC Santa Cruz graduate students are working to showcase campus research focused on preventing, responding to, and addressing gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination with a new online spotlight series.
April 05, 2022
Works by some of the country’s most influential contemporary artists on view in Strange Weather
A new group exhibition presented by UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH), features contemporary artworks by some of today’s leading artists. On view April 14-August 14, 2022 at the MAH, Strange Weather: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation is co-organized by IAS director Dr. Rachel Nelson and UCSC History of Art and Visual Culture Professor Jennifer González.
April 05, 2022
UCSC selects Aisha Jackson as Vice Chancellor for Information Technology
Aisha Jackson comes to UC Santa Cruz from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she is that university’s first Assistant Vice Provost and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Technology and Student Success.
April 05, 2022
UC Santa Cruz hosts ‘Universe in Verse’ April 16 in the Quarry Amphitheater
The fifth annual Universe in Verse—a charitable celebration of science and nature through poetry and music, created and hosted by writer Maria Popova (Marginalian)—will be held in person at UC Santa Cruz in the Quarry Amphitheater on Saturday, April 16.
April 04, 2022
Genomics Institute tool becomes primary method to identify lineages of COVID-19 worldwide
As COVID-19 continues to mutate, software developed and maintained at the University of California, Santa Cruz’s Genomics Institute will now be at the core of the primary tool used by health officials worldwide to track the spread of variants in their community. It is now the default software behind the ubiquitously used tool Pangolin, replacing previous software to more accurately assign genomic samples of COVID-19 to a known branch on the virus’s family tree.
April 04, 2022
Ricky Bluthenthal announced as 2022 social sciences distinguished alumni award recipient
The Social Sciences division is proud to announce trailblazing health equity researcher and advocate Ricky Bluthenthal (Merrill ’86, History and Sociology) as the recipient of the 2022 Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award.
April 04, 2022
Physical and Biological Sciences Division honors three prominent alumni
The PBSci Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize contributions to society by graduate and undergraduate alums.
March 31, 2022
First complete, gapless sequence of a human genome reveals hidden regions
Parts of the human genome now available to study for the first time are important for understanding genetic diseases, human diversity, and evolution.
March 31, 2022
Postdoctoral fellowships support planetary science research
Brittany Miles and Paul Dalba have won 51 Pegasi b Fellowships to support their research on exoplanets and brown dwarfs.
March 29, 2022
UCSC Ph.D. students dive deep into engineering open-domain dialogue AI with the support of industry partners
LivePerson, which builds conversational AI, is funding two students' study of the models that drive chatbots, digital assistants, and more
March 28, 2022
Methane could be the first detectable indication of life beyond Earth
A new study assesses the planetary context in which the detection of methane in an exoplanet’s atmosphere could be considered a compelling sign of life.
March 28, 2022
UCSC leadership shares bold vision for campus’s future with Regents
Chancellor Cynthia Larive on Thursday presented the University of California Regents with a bold vision for UC Santa Cruz’s future — leading at the intersection of innovation and social justice — and detailed how the campus’ strengths, challenges, opportunities, and planning processes are advancing this vision.
March 28, 2022
Seed funding grants for early-stage research, creative projects given to 19 awardees
The UCSC Office of Research has awarded funds this month to 19 projects through its inaugural Seed Funding for Early Stage Initiatives program
March 28, 2022
Local pumas don’t sense danger in places where they’re most often killed by humans
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers suggests that pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains don’t make accurate assessments of where they are most likely to be killed by humans, especially when it comes to the threat of being killed in retaliation for loss of livestock.
March 28, 2022
Celebrating 50 years of immersive natural history education at UC Santa Cruz
In June, an event will gather UC Santa Cruz alumni, faculty, staff, current students, and community members to honor the legacy of Ken Norris and natural history at UCSC, including the 50th anniversary of Natural History Field Quarter.
March 25, 2022
Rekindling friendships through volunteering: Pioneer alumni organize Crown’s 50th
UC Santa Cruz pioneer alumni Lisa Rose, Jim Lapsley and Susan Nerton have spent three years planning Crown College’s first-ever 50th reunion. With the COVID-19 pandemic pushing the reunion back multiple years, Rose, Lapsley and Nerton are excited to invite a five-year range of pioneer Crown alumni back to the campus they love.
March 24, 2022
Annual Confronting Climate Change Conference focuses on local impacts and solutions
UC Santa Cruz offers a weekend of free events at the Seymour Center to spark conversation and inspire action.
March 24, 2022
A remarkable, first-time film course tackles the criminal justice system
UC Santa Cruz Film Professor Sharon Daniel’s two-quarter undergrad course, FILM 171S-02, is not your typical film school fare. This course, titled Reasonable Doubts: Making an Exoneree, aims for nothing less than to free wrongfully convicted persons currently incarcerated in American prisons.
March 21, 2022
NSF funding boosts undergraduate research experience in MCD Biology
A course-based undergraduate research program is expanding opportunities for biology undergraduates to get faculty-mentored research experience.
March 21, 2022
Economics Professor Rob Fairlie testifies before committee in U.S. House of Representatives to share research on Paycheck Protection Program
Fairlie testified on his latest research, which showed that changes to the Paycheck Protection Program in 2021 helped to improve racial equity in loan distribution.
March 18, 2022
UC Santa Cruz lecturer and alumna contributes to IPCC’s 2022 report on global climate change
Pam Rittelmeyer, a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Studies and College Nine, is a contributing author on the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
March 16, 2022
Effects of ancient carbon releases suggest possible scenarios for future climate
New findings reveal a precursor event before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, giving scientists a fresh perspective on future global climate scenarios.
March 14, 2022
Cannibal galaxies and devastating collisions
Amanda Quirk won the annual Grad Slam competition last week after compressing billions of years of galactic history into a humorous and insightful three-minute presentation. She won $3,000 and a chance to compete in the UC Grad Slam finals in May.
March 11, 2022
Chemical analysis reveals effects of wildfire smoke on grapes and wines
A new study provides practical guidelines for using biomarkers to identify ‘smoke taint’ in grapes and wines affected by the smoke from wildfires.
March 10, 2022
Keeping the stoke fresh
Alumnus David Schulkin, who has taught surfing to UC Santa Cruz students for more than two decades, is 'all about joy and about passing on the joy of surfing.'
March 10, 2022
New study confirms bioengineered RSV protein vaccine evokes protective immune response
Two UC Santa Cruz researchers just marked a major milestone in their effort to create an effective vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can cause severe respiratory disease in children and the elderly.
March 10, 2022
California Sea Grant funds graduate research fellows at UCSC
California Sea Grant has awarded funding to four UC Santa Cruz graduate students for marine science research projects that address the agency’s priority themes of resilient coastal communities and economies, sustainable fisheries, and healthy coastal ecosystems.
March 10, 2022
UC Santa Cruz to implement strategic plan for internationalization
UC Santa Cruz is advancing comprehensive internationalization to ensure that the members of the campus community are prepared and encouraged to study, teach, conduct research, and work in a global context, and that institutional policies, programs, and initiatives are aligned to achieve this shared goal.
March 09, 2022
New responsible data sharing technique will enable better understanding of disease-causing genetic variants
Scientists may better understand and test for the genetic variations that cause cancer and other heritable diseases through the application of a novel strategy for securely sharing and analyzing genomic data developed at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute.
March 09, 2022
Younger Lagoon study tells a tale of two fishes
Research at UCSC's Younger Lagoon shows that the state of estuary waters, not competition from another fish species, is the most important predictor of populations of an endangered fish.
March 07, 2022
UC Santa Cruz invites alumni, community to Alumni Week
Alumni Week 2022 will have a unique “hybrid” format—combining virtual and in-person gatherings, with activities ranging from a virtual elephant seal tour to an in-person wildflower walk in the Campus Reserve, a drone-flying demonstration, and a “Merrill Moat Day” extravaganza, an interactive art project that goes back to the college’s early times.
March 07, 2022
Counting the decades at Alumni Week
UCSC's annual alumni gathering will feature several 50th anniversary celebrations, with Crown and Cowell grads remembering the past. There will also be gatherings for younger alumni, including a virtual "Weird Science" event.
March 04, 2022
Institute For Advanced Study selects environmental sociologist Hillary Angelo as a member
UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Sociology Hillary Angelo was selected among a group of 25 world-leading researchers and academics who will focus on the theme “Climate Crisis Politics" as 2022-2023 members of the IAS School of Social Science.
March 03, 2022
Computer scientist Yang Liu wins NSF CAREER award
Yang Liu, assistant professor of computer science as the Baskin School of Engineering, won a prestigious NSF CAREER award for his study of human-centered machine learning.
March 02, 2022
Danielle Dadiego named recipient of 2022 Society for American Archaeology Dissertation Award
UC Santa Cruz alumna Danielle Dadiego (M.A. Anthropology, ’17; Ph.D. Anthropology, ’20) has worked in the archeology field for nearly two decades. Her dissertation, Beads, Bullets, and Brokerage: Exploring Economic Agency in Eighteenth-Century West Florida, has been nationally recognized by the 2022 Society for American Archaeology Dissertation Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the archeology field.
March 01, 2022
Marizza Delgado Leads in the Era of Multipotentialite Women
UC Santa Cruz Alumna Marizza Delgado (Rachel Carson ’21, Technology and Information Management) is a data scientist at Etsy in New York City, fashion model, and Miss Earth New York 2021. Her experiences at UCSC helped inspire Delgado to pursue all of her passions in life.
March 01, 2022
Introducing The 2022 Deep Read: Yaa Gyasi’s Transcendent Kingdom
The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz announces the return of The Deep Read annual program. The group will read Transcendent Kingdom, the acclaimed novel from Brooklyn-based author Yaa Gyasi.
February 28, 2022
Exposing the racist underpinnings of 'neutral' technology
In her keynote speech at the all-virtual 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, sociologist Ruha Benjamin warned of the "neutral" veneer of tech, and how it can often disguise oppressive practices.
February 28, 2022
Elephant seals’ map sense tells them when to head ‘home’
Researchers found that female elephant seals know their distance from the breeding beach and allocate extra time to get back if they have farther to travel.
February 28, 2022
A slow-motion section of the San Andreas Fault may not be so harmless after all
A study of rocks drilled from nearly 2 miles under the surface suggests that the central section of the San Andreas fault has hosted many major earthquakes, including some that could have been fairly recent.
February 25, 2022
UC Santa Cruz joins Social Science Research Council
The campus is now a member of the Social Science Research Council's College and University Fund for the Social Sciences, which will offer new opportunities for UC Santa Cruz to help shape research priorities across the field.
February 24, 2022
Family-friendly opera returns to Mainstage Theater this March with My Head is Full of Colors
On March 12, Family Opera returns live to the Mainstage Theater with My Head is Full of Colors, a joyful tale of imagination composed by UCSC Lecturer Chris Pratorius Gómez, with a libretto by Nicole Paiement, and directed by Lecturer Sheila Willey.
February 24, 2022
Record applications enable UC Santa Cruz to build strong, diverse fall class
With record-breaking applications from undergraduate students, UC Santa Cruz is looking to admit students who will be ready to contribute to and benefit from a high-impact research university.
February 24, 2022
Ocean scientist Claudie Beaulieu wins NSF CAREER Award
Claudie Beaulieu, assistant professor of ocean sciences, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support her work using data science to study climate variability and climate change.
February 22, 2022
Revised Kresge Renewal project will nearly double number of student beds at UCSC’s sixth residential college
Construction at the ambitious, long-awaited Kresge College Renewal project is nearly halfway done. The project has undergone recent changes, including the near-doubling of the number of student beds.
February 22, 2022
Generous gifts help UCSC shatter fundraising records in holiday food drive
UC Santa Cruz smashed all previous records during its participation in the annual Second Harvest holiday food and fund drive, raising the equivalent of 376,099 meals.
February 21, 2022
A surprising heat source is melting the Greenland Ice Sheet from the bottom up
Researchers have observed extremely high rates of melting at the bottom of the Greenland Ice Sheet, caused by huge quantities of meltwater descending from the surface to the base.
February 18, 2022
Easy aluminum nanoparticles for rapid, efficient hydrogen generation from water
UCSC chemists developed a simple method to make aluminum nanoparticles that split water and generate hydrogen gas rapidly under ambient conditions.
February 17, 2022
'Abolition. Feminism. Now.' earns national praise
The book, authored by Professor Emerita Angela Y. Davis and Associate Professor Gina Dent, is garnering national attention for its pathbreaking examination of abolition and feminism in the 21st century.
February 16, 2022
Physicist Michael Dine takes readers on a journey to the edge of reality in new book
‘This Way to the Universe’ explains the outstanding mysteries of the universe and also how remarkably well we understand it on many levels.
February 15, 2022
Chemistry Professor Yuan Ping wins Sloan Research Fellowship
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship to Yuan Ping, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz.
February 14, 2022
Tilting of Earth’s crust governed the flow of ancient megafloods
Study provides a new perspective on Washington state’s Channeled Scablands, carved by the Missoula megafloods at the end of the last ice age.
February 14, 2022
A new musical play, 'The Artificial Woman,' to receive its world premiere at UC Santa Cruz this month
The astonishing, true story of Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka’s tempestuous love affair with composer Alma Mahler and the obsession that would drive him to commission a life-size doll in her likeness after their break up is the basis for a new musical.
February 11, 2022
San Lorenzo River was transformed by early logging in the Santa Cruz Mountains
The San Lorenzo River cut a deep channel and abandoned its floodplain in the Felton area around the time of intensive clearcutting in the surrounding mountains, according to a study by UCSC researchers.
February 10, 2022
UCSC selected to join US CYBERCOM Academic Engagement Network
UCSC will join the inaugural class of the U.S. Cyber Command’s (CYBERCOM) Academic Engagement Network (AEN), a group of 84 colleges and universities selected to help strengthen the country’s cybersecurity operations.
February 10, 2022
First nationwide study of scams targeting immigrants shows local social context may help or hinder reporting
Assistant Professor of Sociology Juan Manuel Pedroza's latest research offers insights that may help improve access to justice for vulnerable communities.
February 09, 2022
White House honors astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz with mentoring award
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring represent the highest honors bestowed upon mentors who work to expand STEM talent.
February 09, 2022
Genome of extinct Steller’s sea cow reveals surprising link to human skin disease
Analysis of ancient DNA from sea cow bones finds genes that may have played a role in adaptation to cold marine environment and yields evidence of a long population decline.
February 08, 2022
Computer scientist Lindsey Kuper wins NSF CAREER award
Lindsey Kuper, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has won a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund her lab’s study of distributed systems.
February 08, 2022
UC Santa Cruz announces ambitious investment to hire 100 additional faculty over decade, part of broader effort to advance student success and research excellence
To advance its place as an international leader at the intersection of innovation and social justice, UC Santa Cruz announced today its intention to prioritize faculty hiring by adding 100 additional faculty over the next decade.
February 08, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Foundation votes to provide additional one-time endowment payout to support student scholarships, fellowships
Hundreds of continuing and incoming UC Santa Cruz students will benefit from additional financial support from scholarships and fellowships after the UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board approved an additional, one-time payout from the university’s endowment.
February 07, 2022
'From the Margins: Dante 701 Years Later' to provide critical perspectives on author's work
Funded through the Siegfried B. and Elisabeth Mignon Puknat Literary Studies Endowment and presented by The Humanities Institute, the series will include events taking place throughout 2022 to engage with Dante’s work through a much different lens than the usual discussions of his life and work.
February 07, 2022
UC Santa Cruz tops ranking of women in leadership at R1 universities
UC Santa Cruz is first in the nation for racial and gender diversity in leadership, according to a new report by the Women’s Power Gap Initiative at the Eos Foundation, in partnership with the American Association of University Women.
February 04, 2022
An advocate for menstrual equity
Student Amanda Safi helped get a new California law passed that requires public schools to stock restrooms with free menstrual products—a move activists say is a first step toward rectifying the discrimination, stigma, and financial, educational, and health consequences faced by those who menstruate.
February 04, 2022
Stories of Black women take center stage in upcoming performance of ''da Kink in My Hair'
The award-winning play "‘da Kink in My Hair" will be presented February 18-27 by the Department of Performance, Play & Design and the African American Theater Arts Troupe.
February 03, 2022
Bridging the educational divide on a global scale
Alumnus Fred Mednick, founder of two-time Peace Prize–winning NGO Teachers Without Borders, has worked to expand worldwide educational access for over two decades.
February 03, 2022
Equity gaps in COVID-19 deaths closed for some racial and ethnic groups, widened for others during vaccine rollout in California
New research from UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University, and UC San Francisco shows how racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 deaths across California changed as the rollout process for vaccines began.
February 02, 2022
UCSC researchers study effects of wildfire runoff on steelhead sense of smell
The 2020 wildfires offered UCSC researchers a chance to study how the runoff after wildfire affects one of the region’s most iconic fish: steelhead trout.
February 01, 2022
Distinguished sociologist and founding director of Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab to headline MLK Convocation
Ruha Benjamin, an incisive scholar of tech-reinforced racism, will address the 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, a virtual event on February 23
January 31, 2022
Hitting a high note
Music Professor Karlton Hester, named the first associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts for the Arts Division, believes all ethnicities benefit from inclusion and an increased focus on Black history, Indigenous history, and traditional knowledge.
January 31, 2022
Climate action planning misses equity opportunities in many California cities
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz analyzed 170 climate action plans across California to find out how cities are incorporating equity into their efforts to curb emissions and address climate change impacts.
January 26, 2022
Two UCSC professors elected 2021 AAAS Fellows
Biologist Suzanne Alonzo and Earth scientist James Zachos have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
January 26, 2022
History professor earns 2021 National Jewish Book Award for look at New York Hasidic Jewish community
Nathaniel Deutsch was recently announced as a winner of a 2021 National Jewish Book Award in the category of American Jewish Studies for his recently-published work, A Fortress in Brooklyn: Race, Real Estate, and the Making of Hasidic Williamsburg. He shares the award with his co-author Michael Casper.
January 25, 2022
Ten new picnic tables customed designed, handcrafted, and installed on campus
It was a rush order, no question about it. In early September, Chancellor Cynthia Larive asked Physical Plant, Development and Operations to install 10 picnic tables on the main residential campus by the opening of fall quarter. Campus carpenters decided to do-it-themselves.
January 25, 2022
The struggle to protect voting rights must go on. Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement can help
Distinguished professor emeritus John Brown Childs shares his opinion on the U.S. Senate's recent blockage of voting rights legislation and reflects on lessons he learned during the Civil Rights Movement that may help voting rights activists today.
January 24, 2022
Biochemist Carrie Partch honored by the National Academy of Sciences
Carrie Partch, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will be honored by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) with the 2022 NAS Award in Molecular Biology.
January 20, 2022
UC Santa Cruz receives National Endowment for the Humanities grant to connect studies of humanities, engineering
UC Santa Cruz will create a new Certificate in the Humanities introducing students enrolled in the Baskin School of Engineering to humanities disciplines aimed to help them better understand the social and cultural impacts of technological change.
January 20, 2022
Grant supports project to digitize, preserve materials at Biblioteca Amazónica
The project will concentrate its efforts on those items within the archives that are unique to the Biblioteca Amazónica and not available elsewhere. One important inclusion will be back issues of three local newspapers — El Eco, La Razón, and El Oriente — that have never been fully digitized before.
January 20, 2022
Rebecca Hernandez to serve as campus's first community archivist
Rebecca Hernandez, who previous served as the director of the American Indian Resource Center, will seek out partnerships with community organizations and leaders to support the preservation of community history, with a particular focus on reaching out to traditionally underrepresented communities.
January 20, 2022
National Endowment for the Arts award to support 'Surge,' an afrofuturism festival
Events will take place throughout the academic year, culminating in a month-long festival in May 2022 with live music concerts and dance performances.
January 14, 2022
Computer engineer Scott Beamer wins NSF CAREER Award
Scott Beamer, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at UC Santa Cruz, has received a Faculty Early Career Development Award from the NSF to support his work on verifiable computation.
January 13, 2022
Appetite for entrepreneurship leads alum to launch successful meal-prep business
Economics alumnus Andy Sartori, a Sacramento Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree, helps people eat with purpose.
January 13, 2022
Economics professor takes deep dive into challenges and opportunities of climate change
The widespread impacts of climate change raise urgent and critical questions.
January 13, 2022
Merrill College courses offer opportunity to learn about Africa, develop global connections
Merrill is offering two Global Classrooms, courses developed with the support of the Global Engagement Division that involve online collaboration between students from UCSC and the Co-Operative University of Kenya.
January 11, 2022
MaNGA team releases largest-ever collection of 3D maps of nearby galaxies
The release of the complete dataset of 10,000 galaxies observed by the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) project makes MaNGA the largest galaxy survey of its kind.
January 10, 2022
Simulated image shows how NASA’s Roman could expand on Hubble’s deepest view
The Roman Space Telescope will have the power to perform an observation similar to the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, but on a much larger scale.
January 10, 2022
UCSC selects Akirah J. Bradley-Armstrong as vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Success
Akirah Bradley-Armstrong, who comes to campus from the University of Colorado Boulder, is a dedicated student affairs professional with 17 years of experience in the field.
January 06, 2022
Astronomers witness the explosive end of a dying star
The Young Supernova Experiment transient survey observed a red supergiant during its final 130 days leading up to a supernova explosion.
January 06, 2022
Undergraduate Pearl Ibeanusi wins national scholarship in honor of late U.S. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink
UCSC student Pearl Ibeanusi was one of five women selected among nationwide applicants to receive a scholarship award recognizing her outstanding record of community service and educational and career goals.
January 05, 2022
Materials theorist Yuan Ping wins NSF CAREER Award
Yuan Ping, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support her work on quantum information science.
January 05, 2022
Legal studies major Aissata Ba looks back on the “whirlwind” of meeting Michelle Obama at recent event
Aissata Ba, a 20-year-old Black Muslim first-generation American, was among a group of students brought together to be part of a conversation with Michelle Obama on some of the themes addressed in her best-selling memoir.
January 04, 2022
A cup of kindness
UC Santa Cruz student Tommy Alejandrez was living on the streets when he met former NFL player Zack Follett on a busy corner in Fresno. The meeting—over a cup of coffee—sparked a friendship that would change both of their lives.
January 03, 2022
In Memoriam: Peter Nicholas Burgoyne (1932–2021)
Peter Nicholas Burgoyne, professor emeritus of mathematics, passed away on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.