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March 12, 2025
Forum captures urgency to use ecosystems now to keep people safe from looming natural disasters
The National Practice Forum on Nature-Based Solutions was held in Irvine on February 4 and 5, and sponsored by UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR). The forum drew over 500 attendees from around the country to discuss how our ecosystems can protect us from natural disasters.
March 12, 2025
New study shows how microalgae could help advance sustainable trout farming
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz created a successful experimental aquaculture feed formulation for rainbow trout that fully replaces traditional fishmeal ingredients sourced from wild-caught fish with leftover marine microalgae from the human dietary supplement industry. Their findings support efforts to increase the variety and quality of fish-free feed options, so that aquaculture can expand food production while also taking pressure off of wild fish stocks.
March 11, 2025
Supporting early career alums: Finding hope in challenging times
In a time of uncertainty, where environmental challenges grow more complex and the future feels unpredictable, two UC Santa Cruz alumni share their insights on adapting to professional challenges while staying true to their core values.
March 11, 2025
Whale waste helps health of oceans by funneling nutrients to the tropics, new study shows
New research shows that whales move nutrients thousands of miles—in their pee and poop—from as far as Alaska to Hawaii, supporting the health of tropical ecosystems and fish. UC Santa Cruz professors Dan Costa and Ari Friedlaender contributed their marine-mammal expertise to the study, which was published on March 10 in the journal Nature Communications.
March 11, 2025
New eye-tracking VR experience, Face Jumping, debuts at SXSW
The independent art and creative studio Tender Claws, co-led by Assistant Teaching Professor of Computational Media Samantha Gorman, will debut Face Jumping at the 2025 South by Southwest (SXSW) XR Experience Exhibition running March 9-11 in Austin, Texas.
March 10, 2025
Critical Imagination in Crisis Times: A Conference on the power of the Humanities at UC Santa Cruz
In times of growing inequality, political upheaval, and climate crisis, how do we imagine a different future, one that breaks free from the cycles of crisis and oppression? This question will be explored in depth at UC Santa Cruz's Critical Imagination in Crisis Times conference at Merrill College on Tuesday, March 11.
March 10, 2025
Biologist Erika Zavaleta receives Science Division’s Outstanding Faculty Award
The Science Division has announced that Erika Zavaleta, a professor in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, has won its 2023-24 Outstanding Faculty Award. The annual prize is the division's highest honor for faculty achievement, recognizing combined excellence in research, teaching, and service.
March 10, 2025
Jose Ramirez is helping one UC at a time
The University of California, Santa Cruz Arts Division is putting its mission into action with Art Matters, an upcoming event in Los Angeles that underscores the transformative power of the arts. The evening will bring together a dynamic mix of alumni, faculty, and supporters, including acclaimed Chicano artist José Ramírez. Ramírez, known for his vibrant and socially engaged work, has contributed a collection of prints for the silent auction and will take the stage as a featured speaker.
March 10, 2025
Matt O’Hara and Katia Obraczka appointed interim provosts of Cowell and Crown for 2025-26
The Division of Undergraduate Education is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Matt O’Hara as interim provost of Cowell College and Professor Katia Obraczka as interim provost of Crown College for the 2025-26 academic year.
March 06, 2025
Student-built app slashes weeks off brain mapping to speed up neuroscience research
UC Santa Cruz neuroscientists aiming to better understand how specific brain connectivity contributes to perception, thoughts, and behavior are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance their study of brain function. By integrating AI, they are streamlining the process of aligning thin slices of mouse brain tissue with a reference atlas, helping to identify key details such as the brain region of origin more efficiently.
March 05, 2025
Explaining how our biological clocks work and how to better regulate our circadian rhythms
As anticipation builds for the longer days that follow this weekend’s switch to daylight savings time, the moment seemed ideal to turn to one of the nation’s leading circadian-rhythms researchers, UC Santa Cruz’s Carrie Partch.
March 05, 2025
AI chatbots perpetuate biases when performing empathy, study finds
A new study explores how GPT-4o, the latest model from OpenAI, evaluates and performs empathy compared to humans, and finds major gaps exist.
March 03, 2025
New biology study reveals four novel genes required for male fertility in mice
The pioneering research of UC Santa Cruz’s Upasna Sharma to determine how a father’s life experiences and environment can influence the health and wellbeing of his children moves forward with the recent discovery of four genes required for male fertility and the creation of specific RNA molecules in sperm.
March 03, 2025
Clinical pediatric cancer lab at UC Santa Cruz is cleared to accept and test patient samples
The UC Santa Cruz Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory has received its CLIA certificate of registration from the California Department of Public Health, which clears the way for it to begin accepting patient samples.
February 28, 2025
Forever fighter
Right Livelihood Laureate Rob Bilott's battle against PFAS “forever chemicals” takes center stage in new documentary How to Poison the Planet, featuring Mark Ruffalo
February 26, 2025
Newest Genome Browser features highlight the power of generative AI and machine learning for biology
The UCSC Genome Browser has added two new datasets that leverage the power of generative AI and machine learning to interpret information about genetic variants and more rapidly assess which ones might be harmful to human health
February 26, 2025
A legacy of hope and healing
Barrios Unidos Founder and UCSC alumnus Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez is a pillar of activism and champion of nonviolence in Santa Cruz County
February 26, 2025
UC Santa Cruz welcomes future STEM leaders for annual MESA Day competitions
Pre-college students to showcase STEM skills through a day of hands-on challenges and interactive learning on March 1.
February 25, 2025
Building a better Santa Cruz: UCSC alumna Susan True shapes community philanthropy
As the CEO of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County and UCSC Foundation board member, Susan True cultivates transformative change
February 25, 2025
Prominent trans rights advocate and bestselling author Jennifer Finney Boylan will deliver Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture
Jennifer Finney Boylan, a celebrated author, LGBTQ+ advocate, and prominent voice in the transgender rights movement, will invoke the spirit of American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart during her Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture on Tuesday, March 4. Boylan is currently Scholar In Residence at The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.
February 25, 2025
Tools and training combat health impacts on farmworkers that are worsened by climate change
A UC Santa Cruz-led project has launched a new bilingual app allowing the public to assess and anonymously report climate-related health risks in agricultural communities statewide. Over 50 newly trained community health advisers will use the app and other tools to teach farmworkers about health risks worsened by climate change and the remedies available through state-mandated health protections.
February 24, 2025
UC Santa Cruz astrophysicist explores the interconnectedness of art and science in 'Painting the Cosmos'
A new book by UC Santa Cruz astrophysicist and visual artist Nia Imara debuts tomorrow that explains the universe and traces how art has blended with science throughout human history.
February 21, 2025
Rooted in community
Alumna Dora Maria Beyer (Merrill ’09, Latin American & Latino studies, politics) was recently named one of Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 for her work assisting low-income communities as director of community development with Excite Credit Union.
February 21, 2025
Turning opportunity into impact
UCSC student Cali Kimura is pursuing a career in women’s health and finds motivation with Weiss Family Scholarship award
February 21, 2025
Phillip Crews honored with inaugural ASP Mentorship Award
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Phillip Crews has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP) Phillip Crews Mentorship Award.
February 21, 2025
Music Department showcases student excellence
Part of the University of California, Santa Cruz’s groundbreaking music education is ensuring students have a chance to perform. Throughout winter quarter, students have strived to perfect their sound and their work will culminate in a series of performances through February and March.
February 21, 2025
UC Santa Cruz students and SUBA partner to bring East Salinas businesses online
In East Salinas, where family-owned businesses are the backbone of the community, a collaboration is helping them build an online presence and reach more customers. Crown College’s GetVirtual program at UC Santa Cruz and the Salinas United Business Association (SUBA) have joined forces, with students leading the way.
February 21, 2025
Opera performance highlights Spanish music and Chicanx culture
Lecturer in Music Sheila Willey is bringing Spanish-language opera to the stage. The upcoming Opera and Zarzuela Scenes performance on March 13, 2025 at the Music Center Recital Hall on campus, will bring a wider cultural look at the artform from several Spanish-speaking countries.
February 20, 2025
Professor Catherine S. Ramírez selected as a Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar
Catherine S. Ramírez, a UC Santa Cruz professor and chair of the Latin American and Latino Studies Department, was one of 15 thought leaders selected from top universities across the country to become a 2025-2026 Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar.
February 18, 2025
Cosmic radiation from supernova altered virus evolution in Africa, study proposes
A new study led by recent undergraduate student Caitlyn Nojiri and co-authored by astronomy and astrophysics professor Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and postdoctoral fellow Noémie Globus examined iron isotopes to identify a 2.5 million-year-old supernova. The researchers connected this stellar explosion to a surge of radiation that pummeled Earth around the same time, and they assert that the blast was powerful enough to break the DNA of living creatures.
February 14, 2025
Slugs in Love 2025: Celebrating love stories from UCSC alumni
For Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating 14 UCSC alumni who found more than just a degree on campus—they found each other.
February 14, 2025
New book explores historical lessons on racial equity issues in the U.S.
The latest book from UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of Politics Michael K. Brown takes a look back over a century of American history to explore how shortcomings in political philosophy have kept racial inequality problems stuck in place in the United States.
February 13, 2025
New study documents California coyotes eating harbor seal pups
A paper published on February 12 in the journal Ecology details how the researchers used motion-triggered cameras placed at MacKerricher State Beach on California's North Coast during harbor seal pupping season in the spring of 2023 and 2024.
February 13, 2025
Young workers in Santa Cruz County may be poised to lead a ‘union boom’
Santa Cruz County has already been gaining national attention for groundbreaking unionization efforts led by young workers, including at local Starbucks and REI locations. Now, new survey data show why that trend is likely to continue.
February 13, 2025
In Memoriam: Professor David Lee Cuthbert, Performance, Play and Design
David Lee Cuthbert, Professor of Performance, Play and Design (PPD), passed away unexpectedly on February 11, 2025. Cuthbert was a dedicated educator and designer, serving as part of the Theater Arts faculty for 25 years. His passing is a profound loss for the Arts Division and for UC Santa Cruz.
February 12, 2025
Economically, culturally important marine species vulnerable to changing climate, new study shows
Dungeness crab, Pacific herring, and red abalone are among the marine species most vulnerable to the changing climate's effect on California's coastal waters, a new study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers finds.
February 11, 2025
AAAS names UC Santa Cruz organelle discovery most outstanding paper in 2024
The discovery by UC Santa Cruz researchers of a new organelle within single-celled algae that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia continues to be celebrated by the science community, this time by winning the prestigious AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize.
February 11, 2025
UC Santa Cruz sets fossil-free date
The University of California, Santa Cruz has announced it will reduce fossil fuel emission by 90% by 2045. The date was set based on recommendations from the Decarbonization and Electrification (D&E) team.
February 10, 2025
Recent UCSC alumni take over the SF MOMA
Several University of California, Santa Cruz Arts and Engineering students and alumni worked together on two separate projects which are part of the same exhibition at the SFMOMA. Annalivia Martin-Straw (Porter ‘23, Art) worked with her collaborator to create an immersive racing game, which up to five visitors can play at a time.
February 10, 2025
‘Random with a Purpose’ mixes dance styles for individualized performances
Every year students lead the charge in creating a dance showcase: Random with a Purpose (RWAP), which runs from Feb. 28 – Mar. 9. This year’s director, senior Emily Pflieger, hopes to shock audiences through a wide array of genres and styles that capture individual experiences of each choreographer and dancer.
February 07, 2025
UCSC Retiree Elaine Kihara gives back to Santa Cruz community
At UC Santa Cruz, retirees have a wealth of opportunities to volunteer and make an impact. See how UCSC retiree Elaine Kihara is making a difference at Grey Bears in Santa Cruz.
February 04, 2025
UC Santa Cruz alumna Gillian Welch wins Grammy for Best Folk Album
UC Santa Cruz alumna Gillian Welch (Porter ’90, fine arts) alongside her musical partner David Rawlings, clinched the Best Folk Album award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 for their album Woodland.
February 04, 2025
UC Santa Cruz scientists slither into the history books with first complete genome of a banana slug
Not only is the banana slug the endearing mascot for UC Santa Cruz — making the project fitting for campus researchers — but the slugs’ unique slime was a particularly challenging undertaking for UCSC’s experts in genomics.
February 03, 2025
Alo Slebir’s Maverick Move: UC Santa Cruz alum rides potential record-breaking 100-foot wave
UC Santa Cruz Alum Alo Slebir (College Nine ’23, legal studies) may have surfed the biggest wave ever
February 03, 2025
New research and art installation demonstrate the viability of using fog as a water source
In a state known for its droughts, where the southern half recently experienced devastating fires, understanding California’s natural water sources is more important than ever. Three University of California, Santa Cruz professors have teamed up to create a multipart scientific and artistic research study, Art+Fog as a collective,
January 31, 2025
New grant funds effort to uncover therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders
A $10.3 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s stem cell agency, will fund a multi-UC effort to better understand neuropsychiatric disorders.
January 30, 2025
Innovative techniques aim for climate-safe restoration of Ms. Blue
A new project is underway to give Ms. Blue another life, this time enabling her to teach the community about the power of climate-safe innovation
January 30, 2025
The Institute of Arts and Science curates two revolutionary exhibitions
The Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) is starting the new year with two imaginative and heartfelt exhibitions exploring liberation and justice. EDELO and Our Bedrock, both of which run from Jan. 31 – April 20
January 29, 2025
Climate change reshuffles species like a deck of cards, new study finds
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz ecology and evolutionary biologist Malin Pinsky finds that temperature changes due to climate change have a doubly detrimental impact: Not only do they destabilize animal populations, but the impacts accelerate as temperatures change more rapidly.
January 28, 2025
UC Santa Cruz AgTech Alliance launches to support interdisciplinary collaboration
Building on the long history of innovation in agriculture at the campus, the AgTech Alliance will support research, education, events, and workforce development related to advancing agricultural technology in order to create more formalized opportunities for collaboration within the university and beyond.
January 27, 2025
UC Santa Cruz Innovation Catalyst Grant program propels research into real-world solutions
UC Santa Cruz has announced the Innovation Catalyst Grant proof-of-concept program awardees, showcasing the campus’s commitment to fostering transformative research with significant societal benefits.
January 24, 2025
Pushing the boundaries of biotechnology
Unnatural Products, a Santa Cruz-based biotech company founded by UC Santa Cruz alumni Cameron Pye and Joshua Schwochert breaks new ground in the biotech landscape.
January 24, 2025
Long read sequencing reveals more genetic information while cutting time and cost of rare disease diagnoses
A new study shows that long-read sequencing has the potential to improve the rate of diagnosis while reducing the time to diagnosis from years to days — in a single test and at a much lower cost.
January 23, 2025
25 years of the UCSC Genome Browser
July 2025 will mark the 25th anniversary of the UC Santa Cruz Genome Browser, one of the most widely used resources for genomics worldwide. In celebration of this amazing resource, we are spotlighting alumni who worked on the Browser over the course of its history.
January 23, 2025
The teaching profession never really recovered from the pandemic. A new book explains why, and what we can do about it.
Education Professor Lora Bartlett and her collaborators collected detailed data on the pandemic and post-pandemic experiences of 75 teachers across the country, revealing how the pandemic era hastened a downward spiral in career satisfaction and longevity for teachers.
January 23, 2025
Professor Patty Gallagher reimagines Comedy of Errors in a new era
Shakespeare is coming to the University of California, Santa Cruz. The upcoming February performances of Comedy of Errors at the Theater Arts eXperimental Theater embody comedy and heartfelt performances.
January 22, 2025
Luca de Alfaro selected as 2024 ACM fellow
Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Luca de Alfaro has been selected a 2024 fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), one of the most prestigious recognitions in the computing field.
January 21, 2025
Students make winning videos about importance of federal support for science research
Impactful scientific discovery isn't possible without funding to support the research, and three UC Santa Cruz students have created short videos that took top prizes in a national competition held by the Science Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic scientific research.
January 21, 2025
John Jota Leaños selected as new Interim Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the UC Santa Cruz Arts Division
The University of California, Santa Cruz brought on a new Interim Assistant Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for the Arts Division. John Jota Leaños, a professor of Film and Digital Media (FDM) and Guggenheim Fellow, is a Mexican/Italian-American and Chumash-award winning interdisciplinary artist, documentarian, animator, and social art practitioner whose work engages the intersections of history, memory, and power through a social justice lens.
January 17, 2025
UCHRI grants advance Humanities research on campus
This year, UC Santa Cruz researchers are advancing cutting-edge projects that tackle critical issues such as antiracist education, environmental resilience, and the intersections of identity and power, with critical funding from the University of California Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI).
January 17, 2025
Hubble Telescope images combined into giant mosaic of neighboring Andromeda Galaxy
Astronomers are celebrating the completion of a 2.5-billion-pixel panoramic picture of the entire Andromeda Galaxy. The team includes several UC Santa Cruz researchers who made significant contributions to the enormous photomosaic that combines some 600 snapshots taken by the Hubble Space Telescope over more than a decade and 1,000 orbits.
January 17, 2025
Embedding equity in the financial sector
UC Santa Cruz alumna Alina I’vette Fernandez has built a career helping America’s largest banks operationalize their values and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. Her work helps C-suite leaders understand the implications of their decisions for both employees and the communities they serve.
January 17, 2025
New exhibition explores Afrofuturism through a look at the past
The newest exhibition at the Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery explores African history and Afrofuturism through the art of current PhD candidate Aaron Samuel Mulenga. Ukupupuka: An Exploration of Transcendence integrates Mulenga’s doctoral dissertation research on World War I porters called TengaTenga with the concept of the Afronaut to explore concepts of mobility, transcendence and divinity.
January 16, 2025
A legacy of philanthropy and leadership at UC Santa Cruz
Alumnus Steve Bruce (Cowell ’79, economics) reflects on his support for his alma mater.
January 16, 2025
Building the tools to explore new worlds
UC Santa Cruz Engineering Fellowship supports alumnus Michael Gonzales’ role with SCALES
January 16, 2025
Fellowship to provide full tuition for up to 10 CA students to study Natural Language Processing at UC Santa Cruz
Up to ten California-residents will receive full scholarships to pursue a Masters of Science in Natural Language Processing for the 2025-26 academic year.
January 16, 2025
A Dream Realized: Silver Slug Award empowers first-gen student
UCSC student Stephanie Mayo-Burgos (Porter ’25, environmental studies and legal studies) pursues her dreams with the help of the Silver Slug Award.
January 16, 2025
Charting the future of finance
Sameet Mehta appointed as advisory board chair of the Center for Analytical Finance at UC Santa Cruz.
January 15, 2025
Coral-reef restoration can be cost-effective for saving lives, money
A new study co-led by the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) at UC Santa Cruz shows coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico could save thousands of lives and prevent hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and economic interruption each year.
January 15, 2025
2024 Outstanding Staff Award honoree seeks to lift campus educators as leaders driving equitable change
Kendra Dority, director of graduate student and postdoc professional development at the Teaching and Learning Center, has been awarded the 2024 Outstanding Staff Award. "I am proud to be part of a team that is so dedicated to supporting the teaching community at UC Santa Cruz,”
January 14, 2025
Rick Flores named Executive Director of Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Rick Flores has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Arboretum & Botanic Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
January 13, 2025
Advancing advocacy: Scholarship supports student’s goals in law and justice
Emmanuel Ogundipe (Stevenson ’25, legal studies) plans to pursue law school upon graduation. The Gabriel Zimmerman scholarship award is helping him towards his dream.
January 13, 2025
Honoring UCSC’s 2024 Alumni Awards recipients
Six alumni were honored on Oct. 25 at the Alumni Awards Celebration dinner. Learn more about each recipient and watch their video feature.
January 13, 2025
New data shows how ‘rage giving’ boosted immigrant-serving nonprofits during the first Trump Administration
Nonprofits that provide legal services for immigrants ended up receiving increases in public contributions in the wake of Trump's attacks on immigrants, demonstrating a backlash effect that's sometimes called “rage giving.”
January 13, 2025
Dean of Arts Celine Parreñas Shimizu’s newest work addresses sexuality and the importance of higher education and relationships between women in forging one’s power
Renowned filmmaker, film scholar, distinguished professor, and Dean of the Arts Division at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Celine Parreñas Shimizu will premiere her latest film at the 27th San Francisco’s Independent Film Festival on Friday, February 7, 2025 at the Roxie Theater.
January 10, 2025
Researchers link mysterious cosmic signals to collapsed stars
An international team of scientists has provided the clearest evidence yet that some fast radio bursts (FRBs)—enigmatic, millisecond-long flashes of radio waves from space—originate from neutron stars, the ultra-dense remnants of massive stars that have exploded in a supernova.
January 08, 2025
Basketball great, mental health champion to headline MLK Convocation
WNBA Hall of Famer Chamique Holdsclaw, an Olympic gold medalist and mental health advocate, will address the 41st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation on January 30.
January 08, 2025
Researchers to develop technology for improving berry monitoring, harvesting, shipment
To investigate innovative methods to support the berry growing and harvesting process, UC Santa Cruz Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ricardo Sanfelice is launching a new agricultural technology project.
January 07, 2025
Uncovering an ancient alphabet
Back when she was an intrepid graduate student, renowned University of California, Santa Cruz Egyptologist Elaine Sullivan contributed to the discovery of the world’s earliest known alphabet. This historic find has only recently come to light.
January 06, 2025
Enhancing street safety for the UC Santa Cruz community
UC Santa Cruz is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. To enhance safety, the campus is implementing a variety of new initiatives on campus roads.
January 06, 2025
New strontium isotope map of Sub-Saharan Africa is a powerful tool for archaeology, forensics, and wildlife conservation
Researchers mapped predicted bioavailable strontium isotope ratios across most of the African continent. Matching values from the map against those observed in artifacts and plant, animal, and human remains will help to identify their most likely regions of origin within Africa.