Social Justice & Community

UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association announces 2025 UCSC Alumni Awards recipients

Barry J. Bowman, Terri McCullough, Daniel (Nane) Alejandrez, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and Aviv Elor are the recipients of the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards.

September 8, 2025

By Haneen Zain

The UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards recipients. These awards celebrate individuals whose vision, leadership, and dedication have made a meaningful impact in their professions, in society, and within the university community. Each honoree exemplifies the values and spirit of UC Santa Cruz through their achievements and contributions.

Barry J. Bowman, Terri McCullough, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Daniel (Nane) Alejandrez, and Aviv Elor are the recipients of the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards. 

“This year’s honorees showcase the extraordinary impact of the UC Santa Cruz community,” said Vice Chancellor of Alumni Engagement John D. Pine. “From advancing science and technology to driving social change and shaping national policy, they embody the bold, innovative spirit of our campus. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the inspiration they bring to fellow Banana Slugs everywhere.”

The UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards consist of five categories: Fiat Lux, Alumni Achievement, Distinguished Graduate Alumni, UCSC Ethos, and Outstanding Recent Alumni. 

Learn more about the award recipients 

Barry J. Bowman – Fiat Lux Award

The Fiat Lux Award honors UC Santa Cruz alumni and friends who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and distinguished service in support of the university’s programs and goals. 

Barry Bowman (Professor Emeritus, molecular, cell, and developmental biology) joined the UC Santa Cruz faculty in 1979. During his 37-year career at UC Santa Cruz, he served twice as a departmental chair, first for the Biology Department and later for the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Bowman received the UCSC Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1999, and the Division of Natural Sciences Outstanding Faculty Award in 2000.
Bowman is recognized as a national and international leader in his field. He is an avid supporter of the university, serving as a leader in both the Emeriti Association and Osher Lifelong Learner Institute at UC Santa Cruz, while also establishing two endowments to further university research.

Terri McCullough — Alumni Achievement Award

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented to UC Santa Cruz alumni who are renowned for their distinguished professional achievement, leadership, and service to the community. 

Terri McCullough (Oakes ’90, politics) is chief of staff to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. She was the first woman appointed in a paid capacity as chief of staff to the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. McCullough has spent much of her career advancing equity of opportunity and the participation of women & girls as CEO of the Clinton Foundation’s No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, and as executive director of the Tory Burch Foundation. 

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein — Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award

The Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award recognizes UC Santa Cruz graduate alumni for notable achievement in a career directly related to their degree program. The recipient’s graduate degree from UC Santa Cruz played a significant part in their career success. 

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (M.S. ’05, astronomy and astrophysics) is an associate professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women’s and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her research in theoretical physics focuses on cosmology, dark matter, and neutron stars. She is a researcher of Black feminist science, technology, and society studies. She is the creator of the Cite Black Women+ in Physics and Astronomy Bibliography. Nature recognized Prescod-Weinstein as one of 10 people who shaped science in 2020, and Essence Magazine recognized her as one of “15 Black Women Who Are Paving the Way in STEM and Breaking Barriers.” Her first book, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred, received multiple awards including the 2021 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the science and technology category. 

Daniel (Nane) Alejandrez — UCSC Ethos Award

The UCSC Ethos Award recognizes alumni whose work and contribution to their community embodies and reflects the ethos of UC Santa Cruz.

Daniel (Nane) Alejandrez (Merrill ’81, community studies), the executive director of Barrios Unidos Santa Cruz, has dedicated his life to uplifting communities through advocacy, cultural healing, and community based programs. Alejandrez launched Barrios Unidos in 1977 while a student at UC Santa Cruz. Today, it is a nationally respected grassroots organization addressing youth violence, incarceration, and systemic inequality. His commitment to social justice is grounded in his personal journey from a Vietnam War veteran navigating addiction and street violence to finding his purpose at UC Santa Cruz. He is a respected voice in the field of community healing and restorative justice, and a visionary leader.

Aviv Elor — Outstanding Recent Alumni Award 

The Outstanding Recent Alumni Award recognizes UC Santa Cruz alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years who reflect the values and mission of UC Santa Cruz.

Aviv Elor (Crown ’19, robotics engineering; Ph.D. ’21, computational media) is co-founder, president, and chief research officer of Immergo Labs, revolutionizing physical rehabilitation through immersive virtual reality (VR) telehealth platforms. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2025, Elor is redefining physical rehabilitation through immersive technologies that enable  synchronous full-body avatar interactions and AI-powered biomechanical analysis for remote patient care. He has over 25 peer-reviewed publications and more than $1.5M in research funding. Elor has been recognized with the Santa Cruz Titan of Tech Award, ACM VRST Best Paper Award, Barry Goldwater Scholarship, and ARCS Foundation Fellowship. 

All five awardees will be honored at the UCSC Alumni Awards Celebration event on October 17, 2025.