Environmental Studies
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New program to train U.S. college students from all backgrounds to be conservation leaders
$1 million from Cedar Tree Foundation will fund a conservation-leadership academy to continue the work of the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars program at UC Santa Cruz
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Building a clean energy economy that benefits everyone
New book offers a model for tackling climate change while supporting workers and communities in the transition to renewable energy
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Research project shows how aquaculture, agriculture, and restoration can work together
UC Santa Cruz, Pie Ranch, and the Amah Mutsun Land Trust are collaborating to show how leftover water from aquaculture can be used to grow plants sustainably, including native varieties used for restoration efforts.
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Drought’s limited effect on tropical-tree growth—but hotter planet threatens that resilience
Researchers worldwide contribute to largest collection of tropical tree-ring data to date
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Can oil extraction fuel sustainable development in Guyana? Beware the resource curse.
Environmental studies and Latin American and Latino studies major Chris Mathura won the dean’s award for his research examining early impacts of oil drilling off the coast of Guyana in South America.
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UC Santa Cruz alumni leading local nonprofits: The Volunteer Center
Many nonprofits across Santa Cruz County have roots that trace back to UC Santa Cruz alumni, who played pivotal roles in launching and shaping their missions.
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Innovative and artful rainwater harvesting nourishes gardens and hope
UC Santa Cruz cosmologist leads widely interdisciplinary project funded by the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience to turn urban runoff into low-cost irrigation
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Planting seeds of change: Sheyna Burns reimagines agriculture practices
UCSC undergraduate researcher Sheyna Burns (Oakes ’26) is pioneering inclusive agricultural research and entrepreneurship through her campus-based Sankofa Sky Farm, developing a statewide food hub aimed at supporting more equitable farming, and more.
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Associate Professor Joji Muramoto wins award for leadership in agricultural sustainability
Muramoto, who is based at UC Santa Cruz, was the first UC Agriculture and Natural Resources cooperative extension specialist fully dedicated to organic agriculture. The strong partnerships he has built across academia and industry have helped his research to significantly advance the field.
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Research on dry-farmed tomatoes will better equip organic growers to adapt to climate change
New research led by UC Santa Cruz will strengthen understanding of which traits set tomato plants up to be grown successfully without irrigation.
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Colombia’s peatlands could be a crucial tool to fight climate change. But first we have to find them.
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Scott Winton conducted three years of extensive fieldwork to develop the first data-driven map of both newly documented and predicted peatlands across Colombia’s eastern lowlands.
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Global premiere of “Power in the Desert” illuminates the human side of the lithium boom
New documentary inspired by Professor Chris Benner’s co-authored book “Charging Forward” explores environmental justice across Argentina, Chile, and California.