Sociology
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Alumna Tonje Switzer receives Green Heart Award for CZU complex fire and Santa Cruz storm recovery efforts
Santa Cruz Long Term Recovery Group Executive Director Tonje Switzer (Oakes ’16, sociology) was awarded the Mountain Affair’s Green Heart Award in October.
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Social Sciences faculty and staff honored at annual Fall Breakfast
Interim Dean of the Social Sciences Division, Herbie Lee, along with committees of staff and faculty, presented awards to three faculty members and one staff member for their commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service.
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Redefining systems of care: Alumna works to advance health equity across California
Alumna and co-CEO of Essential Access Health Dr. Nomsa Khalfani (Kresge ’91, sociology) works to advance sexual and reproductive health equity across California and is a public health leader in her community.
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Get to know our researchers
Meet some of the passionate people leading our impact and innovation. Public support and federal funding make this work possible.
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Breaking barriers and guiding others
As an outreach specialist with UC Santa Cruz’s Underground Scholars Program, Sammy Chavez (Rachel Carson ’25, Latin American and Latino studies and sociology) supports students navigating complex challenges in higher education. While completing his own degree, he was recognized with the Silver Slug Scholarship as a staff member pursuing his studies.
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NSF grant explores impact of embedding ethics into genomics, neuroscience, and AI
Professor Jenny Reardon will study how scientists working on high stakes emerging technologies are partnering with ethicists and social scientists to consider societal implications.
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Advising lawmakers on how to boost youth mental health
Sociology Professor Rebecca London testified before the state assembly to share policy recommendations and lessons from local community-led programs
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New research shows how immigration status can become a death sentence during public health crisis
A study looking back on COVID-19 deaths in California found that immigrants who were potentially undocumented experienced much higher relative excess mortality during the pandemic, revealing failures in both public health and immigration policy.
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Saúl Ordaz reflects on wide-ranging experiences ahead of graduation
With numerous organizational leadership experiences under his belt, UC Santa Cruz student Saúl Ordaz is ready to tackle life beyond the redwoods
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Saritaan: Preserving Filipino migration stories across oceans and generations
A new UC Santa Cruz initiative called Saritaan—meaning “to talk story” in Ilokano—is preserving the untold migration stories of Filipino families.
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Center for Labor and Community partners with regional union leaders on state-funded push to ensure workplace rights, safety, and benefits
UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Labor and Community will partner with the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO on a state grant to educate workers across the Central Coast in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, construction, manufacturing, and retail.
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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.