Author: Public Affairs

SANTA CRUZ, CA–University of California scientists who study the effects of toxic materials in the environment will convene at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, March 30, for the ninth annual research symposium of the UC Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program. Two parts of the symposium are open to the public. Faculty members and graduate…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Police use the face to track down suspects. Flight attendants are trained to mask their true emotions by putting a smile on their face. And studies show that physical attractiveness is linked to popularity–even among kindergartners. Identity. Emotion. Attraction. The face is like a bulletin board that conveys who we are and what…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Plague and pestilence sound like dirty words out of history books, harking to times of poor societal hygiene and backward medical practices. Today’s hospitals and miracle pills seem to offer quick cures, making it easy to forget that bacteria, viruses, and other microbes still live among us. Such complacency is dangerous, says science…

Telescopes Are Not Required To See The Comet, Which Should Be Easily Visible To The Naked Eye MT. HAMILTON, CA–Public officials and law enforcement agencies plan to forbid parking on roads leading to Lick Observatory on several nights beginning Friday, March 22, to help prevent hazardous traffic situations from developing during the close passage of…

UC Santa Cruz Historian Examines The Long History Of The ‘Buy American’ Movement And Economic Nationalism In America SANTA CRUZ, CA–The protectionist trade policies so central to the platform of presidential hopeful Patrick Buchanan have appealed to countless politicians before him. In fact, the concept is as old as the United States itself. An early…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Whales abound in Santa Cruz. There are migrating gray whales, the Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra, and the most fun-filled whale of all: "A Whale of an Auction," the largest annual fund-raising event for public education programs at Long Marine Laboratory. This year’s soiree, the eleventh annual auction, begins at 6 p.m. Friday, March…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Stars twinkle serenely and galaxies swirl like wisps of mist when we view the universe in visible light. However, those pictures mask a violent universe of exploding supernovas, voracious black holes, and other prodigious objects. Astronomers glimpse that bizarre realm through windows of light such as x-rays and gamma rays–the most energetic light…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Two Atlantic bottlenose dolphins named Echo and Misha surfaced in Carol Howard’s life in 1988. Two years later, after the young dolphins completed a "science sabbatical" at the UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab, researchers returned them to their home waters in Tampa Bay, Florida. As dolphins tend to do, Echo and Misha…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–The beaches may look stable, but California’s sandy shores are moving. Waves and currents drive sand down the coast, affecting the fortunes of seaside communities. Sandy beaches bring in tourist dollars and help prevent sea cliffs from eroding. But sand can be a nuisance when it fills up harbors or disappears from towns…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Come celebrate the beginning of spring with a visit to the lush organic Farm or the historic Alan Chadwick Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Beginning March 21, Farm tours will be held every Thursday at noon and most Sundays at 2 p.m. For the first time this year, tours of…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Differences among students in communication styles, preparation levels, and financial resources are just a few of the challenges that educators must contend with when teaching in today’s university. Seeking ways to understand these differences is the impetus behind the second annual Winter Convocation on Teaching at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–If you’re interested in alternative agriculture and enjoy working with people, now is the time to consider volunteering as a docent at the 25-acre Farm at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Applications are available now for the five-week docent training program, which begins March 14. During the training, docents will learn about…