UCSC in the News

October

• 
  September 26, 2023 - The Scientist

  Smart Gateways into the Lab of the Future

  Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Sofie Salama and Distinguished Professor of Biomolecular Engineering David Haussler spoke about the smart technology behind growing brain organoids in their Braingeneers lab on the Scientist Speaks podcast.

September

• 
  September 21, 2023 - Inside Higher Ed

  Barriers to Tenure and Promotion Persist for Psychology Faculty of Color

  Inside Higher Ed interviewed Psychology Professor Margarita Azmitia about a new report from a committee she co-chaired about barriers to advancement for faculty of color in psychology.
• 
  September 18, 2023 - Grist

  How the shift to electric vehicles is fueling the UAW strike

  Grist interviewed Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha about how working conditions at EV battery factories relate to the current United Auto Workers strike. 
• 
  September 06, 2023 - VoxDev

  Targeting health incentives in India

  Assistant Professor of Economics Ariel Zucker joined VoxDev to discuss her research on personalized incentives for exercise among 6,800 adults with diabetes and hypertension in urban India.
• 
  September 15, 2023 - The New York Times

  U.A.W. starts strike small, but repercussions could prove far-reaching

  The New York Times interviewed Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha for a story about strikes by the United Auto Workers union and how they relate to electric vehicle production. Additional coverage in In These Times presents a counterpoint to mainstream media narratives around the strikes. 
• 
  September 13, 2023 - WIRED

  Auto workers prepare to strike for a place in the EV future

  Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha spoke with WIRED about the importance of supporting equity for workers in the process of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Additional coverage in E&E News.
• 
  September 15, 2023 - WBUR News

  The expanding universe of Lofi Girl

  WBUR News, Boston's NPR station, spoke with UCSC Ph.D. student of Computational Media Kevin Weatherwax about his research on and personal relationship with Lo-Fi music. 
• 
  September 18, 2023 - Chemical and Engineering News

  The tricky ethics of AI in the lab

  Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Leilani Gilpin was quoted in a C&EN story on the pace of development in the field of generative AI and the ethical challenges at play. 
• 
  September 12, 2023 - NIH Director's Blog

  New Approach to ‘Liquid Biopsy’ Relies on Repetitive RNA in the Bloodstream

  The National Insitutes of Health Director's Blog features Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Daniel Kim's research into liquid biopsy technology for cancer early detection.
• 
  September 10, 2023 - The Mercury News

  This Monterey Bay deep-sea creature is the ‘sister’ that took its own evolutionary path

  The Mercury News reports on research into the earliest moments in animal evolution, quoting UCSC adjunct professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Steven Haddock and citing the work of former biomolecular engineering postdoc  and project leader Darrin Schultz.
• 
  September 06, 2023 - Science

  Humans aren’t the only fat primate

  Professor Emerita of Anthropology Adrienne Zihlman commented about a study featured in Science Magazine that offers new insights on how and why different species of primates can become overweight.
• 
  September 04, 2023 - The New York Times

  A Strong Job Market Doesn’t Mean the Economy Is Recession-Proof

  An opinion column in The New York Times discusses research by Associate Professor of Economics Pascal Michaillat on how to measure the tightness of the labor market and assess its health and efficiency. 
• 
  September 04, 2023 - The Washington Post

  Farms with natural landscape features provide sanctuary for some Costa Rica rainforest birds

  Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela commented on new research featured in The Washington Post that shows how agricultural areas with natural features can help to sustain birds.  

August

• 
  August 31, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

  California debates solitary confinement in local jails — and whether it’s really possible to end it

  Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Haney spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the harms caused by long-term solitary confinement.
• 
  August 31, 2023 - Univision

  Sobredosis de droga en latinos se ha venido duplicando desde la pandemia: autoridades de San Francisco, en alerta

  Assistant Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies Carlos Martinez spoke with Univision 14 about the dangers to Latino drug users from fentanyl. 
• 
  August 22, 2023 - Grist

  The next pandemic could strike crops, not people

  Environmental Studies Professor Gregory Gilbert spoke with Grist about how promoting diversity of plants in agricultural settings creates physical barriers to the spread of disease. 
• 
  August 21, 2023 - Smithsonian Magazine

  An In-Depth Look at Latino History Among the Stars and Skies

  Professor and Chair of Latin American and Latino Studies Catherine Ramírez spoke about Latino Futurism for a special podcast series of the National Air and Space Museum that was covered by Smithsonian Magazine.  
• 
  August 15, 2023 - Good Times

  No Sanctuary: Animal Rescues Struggling with Climate Change

  Environmental Studies Professor Mike Loik shared his insights on climate change effects and solutions with Good Times for a story about the impacts of climate change on local animal rescue operations. 
• 
  August 14, 2023 - Financial Express

  An economic strategy for India: Many bottlenecks and challenges that India faces require deeper integration across levels of govt

  Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an opinion column for Financial Express reflecting on India's economy in honor of the country's Independence Day.
• 
  August 17, 2023 - Inside Higher Education

  UCSC professor emerita of history Dana Frank was quoted in an Inside Higher Education story about the proposed name change for Cabrillo College

  During the public discussion portion of a Cabrillo College Governing Board meeting covered by Inside Higher Education, Dana Frank spoke out in favor of changing the college's name. "In keeping the name, we would be teaching that it’s good to celebrate those who invaded other people’s ancestral homelands, killed and in many cases enslaved them," she said. 

• 
  August 30, 2023 - Teen Vogue

  Disabled Music Fans Are Failed by Concert Venues and Ticketing Systems

  Assistant Professor of Computational Media Kate Ringland's research is cited in a Teen Vogue story on accessibility in the live music industry.
• 
  August 17, 2023 - Los Angeles Time

  Wildfires once fueled extinctions in Southern California. Will it happen again?

  “This paper provides a picture of how climate change can completely transform ecosystems,” said Jarmila Pittermann, a plant physiologist at UC Santa Cruz who researches extinction. “It is super-convincing and a massive warning to all of us.” Additional coverage in the Smithsonian Magazine.
• 
  August 17, 2023 - Harper's Bazar

  Art As a Radical Tool for Realizing Abolition

  Three years into launching their multimedia initiative Visualizing Abolition, the University of California, Santa Cruz’s Professor Gina Dent and Dr. Rachel Nelson have built a consortium of musicians, scholars, and artists whose relationships to the criminal legal system vary. 
• 
  August 29, 2023 - Wired

  How to Use AI to Talk to Whales—and Save Life on Earth

  Ari Friedlaender researches whale behavior at UC Santa Cruz and has amassed a great deal of data on what behavior that could help move Earth Species closer to developing algorithms that can work across the full spectrum of the animal kingdom.
• 
  August 23, 2023 - Reuters

  Scientists solve the genetic puzzle of sex-related Y chromosome

  Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Karen Miga and UCSC genomicist and postdoc Monika Cechova were quoted extensively in coverage of the first complete sequence of a human Y chromosome. Additional coverage in CNN, STAT, Popular Science, USA Today, Business Insider, and many others.
• 
  August 15, 2023 - KQED

  Bay Area Red Tide Crisis Ends, Watchdog Group Declares Algae Bloom Over

  The microscopic critter looks like a swimming potato chip with a tail, said Raphael Kudela, a phytoplankton ecologist at UC Santa Cruz. He said the organism thrives in the bay because the shallow water warms up quickly. “It’s just really happy when it’s in the bay,” he said. “As long as it’s happy, it’s just going to keep going, and going, and going.”
• 
  August 14, 2023 - BBC

  Why fidgeting is good for you

  Professor of Computational Media Katherine Isbister's research on fidget objects is cited in a BBC story.
• 
  August 10, 2023 - BBC

  Meet the fearless scientists saving Antarctic whales… With crossbows and tiny inflatable boats

  Ari Friedlaender, professor of ocean sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is featured in this piece on researchers who study a variety of whales in the Antarctic Ocean.
• 
  August 08, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

  UC admits record number of California first-year students for fall 2023, led by Latinos

  The University of California admitted a record number of California applicants for fall 2023, as campuses received more funding to increase coveted seats, according to preliminary data released Tuesday. Michelle Whittingham, UC Santa Cruz associate vice chancellor of enrollment management, said the campus plans to enroll 4,189 first-year students this fall and winter thanks to such factors as additional state funding and quicker completion of degree programs through more summer classes. Whittingham was also quoted on this topic in the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate and the San Jose Mercury News. Additional coverage in Inside Higher Ed, KION and EdSource.
• 
  August 07, 2023 - USA Today

  Pictures mislead: Ample evidence the Earth is round and sea levels are rising | Fact check

  The long-term tide gauge at Fort Denison “has recorded a gradual ... but fairly consistent rise in sea level of 0.1mm/yr or 3 inches/century,” said Gary Griggs, a professor of earth sciences at UC Santa Cruz.
• 
  August 04, 2023 - KQED

  As Algal Bloom Returns to the Bay, Is Swimming Safe for Humans (and Pets)?

  Not every red tide, or algal bloom, is toxic — although they can be. The species behind the recurring algal bloom in San Francisco Bay is called Heterosigma akashiwo and isn’t known at this time to be toxic to humans. The microscopic critter looks like a swimming potato chip with a tail, said Raphael Kudela, a phytoplankton ecologist at UC Santa Cruz. He said the organism thrives in the bay because the shallow water warms up quickly. Plus, it’s full of tasty treats it likes to fill up on.
• 
  August 03, 2023 - AP News

  Big waves becoming more common off California as Earth warms, new research finds

  Giant waves, measuring as high as 13 feet, are becoming more common off California's coast as the planet warms, according to innovative new research that tracked the surf's increasing height from historical data gathered over the past 90 years. Oceanographer Gary Griggs at the University of California, Santa Cruz said while a jump of a foot in wave height over more than 50 years is not huge, the findings are consistent with what scientists know is happening to the world’s oceans as they warm: They are becoming increasingly violent due to more extreme storms and wreaking havoc along coasts. Additional coverage in USA Today, Smithsonian Magazine and more than 800 other outlets.
• 
  August 01, 2023 - NPR

  Surf's up! Wave heights increase on California's coast as climate warms

  A 2019 study led by Borja Reguero, a coastal scientist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, found that the energy in ocean waves has increased over most of the last century because of climate change.
• 
  August 09, 2023 - The New Yorker

  The race to save the world's DNA

  Computational biologist Benedict Paten was quoted in a New Yorker story about the Earth BioGenome Project, a gloabl effort to sequence the DNA of as many species as possible. UCSC Genomics Insitute research scientist Ann Mc Cartney's contributions to this project are also mentioned.
• 
  August 02, 2023 - Reuters

  US pork firms divided over bill in Congress to overturn California animal welfare law

  Reuters spoke with Economics Professor Galina Hale about how the proposed EATS Act could negatively impact farmers who have made efforts to comply with new animal welfare laws in California.

July

• 
  July 25, 2023 - New York Times

  The Prize for the Longest Pregnancy in Mammals May Go to This Whale

  “This paper helps us further understand the underlying physiological complexity of these really large, charismatic, but also very ecologically important, species that just so happens is generally hard to study,” said Logan Pallin, a marine biologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who wasn’t involved in the study. “It’s work like this that incrementally moves us in the right direction to use science to make better informed decisions on conservation.”
• 
  July 26, 2023 - Science Magazine

  Ship noises prove a nuisance for arctic narwhals

  The research uncovers “some really great information on a species we know very little about,” says Ari Friedlaender, an ocean ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, not involved in the study. Knowing how the whales react to these noises could help conservationists “act proactively” to protect the animals in their Arctic home where warming waters already threaten their lifestyles.
• 
  July 26, 2023 - Popular Science

  Machu Picchu was home to ancient people from all over South America

  A recent study, co-authored by anthropologist Lars Fehren-Schmitz, analyzed the 500 year-old DNA of those buried near Peru’s iconic Incan citadel Machu Picchu and showed that the servant class that lived and died there — forcefully relocated to the structure by the Incan empire — hailed from more diverse backgrounds than scientists had anticipated. Additional coverage in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Scientific Inquirer.
• 
  July 21, 2023 - KPNX

  Yes, scientists believe Earth is hotter than past 24,000 years

  Jim Zachos, a paleoclimatologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, was interviewed about confirming scientific data that indicates the globe is hotter now than the last 24,000 years.
• 
  July 19, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

  The most famous extinction event in the planet’s history is happening again — in Santa Cruz

  In the last 500 million years, Earth has experienced a handful of mass extinctions, causing nearly all of life to disappear in the blink of an eye. Now, scientists at UC Santa Cruz are recreating the planet’s most famous extinction event to find out why one plant survived when everything else was wiped out.
• 
  July 18, 2023 - Washington Post

  The U.S. is about to open a new window into Earth’s mysterious insides

  “The engine that keeps our magnetic field going may be dependent on the chemical behavior of oxygen or sulfur embedded within Earth’s roiling outer iron core,” said Quentin Williams, a planetary scientist at the University of California at Santa Cruz.
• 
  July 12, 2023 - Lookout Santa Cruz

  With bat baby season upon us, UCSC prof explains how to spot them and why they matter

  Bats have come back to the Bay Area from winter migrations and are raising young all around the region. Winifred Frick, chief scientist at Bat Conservation International and an ecology and evolutionary biology research professor at UC Santa Cruz, tells Lookout how and where to find bats — and when you might catch a glimpse of a baby bat getting a flying lesson.
• 
  July 12, 2023 - Smithsonian Magazine

  We Can Hear Silence Like a Sound, Scientists Say

  Nico Orlandi, a philosopher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, says, "This gives reason to suppose that silences are treated by the auditory system in the same way sounds are treated."
• 
  July 15, 2023 - The Guardian

  ‘Mindblowing’: how James Webb telescope’s snapshots of infant universe transformed astronomy

  Brant Robertson, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, discussed images from the James Webb Telescope with The Guardian and Business Insider.
• 
  July 23, 2023 - The Guardian

  ‘We’re going to see workers die’: extreme heat is key issue in UPS contract talks

  Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha spoke with The Guardian about how climate change issues intersect with labor organizing. 
• 
  July 27, 2023 - CalMatters

  California forbids plans to unmask workers at In-N-Out — and most other workplaces

  Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley, a core faculty member of UCSC's Global and Community Health Program, spoke with CalMatters about how In-N-Out's mask ban could contribute to workplace inequities in health risk.
• 
  July 27, 2023 - Monterey County Weekly

  The housing crisis has implications that go well beyond housing.

  Monterey County Weekly shared findings from a report on the economics of housing issues in the Monterey Bay area that was led by Professor Chris Benner, director of the Institute for Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz. 
• 
  July 25, 2023 - Financial Express

  India’s new research push

  Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an op-ed for Financial Express advocating for a university-centered model of enhancing research capabilities in India.
• 
  July 23, 2023 - The Atlantic

  Oppenheimer Nightmares? You’re Not Alone.

  Veronica Tonay, a licensed psychologist and a retired professor at UC Santa Cruz, spoke to The Atlantic about her research on dream theory as it relates to nightmares about the new film Oppenheimer.
• 
  July 16, 2023 - Washington Post

  A North Korean defector captivated U.S. media. Some question her story.

  Christine Hong, a literature professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz and a board member at the Korea Policy Institute who has studied defector narratives, discusses North Korean defector Yeonmi Park's accounts of her life with the Washington Post. 
• 
  July 17, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

  Biden promised to fix our asylum process. He hasn’t

  Assistant Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies Carlos Martinez wrote an op-ed article for the San Francisco Chronicle about asylum policy issues. 
• 
  July 14, 2023 - Chronicle of Higher Education

  The student squeeze: When there's nowhere to live, what's a university to do?

  The Chronicle of Higher Education spoke with Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg about affordable housing issues in Santa Cruz and highlighted research by Greenberg and Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay. 
• 
  July 11, 2023 - CNN

  Scientists say they’ve found a site that marks a new chapter in Earth’s history

  Anthropology Professor Andrew Mathews spoke to CNN about the importance of the term Anthropocene in understanding humanity's global impact. 
• 
  July 12, 2023 - New York Times

  She Steals Surfboards by the Seashore. She’s a Sea Otter.

  Tim Tinker, an ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz who has spent decades studying the marine mammals, speaks about sea otter behavior.
• 
  July 12, 2023 - Washington Post

  NASA releases spectacular image to celebrate James Webb Space Telescope

  Brant Robertson, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, notes that the Milky Way is beautiful and brings up the question of how the galaxy formed.
• 
  July 12, 2023 - Smithsonian Magazine

  Five Astounding Orca Behaviors Explained, From Ramming Boats to Hunting Great White Sharks

  Salma Abdel-Raheem, an elephant seal researcher at University of California, Santa Cruz, described orcas interaction with elephant seals in the Smithsonian Magazine.
• 
  July 11, 2023 - Audubon

  A Photographer Documents Kelp Forests’ Decline and Efforts to Bring Them Back

  Marine ecologist Mark Carr from the University of California, Santa Cruz talks about sea urchin feeding habits with Audubon.
• 
  July 11, 2023 - KQED

  This Snail Goes Fishing With a Net Made of Slime

  Peter Macht, aquarium curator at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center at UC Santa Cruz, explained how wormsnails capture food for KQED.
• 
  July 04, 2023 - Earth.com

  Study reveals a widespread decline of snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere

  Earth.com covered Professor of Statistics Robert Lund's research which used a rigorous statistical approach to find that snow cover has declined in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere over the last half century.  

• 
  July 06, 2023 - Forbes

  Bold Imaginative Climate Ideas Proposed At Academic Conference

  Forbes covered a conference cohosted by UCSC's Center for Analytical Finance and Center for Coastal Climate Resilience and discussed insights shared by Economics Professor Galina Hale on how financial regulation and other policies can help to fight climate change. 

June

• 
  June 30, 2023 - Santa Cruz Sentinel

  Santa Cruz County area tops nationwide list of expensive rental markets

  The Santa Cruz Sentinel discussed findings from a report on the housing crisis in Santa Cruz County by Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg and Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay.
• 
  June 26, 2023 - YES!

  How to Build Solidarity Across Difference

  Merrill College and Education Department lecturer Nolan Higdon spoke with YES! about how constructive conflict can help to change minds on important social issues. 
• 
  June 26, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

  This California county now tops S.F. as the most expensive place for renters in the U.S., report says

  San Francisco Chronicle cited findings from a report on the regional housing crisis by UCSC Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg and Associate Professor Steve McKay.
• 
  June 22, 2023 - KSBW

  Millions in grants given to Central Coast colleges for ag education

  KSBW covered news of new USDA grants, including a $10 million grant to UC Santa Cruz, that will support agricultural education programs along California's Central Coast.
• 
  June 28, 2023 - Nature

  Start-ups are adding antacids to the ocean to slow global warming. Will it work?

  Biogeochemist Greg Rau was quoted in a Nature news story about efforts to counteract ocean acidification and slow global warming.
• 
  June 28, 2023 - Guardian

  ‘It gets worse every day’: why are sea lions and dolphins dying along California’s coast?

  Biologist Daniel Costa and ocean scientist Raphael Kudela were quoted in a Guardian article about a harmful algal bloom affecting marine life in Southern California. Additional coverage in Bloomberg and the San Francisco Chronicle. 
• 
  June 22, 2023 - Technology Networks

  New Breakthrough Could Lead to All-Purpose Biosensors

  Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Holger Schmidt discussed his recent research on biosensing chips in a Technology Networks story.
• 
  June 23, 2023 - Lookout Santa Cruz

  As the fight against RSV adds vaccines, UCSC researcher is on the cutting edge

  Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Rebecca DuBois discussed her research on RSV vaccine development in an interview with Lookout Santa Cruz. 
• 
  June 21, 2023 - Science

  Undersea mountains help lubricate ‘slow slip’ earthquakes

  Seismologist Emily Brodsky was quoted in a Science news story about "slow slip" earthquakes.
• 
  June 17, 2023 - NPR

  To improve student retention, some colleges consider 'ungrading'

  Jody Greene, associate vice provost for teaching and learning at UC Santa Cruz, discusses the campus's approach to providing more equitable learning assessment opportunities on NPR's Weekend Edition.
• 
  June 20, 2023 - PBS

  Facing Down the Fossils: Renew

  PBS interviewed Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha about the inequitable impacts of the climate crisis and how just transition strategies can address inequality while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
• 
  June 19, 2023 - Financial Express

  India's green transition

  Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Signh wrote an opinion article for Financial Express about India's need for increased efficiency in energy distribution and use.
• 
  June 15, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

  Proposed Bay Area wildlife crossing is latest effort to save mountain lions, other animals

  Environmental Studies Professor and wildlife ecologist Chris Wilmers spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the importance of wildlife crossings for maintaining genetic diversity in California's mountain lion populations.
• 
  June 20, 2023 - SF Gate

  Image of ‘violent’ earthly phenomenon captured on Jupiter

  Planetary scientist Benjamin Idini was quoted in an SF Gate story about observations of lightning in the atmosphere of Jupiter captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft.
• 
  June 16, 2023 - CBS Bay Area

  Study predicts California could lose more than half its beaches by 2100

  Geologist Gary Griggs was interviewed in a CBS Bay Area news story about sea level rise and coastal erosion in California.
• 
  June 14, 2023 - Lookout Santa Cruz

  She studies slug sex by the seashore: UCSC researcher works to unlock secrets of banana slug sex

  Biologist Janet Leonard was featured in a Lookout Santa Cruz story about her research on banana slugs.
• 
  June 14, 2023 - New Scientist

  Male harbour seals may learn vocalisations years before they need them

  Biologist Caroline Casey was quoted in a New Scientist story about vocal communication in harbor seals.
• 
  June 13, 2023 - Science

  ‘Breakthrough’ could explain why life molecules are left- or right-handed

  Physicist Noémie Globus was quoted in a Science story about new research on the "right-handed" chirality of crucial biological molecules.
• 
  June 13, 2023 - Scientific American

  At Last, Astronomers May Have Seen the Universe’s First Stars

  Astronomer Garth Illingworth was quoted in a Scientific American article about the first stars in the universe.
• 
  June 10, 2023 - New York Times

  How Could A.I. Destroy Humanity?

  Physicist Anthony Aguirre was quoted in a New York Times article about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. Additional coverage in Business Insider.
• 
  June 06, 2023 - Washington Post

  In a geologic triumph, scientists drill a window into Earth’s mantle

  Earth scientist Andrew Fisher was quoted in a Washington Post article about an ocean drilling expedition that collected rock samples from Earth's mantle.
• 
  June 14, 2023 - Hyperallergic

  30 Art Shows to See in New York This Summer

  Oceanic, Portal is an experience-based façade installation featuring three ghostly dancers teleporting between the Natural Bridges Beach in Santa Cruz, California, and the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York City. The installation was co-created by micha cárdenas, associate professor of critical race & ethnic studies and performance, play & design.
• 
  June 14, 2023 - Elsevier

  Leadership diversity: Living your values at the highest levels

  The Chancellor of UC Santa Cruz, Cynthia K. Larive, writes about the steps her university is taking to attract diverse applicant pools for leadership positions.
• 
  June 15, 2023 - The Washington Post

  The 1943 riot that spotlights how drag show bans can fuel violence

  Professor and Chair of Latin American and Latino Studies Catherine S. Ramírez wrote an article for The Washington Post explaining the often-overlooked role that gender norms played in the Zoot Suit Riots and what the riots can teach us about potential impacts of modern-day drag bans. 
• 
  June 13, 2023 - KSBW

  Animal overpass could be coming to the Central Coast

  KSBW interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers, who leads the Santa Cruz Puma Project, about how his research team's work contributed to the construction of a new wildlife crossing on Highway 17.  
• 
  June 10, 2023 - The Mercury News

  Overpass for wildlife — first in Northern California — proposed for Highway 101

  Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers, who studies the movements and behaviors of pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains, spoke with The Mercury News about the importance of habitat connectivity for pumas and other California wildlife. 
• 
  June 09, 2023 - KION

  Making their mark, keeping the Filipino American history alive on the Central Coast

  Associate Professor of Sociology Steve Mckay spoke with KION about UC Santa Cruz's support for the Watsonville is in the Heart project, which documents the lives and experiences of early Filipino immigrants in Santa Cruz County. 
• 
  June 08, 2023 - The Washington Post

  How life for animals changed when humans stayed home during the pandemic

  Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers spoke with The Washington Post about how his research tracking pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains revealed effects of the pandemic-era "anthropause."
• 
  June 02, 2023 - Newsweek

  Boats Are Killing Endangered Manatees at an Alarming Rate

  Celeshia Guy Galves, who conducted this research as a graduate student in the Coastal Science and Policy Program at UC Santa Cruz, and co-author Marm Kilpatrick, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz, discuss the findings of their research that indicate conservation measures can be implemented to reduce future risk. Additional coverage from Earth.com.
  
• 
  June 04, 2023 - Popular Science

  These species were discovered in museum collections. They might already be extinct.

  Conservation ecologist Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela of the University of California, Santa Cruz said she has no doubt that many species are going extinct without anyone noticing. Additional mention in Salon. 
• 
  June 02, 2023 - Wired

  NASA’s Year-Long Mars Simulation Is a Test of Mental Mettle

  Craig Haney, a UC Santa Cruz psychologist who researches solitary confinement, has documented the debilitating and sometimes permanent effects of isolation on prisoners—effects that can emerge in just a couple weeks.

May

• 
  May 30, 2023 - Lookout Santa Cruz

  UCSC to support new regional food business center as part of national initiative

  Lookout Santa Cruz covered the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology's role in supporting the North Bay and Central Coast areas of California on behalf of the USDA's new Southwest regional food business center. 
• 
  May 26, 2023 - El País

  Working with artisans or cultural exploitation? Aesthetic racism on the catwalk

  Edward Salazar, a PhD student in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the editor of a book on fashion in Colombia, comments on a controversial fashion show in Colombia. 
• 
  May 31, 2023 - Santa Cruz Sentinel

  Film about CZU Lightning Complex fire, salmon airs Friday

  Biologist Eric Palkovacs was featured in a Santa Cruz Sentinel story about the documentary 'Southern Range' about salmon restoration in the Scott Creek watershed.
• 
  May 30, 2023 - KPIX

  USGS report predicts rising sea levels threaten California's coast

  Geologist Gary Griggs was interviewed in a story on KPIX (CBS Bay Area) about coastal erosion.
• 
  May 26, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

  Sea otters might get reintroduced to historic habitat in the Bay Area

  Biologist Tim Tinker was quoted in a San Francisco Chronicle story about plans to reintroduce sea otters in Northern California.
• 
  May 31, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

  The biggest extinction event in the planet’s history is happening again — in Santa Cruz

  Botanist Jarmila Pittermann was featured in a Los Angeles Times story about an experiment to simulate a mass extinction event in a UCSC greenhouse.
• 
  May 31, 2023 - New York Times

  First Drought, Then Flood. Can the West Learn to Live Between Extremes?

  Hydrogeologist Andrew Fisher was quoted in an articles about California's weather extremes in the New York Times Magazine and from Reuters and the Christian Science Monitor.
• 
  May 23, 2023 - Prism

  Grassroots organizations push for a Just Transition for communities impacted by coal extraction in Arizona

  Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies J. Mijin Cha spoke with Prism about how the needs of communities can be better served in the transition away from fossil fuels. 
• 
  May 19, 2023 - VoxEU

  How much inflation did Covid fiscal support cause?

  Economics Professor Galina Hale joined VoxEU to share her findings on Covid-era fiscal policy impacts in Europe.
• 
  May 26, 2023 - Science Friday

  A Famous Sled Dog’s Genome Holds Evolutionary Surprises

  Biologists Katie Moon and Beth Shapiro were featured on the public radio program Science Friday in a segment about their research on the genome of the famed sled dog Balto.
• 
  May 23, 2023 - KION 46

  Santa Cruz County vulnerable to cyber attacks, Grand Jury recommends putting plan in place

  Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Leilani Gilpin was quoted in a KION 46 story about Santa Cruz County's potential vulnerability to a cyber attack.
• 
  May 24, 2023 - Vox

  Volcanoes have erupted in Mexico and Italy. Here are 7 things to know about volcanoes.

  Geophysicist Emily Brodsky was quoted in a Vox explainer about volcanoes and a San Jose Mercury News article about geothermal energy and lithium extraction in the Salton Sea.
• 
  May 24, 2023 - Washington Post

  A boat went dark. Finding it could help save the world’s fish.

  Marine scientist Heather Welch was quoted in a Washington Post story about her research on illegal fishing activity.
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  May 19, 2023 - Psychology Today

  AI and Edge Computing Detect Disease for Real-Time Diagnosis

  Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Holger Schmidt was quoted in a Psychology Today story on a deep neural network for disease detection developed in Schmidt lab. 
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  May 17, 2020 - Scientific American

  The Closest Living Relative of the First Animal Has Finally Been Found

  UC Santa Cruz former graduate student Darrin Schultz and professors Richard (Ed) Green and Steve Haddock were authors on a study proving that comb jellies are truly the closest relative to the very first animals.
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  May 21, 2023 - The Atlantic

  Voicemail Refuses to Die

  Steve Whittaker, a professor of human-computer interaction who worked on visual voicemail in the late ’90s, was quoted in a story in the Atlantic on the enduring presence of voicemail.
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  May 20, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

  California could lose two-thirds of its beaches by the end of the century. Here’s which ones are at risk

  Geologist Gary Griggs was quoted in a San Francisco Chronicle story about sea level rise and beach erosion.
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  May 20, 2023 - San Jose Mercury News

  The battle over bullfrogs, as California considers restrictions

  Ecologist Erika Zavaleta was quoted in a San Jose Mercury News article about efforts to control invasive bullfrogs in California, also published on MSN and SiliconValley.com.
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  May 19, 2023 - Technology Networks

  Key Event Controls the Timing of Our Biological Clock

  Biochemists Carrie Partch and Jonathan Philpott were quoted in coverage of their research on biological clocks, including stories in Technology Networks, Neuroscience News, PhysOrg, and other media outlets.
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  May 18, 2023 - The Good Times

  UCSC’s 2023 Deep Read Features Elizabeth Kolbert’s ‘Under a White Sky’

  The Humanities Institute at UCSC has made Elizabeth Kolbert’s ‘Under a White Sky’ the subject of its 2023 Deep Read. The Pulitzer Prize-winner will appear in conversation with Ezra Klein at the Quarry Amphitheater on Sunday, May 21.
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  May 16, 2020 - Quanta

  New Proof Finds the ‘Ultimate Instability’ in a Solar System Model

  Mathematician Richard Montgomery was quoted in a Quanta magazine story about the stability of planetary orbits.
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  May 16, 2023 - Los Altos Town Crier

  Local professor drives equity in STEM initiative to expand UCSC access

  The Los Altos Town Crier ran a story about the programs spearheaded by astronomer Raja GuhaThakurta to support underrepresented students in STEM fields.
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  May 15, 2023 - Science News

  The first radiation belt outside the solar system has been spotted

  Astronomer Melodie Kao was featured in coverage of her team's discovery of the first radiation belts observed outside our solar system, including stories in Science News, Space.com, Salon, Atlantic, IFL Science, SpaceRef, Science Daily, PhysOrg, Tech Times, and other media outlets.
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  May 15, 2023 - Science

  Weird alien world may be a planetary sauna

  Astronomer Jonathan Fortney was quoted in a Science news story about an exoplanet with a thick sauna-like steam atmosphere.
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  May 11, 2023 - Inside Climate News

  Restoring seabird populations can help repair the climate

  Biologist Bernie Tershy was quoted in an article in Inside Climate News about restoring ecosystems to combat climate change.
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  May 11, 2023 - Smithsonian

  Reading Between the Bones: New Research Reveals an Unexpected Growth Spurt in California Sea Lions

  Paleoecologist Ana Valenzuela Toro was featured in a Smithsonian article about her research on California sea lions.
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  May 10, 2023 - The Wall Street Journal

  How the Demographics of Entrepreneurship Has Changed

  The Wall Street Journal interviewed Economics Professor Rob Fairlie about his research on the changing demographics of entrepreneurs.
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  May 10, 2023 - Financial Express

  India’s skilling challenge

  Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote for Financial Express about higher education issues in India. 
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  May 09, 2023 - KSBW

  Monterey County honors AAPI month, issues apology to Filipino community

  KSBW interviewed Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay and UCSC students Meleia Simon-Reynolds and Nicholas Nasser about their work on the Watsonville is in the Heart project.
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  May 10, 2023 - CNN

  Scientists have updated the human genome to make it more equitable and inclusive

  Associate Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Benedict Paten and Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Karen Miga were quoted in a CNN on the release of the first human pangenome, a new reference for genomics aimed at increasing equity in the field. Additional coverage in outlets including BBC, NBC, the Associated Press, Reuters, US News and World Report, Popular Science, Live Science, The Economist, MIT Technology Review, Financial Times, and Inverse.
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  May 10, 2023 - Grist

  As California attempts a ‘managed retreat,’ coastal homeowners sue to stay

  Geologist Gary Griggs was quoted in a Grist article about coastal erosion and homeowners' resistance to 'managed retreat.'
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  May 08, 2023 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

  The ‘heavy decision to take someone’s life’ has loomed over jury selection in the synagogue shooting trial

  Psychology Professor Craig Haney spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about how consideration of the death penalty can affect jurors.