Faculty
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A puzzle posed by black-headed ducks yields to persistent biologists
Some 100 species of birds are what scientists call “obligate brood parasites”–instead of building nests and raising their own young, they lay their eggs in the nests of other species and let those birds do the hard work of parenting for them. The black-headed duck of South America is one of these, but it stands…
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Order of Species Loss has Important Biodiversity Consequences, Grassland Study Reveals
In a study that mimicked the natural order of species loss in a grassland ecosystem, researchers found that declining biodiversity greatly reduced resistance to invasive species and that the presence of even small numbers of rare species had profound functional effects. The results, which appear in the November 12 issue of Science, have important implications…
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Major gift from storage industry leader Kumar Malavalli establishes endowed chair in storage systems at UC Santa Cruz
Kumar Malavalli, cofounder of Brocade Communications and cofounder and CEO of InMage Systems, has made a gift of $1 million to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to establish the Kumar Malavalli Endowed Chair in Storage Systems Research at UCSC’s Baskin School of Engineering. This major gift provides valuable support for the engineering school’s Storage…
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UC Santa Cruz Jewish Studies Program to celebrate anniversary with concert featuring music of Kurt Weill
The UC Santa Cruz Jewish Studies Program will present a concert titled “The Music of Kurt Weill: From Berlin to New York,” on Sunday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Center Recital Hall. The evening of music will feature UCSC voice lecturer Patrice Maginnis singing selections from Weill’s Broadway songbook. There will also…
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Genome researchers publish analysis of finished human genome sequence, plan next steps to figure out what it all means
A pair of papers published this week in the two leading scientific journals mark the completion of the Human Genome Project and the start of a new project to find all of the functional elements in human DNA. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are involved in both projects. In the October 21…
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Researchers guide light through liquids and gases on a chip, a major step forward for optical sensing technology
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have reported the first demonstration of integrated optical waveguides with liquid cores, a technology that enables light propagation through small volumes of liquids on a chip. The new technology has a wide range of potential applications, including chemical and biological sensors with single-molecule sensitivity. “It is an…
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UC Santa Cruz professor Bettina Aptheker receives California NOW Award for Excellence in Education
UC Santa Cruz professor of women’s studies Bettina Aptheker has been honored with the “Award for Excellence in Education” by the California chapter of the National Organization for Women (CA NOW). Aptheker received the award at a luncheon held on October 13 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. Former UC Santa Cruz chancellor M.R.C.…
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New ‘Shock and Awe’ book explores political meaning of words
Democracy, patriotism, family.these are words spoken with overwhelming fervor these days in the aftermath of 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, and the anticipation of the upcoming presidential election. But what do those words really mean? Apparently, different things, depending on your political affiliation. First book published by New Pacific Press in collaboration with UC Santa…
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UCSC astronomer Claire Max receives 2004 E. O. Lawrence Award in Physics
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the 2004 E. O. Lawrence Award in Physics to Claire Max, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Max, who is deputy director of the Center for Adaptive Optics at UCSC and holds a joint appointment at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,…
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UCSC researchers to test new technologies for monitoring harmful algal blooms in California coastal waters
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have received a $400,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop an improved system for monitoring toxic algae in the coastal waters of California. The UCSC researchers will work closely with the California Department of Health Services (CDHS), testing new technologies and developing…