Campus News

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Susan Harding, professor of anthropology, has been named acting dean of the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The appointment, which was approved by the UC Office of the President last week, was announced by UCSC Executive Vice Chancellor Michael Tanner. Harding, who has been on the faculty…

Nearby Dwarf Galaxy In Sagittarius Yields Rare Opportunity To Study A Strong Tidal Interaction In Detail TUCSON, AZ–Dwarf galaxies spiraling into the gravitational maw of the Milky Way should leave visible trails of debris that persist for a billion years or more, according to new computer simulations by three astrophysicists. Astronomers could learn much about…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Among the major environmental laws that could come before the new Congress for renewal or revision are the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Superfund toxic-waste cleanup legislation. At the University of California, Santa Cruz, experts in these and other environmental subjects are available for media interviews. UCSC boasts one…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Bell Hooks, whose writing addresses black womanhood, feminism, the Civil Rights movement, and critical theory, will be the keynote speaker for the eleventh annual Martin Luther King, Jr., convocation taking place at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on Thursday, January 12. The convocation begins at 4 p.m. in the Porter College Dining…

SANTA CRUZ, CA­ When does regulating "hate speech" against past victims of human rights abuse conflict with the principles underlying the First Amendment? How does the American history of slavery affect the meaning of recent efforts to honor the Confederate flag? These are two of the questions that will be discussed at "Constitutions and Survivor…

Study Extends The Classes Of Objects In Which Astronomers Have Detected Dark Matter SANTA CRUZ, CA–Astronomers have long suspected that dark matter, the mysterious material composing most of the mass in the universe, envelops galaxies and clusters of galaxies in tenuous shrouds. Now, they have found strong clues that dark matter also exists in a…

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–Aftershocks of three large earthquakes at Cape Mendocino, California, in April 1992 have shed new light on the interplay among three tectonic plates at the Mendocino Triple Junction, one of the country’s most complex seismic settings. A detailed study of the aftershocks suggests that the Gorda plate, a wedge of Pacific Ocean seafloor,…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Biotechnology is a growing and exciting field, especially in the area of drug design and research. From finding potential drugs in nature to determining how existing drugs work, from making compounds in the lab to inventing molecules on a computer, this aspect of biotechnology holds great promise for improving our health. Now, thanks…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–James Zachos, an assistant professor of earth sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is one of 197 outstanding scientists to receive a Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, the foundation announced last week. The award helps universities attract and retain outstanding faculty researchers who might not otherwise pursue teaching…

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD–Countries trying to destroy their stockpiles of chemical weapons should carry out additional basic research and carefully inform the public about the pros and cons of various destruction methods, according to an international task force of civilian and military researchers. In a new report, the task force identified eight scientific problems that…

SANTA CRUZ, CA–The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden will host their annual holiday tea and gift sale on Sunday, December 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the ID Building on the Pacific Garden Mall in downtown Santa Cruz. The event will feature an array of Farm and Garden merchandise, as well as…

Building Forms The Heart Of Burgeoning Research Programs That Focus On Geosciences, The Marine Realm, And The Environment SANTA CRUZ, CA–A gleaming new building has joined the growing complex of facilities upon "Science Hill" at UC Santa Cruz: the $29.5 million Earth and Marine Sciences Building, dedicated November 12 in private ceremonies on campus. Located…