News
The global land rush
September 16, 2020
In her new book, 'Fields of Gold, Financing the Global Land Rush,' Madeleine Fairbairn looks at forces and players that have transformed farmland into a novel financial asset class.
Cooperative research effort documents northward migration of kelp forests
September 9, 2020
From Alaska to Mexico, warming waters are driving widespread changes in these highly productive coastal ecosystems.
In the line of fire
September 1, 2020
Alumnus Adam Lowdermilk had built a career as a musician, but the tragic 2018 Camp Fire prompted a change of heart and a leap into firefighting.
Rising to the Eco-Challenge
August 31, 2020
Two Slug alumni were part of a grueling, 11-day, 416-mile adventure race called Eco-Challenge Fiji, caught in a 10-episode series streaming on Amazon Prime.
Big Creek Reserve and Six Other UCNRS Sites Burn in 2020 Wildfires
August 26, 2020
An arsonist likely set the fire a few miles north of Big Creek Reserve. After slowing for a short time, the Dolan Fire exploded. Flames raced through the reserve’s main canyon and out to its southern boundary.
Marine mammals show off their training in evacuation from Long Marine Lab
August 24, 2020
All of the resident marine mammals at UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory are safe and well after a successful evacuation effort.
Research buildings saved as wildfire sweeps across Big Creek Natural Reserve
August 22, 2020
Fire preparedness and hard work by fast-moving fire crews and UC Santa Cruz staff is being credited for saving research and residential buildings at the Landels-Hill Big Creek Natural Reserve on the Big Sur coast.
Alaska’s salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems
August 19, 2020
A comprehensive study of four salmon species across all regions of Alaska finds salmon are returning to rivers smaller and younger than in the past.
UCSC linguists receive $400,000 NSF grant for research on rarely studied languages
August 5, 2020
UC Santa Cruz linguistics professors Maziar Toosarvandani, Ivy Sichel, and Matthew Wagers have been awarded a $411,058 grant from the National Science Foundation to support research on endangered languages.
Influential marine biologist John Pearse dies at 84
August 5, 2020
A leading authority on marine invertebrates and intertidal ecology, Pearse was a beloved teacher and mentor to generations of marine biologists.
Careful planning yields a better Big Creek Reserve
July 31, 2020
Big Creek Reserve's new facilities were made possible by a funding opportunity through California's Proposition 84 and the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Report exposes rampant illegal fishing in North Korean waters
July 22, 2020
Ground-breaking study reveals hundreds of vessels fishing illegally in one of the world’s most contested ocean regions, contravening UN sanctions and fueling overfishing.
Is COVID-related reduction in marine traffic reducing stress in whales?
July 17, 2020
Whale researchers are taking advantage of changes in boat traffic in Monterey Bay during the pandemic to collect data on stress hormones in humpback whales.
STEM Diversity Programs honored by ‘Insight into Diversity’ magazine
July 10, 2020
'Insight into Diversity' magazine has recognized the STEM Diversity Programs at UC Santa Cruz with its 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award.
A call for caution, personal responsibility
July 2, 2020
If people simply wait around for federal, state, and local governments to save them from the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than take precautions to keep themselves and their communities safe, “we will lose the economy and our lives,’’ said infectious disease expert A. Marm Kilpatrick this week.
Researchers honored for work in UCSC-NOAA Fisheries Collaborative Program
July 1, 2020
Three researchers affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz have received awards from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center for their outstanding contributions to research in 2019.
Michael Soulé, father of conservation biology, dies at 84
June 23, 2020
Michael Soulé, a professor emeritus of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz who was widely considered the "father of conservation biology," died on June 17. He was 84.
Hellman Fellows Program and UC announce $125 million commitment to faculty research
June 23, 2020
The Hellman Fellows Program and the University of California announced a plan to permanently support the Hellman Fellows Program on all 10 campuses in the UC system.
A new challenge for engineering students’ capstone projects—COVID-19
June 22, 2020
Engineering students always face obstacles in completing their senior capstone projects, but the pandemic created unique challenges for this year’s teams.
Royal Geographical Society publishes special COVID-19 issue
June 5, 2020
A virtual special issue of Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers features Politics Professor Matt Sparke's article, "Contextualizing Coronavirus Geographically," and provides free access to additional articles that provide perspective on the pandemic.
Social Sciences recognizes students amid unprecedented times
June 5, 2020
The Social Sciences Division announced the recipients of its annual student achievement awards.
NOAA funds new Cooperative Institute for Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Systems
June 3, 2020
CIMEAS supports the ongoing collaboration between UC Santa Cruz and the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
Two vital buffers against climate change are just offshore
June 1, 2020
A new study underscores the need to conserve and restore mangroves and coral reefs for coastal protection.
Emerald predators: Ohlone tiger beetles reclaim territory with the help of local scientists
May 28, 2020
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists released 43 Ohlone tiger beetles to a new home in Santa Cruz County earlier this year with the help of UC Santa Cruz students and reserve managers
Field courses boost STEM diversity, study reveals
May 19, 2020
The challenge of diversifying STEM fields may get a boost from the results of a new study that show field courses help build self-confidence among students—especially those from underrepresented groups.
Planting trees is no panacea for climate change, says ecologist
May 7, 2020
Restoration ecologist Karen Holl has a simple message for anyone who thinks planting 1 trillion trees will reverse the damage of climate change: "We can't plant our way out of climate change."
Already vulnerable, gig economy workers in San Francisco suffer during coronavirus pandemic, survey reveals
May 5, 2020
A new survey of app-based ride-hailing and food and grocery-delivery workers in San Francisco underscores the financial vulnerability of workers in the gig economy—and the coronavirus has made their plight much worse.
Redwood Research At The Edge of the Range
April 28, 2020
California's Big Sur has been the coast redwoods' southernmost stronghold for thousands of years. With a warming planet, canopy scientist Anthony Ambrose asks what the future holds for coast redwoods at the edge of the range. His study takes place in a grove that has long been special to humans, the Dance Floor Grove, located within the Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve. While the trees in this grove have outlived generations of people, their future is uncertain.
Crabeater seal data used to predict changes in Antarctic krill distribution
April 27, 2020
Tracking the feeding behavior of crabeater seals allowed researchers to build an oceanographic model of krill habitat and project how it is likely to change in the future.
Student Health Center Pharmacy partners to make hand sanitizer for campus
April 27, 2020
With newly relaxed federal restrictions for pharmacies to compound hand sanitizer, pharmacy staff set out to create more hand sanitizer for the UCSC community.
Watch UCSC participants talk about hope during TEDx Santa Cruz
April 23, 2020
Last December, TEDx Santa Cruz hosted a day-long extravaganza of talks curated around the theme of "The Art of Hope." Those talks, including ones by several UCSC affiliates, are now available for online viewing.
Delivery and ridehailing workers lack critical protections from coronavirus
April 21, 2020
Chris Benner led an online survey of app-based workers in San Francisco, and preliminary results reveal significant financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Agroecology major available this fall
April 21, 2020
Beginning this fall, students will have an opportunity to enroll in a new agroecology major, an interdisciplinary program housed in the Environmental Studies Department.
Grow your own veggies? Orin Martin offers tips for novice gardeners
April 2, 2020
Orin Martin is delighted that people are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with a desire to grow their own veggies, and he has lots of knowledge to share—as well as one plea: Be sure to plant some flowers, too.
UCSC researchers are taking on the coronavirus challenge on multiple fronts
April 1, 2020
From developing diagnostic tests to conducting surveys of infection prevalence, campus researchers are doing what they can in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grad student wins support for Joshua tree research
March 26, 2020
Daniel Hastings, a graduate student in environmental studies, has received a research fellowship award to support his work studying the effects of climate change on the Joshua tree.
California Sea Grant funds sustainable aquaculture project
March 26, 2020
Pallab Sarker, an associate research professor in environmental studies, has received support from the Coastal Sea Grant program to fund his research into the development of sustainable feed for farmed fish.
Orin Martin recognized for 'Fruit Trees for Every Garden'
March 25, 2020
Orin Martin's book 'Fruit Trees for Every Garden' has been recognized by the American Horticultural Society as one of the outstanding gardening books of 2019.
Recruiting raptors for rodent control along the Pajaro River levee
March 24, 2020
UCSC’s Predatory Bird Research Group is working with the Santa Cruz County Flood Control District to encourage hawks and owls to patrol the levee for rodent control.
Tracking data used to identify biodiversity hot spots in Southern Ocean ecosystems
March 18, 2020
An international team of scientists used electronic tracking data from birds and marine mammals to identify areas of ecological significance in the waters around Antarctica.
How to #keepteaching and #keeplearning during a pandemic
March 17, 2020
Jody Greene is eager—almost desperate—to help her colleagues who are facing the unprecedented challenge of shifting to remote instruction for the entire spring quarter.
UC Santa Cruz campus was ready for its close-up
March 16, 2020
Producers of 'Devs,' the new sci-fi thriller that premiered March 5 on Hulu, were looking for just the right location to depict a high-tech corporate campus with a tinge of dystopia. It needed to look like Northern California — sort of Silicon Valley-ish — and it needed to say science and tech. UC Santa Cruz was the right place at the right time.
Two programs will support undergrads in research, service learning, and peer mentoring
March 16, 2020
Undergraduates in the Division of Social Sciences will soon benefit from two programs that will provide paid opportunities to do research, engage in service learning, and mentor their peers.
Grad student Melissa Cronin wins Seafood Sustainability Contest
March 10, 2020
The $45,000 prize will support Cronin’s efforts to to reduce the mortality of manta rays and devil rays incidentally caught during tuna fishing.
Karen Holl publishes a "primer" on ecological restoration
March 3, 2020
Karen Holl has introduced hundreds of undergraduates to ecological restoration, and now she has published the book she wishes had been available when she first stepped into the classroom.
UC Santa Cruz joins national "tech for social good" network
February 21, 2020
UC Santa Cruz has been accepted into a new national network of colleges and universities that have made an explicit commitment to developing technology that will advance the public interest.
Norris Center aims to inspire naturalists across campus
February 20, 2020
Jessica Correa has loved insects since she was a little girl. Today she is an instructor with the Bird School Project. The Norris Center for Natural History gave her the support that launched her career in environmental education.
Aquaculture to benefit people and the environment
February 20, 2020
Two graduate students have received a one-year, $150,000 grant to create environmentally sound seaweed and sea cucumber farms on the coasts of Kenya and The Gambia.
Researchers get a ‘whale’s-eye view’ of Antarctic sea ice
February 19, 2020
Cameras attached to a rare species of Antarctic whale are giving scientists an unprecedented view of how the whales survive in their sea ice habitat.
Bringing new perspectives to astronomy
February 11, 2020
An array of grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation is helping UC Santa Cruz accelerate astrophysics and other sciences while changing what we think an astrophysicist looks like
Proposed hydropower dams pose threat to Gabon’s fishes
February 6, 2020
Proposed hydropower dams in Gabon pose a substantial threat to the African nation’s most culturally and economically important fishes, according to a new study.
The power of research
January 22, 2020
Wilfrido Hernández Flores discovered social science research in the Culture and Achievement Collaborative, and it changed his life
Breaking down barriers to success
January 16, 2020
First-gen student Reina Garay-Solis is doing undergraduate research to help identify common challenges for first-gen and underrepresented students and find effective institutional practices to address them
$2.6 million grant funds program to increase diversity of conservation leaders
January 16, 2020
New funding for the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at UC Santa Cruz builds on the program’s successes in training the next generation of diverse conservation leaders.
The carbon footprint of dinner: How "green" are fish sticks?
January 16, 2020
Fish sticks may be a tasty option for dinner, but are they good for the planet? A new study of the climate impacts of seafood products reveals that the processing of Alaskan pollock into fish sticks, imitation crab, and fish fillets generates significant greenhouse gas emissions.
Global study of street networks reveals growing urban sprawl
January 14, 2020
Local streets of the world’s cities are becoming less connected, part of a global trend that is driving urban sprawl and discouraging the use of public transportation.
New online course supports first-time graduate student teaching assistants
January 13, 2020
A new online course aims to prepare new graduate student Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the important role of supporting student learning and promoting educational equity at UC Santa Cruz.
Biologist Jordan Ward wins NSF CAREER Award
January 7, 2020
Jordan Ward, assistant professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation.
Food and anti-corporate globalization activist Vandana Shiva coming to campus Jan. 25-26
January 6, 2020
The public is invited to attend two events with legendary food activist Vandana Shiva, who will be at UC Santa Cruz on January 25 and 26.
UC Santa Cruz helps develop Egyptian Center of Excellence for Water
January 6, 2020
UC Santa Cruz is partnering with the American University in Cairo, nine other Egyptian and U.S.-based universities, and industry partners to help Egypt make the most of its limited water supply.
The mysterious case of the ornamented coot chicks has a surprising explanation
December 30, 2019
The bright colors of the chicks of American coots help their parents choose favorites, according to a new study.
How genetics and social games drive evolution of mating systems in mammals
December 19, 2019
From monogamy to promiscuity, a new model explains the evolution of diverse mating systems based on the conflict between cooperative and competitive behaviors.
Raising awareness of ‘deficit thinking’
December 12, 2019
Undergraduate researcher works to combat harmful perceptions many first-generation students experience
California’s sea otter population could triple by recolonizing San Francisco Bay
December 10, 2019
A new study highlights the importance of estuaries as prime habitat for the endangered southern sea otter.
Students power resurvey of UC Santa Cruz natural reserves
December 9, 2019
Student teams are conducting surveys of the birds, plants, fish, fungi, insects, vascular plants, mammals, bryophytes, and lichens at all four of the campus’s Natural Reserves.
Island 'soundscapes' show potential for evaluating recovery of nesting seabirds
December 5, 2019
Conservation biologists are taking a holistic approach to acoustic monitoring for evaluating the effectiveness of restoration efforts.
New website highlights UCSC's "living labs"
September 24, 2019
Diverse campus landscapes are ideal outdoor laboratories—and classrooms
May 25, 2018
Saving Oaks in Big Sur
April 6, 2015
Sudden oak death study aids reserve, teaches field research
