Legal studies major Aissata Ba looks back on conversation with Michelle Obama Former First Lady Michelle Obama sat down with Yara Shahidi and a group of college students to discuss her book, Becoming, and answer questions about race, politics and making an impact. Aissata Ba was among the students who asked a question as part of the conversation. Watch >>
These red flags can let you know when you’re in an online echo chamber
June 28, 2022
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have identified specific elements of tone and style in online speech that are linked to hyperpartisan echo chambers. These language markers could also prove useful for flagging spaces where disinformation may be likely to emerge.
Campus recognizes innovative, dedicated teachers
June 27, 2022
The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching (COT) in collaboration with Chancellor Larive and CP/EVC Kletzer, Cruz celebrated UCSC’s innovative and dedicated teachers with a gathering at the Cowell Provost House in early June.
Supreme Court decision revokes fundamental civil rights
June 24, 2022
We are deeply dismayed by the U.S. Supreme Court opinion issued this morning that revokes the rights of millions of Americans to make private, personal, informed choices about their health care and ultimately their lives.
Grant funding will support university-community partnership on inclusive economic development in neighboring city of Salinas
June 15, 2022
UCSC’s Institute for Social Transformation will partner with the Salinas Inclusive Economic Development Initiative in an effort to reduce economic inequality and improve financial stability and quality of life for local families.
Graduate student’s research helps environmental organizations better serve coastal communities of color
June 8, 2022
Coastal Science and Policy Program graduate student Kalina Browne led development of a new research report on behalf of Green 2.0, a national watchdog organization focused on diversity and equity in the environmental sector.
Social Sciences Division recognizes students at annual awards event
June 8, 2022
The annual Student Awards Luncheon honors undergraduates and graduate students across the Social Sciences Division for excellence in scholarship and creativity.
UC Santa Cruz named No. 2 public university for ‘making an impact’
June 6, 2022
Princeton Review has named UC Santa Cruz the No. 2 public university in the nation for students focused on making an impact on the world. The honor underscores the university’s commitment to encouraging positive social impact and is an increase from last year’s No. 3 spot.
‘Crossing Latinidades’ program selects UC Santa Cruz faculty and graduate students for national research and mentoring collaboration
June 3, 2022
Two UC Santa Cruz faculty were awarded $310,000 grants to lead national research working groups, and two doctoral students have been selected for one-year research fellowships and a summer institute focused on interdisciplinary research methods.
UC Santa Cruz recognizes Brittany Caldwell, a Ph.D. in Education
May 31, 2022
Caldwell specializes in early (pre-K through third grade) mathematics instruction with emergent bilinguals (EBs). Her dissertation, Mathematics Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals in Early Grades: Drawing on Young Learners’ Assets, focuses on teachers’ beliefs and practices around mathematics, mathematics teaching, and student thinking.
UC Santa Cruz recognizes Maxwell Ward, a HAVC and Anthropology major
May 31, 2022
Since he was 6 years old, Maxwell Ward has always wanted to be an archeologist. During his time at UC Santa Cruz, Ward took advantage of as many opportunities as he could, serving as a student mentor and chair’s advisory board member for the History of Art and Visual Culture Department. He also served as head writing tutor for the Anthropology Department.
UC Santa Cruz recognizes Candy Martinez, a Ph.D. in Latin American and Latino Studies
May 31, 2022
The daughter of Oaxacan migrants, Candy Martinez has found a meaningful way to reconnect with her roots, investigating the ways in which Indigenous communities process and heal grief and trauma.
Learning about learning. A Research group at UCSC highlights the learning strengths of underserved children and students
May 27, 2022
That’s the focus of UC Santa Cruz’s New Gen Learning, an interdisciplinary research consortium. The group, now in its third year, puts faculty members and graduate students from various fields together to highlight the learning strengths of underserved children and students.
UC Santa Cruz Celebrates distinguished alumni Eric Becerra: InInnovative wall-breaker
May 25, 2022
Eric Becerra earned a B.A. in sociology from UC Santa Cruz’s Rachel Carson College in 2003, an M.S. from San Diego State University in 2010, and an Ed.L.D. in educational leadership from Harvard in 2021.
Sociology doctoral candidate wins national fellowship for research on travel programs that teach youth about the African diaspora
May 25, 2022
Theresa Hice-Fromille was one of five top scholars selected nationwide for the American Sociological Association’s 2022-2023 Minority Fellowship program. Funding from this and other recent awards will support her dissertation research on travel abroad programs led by Black women that teach youth about the African diaspora.
Fellowships support graduate students studying queer movies, Mau Mau Uprising
May 24, 2022
Raed El Rafaei is examining queer movies made by artists from Lebanon and the diaspora, and Christian David Alvarado is investigating how the Mau Mau Uprising, which ran through the 1950s in Kenya, fits in with the larger processes of decolonization in Africa.
Politics doctoral candidate wins Newcombe Fellowship for research on women’s testimony against sexual violence
May 19, 2022
Natali Levin-Schwartz is one of 22 winners of a national fellowship award for scholars working on ethical or religious issues. Her dissertation research focuses on how women resist and organize against sexual violence and the role that testimony plays in that process.
A public dedication in the name of civil rights
May 10, 2022
Hundreds of campus and regional community members gathered beneath the redwoods encircling Quarry Amphitheater to watch the former College Ten make history, rededicating itself as John R. Lewis College in memory of the legendary civil rights leader.
Research video brings attention to an inspiring way of learning
May 10, 2022
“Learning by Observing and Pitching In” is featured in a National Science Foundation video contest May 10-17; viewers can vote for their favorite video
John Brown Childs earns UC’s highest system-wide award for emeriti
May 4, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology John Brown Childs is a 2021-2022 recipient of the Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, which recognizes exceptional legacies of research, teaching, and service.
Q&A: Exploring the Global Classrooms student experience
May 04, 2022
The Global Classrooms Initiative, launched by the Division of Global Engagement in 2020, endeavors to increase opportunity and access to global learning. In an effort to explore the impact Global Classrooms might have on a student’s personal and academic growth, two students were interviewed.
Nearly 30 years of conservation in Santa Cruz, alumna stays connected to the university and invests in students
May 3, 2022
UCSC alumna Jodi McGraw (Rachel Carson ’94, Environmental Studies and Biology) founded her conservation consulting firm in 2001 and has since hired upwards of 15 UCSC graduates and has sponsored almost 50 UCSC interns.
Alumni cover breaking news and document humanitarian efforts in Ukraine
May 3, 2022
UCSC alumni and New York Times reporter Andrew Kramer (Cowell ’94, history) and award-winning filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga (Rachel Carson ’99, history) are on the ground in Ukraine, breaking news and photographing humanitarian efforts.
Center for Agroecology welcomes Darryl Wong as new executive director
May 2, 2022
The UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology will welcome Darryl Wong as its new executive director next month. Wong will work alongside Faculty Director Stacy Philpott to lead the center in its work to advance agroecology and equitable food systems through experiential education, participatory research, agricultural extension, and public service.
International stages to the Quarry, alumna Terisa Siagatonu returns for dedication ceremony
May 2, 2022
UCSC alumna and award-winning poet, Terisa Siagatonu (John R. Lewis ’11, community studies), will be a keynote speaker at the John R. Lewis College dedication ceremony on May 6.
Wisdom Cole: Paving the way for a new generation of Black leaders
May 2, 2022
National Director of the NAACP Youth & College Division and UCSC alumnus Wisdom Cole (Oakes ’15, chemistry) will be a keynote speaker at the John R. Lewis College dedication ceremony on May 6.
New global and community health majors available this fall
April 29, 2022
UC Santa Cruz students who want to build a future with better, more equitable health outcomes will have the option to declare one of two new global and community health majors, starting in fall 2022.
New Google-funded research project applies computer science to aid bird conservation
April 28, 2022
Two faculty members have begun a new collaboration to use machine learning models to create continent-wide maps of bird habitat connectivity for conservation purposes, and they have recently received a $60,000 Google Research Scholar award to fund this work
CITRIS drone program lands $1 million grant from James Irvine Foundation
April 25, 2022
The UC Santa Cruz CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) along with several partners has received a $1 million, 15-month planning grant to support regional drone education and workforce development from The James Irvine Foundation.
10 questions all funders should ask before supporting tree-planting campaigns
April 25, 2022
Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl is concerned that widespread enthusiasm for tree-planting may be leaving restoration best-practices by the wayside. But a new set of research-based questions can help potential funders determine which reforestation campaigns are poised for success.
New study examines ethics of community-engaged research from the perspective of community partners
April 20, 2022
Even the most collaborative research models come with ethical challenges, a new study shows. This highlights the importance of equity-centered approaches.
The UC in Washington program launches political career
April 18, 2022
The UCDC program launched alumnus Ricky Le’s (Rachel Carson, Politics ’99) career in national politics.
Politics professor’s book challenging Western notions of Sharia wins global acclaim
April 14, 2022
In the past year, Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud’s latest book has earned him a series of award recognitions, speaking engagements around the globe, and an invitation to a closed session with resident representatives of the United Nations Development Program.
Watsonville Filipino history digital archive now available for public viewing
April 12, 2022
The Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive is now viewable online and features oral history recordings, original documents, photos, and family artifacts highlighting Filipino history in the Pajaro Valley.
2022 PIT-UN Network Challenge funding open for submissions
April 11, 2022
The Public Interest Technology – University Network (PIT-UN) has opened the call for proposals for the 2022 Network Challenge funding opportunity. The PIT-UN Network Challenge seeks to encourage new ideas, foster collaborations, and incentivize resource- and information-sharing among network members.
Sarah Peelo named 2022 Social Sciences Division Distinguished Graduate Student Alumna
April 7, 2022
Sarah Peelo (Ph.D. Anthropology ’09) has been named UC Santa Cruz’s Social Sciences Division Distinguished Graduate Alumna. The awards ceremony for the 2022 cohort will take place on April 23 of Alumni Weekend.
Ricky Bluthenthal announced as 2022 social sciences distinguished alumni award recipient
April 4, 2022
The Social Sciences division is proud to announce trailblazing health equity researcher and advocate Ricky Bluthenthal (Merrill ’86, History and Sociology) as the recipient of the 2022 Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award.
Watsonville Filipino history archive set to launch at April 9th public event
April 1, 2022
The Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive will be publicly unveiled during a launch event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. The archive features oral history recordings, original documents, photos, and family artifacts highlighting Filipino history in the Pajaro Valley.
Celebrating 50 years of immersive natural history education at UC Santa Cruz
March 28, 2022
In June, an event will gather UC Santa Cruz alumni, faculty, staff, current students, and community members to honor the legacy of Ken Norris and natural history at UCSC, including the 50th anniversary of Natural History Field Quarter.
Local pumas don’t sense danger in places where they’re most often killed by humans
March 28, 2022
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers suggests that pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains don’t make accurate assessments of where they are most likely to be killed by humans, especially when it comes to the threat of being killed in retaliation for loss of livestock.
Seed funding grants for early-stage research, creative projects given to 19 awardees
March 28, 2022
The UCSC Office of Research has awarded funds this month to 19 projects through its inaugural Seed Funding for Early Stage Initiatives program.
Annual Confronting Climate Change Conference focuses on local impacts and solutions
March 24, 2022
UC Santa Cruz offers a weekend of free events at the Seymour Center to spark conversation and inspire action.
Economics Professor Rob Fairlie testifies before committee in U.S. House of Representatives to share research on Paycheck Protection Programe
March 21, 2022
Fairlie testified on his latest research, which showed that changes to the Paycheck Protection Program in 2021 helped to improve racial equity in loan distribution.
UC Santa Cruz lecturer and alumna contributes to IPCC’s 2022 report on global climate change
March 18, 2022
Pam Rittelmeyer, a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Studies and College Nine, is a contributing author on the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Keeping the stoke fresh
March 10, 2022
Alumnus David Schulkin, who has taught surfing to UC Santa Cruz students for more than two decades, is ‘all about joy and about passing on the joy of surfing.’
UC Santa Cruz to implement strategic plan for internationalization
March 10, 2022
UC Santa Cruz is advancing comprehensive internationalization to ensure that the members of the campus community are prepared and encouraged to study, teach, conduct research, and work in a global context, and that institutional policies, programs, and initiatives are aligned to achieve this shared goal.
Institute For Advanced Studies selects environmental sociologist Hillary Angelo as a member
March 04, 2022
UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Sociology Hillary Angelo was selected among a group of 25 world-leading researchers and academics who will focus on the theme “Climate Crisis Politics” as 2022-2023 members of the IAS School of Social Sciences.
Danielle Dadiego named recipient of 2022 Society for American Archaeology Dissertation Award
March 02, 2022
UCSC Danielle Dadiego (M.A. Anthropology, ’17; Ph.D. Anthropology, ’20) has worked in the archeology field for nearly two decades. Her dissertation, Beads, Bullets, and Brokerage: Exploring Economic Agency in Eighteenth-Century West Florida, has been nationally recognized by one of the most prestigious awards in the archeology field.
Exposing the racist underpinnings of ‘neutral’ technology
February 28, 2022
In her keynote speech at the all-virtual 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, sociologist Ruha Benjamin warned of the “neutral” veneer of tech, and how it can often disguise oppressive practices.
UC Santa Cruz joins Social Science Research Council
February 25, 2022
The campus is now a member of the Social Science Research Council’s College and University Fund for the Social Sciences, which will offer new opportunities for UC Santa Cruz to help shape research priorities across the field.
‘John Lewis’s legacy will imbue all we do’
February, 2022
Once considered a ‘scrappy upstart,’ College Ten—to be named John R. Lewis College following an endowment gift—plans to continue and expand upon the strong programs that led to the naming after the late congressman and civil rights icon
Vic Thasiah: Protecting the Earth in the long run
February, 2022
Psychology alum Vic Thasiah, now an environmental humanities professor at California Lutheran University, started Runners for Public Lands to promote environmental stewardship.
Opening doors for those in need
February, 2022
UCSC anthropology and education alum Ernesto Ruiz establishes endowment to benefit EOP students.
Katie Morrow: Limitless drive
February, 2022
UCSC community studies alum Katie Morrow is the founder of Santa Cruz-based internantional nonprofit Limitless Horizons.
Generous gifts help UCSC shatter fundraising records in holiday food drive
February 22, 2022
UC Santa Cruz smashed all previous records during its participation in the annual Second Harvest holiday food and fund drive, raising the equivalent of 376,099 meals.
‘Abolition. Feminism. Now.’ earns national praise
February 17, 2022
The book, authored by Professor Emerita Angela Y. Davis and Associate Professor Gina Dent, is garnering national attention for its pathbreaking examination of abolition and feminism in the 21st century.
First nationwide study of scams targeting immigrants shows local social context may help or hinder reporting
February 10, 2022
Assistant Professor of Sociology Juan Manuel Pedroza’s latest research offers insights that may help improve access to justice for vulnerable communities.
UC Santa Cruz announces ambitious investment to hire 100 additional faculty over decade, part of broader effort to advance student success and research excellence
February 08, 2022
To advance its place as an international leader at the intersection of innovation and social justice, UC Santa Cruz announced today its intention to prioritize faculty hiring by adding 100 additional faculty over the next decade.
UC Santa Cruz tops ranking of women in leadership at R1 universities
February 07, 2022
UC Santa Cruz is first in the nation for racial and gender diversity in leadership, according to a new report by the Women’s Power Gap Initiative at the Eos Foundation,
An advocate for menstrual equity
February 04, 2022
Politics Student Amanda Safi helped get a new California law passed that requires public schools to stock restrooms with free menstrual products—a move activists say is a first step toward rectifying the discrimination, stigma, and financial, educational, and health consequences faced by those who menstruate.
Equity gaps in COVID-19 deaths closed for some racial and ethnic groups, widened for others during vaccine rollout in California
February 03, 2022
New research from UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University, and UC San Francisco shows how racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 deaths across California changed as the rollout process for vaccines began.
Distinguished sociologist and founding director of Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab to headline MLK Convocation
February 01, 2022
Ruha Benjamin, an incisive scholar of tech-reinforced racism, will address the 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, a virtual event on February 23.
Climate action planning misses equity opportunities in many California cities
January 31, 2022
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz analyzed 170 climate action plans across California to find out how cities are incorporating equity into their efforts to curb emissions and address climate change impacts.
CITRIS Tech for Social Good 2021-22 student teams awarded funding
January 27, 2022
CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz has chosen three new student projects and two events for funding through the 2021-22 Tech for Social Good (TSG).
The struggle to protect voting rights must go on. Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement can help
January 25, 2022
Distinguished professor emeritus John Brown Childs shares his opinion on the U.S. Senate’s recent blockage of voting rights legislation and reflects on lessons he learned during the Civil Rights Movement that may help voting rights activists today.
Rebecca Hernandez to serve as campus’s first community archivist
January 20, 2022
Rebecca Hernandez, who previous served as the director of the American Indian Resource Center, will seek out partnerships with community organizations and leaders to support the preservation of community history, with a particular focus on reaching out to traditionally underrepresented communities.
Economics professor takes deep dive into challenges and opportunities of climate change
January 13, 2022
The widespread impacts of climate change raise urgent and critical questions.
Appetite for entrepreneurship leads alum to launch successful meal-prep business
January 13, 2022
Economics alumnus Andy Sartori, a Sacramento Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree, helps people eat with purpose.
Undergraduate Pearl Ibeanusi wins national scholarship in honor of late U.S. Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink
January 06, 2022
Pearl Ibeanusi, who’s double majoring in community studies and education, justice, and democracy, recently won a nationally competitive scholarship award from the Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation.
Legal studies major Aissata Ba looks back on the “whirlwind” of meeting Michelle Obama at recent event
January 05, 2022
Aissata Ba was among the students who asked a question as part of a conversation last year with Michelle Obama. The event was recorded and will air later this month on BET.
Undergraduate Tommy Alejandrez won a $20,000 Leadership Opportunity Award
January 04, 2022
Tommy Alejandrez, studying sociology and Latin American and Latino studies, recently won a Karl Pister award. Alejandrez was experiencing homelessness when he met former NFL player Zack Follet, sparking a friendship that changed both their lives.
Year in review: Giving voice to the challenges of our time December, 2021
A collection of prominent UCSC news stories from 2021.
