Scholars at UC Santa Cruz take an unflinching look at the forces that shape our world. Here are some highlights of UC Santa Cruz change-makers in the media.
Leaders in diversity, equity & inclusion
December, 2021 – Chris Benner and Flora Lu, professors in Environmental Studies, were featured in the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing special section on DEI professionals and experts.
How to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
December 31, 2021 – Psychology Professor Nicolas Davidenko wrote an article for Psychology Today with tips on how to set better New Year’s resolution goals.
Do dreams mean anything? Why do I feel like I’m falling? Or wake up paralyzed? We asked experts.
December 30, 2021 – The Washington Post interviewed Distinguished Professor Emeritus of psychology G. William Domhoff about his research and expertise on dreaming.
How a new California law reduces the stigma of periods and helps students focus on school
December 29, 2021 – Politics undergraduate Amanda Safi wrote an opinion article for the Sacramento Bee about a new statewide law that will require schools to provide free menstrual products and her own leadership experiences in period equity activism.
The US has said they support efforts for rapid and credible elections in Somalia
December 28, 2021 – Politics Professor Mark Fathi Massoud spoke with BBC World News about the conflict between Somalia’s president and prime minister over ongoing election delays.
How Biotech Crops Can Crash—and Still Never Fail
December 27, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Maywa Montenegro de Wit coauthored an opinion piece for Scientific American critiquing the U.N. Food Systems Summit’s focus on biotechnology.
Return of the golden jackal as wolf-like animal expands across Europe
December 12, 2021 – Nathan Ranc, a postdoctoral fellow in Enviornmental Studies, discusses the range expansion of the golden jackal in The Telegraph.
Farmland draws investor interest with inflation running hot
December 13, 2021 – UCSC Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Madeleine Fairbairn’s 2020 book, Fields of Gold: Financing the Global Land Rush, was cited by a Bloomberg article on farmland development.
Inspired by the social justice movement, Black entrepreneurship rises
December 07, 2021 – UCSC Professor of Economics Rob Fairlie was quoted for a NBC News article about increasing rates of new Black-owned businesses.
Small businesses eat the cost of inflation: “Keep the customer happy or you lose the customer”
December 03, 2021 – UCSC Professor of Economics Rob Fairlie was quoted in the Los Angeles Times for a piece on inflation and small businesses.
New county health services director has local roots
December 02, 2021 – UCSC Sociology alumnus Mónica Morales was profiled by Good Times as the new Health Services Agency director for Santa Cruz County.
Now it’s her turn: UCSC student draws inspiration from her personal hero, former first lady Michelle Obama
November 21, 2021 – Legal studies student Aissata Ba was profiled in Lookout Santa Cruz after she was selected as part of a small group of students from across the country that met with former first lady Michelle Obama.
Along with renewables, carbon capture could help India transition to a net zero economy
November 16, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an article for Financial Express about India’s goals to reduce fossil fuel emissions in the wake of COP26.
‘It’s our future’: UCSC student Anthony Rocha splits time between school and Salinas City Council
November 12, 2021 – Lookout Santa Cruz profiled legal studies student Anthony Rocha, who serves as the youngest person on the Salinas City Council.
Conservation ethic allows Monterey Bay farmers to thrive during drought
November 07, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Brent Haddad spoke with Santa Cruz Sentinel about water conservation and recycling practices on Central Coast farms.
Managed retreat: Unpopular, expensive and not going away
November 05, 2021 – Environmental studies doctoral student Amanda Stoltz, who is pursuing a designated emphasis in Coastal Science and Policy, was interviewed by E&E News Climatewire about research on managed retreat policies for sea level rise in coastal California.
Arizona on trial over prison healthcare
November 04, 2021 – Arizona-based television station KOLD News 13 reported on Psychology Professor Craig Haney’s expert witness testimony during a federal court trial on health care conditions inside Arizona state prisons.
The Cutest Way to Fight Climate Change? Send in the Otters
November 04, 2021 – WIRED interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers about the role sea otters play in carbon sequestration in kelp forest ecosystems.
A Historic Decrease in Poverty
November 01, 2021 – The New York Review covered a book on poverty coauthored by Psychology Professor and UCSC Blum Center Director Heather Bullock.
COVID-19 breakthrough infections may be more serious in communities of color, researchers warn
November 01, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley spoke with The Dallas Morning News about the factors that drove racial disparities in health outcomes during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.
UCSC’s College Ten named for John R. Lewis
October 28, 2021 – KSQD talked with College Ten Provost Flora Lu and Director for College Student Life Sarah Woodside Bury about the college’s history and the recent announcement of its naming for John R. Lewis.
Campaign launches for Santa Cruz empty homes tax
October 24, 2021 – Santa Cruz Sentinel discussed findings from the No Place Like Home report, by Sociology Department Chair Miriam Greenberg and Associate Professor Steve McKay, in an article about a new proposed housing policy.
UCSC College Ten to be named in honor of civil rights icon John R. Lewis
October 27, 2021 – Lookout Santa Cruz announced the news that College Ten at UC Santa Cruz is set to be named for the late congressman and civil rights icon John R. Lewis.
UCSC professor reflects on the profile of the COVID-19 victims
October 26, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley talked with Santa Cruz Sentinel about her research on the demographics of COVID-19 deaths.
California making seawater drinkable amid drought
October 22, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Brent Haddad discussed desalination technology and policy for a video shared by USA Today via The Associated Press.
Santa Cruz County joins others in suing pharmaceutical management consultant
October 21, 2021 – Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology Craig Reinarman shared his insights on opioid addiction and federal lawsuits with Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Beyond tree planting: When to let forests restore themselves
October 18, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl discussed tree planting and forest regeneration considerations with Mongabay.
California will require large retailers to provide gender-neutral toy sections
October 09, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Psychology Campbell Leaper spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the impacts that gender labels on toys can have in childhood development.
COVID precautions put more prisoners in isolation. It can mean long-term health woes
October 04, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney discussed the long-term impacts of solitary confinement in prisons for a story shared by NPR.
UCSC professors studying Santa Cruz housing crisis look to eviction moratorium expiration
September 30, 2021 – Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg and Associate Professor Steven McKay talked with Santa Cruz Sentinel about the pandemic’s effect on the local housing crisis.
In search of ‘Lithium Valley’: why energy companies see riches in the California desert
September 27, 2021 – Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies Fernando Leiva shared insights from research on lithium mining in Chile for an article by The Guardian on proposed mining in the Salton Sea region.
How Latin American researchers suffer in science
September 23, 2021 – Biologist Ana Valenzuela-Toro coauthored a career column for Nature about the barriers and biases faced by Latin American scientists.
New checklist aims to tackle racism in conservation science in higher ed
September 22, 2021 – Biologist Melissa Cronin was quoted in a Mongabay article about racism in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology.
The false promise of massive tree-planting campaigns
September 22, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl shared her research-based expertise as part of a Vox article explaining the problems with large-scale tree planting campaigns.
Solving the housing crisis: a talk with Prof. Steve McKay
September 16, 2021 – Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay talked with KSQD about affordable housing issues in Santa Cruz, the impact of the pandemic, and possible solutions.
Vermont Conversation: A new film traces Rutland’s struggles with poverty and xenophobia
September 16, 2021 – VTDigger, an investigative journalism news platform that reports on politics, businesses, and public policy of Vermont, ran a story about For the Love of Rutland, a 2020 documentary feature by associate film and digital media professor Jennifer Maytorena Taylor.
America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting
September 16, 2021 – Washington Monthly recognized efforts to increase student voting at UC Santa Cruz. Student Union Assembly leaders who mobilized the campus community as part of these efforts included Jessica Xu, Alice Malmberg, and Judith Guitierrez in 2018 and Soren Whiting and Rojina Borzorgnia in 2020.
Growing Uncertainty in the Central Valley
September 15, 2021 – An article by The New Yorker on disruptions to agriculture in California’s Central Valley discussed Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Madeleine Fairbairn’s research on how farmland is increasingly being bought up by financial investors.
Black Business Owners Are Up 38% in U.S. From Pre-Covid Levels
September 15, 2021 – Bloomberg shared the latest findings on business ownership rates among Black Americans from Economics Professor Rob Fairlie.
The inaccurate link between body ideals and health
September 15, 2021 – Anthropology Professor Nancy Chen gave a TED Salon talk about cultural body ideals and health.
Opinion: I created the first ethnic studies program at my high school
September 15, 2021 – Izadora Amaris Lopez McGawley, a third generation Chicane UCSC student with a double major in critical race and ethnic studies, and community studies, contributed an opinion piece to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
As Drought Worsens, Local Agencies Seek Ambitious Water Solutions
September 14, 2021 – Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Andrew Fisher and Politics Department senior researcher Ruth Langridge spoke with Good Times for a cover story on the deepening drought in the Santa Cruz area.
Two Grants To Help UC Santa Cruz Improve Faculty Diversity
September 14, 2021 – Diverse shared the news of two new grant-funded UC Santa Cruz programs that will support students from underrepresented backgrounds in building faculty careers.
Prepped to fail: why countries must learn hard lessons from Covid
September 14, 2021 – Professor of Politics Matt Sparke, who is executive director of UC Santa Cruz’s Global and Community Health program, coauthored a commentary for The Telegraph on the public health lessons countries must learn from the pandemic.
California Scientists Propose Covering Canals With Solar Panels To Reduce Evaporation
September 13, 2021 – Environmental studies postdoctoral researcher Brandi McKuin talked with Arizona-based radio station KJZZ about the potential water conservation benefits that could be achieved by covering water conveyance canals with solar panels.
Uber and Lyft drivers have no right to a minimum wage. That must change
September 05, 2021 – An opinion article in The Sacramento Bee cited research on app workers by Sociology Professor Chris Benner, who is the director of the Institute for Social Transformation.
Saving our groundwater: two UCSC professors weigh in
September 03, 2021 – Politics senior researcher Ruth Langridge and Earth and Planetary Sciences Professor Andrew Zimmer shared their expertise in drought management on KSQD.
What’s missing in India’s growth strategy?
September 01, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an opinion piece for Financial Express about trade openness and India’s economy.
Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter
August 31, 2021 – Sociology and Environmental Studies Professor Chris Benner was featured in an article by Bioneers on his new book Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter.
What is Sharia? Islamic law shows Muslims how to live, and can be a force for progress as well as tool of fundamentalists
August 30, 2021 – The Conversation discussed research by Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud as part of a series of articles called “Understanding Islam.”
‘The need is pretty dire’: UC Santa Cruz raises funds to support fleeing Afghan scholars
August 30, 2021 – Lookout Santa Cruz covered UC Santa Cruz efforts to bring at least two at-risk Afghan academics, activists, or journalists to safety on campus through visiting scholar placements.
How Do Birds Move Across A Changing World? Ask This Colombian!
August 29, 2021 – Incoming Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela was featured in a Forbes profile about her work studying birds.
Female Filmmakers in Focus: Amber Sealey Discusses Her New Movie ‘No Man of God’
August 27, 2021 – Theater Arts alumna Amber Sealey spoke about bringing a feminist gaze to the canon of Ted Bundy films in an interview published by Moviefone about her new movie, No Man of God.
How would planting 8 billion trees every year for 20 years affect Earth’s climate?
August 23, 2021 – Professor of Environmental Studies Karen Holl wrote about the potential and limitations of tree-planting efforts for The Conversation’s “Curious Kids” series.
Ever gotten angry at your partner in a dream and woken up mad? You’re not alone.
August 22, 2021 – A column in The Washington Post discussed Distinguished Professor Emeritus G. William Domhoff’s research on dreams.
Ohio’s vaccine lottery saved more than $60m in averted healthcare costs
August 16, 2021 – The Economist discussed new research by Assistant Professor of Economics Jeremy West and graduate student Andrew Barber.
A Global Guide For Parents: How Your Kids Can Have Fun Without Stressing You Out
August 15, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Psychology Barbara Rogoff spoke with NPR about research-based parenting strategies.
Multiracial boom reflects US racial, ethnic complexity
August 13, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Sociology Juan Pedroza talked with the Associated Press about the results of the 2020 census.
California voted to improve pig welfare. The pork industry is facing a reckoning.
August 13, 2021 – National Geographic interviewed Economics Professor Galina Hale about how lack of regulation incentivizes factory farming.
Family of Vista jail suicide victim files lawsuit against San Diego County
August 11, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney was interviewed by the San Diego Union-Tribune about how solitary confinement in prisons can increase suicide risk.
After Propping Up Schools in the Pandemic, Teachers Now Feel Ignored
August 09, 2021 – Education Week published the final installment in a series of essays by Associate Professor of Education Lora Bartlett.
Recess to the rescue: School play time for kids is more important than ever
August 08, 2021 – Associate Professor of Sociology Rebecca London discussed her research on the importance of recess with USA Today.
Critical race theory doesn’t teach kids to hate white people. It teaches them the truth they deserve
August 04, 2021 – The San Francisco Chronicle published an an opinion piece about critical race theory by Stephen Richter, a playwright, filmmaker, and a candidate for a doctorate in literature at UCSC.
August 04, 2021 – Feminist Studies professor Gina Athena Ulysse was interviewed on WNYC’s “On The Media” program about how international media too often spreads dehumanizing narratives of perpetual chaos, setting the stage for intervention, and then looks away.
Cash for shots? Studies suggest payouts improve vaccination rates
August 04, 2021 – Science Magazine interviewed Assistant Professor of Economics Jeremy West about his new working paper on the effects of Ohio’s vaccine lottery.
New graphic novel reveals Black women’s hidden role in slave revolts
August 03, 2021 – NBC News featured a story about alumna Rebecca Hall and her new graphic novel, Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts, inspired by her research as a UCSC student pursuing her doctorate in history.
Will the Pandemic Drive Teachers Out of the Profession? What One Study Says
August 02, 2021 – Education Week published the third essay in a series by Associate Professor of Education Lora Bartlett, which focuses on the pandemic’s effect on teachers. This week’s essay was accompanied by a shorter piece on what teachers sacrificed to stay in classrooms.
Climate change is causing tuna to migrate, which could spell catastrophe for the small islands that depend on them
July 30, 2021 – UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Katherine Seto wrote about her newest coauthored paper for the Australian edition of The Conversation. Seto also serves as a research fellow for the University of Wollongong in Australia.
Teachers Were Told to ‘Give Grace’ as the Pandemic Started. They Did That and Much More
July 26, 2021 – Associate Professor of Education Lora Bartlett’s series of essays for Education Week continues with a focus on how teachers navigated lack of district guidance. The article was accompanied by a shorter piece that provides a deeper look at one teacher’s experience in spring of 2020.
Facing Recall Anger From Shop Owners, Newsom Touts Small Business Roots
July 22, 2021 – The California Report, from KQED, quoted Economics Professor Rob Fairlie’s recent testimony before the state’s Select Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
We Are Leaving ‘Lost Einsteins’ Behind
July 21, 2021 – Economics Professor Laura Giuliano’s research on the effects of universal screenings in increasing representation of low-income and minority students in gifted classes was discussed in an opinion essay in The New York Times.
Uber and Lyft Drivers Are Striking Nationwide to Demand Better Pay
July 21, 2021 – Sociology Professor Chris Benner’s research on working conditions and compensation for app-based drivers was discussed in an article by Vice that covered worker strikes. Benner’s research was also cited in Los Angeles Magazine, CBS News, and The Guardian
I’ve Studied Teachers for 20 Years. The Pandemic Was Their Ultimate Challenge
July 20, 2021 – Associate Professor of Education Lora Bartlett launched the first of a four-part series of essays for Education Week covering how teachers navigated remote instruction during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
Black entrepreneurship took off during COVID. The reasons aren’t all good
July 19, 2021 – A Miami Herald article discussed research by Economics Professor Rob Fairlie on trends in Black entrepreneurship since the start of the pandemic.
Unapologetically Fighting for Black Student Success
July 15, 2021 – Humanities alumnus Keith Curry, now President/CEO of Compton College, contributed an op-ed to the Los Angeles Sentinel, SoCal’s largest African-American newspaper, detailing the programs he created to help recruit and support black students during his time at UC Santa Cruz.
Latest ‘menstrual equity’ bill would require California’s public colleges to provide period products
July 13, 2021 – Amanda Safi, a menstrual activist and first year UC Santa Cruz student studying politics and feminist studies, was featured in a Cal Matters article about the push for new policy initiatives.
Lions in our midst: the Santa Cruz Puma Project
July 09, 2021 – Rachel Goodman interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers about his latest research and the basics of mountain lion conservation for “Talk of the Bay” on KSQD.
July 09, 2021 – Public History Weekly published an article by humanities dean Jasmine Alinder and history professor Alan Christy about the often forgotten history of Chinese immigrants in Santa Cruz, where four distinct Chinatowns existed until 1955.
How the Hush of Pandemic Lockdown Changed Wildlife Behavior
July 06, 2021 – Good Times interviewed Environmental Studies professor Chris Wilmers and UCSC marine ecologist Ari Friedlaender about their work studying wildlife responses to pandemic-era lockdowns.
Small student pods to continue after in-person school returns in Santa Cruz County
July 02, 2021 – Education Professor Cynthia Lewis spoke with the Santa Cruz Sentinel about the challenges and possibilities for pod-style education following the pandemic.
Pandemic Lockdown Eases Mountain Lions’ Fear of Urban Areas
July 02, 2021 – The Scientist published a Q&A with Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers about his latest research studying pumas during the pandemic era.
Kyle is transgender. It took 30 years and a pandemic for them to realize it.
July 02, 2021 – The Washington Post interviewed Psychology Professor Phil Hammack for a story about how the pandemic may have affected expression of gender identity.
UC Santa Cruz research: Pumas inched closer during COVID shelter-in-place orders
June 30, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers spoke with the Santa Cruz Sentinel about his latest research showing how reduced human mobility during the pandemic affected local pumas.
The pandemic saw a boom in new Black-owned businesses — the largest surge in the last quarter-century
June 28, 2021 – The Los Angeles Times discussed research by Economics Professor Rob Fairlie that shows how the pandemic has affected trends in Black entrepreneurship.
How COVID-19 Challenged Us to Rewrite Our Life Stories
June 24, 2021 – Psychology Professor Phil Hammack wrote an article for Psychology Today about the types of personal growth people may have undergone during the pandemic.
While many are looking for work, some older workers are jumping at the chance for a new start
June 22, 2021 – MarketWatch quoted Economics Professor Rob Fairlie in an article about pandemic-era entrepreneurship trends.
Lockdown-emboldened mountain lions ventured farther into urban areas, UCSC researchers say
June 21, 2021 – Lookout Santa Cruz interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers about his team’s latest study showing how pandemic-era lockdowns affected habitat use among local pumas. This research was also shared by KAZU.
June 16, 2021 – Psychology Professor Phil Hammack, director of the sexual and gender diversity laboratory at UC Santa Cruz, joined NPR’s 1A program to discuss bisexual identities and visibility.
San Jose immigrants suffer from growing economic divide
June 13, 2021 – The Washington Post interviewed Assistant Professor of Sociology Juan Pedroza and Sociology Professor and Director of the Institute for Social Transformation Chris Benner about factors contributing to economic inequality in San Jose.
How to save the Salton Sea: Proposal to import seawater across California desert is biggest since Hoover Dam
June 11, 2021 – USA Today and The Desert Sun produced an in-depth feature article on the Salton Sea, including Environmental Studies Professor Brent Haddad’s role leading a panel to evaluate water importation proposals.
California’s community colleges took a massive hit during the pandemic
June 09, 2021 – Associate Professor of Economics George Bulman and Professor of Economics Robert Fairlie’s latest research demonstrating the pandemic’s impact on higher education was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Democrats displace border crisis onto Central America
June 09, 2021 – Emerita history professor Dana Frank was interviewed on KPFA about a visit by Vice President Kamala Harris to Central America and the border crisis. She was also quoted in a Los Angeles Times story about Harris and U.S. policy in the region.
UCSC study reveals that virtual reality can alter time perception
June 07, 2021 – Good Times interviewed Grayson Mullen, a cognitive science alumnus, and Psychology Professor Nicolas Davidenko about their research documenting a “time compression” effect in virtual reality.
Three soft skills leaders need for hybrid work environments
June 03, 2021 – Fast Company discussed research by Ph.D. student Andrew Guydish and Psychology Professor Jean E. Fox Tree on the importance of understanding “conversation reciprocity” for teams in hybrid and remote work environments.
UC Santa Cruz senior seizes dreams despite early challenges
June 02, 2021 – A Santa Cruz Sentinel profile featured Alyssa Tamboura, an upcoming 2021 legal studies and philosophy graduate who founded the Walls to Bridges program.
At Shul, We Drink Single Malt: On “A Fortress in Brooklyn”
May 26, 2021 – The Los Angeles Review of Books featured an article about a “groundbreaking new book, A Fortress in Brooklyn: Race, Real Estate, and the Making of Hasidic Williamsburg,” co-authored by history professor Nathaniel Deutsch.
Small Businesses Have Surged in Black Communities. Was It the Stimulus?
May 24, 2021 – Economics Professor Rob Fairlie spoke with The New York Times about how unemployment has influenced entrepreneurship trends in the wake of the pandemic.
When DNA Research Doesn’t Benefit All of Us
May 21, 2021 – Professor of Sociology Jenny Reardon, who is the founding director of the Science & Justice Research Center, was interviewed by The Pulse radio show on Philadelphia station WHYY about lessons learned from the last quarter century of efforts to study variation in human genomes.
AAPI Heritage: Remembering the Watsonville Riots of 1930
May 20, 2021 – Associate Professor of Sociology Steven McKay was interviewed alongside history doctoral candidate Meleia Simon-Reynolds and history undergraduate Nick Nasser for a KSBW story about efforts to preserve the history of Watsonsville’s first Filipino immigrants.
Muslim women are using Sharia to push for gender equality
May 18, 2021 – Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud wrote an article for The Conversation based on research from his forthcoming new book.
UC Santa Cruz undergrads provide books to kids with incarcerated family member
May 16, 2021 – Santa Cruz Sentinel interviewed legal studies undergraduate Matt Sioson about his recent Strauss Foundation award win, which will support his work with the Walls to Bridge Book Project. KSBW also interviewed Sioson and other UC Santa Cruz students and alumni about this story.
The Surprisingly Complex History Behind 90 Day Fiancé
May 06, 2021 – Feminist studies professor Felicity Amaya Schaeffer was featured in The Atlantic magazine’s The Experiment podcast in a segment about what a guilty-pleasure reality show teaches us about immigration and democracy in America.
Why people with disabilities are at greater risk of going hungry – especially during a pandemic
May 06, 2021 – Anthropology Professor Melissa Caldwell wrote for The Conversation about how food insecurity affects people with disabilities.
Tamál Húye: Coast Miwoks Fight for Recognition of Point Reyes’ Indigenous History
May 05, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Anthropology Tsim Schneider spoke with the Pacific Sun about the ways in which traditional anthropology narratives have erased the resilience and survival of Coast Miwok people.
Experimenting With Mushrooms To Try And Heal Toxic Burn Scars In Santa Cruz
May 05, 2021 – KAZU interviewed Environmental Studies professor Greg Gilbert about the ability of mushrooms and other fungi to remove toxins from a landscape.
Gig work could change under Biden’s Labor secretary. Here’s how
May 04, 2021 – Marketwatch discussed research on gig workers in the Bay Area by Chris Benner, a professor of sociology and environmental studies and the director of the Institute for Social Transformation.
Installing solar panels over California’s canals could yield water, land, air and climate payoffs
May 03, 2021 – Environmental studies postdoctoral researcher Brandi McKuin coauthored an article for The Conversation on the potential benefits of installing solar panels over California’s system of water conveyance canals.
May 02, 2021 – Associate professor of history Juned Shaikh was featured in India’s daily newspaper, Mid-Day, for a story on how a city that’s hailed as cosmopolitan is not just one of haves and have-nots, but one steeped in caste prejudices too.
From the Spice Girls to Malala: Media portrayals of “girl power” should be more nuanced
April 30, 2021 – Latin American & Latino Studies Professor Jessica Taft discussed her recent paper on media portrayals of girl activists with Voices of Monterey Bay.
Filler words: From pause fillers to elements of discourse
April 28, 2021 – Psychology Professor Jean E. Fox Tree’s research on the importance of filler words was discussed in an article by Die Zeit, one of German’s most widely read newspapers.
April 28, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an opinion piece for Financial Express about the growth of companies valued over $1 billion in India.
Arbor Day should be about growing trees, not just planting them
April 27, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl coauthored an article for The Conversation about the need to shift the focus from tree-planting to tree-growing in order to maximize benefits.
Three UC Santa Cruz professors elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
April 26, 2021 – KION-TV ran a story about professors Angela Davis, James Estes, and Barbara Rogoff joining the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The Unlikely Success of Fish Sticks
April 23, 2021 – Hakai Magazine interviewed environmental studies researcher Brandi McKuin about the carbon footprint of Alaska pollock used to produce fish sticks. This story was also published in Smithsonian Magazine and The Atlantic.
‘Solar Canals’ In California Could Save Water, Fight For Climate Change
April 23, 2021 – CBS Sacramento interviewed environmental studies researcher Brandi McKuin about her recent paper analyzing the economic feasibility of covering California’s canals with solar panels.
Solar panels on California’s canals could save water and help fight climate change
April 22, 2021 – The Los Angeles Times featured research from Brandi McKuin and Elliott Campbell on canal-spanning solar systems in their “Boiling Point” weekly climate change and environmental newsletter. This research was also featured recently on KSRO and The Independent.
Saving the Super Bloom: Why California’s Wildflowers Are Under Siege
April 22, 2021 – A Vogue article about California wildflowers cited research on “solar canals” by environmental studies postdoctoral researcher Brandi McKuin and Professor Elliott Campbell as an example of how renewable energy could be developed while preserving wildflower habitat.
UCSC Climate Conference Will Address Food Security
April 22, 2021 – Good Times interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Stacy Philpott about UCSC’s upcoming seventh annual Confronting Climate Change Conference.
Four Ways To Spark Watercooler Moments For Your Remote Team
April 22, 2021 – Forbes cited research from psychology Ph.D. student Andrew Guydish and Psychology Professor Jean E. Fox Tree in an article about the challenges of remote work. Guydish was also interviewed for a recent article in The Walrus.
‘She Coughs When She’s Sleeping’: Life In Polluted Pacoima
April 22, 2021 – Recent environmental studies alumnus Aaron Ortiz was featured in LAist for his efforts to monitor air pollution in his hometown of Pacoima.
Why forests in the Andes are crucial to fighting climate change
April 21, 2021 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Kai Zhu commented on a new study about the carbon sequestration effects of Andean forests for an article in Popular Science.
In Vermont, Isolating Inmates Kept Covid at Bay, but at a Price
April 21, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney weighed in on the effects of pandemic-era isolation policies in prisons in Vermont for an article in The New York Times.
My Students Started a Discord Server. Now What?
April 21, 2021 – Sociology lecturer Megan McNamara coauthored an article with Associate Director for Instructional Design and Development Aaron Zachmeier for Inside Higher Ed.
Narco in Chief: How America enables corruption in Honduras
April 20, 2021 – Harper’s Magazine cited a passage from emerita professor of history Dana Frank’s recent book, The Long Honduran Night, in a story about the long history of U.S. support for corruption in Honduras.
An ‘insane’ covid lockdown two miles from the Capitol, with no end in sight
April 19, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney spoke with The Washington Post about the effects of pandemic lockdown conditions at the Washington D.C. jail.
Asian-American businesses suffer outsized pandemic toll
April 14, 2021 – Reuters cited research by Economics Professor Rob Fairlie in an article about the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Asian-American business owners.
Congressman Panetta holds meeting with AAPI community on anti-Asian hate crimes
April 08, 2021 – History professor Alice Yang was quoted in a KION-TV news story about a virtual meeting with Central Coast Asian American and Pacific Islander community members to address the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes locally and nationally.
California spends $12.8M more on the Salton Sea, finally appoints analyst to study seawater importation
April 08, 2021 – The Palm Springs Desert Sun shared the news that Environmental Studies Professor Brent Haddad is expected to lead a review of proposals to rewater the Salton Sea for the state Natural Resources Agency.
Watching flames turn to forests
April 02, 2021 – Environmental studies Ph.D. candidate Justin Luong spoke with Good Times about a new project with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, the California Native Plant Society, and citizen scientists to monitor ecosystem recovery following the CZU Lightning Complex fires.
What A Decade Of Counting Seeds Tells Us About Future West Coast Forests
April 02, 2021 – KAZU visited UCSC’s Forest Ecology Research Plot to learn about long-term monitoring efforts with Environmental Studies Professor Greg Gilbert, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Kai Zhu, and ecology and evolutionary biology student Ishana Shukla.
New York Will End Long-Term Solitary Confinement in Prisons and Jails
April 01, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney spoke with The New York Times about changes to solitary confinement policies. This story was also covered by Courthouse News Service.
US prisons start to resume allowing visits to inmates, with added virus precautions
March 28, 2021 – The New York Times interviewed Psychology Professor Craig Haney about the reinstatement of prison visitation and what this experience may be like for incarcerated people and their families.
Biden administration looks at why migrants flee Honduras
March 26, 2021 – Emerita history professor Dana Frank was interviewed for stories on Public Radio International’s “The World” program and NPR, BBC News Mundo and the Financial Times about corruption in Honduras and the Biden administration’s response to migrants fleeing that country.
The ‘Cult’ and Contradictions of the American Flag
March 26, 2021 – Film and Digital Media Professor Sharon Daniel was interviewed on NBC-LX news for a story about the shifting meanings of the American flag in a divided country.
California Condor Recovery Plans to Expand to the Pacific Northwest
March 25, 2021 – Environmental toxicologist Myra Finkelstein was quoted in a Courthouse News Service story about California condor recovery plans.
What The Shade-Grown Label Means on Your Coffee
March 24, 2021 – Environmental studies postdoctoral scholar Estelí Jiménez-Soto talked with Discover Magazine about the tensions between environmental benefits and working conditions in shade-grown coffee production.
Sexual and Gender Diversity in an Era of Radical Authenticity
March 24, 2021 – Psychology Professor Phil Hammack kicked off his new column for Psychology Today with an article about how a new generation is leading a revolution in how we think about sexual and gender diversity.
Amazon was supposed to kill Instacart. Instead Instacart became a mini-Amazon
March 23 2021 – CNN Business interviewed Sociology and Environmental Studies Professor Chris Benner about how online retail is changing the grocery industry.
The Deep American Roots of the Atlanta Shootings
March 20, 2021 – A New York Times piece about the recent violent attacks on Asian women cited a passage from the book “Unbound Feet” by the late UCSC historian and emerita professor of American studies, Judy Yung.
Why covering canals with solar panels is a power move
March 19, 2021 – WIRED interviewed Brandi McKuin, an environmental studies postdoctoral researcher, about her new paper with Environmental Studies Professor Elliott Campbell that showed the potential benefits of covering California’s water conveyance canals with solar panels.
One year later: How COVID killed small businesses
March 17, 2021 – Economics Professor Rob Fairlie spoke with Bay Area television station KTVU about how businesses have fared a year into the pandemic.
Exhibits convey incarcerated artists’ spirit: ‘No matter what I did … there’s beauty inside me’
March 17, 2021 – A story in the San Francisco Chronicle spotlighted Barring Freedom, an exhibition co-curated by UCSC’s Institute of Arts and Sciences.
As Uber avoided paying into unemployment, the federal government helped thousands of its drivers weather the pandemic
March 16, 2021 – Sociology Professor Chris Benner was quoted by The Washington Post as part of an article documenting how app-based workers fell back on federal pandemic aid intended for small businesses.
‘Revolutionary’ federal stimulus bill could cut California child poverty by half
March 10, 2021 – CalMatters interviewed Sociology Professor Chris Benner about how funding through the child tax credit extension could alleviate financial anxiety and allow parents to seek new economic opportunities.
Keeping youth politically engaged after they voted in record numbers last year
March 10, 2021 – Associate Professor of Sociology Veronica Terriquez talked with San Francisco public radio station KALW about what it might take to keep young voters politically engaged following their high turnout rates in the 2020 elections.
Study Finds Climate Change Alters West Coast Trees
March 08, 2021 – Good Times Santa Cruz talked with Environmental Studies Professor and Founding Director of the Forest Ecology Research Plot Greg Gilbert and Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Kai Zhu about how data collected by student interns is contributing to larger studies of climate change impacts on forests.
Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland is growing. A Missouri lawmaker wants to ban it in the state
March 03, 2021 – An article on foreign investor ownership of U.S. farmland by The Counter quoted Assistant Professor Madeleine Fairbairn’s book Fields of Gold: Financing the Global Land Rush.
Asian-owned small businesses saw an outsized pandemic impact last year
March 03, 2021 – CNBC cited Economics Professor Rob Fairlie’s research in a story about how Asian-owned businesses have struggled to recover since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
How not to reform the economy — Political strength should not lead to intellectual weakness in designing economic reforms
March 03, 2021 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an article for Financial Express examining what went wrong with agricultural reforms in India that led to farmer protests.
OPINION-Dana Frank: Biden must end U.S. policy shoring up the corrupt and authoritarian regime in Honduras
March 03, 2021 – The Washington Post featured an op-ed by history professor Dana Frank urging the Biden administration to end years of U.S. support for a corrupt regime in Honduras led by a repressive dictator.
Planting trees helps fight climate change—but we need billions more seedlings
March 02, 2021 – Environmental Studies professor Karen Holl was interviewed by National Geographic about the importance of planning for survival in tree-planting efforts.
African American Theater Arts Troupe Celebrates 30th Anniversary
March 02, 2021 – The Santa Cruz Good Times published a cover story about the three-decade history of UCSC’s African American Theater Arts Troupe.
1 in 6 Gen Z adults are LGBT. And this number could continue to grow
February 24, 2021 – Psychology Professor Phil Hammack talked with The Washington Post about a new survey from Gallup that shows one in six adults in Generation Z identifies as LGBT.
Bay Area Author Tommy Orange on the Mythmaking of History
February 23, 2021 – The Santa Cruz Good Times featured a cover story about acclaimed author Tommy Orange and the Humanities Institute’s Deep Read program.
The Ones That Never Reopened: The Pandemic’s Impact On Local Businesses
February 23, 2021 – Economics Professor Rob Fairlie talked with KAZU about the pandemic’s impacts for a story about local businesses that have not been able to reopen.
Rhiana Gunn-Wright talks Green New Deal, Climate Policy, and Environmental Justice
February 20, 2021 – City on a Hill Press discusses the “Changing Climate: The Role of Environmental Justice” event that featured a Q&A between climate justice expert Rhiana Gunn-Wright and moderator Sikina Jinnah, associate professor of environmental studies.
Black Grief, White Grievance: Artists Search for Racial Justice
February 18, 2021 – The New York Times featured a story about an exhibition co-curated by arts professor Mark Nash at the New Museum.
Do looks matter for success in economics? Actually, they’re pretty important
February 18, 2021 – Marketplace interviewed Economics Professor Galina Hale about her recent paper documenting that levels of attractiveness can affect career success for economists. Hale says this demonstrates the importance of strategies to correct for implicit bias.
Prepare for gridlock if future of autonomous vehicles is plentiful cheap journeys
February 18, 2021 – Forbes discussed the findings of a paper on the potential traffic and environmental impacts of autonomous vehicles that was produced by Associate Professor Adam Millard-Ball through UCSC’s Environmental Studies Department.
African American Theater Arts Troupe celebrates 30 years with live online performance
February 17, 2021 – The Santa Cruz Sentinel featured a story about UCSC’s Cultural Arts & Diversity Resource Center’s public gala celebrating the 30th anniversary of its flagship theater ensemble, the African American Theater Arts Troupe.
Shopify’s Secret Weapon Is Thousands of New Business Owners
February 16, 2021 – Economics Professor Rob Fairlie was interviewed by The Wallstreet Journal about e-commerce trends and the risks of business startup failure during the pandemic.
Santa Cruz County substance use disorder experts highlight growing overdose concerns
February 14, 2021 – Sociology Professor Emeritus Craig Reinarman spoke with Santa Cruz Sentinel about factors contributing to a recent uptick in certain types of overdose deaths within Santa Cruz County.
Why “noncitizen” is a better word than “alien”
February 12, 2021 – The Monterey County Weekly interviewed linguistics professor Jaye Padgett for a story about the push to replace “alien” with “noncitizen” as a word to identify a foreigner or immigrant.
Kamala Harris: The exodus of women from the workforce is a national emergency
February 12, 2021 – Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent op-ed for The Washington Post cited research by Economics Professor Rob Fairlie that documented closures of women-owned businesses resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
UCSC Researchers Win Grant to Develop More Sustainable Aquaculture
February 11, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Anne Kapuscinski and Associate Research Professor Pallab Sarker talked with Good Times about their new aquaculture research facility at the UCSC Farm and shared what’s next in their work to develop more sustainable aquaculture feed.
9 million U.S. small businesses fear they won’t survive pandemic
February 09, 2021 – CBS Moneywatch quoted Economics Professor Rob Fairlie’s recent testimony before the House Committee on Small Business and shared his updated numbers on small business ownership rates through the end of 2020.
‘The landscape of fear’: Big cats pay a price for avoiding areas now inhabited by humans
February 09, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers talked with Lookout Santa Cruz about new research with Barry Nickel, director of the Center for Integrated Spatial Research. The team documented changes to puma ranges.
Honduran president target of U.S. investigation, court filings show
February 08, 2021 – Emeritus history professor and Honduras expert Dana Frank was quoted in a number of news outlets, including Reuters, The Guardian, and U.S. News & World Report, about new investigations into corruption by Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Racial (in)justice and the UC budget crisis
February 08, 2021 – Dean of Social Sciences Katharyne Mitchell co-authored an article about the fear the budget crunch could lead the UC to fail to deliver on the soaring hopes for social mobility for underrepresented minority students.
In lockdown, ‘weak-tie’ friendships are the ones we’re really missing most
February 07, 2021 – Psychology Ph.D. student Andrew Guydish was quoted in The Telegraph discussing his research on “conversation reciprocity.”
Amid a health and economic crisis, some local grocery stores offload their delivery drivers
February 05, 2021 – Los Angeles Magazine interviewed Sociology Professor Chris Benner about his new research documenting the rise of gig work within the grocery industry during the pandemic.
Planting trees sounds like a simple climate fix. It’s anything but.
February 05, 2021 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl talked with The Huffington Post about the long-term commitments and careful planning it takes to truly utilize tree-planting as part of a climate change mitigation strategy.
Is the pandemic making our social skills decay? Psychologists think so
February 05, 2021 – Psychology Professor Craig Haney talked with Salon about how isolation during the pandemic may be affecting social skills.
Wildlife corridors aren’t a new idea, but taking human resistance into account makes them much more effective
February 04, 2021 – Popular Science cited a new paper by Environmental Studies professor Chris Wilmers and Center for Integrated Spatial Research Director Barry Nickel as an example of how the “landscape of fear” impacts animal movements.
UCSC economist warns Congress of ‘alarming’ reversal in small business recovery
February 04, 2021 – Lookout Santa Cruz covered Economics Professor Rob Fairlie’s testimony before the House Committee on Small Business. Fairlie shared his latest research on the pandemic’s economic impacts.
Minority-owned businesses struggle to access credit during pandemic, Fed survey finds
February 03, 2021 – Reuters cited research by Economics Professor Rob Fairlie documenting inequalities in the distribution of loans through the Paycheck Protection Program.
Who’s afraid of who? Mountain lions fear and avoid humans
February 03, 2021 – Anthropocene Magazine covered new research from Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers and Center for Integrated Spatial Research Director Barry Nickel, which showed how the energetic cost of avoiding humans affects habitat use among local pumas.
How Black Lives Matter Came to the Academy
February 01, 2021 – The New Yorker magazine published an article by alumna Kristal Brent Zook (PH.D. History of Consciousness) about the progress in fighting decades of racial bias on college campuses.
The pandemic has erased entire categories of friendship
January 27, 2021 – Psychology Ph.D. student Andrew Guydish talked with The Atlantic about his recent research on “conversation reciprocity” and what it may tell us about the challenges of maintaining relationships while working remotely.
The U.S. Must Do More to Care for Its Caregivers
January 24, 2021 – Professor Catherine S. Ramírez coauthored an opinion piece for The Atlantic that highlights the disparities in coronavirus-related benefits and support received by older Americans, compared to their caregivers—home health aides and nursing assistants who are often immigrants.
Saving The Endangered Languages Of The Monterey Bay Area
January 21, 2021 – Monterey Bay NPR affiliate KAZU interviewed linguistics professor Maziar Toosarvandani for a story about how UCSC linguists are working to preserve indigenous languages spoken by communities originally from Mexico that are now living in the Monterey Bay area.
How the Biden administration can take action for biodiversity conservation
January 20, 2021 – Biologist Erika Zavaleta was quoted in a ScienceLine article about environmental policy and the Biden administration.
Santa Cruz County NAACP hosts virtual MLK Day march
January 19, 2021 – Associate professor of history David Anthony was quoted in a Santa Cruz Sentinel story about the decades-long struggle for social justice and equity by black communities across the country.
Some California jobs lost to COVID will never be the same. Here’s what experts say
January 14, 2021 – The Sacramento Bee launched a new series on the future of work in California, and the first article included professor Chris Benner’s insights on how the rise of gig work is affecting job quality in sectors like grocery retail as the pandemic fuels e-commerce.
Death row inmate designs garden installation by instructing university students through letters
January 08, 2021 – The Art Newspaper featured a story about the Barring Freedom initiative and Solitary Garden art installation at UCSC, quoting Rachel Nelson, director of the Institute of the Arts and Sciences.
11 Books & Podcasts About Coups That Are Extra Relevant Right Now
January 08, 2021 – Bustle magazine included emeritus history professor Dana Frank’s recent book, The Long Honduran Night: Resistance, Terror and the United States in the Aftermath of the Coup, for a story about books that can help you make sense of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
At Google, Hundreds Of Workers Formed A Labor Union. Why? ‘To Protect Ourselves’
January 08, 2021 – NPR’s recent reporting on the development of a new labor union at Google included professor Chris Benner’s insights on labor trends in the tech sector.
Albertsons is laying off employees and replacing them with gig workers, as app platforms rise
January 06, 2021 – Professor Chris Benner was interviewed by The Washington Post about the influences of Prop 22 in Albertsons’ recent decision to replace employees with gig workers.
