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.
Ancient Maya tooth sealant glued gemstones in place—and may have prevented tooth decay
May 20, 2022 – Anthropology lecturer Cristina Verdugo spoke with Science about ancient Maya dentistry practices.
UC Santa Cruz faculty and staff demand more housing initiative
May 21, 2022 – Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay spoke with KSBW about housing issues and his research on rent burden in Santa Cruz County.
Vandana Shiva on the agroecology solution for the climate, biodiversity crisis and hunger
May 18, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Maywa Montenegro was featured in a podcast episode on agroecology, which also featured food sovereignty advocate Vandana Shiva.
Lessons from a former drug dealer
May 16, 2022 – NPRLessons from a former drug dealerThe Indicator from Planet Money on NPR interviewed UC Santa Cruz economics professor Rob Fairlie about his prior research demonstrating that former drug dealers are more likely to become entrepreneurs later in life.
Tree-planting projects abound. Which should you support?
May 16, 2022 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl spoke with National Geographic about how to determine which tree-planting campaigns are most likely to be successful.
El proyecto “Pertenecemos” en el condado de Santa Cruz identificó que se necesitaba más investigaciones sobre las experiencias de los inmigrantes
May 11, 2022 – NoticiasYa Costa Central interviewed lecturer Leslie Lopez for coverage of the We Belong/Pertenecemos project in advance of an upcoming public event on Friday that starts at 5pm.
College students lead the charge at first California Starbucks to unionize
May 11, 2022 – Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay and UC Santa Cruz student, union organizer, and California Assembly candidate Joseph Thompson spoke with KSBW about a successful vote to unionize the Mission Street and Ocean Street Starbucks locations.
Teachers often cancel recess as a punishment. A growing number of states want to change that
May 07, 2022 – NBC News and The Hechinger Report published a story featuring Associate Professor of Sociology Rebecca London and her research on the importance of recess for children’s learning and development.
UCSC celebrates John R. Lewis College dedication, with students engaging in some ‘good trouble’
May 06, 2022 – Lookout Santa Cruz covered the dedication of John R. Lewis College, formerly known as College Ten. Santa Cruz Sentinel also covered this event.
Event to engage Watsonville with ongoing immigrant justice project
May 05, 2022 – The Pajaronian interviewed Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay and student Amaury Kruggel-Diazandi about an upcoming event associated with the ongoing We Belong research project.
Global health degree program launches at UCSC, connecting disciplines to address big questions of our time
May 06, 2022 – Lookout Local talked with Politics Professor Matt Sparke, executive director of UCSC’s global and community health program, about the upcoming UC Global Health Day event and the launch of two new majors.
UCSC readies for ‘good trouble’ as it dedicates a college to John Lewis
May 04, 2022 – Lookout Local interviewed UC Santa Cruz faculty, staff, and students about the dedication of College Ten as John R. Lewis College.
Paving the way for mountain lion safety under Highway 17
April 29, 2022 – Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers talked with KSBW to explain the risks that highways pose to local puma populations. Santa Cruz Sentinel and KION also discussed Wilmers’ research with the Santa Cruz Puma Project in their coverage of the new Highway 17 wildlife undercrossing.
Empty Homes Tax garners needed signatures, verification in progress
April 28, 2022 – Santa Cruz Sentinel cited research led by Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay and Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg on the housing crisis in Santa Cruz County.
Surge of desert surf parks stirs questions in dry California
April 25, 2022 – Ruth Langridge, a senior researcher on water law and policy issues in the Politics Department, spoke with the Associated Press about water use and development planning in California’s deserts.
Watsonville is in the Heart launches digital archive
April 14, 2022 – Sociology Professor Steve McKay, Humanities Dean Jasmine Alinder, graduate student Meleia Simon-Reynolds, and Tobera Project founder Roy Recio were quoted by The Pajaronian in a story about the Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive launch.
4 solutions for trees and forests threatened by a hotter world
April 14, 2022 – Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl discussed the challenges, risks, and best-practices for tree-planting campaigns with National Geographic for their May 2022 special issue on saving forests.
From traditional practice to top climate solution, agroecology gets growing attention
April 13, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Maywa Montenegro discussed the growth of agroecology with Mongabay for an article about how food systems could become more resilient while helping to fight climate change.
UC Santa Cruz debuts digital archive of the first Filipinos in Watsonville
April 12, 2022 – KSBW featured the Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive, developed by faculty and student researchers from UCSC’s Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts Divisions.
Filipino history digital archive is unveiled at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
April 9, 2022 – KION covered the launch of the Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive, which was created through a partnership between leaders of the local Filipino community and faculty and student researchers from UCSC’s Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts Divisions.
Mini desalination plants could refresh the parched West
April 4, 2022 – Environmental Studies Professor Brent Haddad offers some big-picture perspective on desalination technology and applications for a Popular Science article.
Santa Cruz Starbucks unionization push follows Why Campuses Are Including Caste in Anti-Discrimination Policies
March 21, 2022 – Anjali Arondekar, an associate professor of feminist studies and co-director of the Center for South Asian Studies, was interviewed in Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
Santa Cruz Starbucks unionization push follows national trend of increased union approval
March 16, 2022 – Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay spoke with KSBW about national trends in unionization, and Joseph Thompson, a UC Santa Cruz student who is leading the local push to establish the first Starbucks union in California, discussed the motivation behind that effort.
As COVID Precautions Drop, Black Americans Remain More Affected — and More Concerned
March 07, 2022 – A Capital B article on how the pandemic is affecting Black Americans across the country featured research from Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley.
California’s climate action plans fall behind on equity, sticking instead to boilerplate solutions, new study says
February 28, 2022 – Associate Professor of Sociology Hillary Angelo spoke with CapRadio about her latest research on equity in climate action planning.
Central Coast to face economic impact of war in Ukraine
February 25, 2022 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Michael Hutchison discussed local economic impacts with KSBW.
COVID-19 has turned deadlier for Black Californians, who have the state’s lowest vaccination rate
February 25, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley, who’s a core faculty member in Global and Community Health, spoke with CalMatters about California’s COVID-19 mortality trends in the age of vaccines.
Central Coast gas prices hit new high as tourism continues to surge
February 21, 2022 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Michael Hutchison discussed rising oil prices with KSBW.
UCSC student leads charge to provide free menstrual products to students on campus
February 21, 2022 – Lookout Local covered UCSC student Amanda Safi’s work to increase access to menstrual products, on the UC Santa Cruz campus and beyond.
Construction begins on $12 million mountain lion crossing on Highway 17 in Santa Cruz Mountains
February 18, 2022 – Environmental Studies Professor Chris Wilmers, who’s director of the Santa Cruz Puma Project, talked with The Mercury News about the challenges that roads pose for wildlife.
California Newsroom Special: Newsom’s Endemic Plan
February 17, 2022 – A CapRadio California Newsroom special report, broadcast by NPR Member Stations across the state, featured Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley discussing COVID-19 equity issues starting at around the 26-minute mark.
Inmigrantes no denuncian los fraudes
February 17, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Sociology Juan Manuel Pedroza shared his latest research on immigration scams with Consumer Investigative Reporter Arlen Fernández at Telemundo 48 Responde.
A Foolish Decision on Testing
February 14, 2022 – Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economics Donald Wittman wrote an opinion article for Inside Higher Ed about the role of standardized testing in the college admissions process.
Queer youth are embracing a flood of labels, from ‘aceflux’ to ‘xenogender.’ Here’s why.
February 14, 2022 – Yahoo Life interviewed Psychology Professor Phil Hammack about the diverse ways that teens are describing their gender and sexuality.
Budgeting racial justice for the University of California
February 14, 2022 – Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell coauthored a guest commentary article for CalMatters.
This Prison in California Forced Incarcerated People to Drink Arsenic for Years
February 13, 2022 – Environmental Studies doctoral students Abby Cunniff and Summer Sullivan wrote an article for Truthout sharing their investigation into drinking water quality at Kern Valley State Prison.
Can credit card companies plant the trees they say they will?
February 10, 2022 – Marketplace interviewed Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl about common pitfalls in tree-planting campaigns.
Black-Owned Businesses Push Against Economic Inequality
February 10, 2022 – Economics Professor Rob Fairlie appeared on CBS News to discuss economic inequality and entrepreneurship.
US Black business ownership sees rise thanks to women, study finds
February 08, 2022 – The Guardian cited Economics Professor Rob Fairlie’s research in an article about the growing number of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. This story was also covered on Feb. 9 by NPR’s Marketplace podcast.
Disturbing COVID data is a call to action, UC Santa Cruz professor says
February 08, 2022 – The Santa Cruz Sentinel covered trends in COVID-19 mortality among middle-aged Black Californians documented in research by Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley.
Demographic shift: White Californians accounted for more COVID deaths in 2021
February 05, 2022 – The Sacramento Bee covered new research on changing demographic trends in COVID-19 mortality led by Assistant Professor of Sociology and Global & Community Health Program core faculty member Alicia Riley. This story was also shared in The Seattle Times.
Why are so few people in the Bay Area getting COVID booster shots?
February 04, 2022 – San Francisco Chronicle interviewed Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley about trends in uptake for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.
This Study of COVID Deaths Among Ethnic Groups May Surprise You
February 03, 2022 – Los Angeles Magazine covered new research on COVID-19 mortality trends by Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley, who is also a core faculty member in UCSC’s Global & Community Health Program.
A tale of two garlands
January 31, 2022 – Distinguished Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh wrote an article for Financial Express comparing economic development strategies between India and China.
Film screening to commemorate 1930 Watsonville Race Riots
January 27, 2022 – Good Times interviewed Associate Professor of Sociology Steve McKay about a film screening hosted as part of a community-driven effort to preserve Watonsville’s Filipino history. This story originally appeared in The Pajaronian.
‘Fighting for my future’: Teenage climate activism takes off
January 24, 2022 – E&E News shared expertise from Latin American and Latino Studies Professor Jessica Taft about youth activism on climate change and other pressing social issues.
Girls emerge as leaders of student walkouts over COVID concerns
January 21, 2022 – Latin American and Latino Studies Professor Jessica Taft spoke with The 19th about how girls’ leadership on school COVID-19 protections fits with larger global trends in youth activism.
This map may make you feel better about the state of the planet
January 21, 2022 – Professor of Environmental Studies Karen Holl, who serves on the science advisory committee for environmental restoration and conservation mapping tool Restor, talked with Vox about the potential and limitations of the tool.
Combining remote and in-person learning led to chaos, study finds
January 17, 2022 – The Hechinger Report featured new research by Associate Professor of Education Lora Bartlett on the challenges of different pandemic-era “hybrid” education models that blend online and in-person learning.
Grounded by conflict and COVID, Colombia’s bird tourism struggles to soar
January 14, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela spoke with Mongabay about the potential and challenges for bird tourism in Columbia.
The #BettyWhiteChallenge highlights the growth of animal philanthropy and the role of rescues
January 14, 2022 – Anthropology Professor Melissa L. Caldwell wrote for The Conversation about the “compassion economies” that support animal rescue in the United States.
Landmark Colombian bird study repeated to right colonial-era wrongs
January 11, 2022 – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela spoke with Nature about an effort to create a new reference survey of Columbia’s birds, with community leadership.
Beginning Farmers, Farmers of Color Outbid as Farmland Prices Soar
January 03, 2022 – Madeleine Fairbairn’s recent book, Fields of Gold, is referenced in a Civil Eats article on farmland inflation.
