News
Salmon documentary produced by UCSC team to air on KQED
May 17, 2023
‘Southern Range’ was directed by Soc Doc alumnus Kyle Baker and produced by the Seymour Center and the Fisheries Collaborative Program at UCSC.
Genome of famed sled dog Balto reveals genetic adaptations of working dogs
April 27, 2023
Still a good boy nearly 100 years after historic sled run, Balto has now helped scientists explore the genetics of working dogs and demonstrate the power of comparative genomics.
As the California sea lion population got bigger, so did male sea lions
April 27, 2023
Unlike other marine mammals, male California sea lions have gotten bigger over the past 50 years as their population has grown.
Elephant seals drift off to sleep while diving far below the ocean surface
April 20, 2023
Brainwave patterns show elephant seals take short naps while holding their breath on deep dives, averaging just 2 hours of sleep per day while at sea.
Biologist Beth Shapiro elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
April 19, 2023
Beth Shapiro, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.
Collaboration with NASA uses eDNA technology to monitor biodiversity
March 21, 2023
UCSC scientists collected environmental DNA samples in South Africa as part of the BioSCape project.
Winning Grad Slam presentation highlights disease threat to Hawaiian birds
March 13, 2023
Ecology and evolutionary biology graduate student Christa Seidl will compete in the UC systemwide Grad Slam in May, presenting her research on avian malaria.
Marine mammal reproduction rests on a precarious tipping point of ocean resources
March 8, 2023
A study of northern elephant seals reveals a threshold at which a small decrease in the amount of prey females can find during foraging migrations could lead to a sudden drop in reproductive success.
Shrinking age distribution of spawning salmon raises climate resilience concerns
February 27, 2023
Study suggests changes in hatchery practices could help increase population stability for Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon, the backbone of California’s salmon fishery.
Two new species of rare succulents found in Mexico named by UCSC botanist
January 30, 2023
A retired staff botanist at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden studied the rare plants found on an island off the coast of Baja California and identified two new species of dudleya.
Five student teams embark on tech for social good projects
January 23, 2023
Five student teams will take on tech for social good projects with funding from the UCSC CITRIS and the Banatao Institute and the UCSC Institute for Social Transformation.
Study reveals influence of krill availability on humpback whale pregnancies
January 23, 2023
Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful.
UCSC leads new multicampus initiatives on climate change and bilingualism
January 23, 2023
UC Santa Cruz faculty are leading two new collaborative programs funded by grants from UC’s Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) program.
Vulnerability of red sea urchins to climate change depends on location
January 20, 2023
Scientists found that red sea urchin populations are adapted to local environments, but some populations will suffer more than others as conditions change in the future.
Offshore wind farms may harm seabirds, but scientists see potential for net positive impact
November 17, 2022
A new study presents a framework for assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy development on marine birds.
Global analysis shows where fishing vessels turn off their identification devices
November 2, 2022
A new dataset of intentional disabling of Automatic Identification System devices by fishing vessels provides insights into illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity.
Biologist Daniel Costa receives Outstanding Faculty Award
October 28, 2022
Daniel Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, has received the 2021-22 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.
Research to identify biological hotspots in the oceans will help reduce human impacts
October 19, 2022
A grant from the Office of Naval Research funds research using elephant seals to find marine hotspots while providing support for undergraduate researchers, an assessment of ethical considerations, and training to create inclusive environments for field research.
Two UCSC alumni win awards for excellence in science communication
October 13, 2022
Jessica Kendall-Bar and Rodrigo Pérez Ortega were winners in the National Academies’ inaugural Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication.
UCSC welcomes 41 outstanding new faculty members
October 4, 2022
With the start of the 2022-23 academic year, UC Santa Cruz welcomes 41 new senate faculty members. The research and creative scholarship and expertise brought to our campus by these new faculty colleagues will strengthen existing areas of work and open discovery opportunities.
Preserving Earth’s future: Frontier Fellows program funds undergraduate research
September 27, 2022
The Earth Futures Institute’s Frontier Fellows program offers undergraduate research opportunities and funding at UC Santa Cruz. The 2022-2023 academic year fellows include fourth years Peter Nguyen, Hayley Coyle, and Aja Bond, each working on their own project to sustain Earth’s future.
Frontier Fellows: Peter Nguyen
September 27, 2022
The Earth Futures Institute’s Frontier Fellows program offers undergraduate research opportunities and funding at UC Santa Cruz. UCSC student Peter Nguyen studies a federally listed endangered flowering plant—Lupinus nipomensis.
Innovative climate resilience projects supported by 2022 CITRIS Campus Seed Funding awards
September 8, 2022
Four winning projects have been funded through the The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz’s Campus Seed Funding program to pursue research relating to climate resilience.
NOAA scholarship supports graduate student’s seabird conservation research
August 4, 2022
Aspen Ellis, a Ph.D. student in ecology and evolutionary biology, is one of seven students nationwide selected by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to receive a 2022 Nancy Foster Scholarship.
Data from elephant seals reveal new features of marine heatwave ‘the Blob’
July 28, 2022
Instruments carried by migrating elephant seals measured deep warm-water anomalies that lasted much longer than the surface warming.
Eric Palkovacs appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
July 26, 2022
Researchers track juvenile elephant seals for insights into mortality rates
July 19, 2022
An outreach program to bring science and scientists into K-12 classrooms is part of a study investigating the differences between male and female elephant seals.
Plant scientist Jean Langenheim honored by Graduate Women in Science
January 11, 2012
The Graduate Women in Science organization Sigma Delta Epsilon has awarded its highest honor, national honorary membership, to UC Santa Cruz plant scientist Jean Langenheim in recognition of her outstanding achievements in scientific research.
QUEST TV profiles biologist Dan Costa
July 27, 2011
UCSC biologist Dan Costa is featured in a new episode of KQED's QUEST TV program.
Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems
July 14, 2011
The decline of large predators and other "apex consumers" at the top of the food chain has disrupted ecosystems all over the planet, according to a review of recent findings.
