Climate & Sustainability
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UC Santa Cruz researchers launch real-time study on kelp resilience as a super El Niño unfolds
The sweltering seas expected this winter could threaten California’s kelp forests. UC Santa Cruz researchers are mobilizing to track the impacts and seek public support to sustain student engagement in the research.
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UC Santa Cruz Explores Soil Steam Disinfestation as a Non-Chemical Alternative to Strawberry Fumigants
Building on a nearly 60-year legacy of organic innovation, Center for Agroecology researchers are testing a non-chemical soil disinfestation alternative for California’s high-value strawberry industry.
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Meet Oscar, UCSC’s new waste sorting assistant
UCSC has installed Oscar Sort, an artificial intelligence-powered waste assistant, to help the campus community properly sort their daily landfill, recycling, and compost.
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Leah Dowty: Championing student opportunities in marine and plant life
Longtime volunteer and supporter of UC Santa Cruz, Leah Dowty, recently made a planned gift in memory of her parents, Don and Margene Burgoyne, which will establish endowed funds in support of student internships at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center and the Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
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UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association announces 2026 Alumni Award recipients
John Torigoe, Melinda Aldrich, James Hein, Peter Coha, Jim Gunderson, and Stephanie Barron Lu are the recipients of the 2026 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards.
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Altering the atmosphere could fight climate change, but is it worth the risk? Who gets to decide?
As solar geoengineering technology becomes increasingly viable, public participation in its governance will be essential. A new book shares strategies for supporting public voice.
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UC Santa Cruz adopts future climate reality data to design resilient buildings
In collaboration with the University of California Office of the President, the campus is utilizing “future-shifted climate data” to assist campus facilities in withstanding the changing temperature realities of the 21st century.
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Thinking about trading your car in for an EV? Here’s a compelling new reason to do it now
Research shows the carbon emissions benefits are far greater than you might imagine.
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Nine projects receive seed funding from the Genomics Institute
From listening to the electrical signals of fungal networks in fire-scarred forests to training AI models that can interpret the most complex regions of the human genome, this year’s cohort is using genomics in bold new applications.
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The color of penguin poo: Satellites reveal the chilling truth of global warming’s impact on an iconic polar species
Scientists study poop patterns of Adélie penguin colonies across all of Antarctica over a 30-year span using Landsat satellite images, a first for capturing food-web and population trends at continental and decadal scales relative to climate change
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Mike Beck appointed to California Ocean Science Trust’s board of trustees
State Secretary for Natural Resources named Beck and Cal Poly Humboldt’s Eric Riggs to serve on the unique science-policy bridging organization’s board, citing their distinguished leadership and deep expertise in coastal climate resilience and marine STEM education.
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More colorful songbirds face higher extinction risk
The bird pet trade seems to account for some, but not all, of this connection