News
ENVS Class of 2020
April 10, 2021
UC Santa Cruz faculty recognized for excellence in ecology
March 25, 2021
The Ecological Society of America announced its 2021 Fellow and Early Career Fellow awards, and UC Santa Cruz’s faculty were the most decorated of any university on this year’s list.
New analysis shows potential for ‘solar canals’ in California
March 18, 2021
UC Santa Cruz researchers and their partners published a new study that suggests covering California’s water delivery canals with solar panels could be an economically viable means of advancing renewable energy and water conservation.
UCSC professor contributes to new study showing how parts of the US will ‘tropicalize’ as climate changes
March 18, 2021
Environmental Studies Professor Michael Loik is a coauthor on a new paper describing how warming winters are allowing some tropical plants and animals to replace temperate communities in southern portions of the country.
Disrupting harmful food systems to prevent future pandemics
March 11, 2021
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Maywa Montenegro de Wit is exploring how lessons from the abolition movement could help agroecology combat the agro-industrial complex to prevent future pandemics.
Forest monitoring efforts contribute to new understanding of climate change impacts
February 25, 2021
Data collected by student interns at UC Santa Cruz’s Forest Ecology Research Plot recently contributed to a breakthrough in understanding how climate change affects forests.
Green New Deal architect Rhiana Gunn-Wright will make a virtual campus visit
February 1, 2021
Gunn-Wright previewed some of the insights she'll share on climate policy and environmental justice during her February 10th event with the Institute for Social Transformation.
Energy spent avoiding humans linked to smaller home ranges for male pumas
January 25, 2021
New research shows that fear of humans causes mountain lions to increase their energy expenditures as they move through the landscape, and this can ultimately limit the size of the home ranges they’re able to maintain.
Grant funding will advance aquaculture research in UCSC’s new state-of-the-art facility
January 19, 2021
Researchers won a USDA grant in support of their efforts to develop a more ocean-friendly feed formula for farm-raised rainbow trout. This work will take place in the team's new aquaculture facility at the UCSC Farm.
Shedding light on one of environmental policy’s most under-the-radar strategies
January 4, 2021
Associate professor of environmental studies Sikina Jinnah studies the environmental provisions contained within trade agreements and wants to help policymakers better navigate this space.
Surge in online grocery shopping brings a quantity-over-quality jobs shift
December 9, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated emerging labor market trends associated with e-commerce in the grocery industry, creating mixed implications for jobs, according to a new report led by UCSC professor Chris Benner.
National Academies report on sustainability education features UC Santa Cruz expertise
December 4, 2020
UC Santa Cruz professor Anne Kapuscinski chaired the committee that developed the report, and campus initiatives were highlighted within as examples of innovative sustainability education.
UC Santa Cruz celebrates its first Rhodes Scholar
November 24, 2020
Spring 2020 graduate Garima Desai was named among the top 32 scholars from across the U.S. who will have all of their expenses paid to attend graduate school at Oxford University through a Rhodes Scholarship.
Research breakthrough achieves fish-free aquaculture feed that raises key standards
November 12, 2020
A new aquaculture feed formula eliminates conventional fish meal and fish oil ingredients and is the first to demonstrate across-the-board gains in sustainability, performance, economic viability, and human health.
Quantitative ecologist wins Tansley Medal for plant science contributions
November 4, 2020
Environmental studies assistant professor Kai Zhu was recently chosen from a global field as one of two recipients of the Tansley Medal for Excellence in Plant Science, presented by the journal New Phytologist.
Physical and Biological Sciences Division honors three prominent alumni
October 21, 2020
The PBSci Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize contributions to society by graduate and undergraduate alums.
Doctoral candidate wins Switzer Fellowship for environmental justice research in El Salvador
October 19, 2020
James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Studies, was recently selected for the 2020 Switzer Environmental Fellowship as part of a cohort of 20 top scholar-activists from around the country.
UC Santa Cruz study cited in arguments against gig economy proposition
October 15, 2020
The report, "On-demand and on-the-edge: Ride-hailing and Delivery Workers in San Francisco," underscores the financial vulnerability of workers in the gig economy.
The global land rush
September 16, 2020
In her new book, 'Fields of Gold, Financing the Global Land Rush,' Madeleine Fairbairn looks at forces and players that have transformed farmland into a novel financial asset class.
Rising to the Eco-Challenge
August 31, 2020
Two Slug alumni were part of a grueling, 11-day, 416-mile adventure race called Eco-Challenge Fiji, caught in a 10-episode series streaming on Amazon Prime.
Research buildings saved as wildfire sweeps across Big Creek Natural Reserve
August 22, 2020
Fire preparedness and hard work by fast-moving fire crews and UC Santa Cruz staff is being credited for saving research and residential buildings at the Landels-Hill Big Creek Natural Reserve on the Big Sur coast.
Report exposes rampant illegal fishing in North Korean waters
July 22, 2020
Ground-breaking study reveals hundreds of vessels fishing illegally in one of the world’s most contested ocean regions, contravening UN sanctions and fueling overfishing.
Michael Soulé, father of conservation biology, dies at 84
June 23, 2020
Michael Soulé, a professor emeritus of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz who was widely considered the "father of conservation biology," died on June 17. He was 84.
Royal Geographical Society publishes special COVID-19 issue
June 5, 2020
A virtual special issue of Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers features Politics Professor Matt Sparke's article, "Contextualizing Coronavirus Geographically," and provides free access to additional articles that provide perspective on the pandemic.
Social Sciences recognizes students amid unprecedented times
June 5, 2020
The Social Sciences Division announced the recipients of its annual student achievement awards.
Why It's Time To Think About Self-Driving Cars In Regards To Parking
May 28, 2019
Associate Professor Adam Millard-Ball hypothesizes that autonomous vehicles will be commonplace within the next 5-20 years, invariably increasing road congestion.
ENVS BA Nathalie Martin publishes Field Guide to Plants of UC Santa Cruz
April 29, 2019
Explore the "superbloom" in Santa Cruz County with Nathalie Martin's field guide to campus plants.
Sixth annual Climate Conference links science and justice
March 14, 2019
For the first time, the annual UC Santa Cruz Climate Conference will bring together prominent ocean scientists and leading social-justice advocates to discuss the environmental and equity dimensions of the crisis.
Millard-Ball: Self-driving cars could more than double traffic in San Francisco
February 4, 2019
Associate Professor Adam Millard-Ball hypothesizes that autonomous vehicles will be commonplace within the next 5-20 years, invariably increasing road congestion.
Environmental Studies student analyzes the impacts of ride hailing on the environment
September 22, 2018
Recent article for City on a Hill Press about the environmental impacts of ride-hailing services features the work of ENVS graduate Lyndel Fusello.
Opinion: Why industry should be forced to clean up its messes
August 10, 2018
An Op-ed by UCSC Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl about a recent policy allowing corporations to use federal public land without covering for any damage caused.
San Jose Mercury reports on student Rico Ruiz's work with monarch mortality
May 7, 2018
UCSC senior internship student Rico Ruiz has been working with Groundswell Coastal Ecology to better understand what has been killing western monarch butterflies along the Central Coast.
Environmental Studies professor Chris Wilmers featured in The Mercury News
March 8, 2018
Chris Wilmers, director of the Santa Cruz Puma Project at UC Santa Cruz, discusses how a high-speed rail could doom mountain lions and other wildlife in the Santa Cruz Mountains with The Mercury News.
New book edited by environmental studies professor examines historical context of BRICS nations
January 25, 2018
Co-edited by Ravi Rajan, The Great Convergence: An Environmental History of BRICS shows how Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa can come together to deal with environmental challenges
Environmental Studies research and education coordinator Damian Parr featured in Modern Farmer
January 23, 2018
Damian Parr discusses the current state of agricultural education with Modern Farmer.
Environmental Studies professor Jeffrey Bury featured in The New York Times
November 26, 2017
Jeffrey Bury discusses the effects of climate change and their study of glacier melt on Peruvian agriculture with The New York Times.
Environmental Studies professor Michael Loik featured in Newsweek
November 6, 2017
Environmental Studies professor Michael Loik discusses how smart greenhouses can generate solar power and grow crops at the same time with Newsweek.
“March for Science” marches on, thanks to a donation to UC Santa Cruz’s Inquiry Learning Gift Fund
October 9, 2017
Using the March for Science donation, the Inquiry Learning Gift Fund plans to support students from low-income families to participate in science fairs at the county and state level.
Chris Wilmers featured in BeProvided Conservation Radio
September 26, 2017
Environmental Studies professor and Chris Wilmers discusses his involvement with the Santa Cruz Puma Project, a research lab group that studies the impacts of humans on pumas.
Santa Cruz Sentinel reports on USDA grant awarded to UCSC
August 31, 2017
The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported on a $2.5 million USDA grant that will extend the reach of new strategies being developed by Environmental Studies Professor Carol Shennan to fight soil diseases in commercial strawberry production.
Exploring the UCSC Farm & Garden’s history through faculty research
August 02, 2017
Faculty and students in the division of social sciences show how the farm plays a crucial role in their research at farm and garden’s recent First Fifty Celebration.
Karen Holl publishes column in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
April 15, 2017
Environmental Studies Professor Karen Holl authored an op-ed for the Santa Cruz Sentinel about her participation in the April 22 March for Science, calling on others to join her as advocates for the free and open flow of scientific information that is not financed by corporate interests.
Karen Holl publishes blog for the Union of Concerned Scientists
April 13, 2017
Karen Holl writes a blog for the Union of Concerned Scientists, titled “Restoring California’s Coastal Ecosystems.” In her blog, she writes about the need to restore coastal ecosystems in California.
Daniel Press featured in National Geographic article
April 11, 2017
Environmental Studies professor and director of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Daniel Press was featured in the National Geographic article Top 10 Most Endangered Rivers in the U.S.
Research Roundup: Winter 2017 Issue
April 04, 2017
Some of the diverse topics covered by faculty in the Social Sciences Division in Winter 2017 include predicting college success, models for sustainable development, the psychological impact of President Donald Trump, his proposed military budget, and more.
Climate change experts focus on solutions in face of shifting U.S. policy
February 28, 2017
UCSC Climate Conference brought together top climate scientists and policy experts for a series of talks and panel discussions.
Understanding the drought and deluge in California
February 21, 2017
Environmental studies professor Michael Loik talks about how the current weather system is impacting the state’s ecology.
Professor Karen Holl publishes article in Science magazine
February 3, 2017
"Restoring tropical forests from the bottom up," is the latest article authored by Holl.
Daniel Press interviewed for Mother Jones
December 19, 2016
Environmental Studies Professor Daniel Press was interviewed in the progressive news magazine Mother Jones for a feature about president-elect Donald Trump's stance on green energy.
Professors Holl and Loik share climate research with local students
December 16, 2016
The Santa Cruz Sentinel featured environmental studies professors Karen Holl and Michael Loik's participation at the San Lorenzo Valley High School’s environmental conference.
Research Roundup: Fall 2016 Issue
December 15, 2016
Clean energy, gerrymandering, self-driving cars, bear populations, microagressions, water rights, and the youth vote are just some of the diverse topics faculty in the social sciences at UC Santa Cruz are researching.
Now hiring: Coastal Governance Assistant Professor
October 24, 2016
Applications are now open for the Coastal Governance Assistant Professor position. Apply by December 19, 2016 to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Now hiring: Landscape Ecology/Climate Adaptation Assistant Professor
October 24, 2016
Applications are now open for the Landscape Ecology/Climate Adaptation Assistant Professor position. Apply by December 19, 2016 to ensure full consideration by the committee.
High-tech sensors monitor ecosystems in climate change research program
October 21, 2016
UC Santa Cruz scientists lead a UC-wide consortium using the Natural Reserve System as a climate impacts laboratory.
Lions, Leopards, and Pumas (Oh My!) - Chris Wilmers to talk at the Rio Theatre on May 18
May 6, 2016
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History invites the community to attend a lecture by Chris Wilmers at the Rio Theatre on three of the world’s Big Cats: Lions, Leopards, and Pumas.
Research Roundup: Winter 2016 Issue
March 24, 2016
From biodiversity in California to power relations in Tanzania, faculty and researchers in the Division of Social Sciences published a wide range of issues and ideas in winter quarter.
Rick Flores, Curator, Graduate Student
March 17, 2016
After assisting an indigenous group's pursuit of revitalization, Rick Flores decided he wanted to learn more - and do more - about it.
Environment Studies professor Michael Loik will discuss the drought at "Naturalist Night" on March 15
March 9, 2016
Loik will deliver a talk as part of Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History "Naturalist Night." He will discuss the current El Niño conditions of the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, and how these events affect our lives here in California.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition honors UC Santa Cruz alumnus and sustainability champion, Mark Lipson
February 05, 2016
The award was made to honor Lipson’s years of service to the organic and sustainable agriculture movement, and his groundbreaking work on Capitol Hill shepherding in historic changes.
Going global: USAID Fellow Stephanie Web to work with WorldFish in Egypt
February 2, 2016
Stephanie Webb, a UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. candidate in environmental studies, received a UC-USAID fellowship.
Upcoming 'Science on Tap' event will feature Professor Michael Loik
November 2, 2015
On November 18th, Professor Loik will deliver a talk titled "The Great California Drought of 2012-2015. Will El Niño Save Us.
Graze Under Fire
October 29, 2015
The weekly Santa Cruz newspaper Good Times has featured Environmental Studies doctoral student Alicia Calle's research on sustainable cattle farming in Colombia.
Drones could make forest conservation monitoring significantly cheaper
October 5, 2015
Study published in Biological Conservation wins Elsevier’s Atlas award
Norris Center leads the way for natural history
April 22, 2015
Read more about the dedication and plans for the center.
Inside the Center for Integrated Spatial Research: one of UC Santa Cruz’s innovative labs
April 21, 2015
An inside look into how UCSC tackles issues from climate change to global inequality using spatial data
Multicultural Urban Agroecology Research Exchange in Chiapas, Mexico
April 6, 2015
During Spring Break, ENVS faculty, staff, and students traveled south for an intense and rewarding experience in urban garden agroecological research and multicultural interaction in the colonial, highland town of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.
Join us on April 25 for the Ken Norris Center for Natural History Dedication
April 2, 2015
Join us during UCSC’s 50th anniversary alumni weekend to celebrate the grand opening of the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History and the 50th anniversary of the UC Natural Reserve System.
Professor Gregory S. Gilbert to talk on April 29 about how to harness evolution to solve environmental problems
March 25, 2015
Professor Gregory S. Gilbert is the featured presenter at the Science on Tap event.
Karen Holl to talk on Wed 2/25 about tropical forest restoration
February 17, 2015
Dr. Karen Holl is the featured presenter at the Science on Tap event at the Crepe Place from 7-8:30pm this coming Wednesday, 2/25/15.
Endowed fund created in honor of beloved ENVS undergraduate Annais Rittenberg
February 17, 2015
UCSC Norris Center manager Chris Lay shares future plans for the Annais Rittenberg fund.
Seeking Symbiosis, an Art & Environmental Studies collaboration, graces the hallways of ISB
February 17, 2015
Seeking Symbiosis, the art show, is a collaboration between Juniper Harrower, a PhD student in the Environmental Studies Department, and Dr. Geoffrey Thomas, a Research Associate in the Art Department.
Director of the Gorongosa Lion Project joins Chris Wilmers' Lab
February 17, 2015
Paola Bouley, Director of the Gorongosa Lion Project, joins the Global Change and Wildlife Ecology lab of Dr. Chris Wilmers as a PhD student
Field Experiences in the Amazon
February 13, 2015
Chris Kane, this year’s Terence Freitas Memorial Scholarship winner reflects on his experiences among Indigenous peoples in the Amazon.
Graduate student Elissa Olimpi's research recognized
February 10, 2015
ENVS graduate student, Elissa Olimpi's high school mentee, Alex Wayne of Aptos, presented a poster on part of Olimpi's research on bat activity at the American Geophysical Union semi-annual Meeting at the Moscone Center in December. Wayne participated in last summer's UCSC High School Summer Internship Program, funded by the National Science Foundation with Olimpi as his mentor.
CISR receives recognition from the White House for Coastal Resilience Efforts
November 7, 2014
The Center for Integrated Research was recognized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Environmental Systems Research Institute, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality for developing new software focusing on developing coastal resilience.
American Sociological Association honors Environmental Studies Chair Andrew Szasz
October 31, 2014
Andrew Szasz was selected as the recipient of the 2014 Environmental Sociology Teaching and Mentorship Award from the Environment & Technology Section of the American Sociological Association (ASA).
Food for Thought
October 23, 2014
UC Santa Cruz—'The Mothership' of organic agriculture—has much to offer the ambitious new UC Global Food Initiative
Alumni Profile with Suzi Eszterhas: Eye on the wild
October 23, 2014
For over a decade, Suzi Eszterhas ('99, Environmental Etudies) has captured stunning moments from the lives of animals around the world that few of us would see without her photographs.
Environmental Studies professor Jeff Bury receives 2014 Golden Apple Teaching Award
October 15, 2014
Daniel Press quoted in UC President Napolitano's Global Food Initiative news release
July 1, 2014
Daniel Press of CASFS talks to UC President Janet Napolitano about new Global Food Initiative on food security, health and sustainability.
Major NSF grant to study how plant roots cycle carbon in soils
April 21, 2014
ENVS soil scientist, Weixin Cheng, is the lead researcher on a new a 3-year, $800,000 grant. The grant will investigate how the activities of living plant roots break down organic matter in soil to better understand the release rate of carbon dioxide which has implications for climate change.
Annais Rittenberg Scholarship
April 21, 2014
Scholarship honors the memory of Field Quarter 2013 student, Annais Rittenberg. The goal is to establish an endowed scholarship (a minimum of $25,000) to help students in need and who embody the qualities that made Annais a gifted educator, naturalist, and activist.
Search for New Alternatives to Oil Extraction in Amazonian Forests
November 8, 2013
Ecuador's Yasuní-ITT Initiative and the search for new alternatives to oil extraction in Amazonian forests: ENVS faculty member and UCSC students take a closer look.
Students Working at the Icy Edge of Climate Change
November 8, 2013
During a recent research expedition to the Peruvian Andes, ENVS students Anna Medina, Camila Bobroff and Adam French assessed the challenges of adapting to a world without glaciers.
Mind To Matter Donates to Experiential Learning
August 20, 2013
Alumnus' foundation makes generous donation to ENVS experiential learning endowment
Undergraduate's Op-Ed Published in Santa Cruz Sentinel
May 21, 2013
Erin Linney suggests energy-efficiency measures for Santa Cruz rental properties
PhD Alumni's Start Up In The News
May 15, 2013
UCSC Review Magazine Features ENVS Internship Office
May 15, 2013
Campus Farm and The Puma Project Make Headlines, April 2013
April 23, 2013
The two programs were featured in the San Francisco Chronicle.
WaterLab Research on Water Recycling
April 15, 2013
Eli Weintraub talks about wastewater recycling, and the future of water research.
New Positions for ENVS Graduate Alumni
April 9, 2013
Donations from Alumni Keep NHFQ Going in 2014
April 9, 2013
Thank you alumni and other donors for your support of the Natural History Field Quarter course!
Coastal Commission funds projects at UCSC Arboretum and Seymour Center
February 26, 2013
The California Coastal Commission has awarded grants to fund two coastal restoration and education projects at UCSC.
