New research shows early pregnancy may act as a “reset button” for how breast tissue ages, reducing the buildup of abnormal cells linked to breast cancer risk later in life 🧬 This protective effect can last decades, shaping long-term health: https://bit.ly/4rCYm7U

Long before the 19th Amendment, Black women in the Pacific Northwest were organizing, leading, and fighting for the vote. UCSC’s article brings these overlooked activists into focus and honors their vision of freedom and civic participation: https://bit.ly/4q8yuzl

Words in the real world, such as signs or posters, can mislead AI-enabled robots and autonomous systems into unsafe decisions. UC Santa Cruz researchers’ new findings show that this “environmental prompt injection” is a real security risk as AI grows: https://bit.ly/4qVkDhh

New research from @ucsantacruz.bsky.social Genomics Institute affiliate Shaheen Sikandar shows that pregnancy may “reset” how breast tissue ages, reducing cell changes that are linked to higher breast cancer risk later in life. news.ucsc.edu/2026/01/preg...

Art isn’t just reacting to the climate crisis; it’s helping lead the conversation. See how our artists and scientists are working together to turn research into experiences that help people feel, understand, and take action: https://bit.ly/46cmV32

Inspiring bold questions and creative visions is central to preparing the next generation to build a more equitable (and entertaining!) society and future. Shape the arts and culture you know and love and help foster a lifelong love of critical inquiry: https://bit.ly/49FXjyi

The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz is exploring how we flourish in physical, relational, intellectual, and ecological ways through its 2025-2025 theme: nourishment. Tune in for exciting events, including panel discussions, lectures, and more: https://bit.ly/4rbFeh3

Congratulations to alumnae Rosie Glen-Lambert & Hailey McAfee on their Off-Broadway debut at Soho Playhouse from Jan. 14-Feb. 13! 🎭 Their play, and her Children, centers othe n American gun violence epidemic through the perspective of an NRA spokesperson. Read more: https://bit.ly/4qtAcfD

New research led by UCSC undergraduate Arian Moghni reveals that rare red geyser galaxies remain dormant due to self-regulation by slow inflows of cool gas that feed their central black holes. These findings reshape how we understand galaxy evolution: https://bit.ly/4pEiMvv

New research shows that where fishing fleets move can reveal changes in marine ecosystems, helping scientists spot climate impacts faster than traditional methods. For fisheries and their communities, this data improves monitoring and management: https://bit.ly/3YbVdiF

New research from UC Santa Cruz examines whether insurance models could help cities restore and protect urban trees, making the economic case for investing in nature as climate risks intensify: https://bit.ly/3Lipg5j

🧬🦴 Our ancient DNA analysis of a 5,500-year-old human skeleton from Columbia has revealed oldest evidence yet of syphilis in the Americas. This new evidence predates previous estimates of when syphilis was present in the Americas by at least 3,000 years! phys.org/news/2026-01...

Fairy tales have shaped our imaginations, but also our ideas about race. In Specters of the Marvelous, UCSC Professor Kimberly Lau uncovers how classic European fairy tales encoded racism and colonial thinking and why those legacies still surface today: https://bit.ly/3KGXzmB

Nature, the universe, and humanity itself find new definitions at UC Santa Cruz. Our researchers are agents of transformation, inspiring change that ensures prosperity for all. With the help of our communities and donors, we can make real a resilient, hopeful future: https://bit.ly/48AKOms

Alumna Dr. Nomsa Khalfani (Kresge ’91, sociology) is redefining systems of care as co-CEO of Essential Access Health, advancing sexual and reproductive health equity across California and leading with community, dignity, and justice at the center: https://bit.ly/3MM5wrd

The actions taken by innovators, policymakers, and the public will shape the future of artificial intelligence, for better or worse. That’s why our experts across a wide range of disciplines are providing leadership & perspective to help steer things in the right direction: https://bit.ly/45erc5A

NYT bestselling author Merlin Sheldrake is The Humanities Institute’s 2026 Deep Read author, and his book Entangled Life explores the hidden fungal networks that shape ecosystems, minds, and futures. Join us for our free, public events exploring the book: https://bit.ly/49uHbih

📣 Mark your calendars! Join #BaskinEngineering Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics @javigr.bsky.social for his @ucsantacruz.bsky.social KRAW Lecture ➡️ Sensing the Unseen: How Drones and Ground Sensors Reveal the Hidden Air Quality Impacts of Climate Change. 🗓️ Jan 21. Register: bit.ly/49FAlWj

With support from the NIH, the Center for Economic Justice and Action is leading the FRESH Study to better understand how nutrition/basic needs shape the long-term health of young adults. Researchers hope findings will support investment in basic needs for college students: https://bit.ly/4shF5tv

New "PanMAN" tool for pangenomics compresses millions of genomes into a tiny fraction of storage space: 8 million SARS-CoV-2 sequences in 366MB! Builds on pathogen tracking tools pioneered @ucsantacruz.bsky.social. Will improve public health response & vaccine development. doi.org/10.1038/s415...

From Santa Cruz to the South Pacific 🌊 Alumna Stacy Jupiter (Ph.D. ’06) is leading marine conservation at the @wcs.org, centering reefs, communities, and local knowledge across the Pacific. Read her story: https://bit.ly/48NcMf3

Carolyn & Curt Coleman show what community-engaged philanthropy looks like in action. By supporting The Humanities Institute + volunteering with Senderos, they help bridge campus and community—connecting students, families, and cultural traditions across generations: https://bit.ly/3MHYhAw

What’s good for ecosystems can also be good for the economy 🌿🏠 Using Zillow home sales data, UCSC researchers found that Florida homes near mangrove forests experienced far smaller price declines after major hurricanes, making a strong case for more mangrove conservation: https://bit.ly/49ldMXO

New K–12 lesson plans bring Dolores Huerta’s life and legacy into California classrooms 📚✊🏽 Co-developed by the UC Santa Cruz Huerta Center, these resources support standards-aligned, inclusive history education about labor rights, civic engagement, and social justice: https://bit.ly/3MHlGCd

UC Santa Cruz astronomy & astrophysics professor Raja GuhaThakurta is a distinguished researcher, inspiring teacher, leader in equity in science, & AAS Fellow. Today he delivers a keynote at the 247th AAS conference, highlighting programs he founded. Read more: astrobites.org/2026/01/05/m...

Student success  is at the heart of what we do. Our next chapter focuses on making a UC Santa Cruz education more affordable for everyone, investing in experiential learning, and preparing the next generation for professional and personal success: https://bit.ly/4oiROZV

My love for tide pools, finally published! Featuring experts from @disealab.bsky.social, @unisouthampton.bsky.social / @thembauk.bsky.social, & @ucsantacruz.bsky.social. For @sciwritermag.bsky.social, the @jhu.edu science writing master's program magazine: www.thesciencewriter.org/borders-stor...

UC Santa Cruz arts & humanities researchers are shaping an inclusive future in language and AI ➡️Joseph Erb has helped bring the Cherokee language to Apple + Microsoft, and linguist Matthew Wagers is leading a UC-wide effort to conduct research on how people interact with AI: https://bit.ly/4qmtkAv

Last slug sighting of the year at UC Santa Cruz! Wishing our campus and community a happy New Year and more moments worth pausing for 💛

A new Lancet case study led by UC Santa Cruz medical anthropologist Carlos Martinez highlights how social, political, and legal barriers shape patient care, and why health systems must partner with legal and community organizations to improve outcomes and advance equity: https://bit.ly/49cyUiU

Students in a summer field school in Benin uncovered centuries of history and discovered a passion for archaeology along the way. See how community-engaged research is forging career paths and new historical narratives: https://bit.ly/3XTX9fw

Need a new read? 📚 In First Contact, literature professor Zac Zimmer uses speculative fiction to interrogate colonial silences, challenge myths of “firstness,” and imagine alternative possibilities for early encounters between European explorers and Indigenous peoples: https://bit.ly/4q7RbDH

2025 has been a challenging year for science and education, but the work hasn’t stopped. Thanks to our faculty, staff, students, and supporters, UC research continues to expand knowledge, protect communities, and improve lives, and we’re celebrating nine major wins from 2025: bit.ly/4p7MqJj

In a warming world, bold solutions can’t wait. We’re leading climate solutions grounded in community partnership & equity. Inspiring Change: The Campaign for UC Santa Cruz is accelerating this work for generations to come and shaping a healthier planet for everyone: https://bit.ly/3XihNFU

A life in sound, shaped by curiosity and community 🎧 Porter alum Cuauhtemoc Martinez (’95) reflects on his journey from UC Santa Cruz to leading sound production at Warner Bros. and why mentorship matters: https://bit.ly/4rPxouF

Our creativity, curiosity, and compassion continue to move us forward, and our incredible campus community inspires the positive change we want to see in the world. Wishing you a holiday season filled with hope, kindness, and renewed possibility. 💫

In his latest book, @baskinengineering.bsky.social Professor of Computational Media Noah Wardrip-Fruin explores why Animal Crossing: New Horizons became the comfort game of 2020, and what it revealed about comfort, community, care, and capitalism: https://bit.ly/4q4ck1J

Indigenous leaders gathered at the Economic Futures Summit to reshape how we think about environmental sustainability, economics, and climate resilience, from restoring land rights to new financing tools for nonprofits. Read more: https://bit.ly/4rSEJJF

As this year’s Nobel Prizes are awarded today, our own Nobel laureate Carol Greider is reflecting on her 2009 win—and sounding the alarm. Federal cuts to research funding threaten the discoveries that make breakthroughs like hers possible. #StandUpForUC & scientific discovery: bit.ly/4qcOSjE

Resilience looks like: losing your home in a fire, then helping others rebuild theirs. Green Heart Award recipient and alumna, Tonje Switzer, earned the award for her years of service to the Santa Cruz community. Read more: https://bit.ly/4rMgugc

Three years after a devastating fire threatened the Biblioteca Amazónica in Iquitos, Peru, UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Latin American Literature Amanda M. Smith and her collaborators have completed the library’s first open-access digital archive.

A class that’s also a road trip? Yes, please. Photo Field Research Quarter is UC Santa Cruz is an immersive, art-filled road trip across CA, where students create work shaped by the landscapes they travel through. https://bit.ly/49PrrqY 📸Jack Chapman

Congrats to the 2025 @ucsantacruz.bsky.social iGEM team for placing 2nd at this year's iGEM competition!🥈 The team of #BaskinEngineering undergraduates developed a novel, accessible method for removing aflatoxin B1—a common microtoxin—found in fruits, nuts, rice and grains. Read on: bit.ly/4pmdjdH

Mentioned by @forbes.com! 50 student innovators at @ucsantacruz.bsky.social spent two days developing #AI powered solutions for wildfire mitigation and climate resilience at the “Reboot the Earth” hackathon co-hosted by the United Nations and #BaskinEngineering. bit.ly/4rE8iyt

🧠The brain is the most complex organ we’ve got, and our researchers are helping uncover its biggest mysteries from aging & mental health to cutting-edge work on misophonia. If you value research and education that help keep minds healthy & communities thriving, #StandUpForUC: https://bit.ly/48ChJ93

In memoriam: UC Santa Cruz honors the passing of physicist and cosmologist Joel Primack, co-developer of the cold dark matter theory and a leader in linking science with public policy. Please join us in honoring the life of a dedicated mentor and truly seminal scientist: bit.ly/4rDCZ7e

@ucscscience.bsky.social is reshaping what learning looks like, taking students down to Alaskan kelp forests, up to mountaintop observatories, and into cutting-edge cancer research labs. The skills and courage they build go far beyond graduation. Photo credit: 1. Dave Benet, 2. Sofia Orelind

We’re at the forefront of inspiring health & healthy communities. Our researchers are asking questions that lead to cures, and we’re building pathways for anyone to become a changemaker in public health. Help us continue asking bold questions for a better tomorrow: https://bit.ly/49zBNLv

We’re at the forefront of inspiring health & healthy communities. Our researchers are asking questions that lead to cures, and we’re building pathways for anyone to become a changemaker in public health. Help us continue to build a better tomorrow: https://bit.ly/49zBNLv https://bit.ly/3KmZVXl

Three fellows in the Humanities EXCEL Program partnered with local Santa Cruz organizations to gain hands-on, real-world experience. Using disposable cameras, they captured moments of creativity, confidence, service, and joy at their paid internships. Read their reflections: https://bit.ly/3JJ357H