UC Santa Cruz’s 2024 Chancellor’s Innovation Impact Awards celebrate groundbreaking research and community-driven change. From sustainable AI to youth empowerment and personalized medicine, these honorees exemplify innovation with purpose. Watch their inspiring stories—and remember, in 2022, Santa Cruz Works proudly received the Community Changemaker Award for Transformative Impact.

UCSC’s iconic blue whale skeleton, Ms. Blue, is undergoing a sustainable restoration using innovative materials and technology.

EcoViz, co-developed by UCSC’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, uses advanced visualization to help communities and policymakers tackle climate change and natural disasters.

UCSC's CIED was honored with the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award at the 2024 GCEC Conference, recognizing its leadership in innovation and education.

UCSC’s iGEM team earned silver at the iGEM Jamboree in Paris for tackling infant formula shortages with innovative cyanobacteria technology.

Six university research projects have been awarded up to $50,000 by UCSC’s Genomics Institute.

UCSC Professor Sikina Jinnah co-authored a national report regarding methane removal technologies to mitigate global warming.

In September 2024, two UCSC professors were awarded nearly $2 million in funding for their projects centered around climate change.

Curious about the future of design? Join us at Design Tech on Wednesday, September 11 for a jam packet event featuring renowned Santa Cruz firms.

UC Santa Cruz receives over $2M for education and training programs as part of a $71.1M federal grant to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation and local partners.

The Graduate Division invites members of the Santa Cruz community to judge symposium presentations. The judging time commitment is 12:30-3:30 p.m. Judging is fun and easy and supports the UCSC graduate students who participate!.

From genomics to climate resilience and energy sustainability, here are the top UCSC research projects making waves in 2024.

The Quarry Amphitheater at UCSC hosts an exclusive screening of Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" on May 18, celebrating its 40th anniversary with a special Q&A, in a collaboration with Noise Pop Industries. The event supports Second Harvest Food Bank, offering a unique outdoor cinema experience.

Chancellor “Cindy” Larive outlines UC Santa Cruz's strategic adoption of AI across research, education, and administration, emphasizing ethical considerations. She highlights the university's integration of AI into teaching, the optimization of operations, and the expansion of student opportunities, while addressing academic integrity issues.

At the University of California, Santa Cruz, a significant advancement in biomedical research is underway, led by scientist Andy Yeh. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has recognized Yeh's innovative work with a four-year grant approaching $2.5 million. This funding is earmarked for the development of artificial enzymes capable of producing bioluminescence within the body.

Helperly is a groundbreaking mobile app revolutionizing support for people experiencing homelessness. The app centralizes a comprehensive range of services, including meals, shelter, health care, and more, using geotagging for easy localization

The Student Creativity and Entrepreneurship Empowerment (SCEE) team at UC Santa Cruz successfully hosted their inaugural Demo Day on November 29, 2023. The event was marked by a significant turnout, with attendees showing their support for fostering a culture of innovation at the university.

During the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon (“OCSD”) held from October 5th to 15th, 2023, teams from the Monterey Bay area achieved remarkable success, dominating first place in seven contests and securing top two finishes in all ten categories.

Members of the UCSC International Genetically Engineering Machine (iGEM) program, is addressing a local yet widespread environmental issue: harmful algal blooms in Watsonville’s Pinto Lake.

David Deamer, professor emeritus of biomolecular engineering, reflects on the impact of Nanopore sequencing.