IMS Newsfeed
May 6, 2025
Three UC Santa Cruz faculty members named 2024 AAAS fellows
March 27, 2025
Three UC Santa Cruz faculty members have been named new fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS awarded the lifetime honor to professors David Deamer, Theodore Holman, and Raphael Kudela on March 27.
Whale waste helps health of oceans by funneling nutrients to the tropics, new study shows
March 11, 2025
New research shows that whales move nutrients thousands of miles—in their pee and poop—from as far as Alaska to Hawaii, supporting the health of tropical ecosystems and fish. UC Santa Cruz professors Dan Costa and Ari Friedlaender contributed their marine-mammal expertise to the study, which was published on March 10 in the journal Nature Communications.
UC Santa Cruz ocean scientist Adina Paytan honored for international research leadership
February 28, 2025
Adina Paytan, a professor in the Earth and Planetary Science Department and the Institute of Marine Science, has been awarded the Tommy and Yvette Edmondson Distinguished Service Award by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography.
Foraging seals enable scientists to measure fish abundance across the vast Pacific Ocean
February 13, 2025
A new study led by UC Santa Cruz marine biologist Roxanne Beltran to be published as the February 14 cover story for Science concludes that seals can essentially act as “smart sensors” for monitoring fish populations in the ocean’s eerily dim “twilight zone.”
Economically, culturally important marine species vulnerable to changing climate, new study shows
February 12, 2025
Dungeness crab, Pacific herring, and red abalone are among the marine species most vulnerable to the changing climate's effect on California's coastal waters, a new study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers finds.
AAAS names UC Santa Cruz organelle discovery most outstanding paper in 2024
February 11, 2025
The discovery by UC Santa Cruz researchers of a new organelle within single-celled algae that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia continues to be celebrated by the science community, this time by winning the prestigious AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize.
Explorer society honors Roxanne Beltran for advancing scientific field research, education equity
January 31, 2025
Roxanne Beltran, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, is among 50 people from around the world being honored this year for “doing remarkable work to promote science and exploration.”
Innovative techniques aim for climate-safe restoration of Ms. Blue
January 30, 2025
A new project is underway to give Ms. Blue another life, this time enabling her to teach the community about the power of climate-safe innovation
Coral-reef restoration can be cost-effective for saving lives, money
January 15, 2025
A new study co-led by the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) at UC Santa Cruz shows coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico could save thousands of lives and prevent hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and economic interruption each year.
Scientists collaborate on immersive technology to address climate challenges
December 17, 2024
The UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and a team of scientists and science communicators at UC San Diego have developed an initiative focused on immersive technology that uses advanced hardware and software to simulate environments and experiences.
Mangroves save $855 billion in flood protection globally, new study shows
December 5, 2024
Mangroves have been shown to provide $855 billion in flood protection services worldwide, according to a new study from the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. The research is featured in the World Bank's 2024 edition of The Changing Wealth of Nations.
UC Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay Aquarium lead collaboration on kelp conservation
November 26, 2024
In May 2024, UC Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Aquarium convened a workshop aimed at bridging the gap between scientific research and the practical application of evolutionary resilience concepts for kelp.
Professor J. Xavier Prochaska to deliver December 4 Kraw Lecture
November 25, 2024
The Kraw Lecture Series aims to help audiences better understand the big picture behind scientific research at UC Santa Cruz and the broader trends at play. This tradition continues with the December 4 talk on how artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating the scientific pursuit.
Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place
November 21, 2024
A UC Santa Cruz scientist who specializes in research at the intersection of big data and marine-life conservation has contributed to a new study that shows the vast majority of “hotspots” where ships collide with whales in the world’s oceans lack protections for the majestic giants.
$7.5 million awarded to UC Santa Cruz to support leadership in salmon-recovery science
November 13, 2024
UC Santa Cruz has received nearly $7.5 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to vault scientific research on imperiled Pacific salmon populations into one of the nation’s most powerful collaborations between the agency and academia to save the vital species.
How researchers can maximize biological insights using animal-tracking devices
October 30, 2024
Biologgers allow us to see with unprecedented precision how animals move and behave in the wild. But that's only part of the picture, according to a UC Santa Cruz ecologist renowned for using biologging data to tell the deeper story about the lives of marine mammals in a changing world.
Dolphins sense military sonar at much lower levels than regulators predict
October 23, 2024
For the first time ever, a team including several UC Santa Cruz scientists have directly measured the behavioral responses of some of the most common marine mammals to military sonar. And the finding that surprised them most was that these animals were sensitive to the sounds at much lower levels than previously predicted.
New book California Catastrophes challenges coastal communities to confront reality
October 17, 2024
It's no secret that Californians live with the reality of earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, and other natural disasters. This confronts those who choose to stay, and the many who move here, with the equally ominous question: What can we do about it?
California Academy of Sciences Honors Dan Costa with Fellows Medal
October 17, 2024
The California Academy of Sciences presented UC Santa Cruz’s Dan Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, with its highest honor at an awards ceremony on October 15.
Center for Coastal Climate Resilience to co-host event at New York Climate Week
September 16, 2024
UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and California Ocean Science Trust will be co-hosting an event at New York Climate Week on policy and finance tools to accelerate nature-based solutions for climate adaptation.
Dan Costa to accept Monterey Bay marine sanctuary award with lecture on September 25
August 14, 2024
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will present its Ed Ricketts Memorial Award to Dan Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and former director of UC Santa Cruz's Institute of Marine Sciences. As part of the honor, Costa will deliver a free lecture at the sanctuary's Exploration Center starting at 6:30 p.m.
Fisheries Collaborative staff honored for excellence and impactful work
August 5, 2024
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is honoring multiple employees of UC Santa Cruz's Fisheries Collaborative Program for their contributions as members of NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) community.
Loss of oxygen in lakes and oceans another sign of Earth systems under strain
July 15, 2024
New essay co-authored by UC Santa Cruz researcher says aquatic deoxygenation is intertwined with climate change and other 'planetary boundary' processes
UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience partners with BIMS to incorporate perspectives from Black marine scientists
June 19, 2024
Today, UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and Black in Marine Science (BIMS) announce a formal partnership to meet shared aims to expand opportunities for Black scholars, particularly for understanding risks to coastal communities from climate change and identifying solutions that reduce these risks.
Sea otters use tools when feeding to survive a changing world
May 16, 2024
Sea otters are one of the few animals that use rocks and other objects to access their food, and a new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools—most of whom are female—can eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.
Ecological Society of America names Dan Costa a lifetime fellow
April 30, 2024
Dan Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of UC Santa Cruz's Institute of Marine Sciences, has been named a 2024 Fellow of the Ecological Society of America.
