Events

Centering the Experiences of Undocumented Transfer Students at HSIs: A Brown Bag Presentation by Valeria Alonso Blanco
2026-02-11 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Huerta Center Conference Room (Casa Latina), 641 Merrill Rd, Santa Cruz,, CA, 95064
The Huerta Center is proud to present a brown bag presentation by Graduate Student Research Awardee Valeria Alonso Blanco. She will present on a qualitative study that explores how undocumented Latinx transfer students navigate institutional support, belonging, and barriers at a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Findings reveal gaps between institutional commitments and student realities, and she offers actionable recommendations for more equitable, transfer-receptive practices.

Faculty Forum — The Residential College System and the First-Year Student Experience
2026-02-11 13:30 - 15:30 | Stevenson Event Center, Stevenson Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Faculty Forum: The Residential College System and the First-Year Student Experience
UC Santa Cruz was founded on a residential college system that combines living and learning. A core goal of our system has always been to use a shared learning experience built around the college theme to create a sense of belonging and community among first-year students. The campus has changed dramatically over the last quarter century: the shift to letter grades and a new approach to general education; growth of the undergraduate population; an increasingly diverse student body (HSI recognition in 2012, AANAPISI in 2014, APRU in 2020, HSRU in 2022); and recognition as one of the top research universities in North America (AAU membership in 2019).
The college system has changed incrementally over that time, but we have not had a comprehensive, campus-wide discussion of what today’s students need from our college system and how best we might serve them; and Senate faculty engagement with the colleges has dwindled. As important, UCSC has not been meeting predicted graduation rates in comparison to the academic preparation of entering first-year students. This forum is the first step in engaging the faculty in thinking about how we can ensure that our college system serves our students and meets our obligations to the state and our aspirations as a research university.
The forum will feature four speakers who will offer brief comments and then engage in a panel discussion, largely addressing questions from the audience.

Kimberly Lau, UC Santa Cruz, Professor of Literature and Chair of the Council of College Provosts, on our current college system.
Laura Arroyo, UC Santa Cruz, Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing, and Educational services, on co-curricular approaches to college engagement.
Daniel Friedman, Univ. of South Carolina, AVP University 101 and National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, on the South Carolina first-year model
John Moore, UC San Diego, Professor of Linguistics and Dean of Undergraduate Education, on the UC San Diego college model

All faculty are invited to join us for this important conversation.
Hosted by:
Kimberly Lau
Professor of Literature
College Provost of John R. Lewis College
Chair of the Council of College Provosts
Matthew McCarthy
Professor of Ocean Science
Chair of the Academic Senate
Paul Koch
Distinguished Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences
Interim Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor
Richard Hughey
Professor of Computer Science & Engineering and Biomolecular Engineering
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education and Global Engagement

EOP Students - "Words That Impress: Creating a Great Résumé & Cover Letter"
2026-02-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Career Success Student Lounge (125 Hahn), 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Crafting a fantastic Resume and Cover Letter are the key to getting an interview and landing a job! Join us for this informative workshop that will cover best practices for resume and cover letter development. You’ll gain understanding about the perfect format, navigating AI filters, and how to write captivating resume bullet points and engaging cover letter paragraphs. The presentation will be 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of optional worktime here in our office with coaches to give you brief input.
We will provide captions for the presentation. If you have disability-related needs, please contact the Career Success office at csuccess@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-4420 as soon as possible.
YOU BELONG HERE
Programs and services are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Meet a Roomie: Oakes/Rachel Carson
2026-02-11 17:30 | Oakes Learning Center
Looking for roommates for next year?
Hoping to add a roommate to a group or to join a group? Attend a Meet a Roomie event to connect with other continuing students who are interested in living in the Oakes or Rachel Carson communities for the 2026-27 academic year.
This is a casual, in-person opportunity to meet potential roommates and start forming your housing group before the application and Room Selection process begins.
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Oakes Learning Center (map)

You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

AI Application Development – A monthly conversation with the Chair
2026-02-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Lead Innovation as a Machine Learning Engineer.
As AI becomes central to products and services across industries, there’s a growing demand for professionals who can design, build and deploy intelligent services & systems. Learn how you can preprocess data, develop Machine Learning models, apply Deep Learning techniques, and create AI solutions that solve real‑world problems.
Speaker
Join Praveen Krishna, Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Application Development program, for this new monthly conversation series designed to spark discussion and dialogue. Get an inside look at how our courses deliver hands-on learning, industry-driven projects, and the technical foundation needed to advance your career as an ML Engineer, MLOps Engineer, or Applied AI Researcher.
Learn more.
Visit our program page for a closer look at our AI App Development courses and offerings.
Register today.

Pasifika: Map it Out
2026-02-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Porter Hitchcock Lounge, 411 Porter-Kresge Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060-4902, United States
Learn about Pasifika identities and how to get involved with the Pasifika community at UCSC and beyond on Wednesday, February 11th from 6-7:30pm at the Porter Hitchcock Lounge. RSVP at bit.ly/aapirc-map!
You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

"The Eternal Song" Film Screening
2026-02-11 18:30 - 21:00 | Merrill Cultural Center, 200 McLaughlin Dr, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The Eternal Song is a cinematic journey through timeless lands and Indigenous cultures. Voices from across generations and traditions invite us to witness the enduring scars of colonization on lands and peoples, and the healing pathways carried through ancestral wisdom. Entrusted with medicine stories, the film grapples with colonial legacies, intergenerational trauma, and the culture of separation that fragments our lives.

"The Eternal Song" Film Screening
2026-02-11 19:15 - 21:00 | Merrill Cultural Center, 200 McLaughlin Dr, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
About the Film
The Eternal Song is a cinematic journey through timeless lands and Indigenous cultures. Voices from across generations and traditions invite us to witness the enduring scars of colonization on lands and peoples, and the healing pathways carried through ancestral wisdom. Entrusted with medicine stories, the film grapples with colonial legacies, intergenerational trauma, and the culture of separation that fragments our lives.
Event Details:
Location: Merrill Cultural Center
Doors Open: 6:30 PM
Film Begins: 7:15 PM
Tabling: 6:30–7:15 PM
RSVP LINK
Hosted by the American Indian Resource Center and CoCo JRL/C10
Need more information, please contact: Angel Riotutar: ariotutar@ucsc.edu

Virtual Resume Review
2026-02-12 10:00 - 14:00
Meet with actual recruiters for this virtual resume review! You’ll get a chance to show them your resume and get feedback from professionals.
Get career ready with Career Success!
You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.
Handshake is committed to building an accessible product, as well as an ongoing, sustainable process for maintaining accessibility. Please contact slugtalent@ucsc.edu if you need accessibility support at least 5 days prior to the event date.
Questions? Email slugtalent@ucsc.edu

University Center Bistro Special Valentine Menu
2026-02-12 11:30 - 14:00 | University Center Bistro
Celebrate Valentine’s Day early at the University Center Bistro

Thursday & Friday, February 12–13 the Bistro will feature a special Valentine’s Day–themed menu served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reservations are recommended.

The Bistro accepts Slug Points, Flexi Dollars, and credit cards. Treat yourself — or someone special — to lunch at the Bistro!

BME Seminar: Population Genetics in an Era of Genomic Health
2026-02-12 11:40 - 13:30 | Physical Sciences Building, Physical Sciences Building, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Dr. Eimear Kenny, Founding Director of the Institute for Genomic Health and a Endowed Chair and Professor for Genomic Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Description: The overarching goal of my work is to advance genomics in medicine and research through diversity and innovation. The work of my group seeks to enrich our understanding of human genomic diversity by focusing on populations underrepresented in genomics, developing and disseminating computational genomic tools to enhance precision and accuracy in diverse populations, unveiling genetic architectures of diseases that can track with demographic history, and advancing diversity large-scale genomic databases. We also work to integrate new paradigms of genomic medicine into routine clinical practice, ensuring genomic insights are appropriately applied in real-world healthcare settings and lead to improved patient care and health equity. I will discuss aspects of this work with emphasis on why we should promote inclusivity, innovate methodologies, and harness the potential of diverse populations in genomic health.
Bio: Eimear Kenny, PhD, is the Founding Director of the Institute for Genomic Health, building resources for integrating genomic information and AI in routine clinical care, and supporting the sequencing and return of results to a diverse patients in the Mount Sinai Health System. She also the Founding Director of the Center for Translational Genomics and a Endowed Chair and Professor of Genomic Health, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, working on computational and translational genomic research. She is Principal Investigator in many large NIH-funded international consortium focused on computational genomics and genomic medicine, including eMERGE, PRIMED, CSER, GSP, TOPMed, PAGE, and HPRC. She is a strong advocate for the importance of diversity in genomic research, is improving the accessibility of genetics to global populations, and has led multiple genetics-based clinical trials. Her exceptional contributions to the field earned her the prestigious Early Career Award from the American Society of Human Genetics in 2022. In addition to her academic and research roles, Dr. Kenny serves as a scientific advisor to various genomic medicine initiatives in government, non-profit, and industry sectors.
Hosted by: Professor Karen Miga, BME Department

Info Session: Agroecology Practicum in Guatemala
2026-02-12 14:00 - 15:00
Learn more at our upcoming Information Session: Thursday, February 12 at 2:00-3:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Register here
Earn 6 units on a summer program on the Global Seminar Agroecology Practicum in Guatemala this summer. This program is taught by Damian Parr, Education Programs Manager and Instructor for the Agroecology Center and Michael Bakal, post-doctoral researcher.
Quick Facts:

Location: Antigua, Guatemala; Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Course:
ENVS 133 B: Agroecology Practicum (6 units)
Led by: Damian Parr and Michael Bakal
Eligibility: Good academic and disciplinary standing, Min Age: 18, 45 units completed at time of departure, Minimum GPA 2.3 cumulative GPA or higher at the time of application and every quarter prior to departure, Eligible majors: Agroecology, ENVS, additional majors by permission of the instructor.
Dates: June 17-July 2, 2026
Finances: Financial aid applies, and scholarships are available! Budget will be posted on the website when it is available.
How to apply: Visit here for instructions. Applications open on December 1, 2025, and close on March 2, 2026.
Get in touch: Email your questions to globallearning@ucsc.edu.

Program Description:
This program will explore the historical and contemporary strengths and challenges to Guatemala’s food and agricultural system through the lens of Agroecology and indigenous-led agricultural development work. Examples of learning objective topics include developing students’ competencies in biological soil fertility and pest management, tillage and cultivation, crop care, and analysis of diversified farming systems. The course frames these more technical production competencies within learning objectives related to agriculture literacies, analyzing broader societal aspects of food sovereignty, and the development of equitable and ecologically sustainable food systems. By broadening student perspectives and understandings of our diverse global community, students will strengthen their ability to think critically about solutions. Studying and working in an unfamiliar place will support students in gaining a clearer sense of who they are as learners, so that they leave the program empowered to tackle the challenges – both academic and non-academic – that inevitably lie ahead.

Sambamurthy, A. (AM) - Lazy Diffusion: Resolving Spectral Collapse in Generative Models for Turbulence
2026-02-12 16:30 - 17:30 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Diffusion-based generative models offer a principled framework for probabilistic forecasting, but we show they suffer from a fundamental spectral collapse when applied to turbulent flows. A Fourier-space analysis of the forward SDE reveals that the mode-wise signal-to-noise ratio decays monotonically in wavenumber for power-law spectra, rendering high-wavenumber content indistinguishable from noise. We reinterpret the noise schedule as a spectral regularizer and introduce power-law schedules that preserve fine-scale structure deeper into diffusion time. We further propose Lazy Diffusion, a one-step distillation method that leverages the learned score geometry to bypass long reverse trajectories and prevent high-wavenumber degradation. Applied to high-Reynolds-number 2D Kolmogorov turbulence and ocean reanalysis data, these methods resolve spectral collapse and enable stable long-horizon autoregressive emulation.
Event Host: Anish Sambamurthy, Ph.D. Student, Applied Mathematics
Advisor: Ashesh Chattopadhyay
Zoom- https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/5144530307?pwd=[REDACTED]
Passcode- 55555

El Centro, SASA, LALS, MEChA presents: Understanding Venezuela: History, Power, and Multiple Perspectives
2026-02-12 17:00 - 18:30 | Stevenson Fireside Lounge, 101 McLaughlin Dr, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
There is no single Venezuelan experience. Stories from Venezuela and the Venezuelan diaspora are shaped by history, politics, migration, and personal circumstances, and they often differ from one another in meaningful ways.
This panel invites students and community members to learn about the historical and present-day realities shaping Venezuela, including U.S. foreign policy, political power, natural resources, and migration. The discussion also acknowledges that Venezuelans hold a wide range of political views, including differing perspectives on the Maduro government, perspectives that are often missing from the U.S.-centered conversations.vnzla postervnzla poster
Our goal is to create a respectful space for learning, listening, and understanding. By centering multiple viewpoints and lived experiences, this program encourages thoughtful dialogue and a deeper understanding of Venezuela beyond simplified narratives.

Marion Nestle - Sustainable Food in the Trump Era
2026-02-12 18:00 | Hay Barn, 94 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
What is the state of sustainable food now, what are the forces affecting food choice, and what can we do about it? Join us for this year’s Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture featuring Marion Nestle — Mark Bittman’s “guiding light” on nutrition and Alice Waters’ “tireless warrior for public health” — for a bracing look at what’s on today’s menu and what’s in store.

Marion Nestle is a consumer advocate, nutritionist, award-winning author, and academic who specializes in the politics of food and dietary choice. Her research examines scientific, economic, and social influences on food choice and health, with an emphasis on the role of food industry marketing. Her books explore how politics affects food production, dietary intake, food safety, and human and planetary health. She is the author of books such as the classic, Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety, What to Eat, and many more! Nestle is the emerita Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health and Professor of Sociology at New York University. She also holds an appointment as visiting professor in the Cornell Division of Nutritional Sciences. Her degrees include a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an M.P.H. in public health nutrition, both from the University of California, Berkeley.

The Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture Series is made possible by the Peggy Downes Baskin Humanities Endowment for Interdisciplinary Ethics which enables lively dialogue about ethics related challenges in interdisciplinary settings.

Your path to medical school starts here.
2026-02-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Are you considering medical school and seeking a clear, supportive path forward?
Join the University of California, Santa Cruz, for a free online informational session to learn more about our Summer 2026 Premed Postbacc Cohort Programs. This session is designed for students and graduates who are serious about pursuing a career in health care and want expert guidance through the medical school preparation and application process.
During this session, you’ll learn how the UCSC Premed Postbacc Program provides a structured, cohort-based experience—offered in Silicon Valley and Marina on the Central Coast—to help students strengthen their academic foundation, prepare for medical school, and apply with confidence.
Register here.

Honoring Our Relatives: Amah Mutsun Botanical Illustrations
2026-02-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, United States
Join us Friday February 13th at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History from 6:00-8:00pm for the opening reception of Honoring Our Relatives, Amah Mutsun Botanical Illustrations, an exhibition celebrating kinship with plants and people, with plant artwork from an intergenerational cohort of Amah Mutsun tribal members and UCSC student artists.

Info Session: Global Seminar Travel Writing and Podcasting in Ireland
2026-02-13 19:00 - 20:00
Learn more at our upcoming Information Session: Friday, February 13, 2026, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Register Here.
Earn 11 units on a summer program on the Global Seminar Travel Writing and Podcasting in Dingle, Ireland this summer. This program is taught by Steve Coulter, Writing Program Continuing Lecturer, and Rachel Anne Goodman, Community Studies Lecturer.
Quick Facts:

Location: Dingle, Ireland
Courses:
Writing 2 GS: Rhetoric and Inquiry: Research and Travel Writing in Ireland (6 units)- satisfies GE composition requirement
Crown 98B: Podcasting: Digital Storytelling (5 units) – satisfies the Interpreting Arts and Media (IM) requirement
Led by: Steve Coulter and Rachel Goodman
Eligibility: Open to students from any major who have completed 45 units by the time of departure, have a minimum of a 2.3 GPA, and have completed College 1 or Entry Level Writing Requirement
Dates: Summer Session 1 (Exact dates to be announced)
Finances: Financial aid applies, and scholarships are available! Budget will be posted on the website when it is available.
How to apply: Visit here for instructions. Applications open on December 1 and close on March 2.
Get in touch: Email your questions to globallearning@ucsc.edu.

Program Description:
Complete two of your GE requirements this summer in the lively town of Dingle, County Kerry!
Writing 2 satisfies your Composition requirement, and Podcasting: Digital Storytelling satisfies your Interpreting Arts and Media (IM) requirement. Located in the far southwest corner of Ireland, Dingle retains its traditional, rural culture and offers a glimpse into life from another time. Here, prehistoric stone circles stand beside state-of-the-art tech centers, and there’s always something going on. Whether you’re fascinated by prehistoric megaliths, love the sound of fiddles and bagpipes, or are eager to climb the highest mountains in Ireland, Dingle has it all!
Check out this student-produced video from 2022 alum Amanda Knox, and Click Here to hear more about the experiences of other UCSC students who have completed this incredible program in the last couple of years.

BAAITS Powwow
2026-02-14 09:00 - 18:00 | Cardiff House, 114 Carriage House Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
BAAITS Powwow is an opportunity for students to engage with Native American/First Nations/indigenous cultures firsthand. Many students have never been to a powwow before. The American Indian Resource Center & the Cantù Queer Center invite you to join us for a day of fun & celebrating culture! One meal and transportation will be provided. Space is limited – RSVP now at bit.ly/4j7ocgX

Career Mentoring Mixer for Environmental Studies and Agroecology Students
2026-02-14 10:30 - 12:30
Join us for an Environmental Studies and Agroecology Career Mentoring Mixer!
Connect with industry professionals to get expert advice on career pathways and industry trends. After a brief introduction, we’ll split into small groups to have interactive discussions between students and mentors.
Food will be provided after the career mentoring! Also, please feel free to stay for the Natural History Symposium, which will take place immediately following the mixer. This year’s theme is “Honoring Our Relatives: The Teachings of Plants,” featuring a panel of Indigenous artists and herbalists who will discuss the significance of plants as our relatives and share a botanical art exhibit.

YOU BELONG HERE
Programs and services are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Honoring Our Relatives: The Teachings of Plants
2026-02-14 13:00 - 16:30 | Hay Barn, 94 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Join us Saturday February 14th for the Norris Center’s 12th annual natural history symposium at the UC Santa Cruz Hay Barn from 1-4:30pm. This year, our symposium will include a keynote presentation from renowned herbalist, healer, and teacher Sage LaPena, a panel discussion with local Amah Mutsun tribal stewards, herbal tea-making, and an opportunity to create your own plant artwork. A environmental career mentoring workshop for students (including free lunch) will be held at the Hay Barn immediately before the symposium from 10:30-12:30 at the Hay Barn.
Keynote speaker Sage LaPena is an Herbalist trained in both Traditional Native American and Western herbalism protocol. Sage is mixed-blood Nomtipom and Nomsus Wintu, with roots in the high country along the waters of the Trinity River and Upper Sacramento River. Certified as a Clinical Herbalist since 2006, Sage began her training in the ways of plants as a child, working with Traditional Healers and respected Elders from local Tribes of Northern California. Her principal mentor, Mable McKay, was a well-known Traditional Healer, last Pomo dream doctor, activist, and world-renowned basket weaver, of Cache Creek Pomo and Patwin descent. Sage has had many positions in Botanical, Medical, Cultural and Restorative Environmental fields. Sage is currently the Manager of the Healing Ways Department and a Traditional Practitioner at Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) where her focus is diabetes management, women’s medicine, and the building of Traditional Healing practices and protocols. Sage has been teaching about Plants and People for 40 years, with a focus on diabetes for over 20. A lifetime of learning and hard work has led her to where she is today. Her goal is restoring plant knowledge and medicine to the community and securing a place for Traditional medicine to native clinics throughout California and across the country.

OLLI at UCSC Sunday Speaker Meeting
2026-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Colleges Nine and John R. Lewis College Multi-purpose Room, 615 College Nine Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
OLLI at UCSC Hosts Benjamin Storm, UCSC Psychology Professor
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC Santa Cruz invites the public to an in-person presentation from 10:00 to noon on Sunday, February 15th, in the Colleges Nine/Lewis Multipurpose Room at UCSC.
Join us for a social hour and a presentation titled “Remembering and Forgetting in the Digital Age.” Professor Storm will discuss how new technologies have the potential to greatly enhance and expand the functioning of human memory, but they can also carry unintended consequences.
OLLI at UCSC is a community of adults from diverse educational, occupational, and geographic backgrounds who are devoted to the pursuit of learning. This event is free and open to the public. Bring a friend. Coffee and nibbles will be served.
For directions and free parking information, visit: https://olli.ucsc.edu/monthly-gatherings/location-directions-and-parking/
Free and open to the public

Presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC Santa Cruz.

Queer Agroecology Day
2026-02-15 11:00 - 15:00 | UCSC Farm, 152 Farm Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Do you like…
Queer joy? Food? Making plant dyed crafts? Dancing outside? Discussing intersections between agroecology and queer identity? Join us for the third annual Queer Agroecology Day, an event for the UC Santa Cruz student community presented by the Food Systems Working Group.
For questions/accommodations email ucscfswg@ucsc.edu.
This event is open to all students consistent with state and federal law.

Of Body and Soul: Politics and Eschatology in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean
2026-02-17 00:00 - 2026-02-18 23:59 | Humanities 1 Building, 257 Cowell-Stevenson Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
This seminar explores how pre-modern debates over body and soulshaped political and eschatological thought in the Mediterranean. Each panel brings Jewish, Christian, and Islamic voices into dialogue, with Dante Alighieri’s oeuvre as a recurring point of comparison. Our aim is to situate questions of embodiment, psychology, soteriology, and collective destiny in light of their historical contexts and their wider intellectual and political implications.
Panels are organized around four thematic currents — Aristotelianism, Neoplatonism, Mysticism, and Political Eschatology — in order to examine how body-soul anthropology, political theology, and visions of history intersected in the pre-modern Mediterranean (12th–16th centuries).
For more information: Of Body and Soul: Politics and Eschatology in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean
This event is sponsored by Siegfried B. and Elisabeth Mignon Puknat Literary Studies Endowment, Porter College, The Humanities Institute, the Italian Studies and the Literature Department, The Center for Jewish Studies, University of California Regents System Collaboration Funding, and San José State University Division of Research and Innovation.

Global Seminar: Mokuhanga Printmaking in Japan Info Session
2026-02-17 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ucsc.via-trm.com/visitor/events/7222
Learn more at our upcoming Information Session: Tuesday, February 17th at 12:00-1:00 pm in Seminar Room D101 in the Art Department.
Register Here
Earn 6 units on a summer program on the Global Seminar Mokuhanga Printmaking in Japan this summer. This program is taught by Jimin Lee, Professor of Art.
Quick Facts:

Locations: Tokyo, Japan
Course:
ART 161J Mokuhanga: UCSC Printmaking in Japan (6 units)
Led by: Jimin Lee
Eligibility: Good academic and disciplinary standing, Min Age: 18, 45 units completed at time of departure. Minimum GPA- 2.3 cumulative GPA or higher at the time of application and every quarter prior to departure, Completion of Art 20G
Application requirement: Portfolio of 10 images
Dates: August 2-29, 2026
Finances: Financial aid applies, and scholarships are available! Budget will be posted on the website when it is available.
How to apply: Visit here for instructions. Applications open on December 1 and close on March 2.
Get in touch: Email your questions to globallearning@ucsc.edu.

Program Description: Immerse yourself in the world of Mokuhanga, the celebrated Japanese woodblock printmaking technique of Ukiyo-e, and journey from timeless tradition to cutting-edge creative exploration. Study how traditional relief printmaking techniques fuse with emerging technologies, book arts, and animation, while engaging with Japan’s vibrant cultural landscape through hands-on washi papermaking, museum and gallery visits, and exchanges with master printmakers and Tokyo Zokei University students. Through studio practice, cultural exploration, and creative collaboration, you’ll gain advanced artistic skill, deep cultural insight, and a fresh perspective on the possibilities of print media in today’s visual culture.

Economics Winter Quarterly Faculty and Undergraduate Colloquium
2026-02-17 17:15 - 18:15
Join us for pizza and a presentation with Kevin Jones, associate teaching professor and accounting path director, and Scott Anderson, accounting lecturer, CPA and partner at Sensiba LLP. This presentation will cover the career opportunities available with an accounting concentration, recent updates to the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam, and an open Q&A to address any questions you may have.
This free event is open to economics undergraduate declared and proposed majors and economics faculty and staff.
EVENT DETAILS: Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 5:15-6:15 p.m., in Engineering 2, room 499 (pizza provided afterwards on fourth floor lobby).
Seating is limited and therefore favorable RSVP by way of this survey is needed on/before 4 p.m., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026 (or sooner if filled to capacity). Your replies also help us to order proper amounts of food so no one leaves hungry!
Waitlist RSVP here.

Enrollment Prep Week Tea Party
2026-02-18 09:00 - 15:00 | Merrill College Plaza, 641 Merrill Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Merrill Peer Advisors will be dishing out support and advise around your spring schedule. Stop by for Butterfly Pea tea, snacks, and peer advise.

CSE Colloquium - Query Optimization: How to design a Meta-Algorithm that designs Algorithms?
2026-02-18 11:00 - 12:15 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Mahmoud Abo Khamis, RelationalAI
Abstract:
Database systems have evolved from simple bookkeeping tools to comprehensive data analytics platforms capable of learning from the data and making business decisions. As a result, database queries expanded in their expressive power and applications to include tensor computations, constraint satisfaction problems, graph analytics, scientific computing, SAT solving, among others. This puts a lot of pressure on modern query optimizers to rise up to the occasion and produce efficient query plans for a wide variety of very complex queries that describe problems in different domains. The ultimate goal of query optimization is for the query optimizer to become a “meta-algorithm” where you can feed in any problem definition and get back an efficient algorithm for this particular problem.
In this talk, we describe two related frameworks for query optimization that aim to take us one step in the direction of the above goal. The first framework is based on information theory. It uses information theory to get provably accurate cost estimates for query plans and to find the best query plan. Among other applications, this framework currently achieves the best known complexity for graph pattern matching problems, thus subsuming and generalizing known results in this area, where, for decades, algorithms used to be designed by hand for specific graph patterns. The second framework is based on algebra. It uses algebraic abstractions to unify and generalize algorithms across different domains, in the same way template programming allows for reusing code across different applications.
Bio:
Mahmoud Abo Khamis is a Senior Computer Scientist at RelationalAI, where he has worked since 2017. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2016. Prior to joining RelationalAI, he was a Senior Database Engineer at Infor from 2015 to 2017. His research interests include database systems and theory, in-database machine learning, query optimization and evaluation, information theory, and beyond worst-case analysis. His work has been recognized with two Test-of-Time Awards at ACM PODS 2025 and 2026, three Best Paper Awards at ACM SIGMOD 2025 and ACM PODS 2022 and 2016, three ACM SIGMOD Research Highlight Awards, and the 2016 Best CSE Dissertation Award from SUNY Buffalo. His work has also received multiple invitations to the Journal of the ACM, ACM STOC, and ACM TODS. He is on the Editorial Board of ACM TODS, and serves on the program committees of ACM PODS, ICDT, and ICALP among others.
Hosted by: Professor Nikos Tziavelis
Location: Engineering 2, Room E2-180 (*Refreshments such as coffee, tea, pastries, and fresh fruit will be provided in-person.)
Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/93445911992?pwd=[REDACTED]

Info Session: Global Seminar Eco-Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands
2026-02-18 12:00 - 13:00
Learn more at our upcoming Information Session: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 12:00-1:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Register here
Earn 10 units on a summer program on the Global Seminar Eco-Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands in Amsterdam this summer. This program is taught by Nada Miljkovic, Entrepreneurship Instructor and Program Manager for UCSC’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development.
Quick Facts:

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Courses: Crown 92G: Social and Creative Entrepreneurship, GE: PE-H (5 units) and Crown 194: Eco Entrepreneurship, GE: PR-S (5 units)
Led by: Crown Lecturer, Nada Miljkovic
Eligibility: Open to students from any major who have completed 90 units by time of departure and have a minimum of a 2.3 GPA
Dates: July 27-August 29, 2026
Finances: Financial aid applies, and scholarships are available! Budget will be posted on the website when it is available.
How to apply: Visit here for instructions. Applications open on December 1 and close on March 2.
Get in touch: Email your questions to globallearning@ucsc.edu.

Program Description:
Discover how entrepreneurship can bridge the gap between the Netherlands’ thriving economy and its commitment to environmental sustainability! Based in Amsterdam, this immersive program includes exciting site visits to Rotterdam, Utrecht, and beyond. You will collaborate with local sustainability-focused entrepreneurs, exploring how innovative business models can tackle the challenges of conservation and development. Through hands-on experience and seminars in entrepreneurship and sustainability, you will gain valuable insights into creating businesses that prioritize environmental well-being. Join us to reimagine what it means to value and protect life in a modern, holistic way. Discover more here.

Career Success Drop-In Coaching at the Cantú Cabin - Winter 2026
2026-02-18 13:30 - 15:00 | Lionel Cantú Queer Center, Crown Lane, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Drop-in with Career Coach & Engagement Specialist Bridge Kennedy to discuss Career Exploration, Job Search Strategy, Interview Prep, Grad School Prep, or whatever’s on your mind related to your career success!
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Dates: Wednesdays, Weeks 7 & 9 of Winter Quarter 2026
2/18/2026 & 3/4/2026
Location: Cantú Queer Student Resource Center, Merrill College
YOU BELONG HERE
Programs and services are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.
