Events

Learn more about high school health pathways
2026-03-25 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Introducing the new High School Health Pathways Summer Academy!
At this interactive info session about our new program for college-bound high schoolers, Dr. Deepthi Nair, senior director of the UC Santa Cruz Premed Postbacc Program, will talk about the UC Santa Cruz High School Health Pathways Summer Academy, a six-week session of transformative learning, in-person, at the Silicon Valley Campus of UC Santa Cruz.
Learn more about the summer academy, which offers hands-on learning in diverse topics such as:

Human biology
Microscopy
Public health advocacy
Expert mentorship
Field experiences
Capstone project

High school students, parents, and advisors are invited to join the discussion and bring questions.
Claim your seat today.

The morphing of the human resources world: An HR info session
2026-03-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Join Philip Ziman, former HR executive and chair of the Human Resource Management program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, in exploring how the world of work is transforming and what does it mean for the future of human resources?
We’ll discover the MORPH framework, a strategic planning tool that assesses, measures, and builds employee readiness for organizational change. We’ll also explore how AI, labor market shifts, compensation transparency, and evolving employee expectations are reshaping recruiting, performance management, culture, and career development.
This event is sponsored by the Human Resource Management certificate program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension. We prepare aspiring and early-career professionals to lead in this new era of human capital strategy and build resilient, purpose-driven HR careers.
Register today.

What's new in clinical research careers?
2026-03-26 17:00 - 18:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Please note that this event has been moved to Thursday, March 26.
Advance your career in the global clinical research industry.
As the demand for safe, effective therapies grows, so does the need for professionals who can lead clinical trials with scientific precision and regulatory expertise. Learn how experts design and manage studies that bring medical innovations from the lab to the marketplace—applying biostatistics, good clinical practices, and international regulations to ensure safety and compliance.
Join Karim Sajwani, chair of the UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Clinical Trials Design and Management program, for an inside look at how our courses prepare you to coordinate cross-functional teams, oversee global trials, and navigate complex approval processes that shape the future of healthcare.
This event is sponsored by the Clinical Trials Design and Management certificate program.
Claim your seat.

AI at the Edge of Embedded Systems
2026-03-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
An info session about the growing field of embedded systems.
Join Juergen Kienhoefer, an instructor in the Embedded Systems program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, in exploring how Edge AI brings powerful machine learning to low-power embedded devices.
In his course, AI-Driven Embedded Systems, students prepare to build and deploy visual, audio, and lightweight language AI using TensorFlow Lite and Edge Impulse on OpenML hardware. Discover how this hands-on course fits within the UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Embedded Systems Certificate program and will help advance your career in embedded AI.
This info session is sponsored by the Embedded Systems certificate program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension.
Claim your seat today.

Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours
2026-03-28 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-04-02 10:30 - 12:00 | Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Space is limited to 18 participants. Call 831-459-3800 or sign-up online. Virtual tours are available online. seymourcenter.ucsc.edu.

Tips & Tricks for Photographing Birds - an informal workshop with Kevin Lohman
2026-03-28 11:00 - 13:00 | CA
Kevin Lohman is an award-winning wildlife photographer based in Santa Cruz, California. One of his hummingbird photographs taken at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden is among several of his images featured locally on a Santa Cruz METRO wildlife bus as part of the “One Ride at a Time” conservation campaign. His work has been published by National Geographic (online) and Outdoor Photographer, and recognized in major competitions, including the Audubon Photography Awards and Nature’s Best International Photography Awards. Lohman actively supports conservation organizations through the donation and use of his photography.
Bring your camera and join award-winning wildlife photographer Kevin Lohman for an informal, “getting started” wildlife photography field workshop in the gardens. Designed for anyone with an interest in hummingbird photography, this relaxed session will cover practical tips for finding, observing, and photographing these fast-moving birds, along with guidance that applies to wildlife subjects more broadly. The workshop will take place outdoors and will run up to two hours.
Kevin Lohman is an award-winning wildlife photographer based in Santa Cruz, California. One of his hummingbird photographs taken at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden is among several of his images featured locally on a Santa Cruz METRO wildlife bus as part of the “One Ride at a Time” conservation campaign. His work has been published by National Geographic (online) and Outdoor Photographer, and recognized in major competitions including the Audubon Photography Awards and Nature’s Best International Photography Awards. Lohman actively supports conservation organizations through the donation and use of his photography.
Bring your camera and join award-winning wildlife photographer Kevin Lohman for an informal, “getting started” wildlife photography field workshop in the gardens. Designed for anyone with an interest in hummingbird photography, this relaxed session will cover practical tips for finding, observing, and photographing these fast-moving birds, along with guidance that applies to wildlife subjects more broadly. The workshop will take place outdoors and will run up to two hours.

Family-friendly and Bilingual Bird Walk at the UCSC Arboretum
2026-03-29 10:00 - 12:00 | Arboretum, 122 Arboretum Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Beginner Bird Walk / Paseando con los Pájaritos
Join the Bird School Project as they help kick-off the celebrations for Hummingbird Month in the beautiful gardens of the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden. This bird walk is beginner and family-friendly. Bring binoculars if you have them, if not, binoculars or a monocular will be provided for you during the walk. The group will meet up at the entrance of the Australianum Garden right next to the large cypress tree in the middle of the parking lot. A Bird School Instructor will be leading the walk and will alternate speaking English and Spanish as needed. We encourage you to arrive at least 15 minutes early if you need to borrow binoculars.
Únase a la Escuela de Aves para celebrar el Mes del Colibrí. Este paseo de aves es para principiantes y apto para familias. Traiga binoculares si los tiene, si no, se le proporcionarán binoculares o un monocular durante la caminata. El grupo se reunirá en la entrada del Jardín Australia, justo al lado del gran ciprés en el medio del estacionamiento. Un instructor de la Escuela de Aves liderará la caminata y alternará hablando en inglés y español según sea necesario. Le recomendamos que llegue al menos 15 minutos antes si necesita pedir prestados binoculares.
Event is free with paid admission. Adults $10, Seniors $8, Youth 4-17 $5
Beginner and family-friendly bird walk at the UCSC Arboretum by the Santa Cruz Bird School Project in English and Spanish.

Pitch In! Campus Clean Up Day!
2026-03-30 08:00 - 17:00 | CA
Pitch in logo Help us keep our campus and county beautiful. Come volunteer to pick up litter across the county and campus. If you’re unable to make UCSC’s event, visit the Pitch In Santa Cruz website to find a location by you.
When: Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. to noon
Location: UCSC clean-up will be at the Porter Squiggle sculpture by the Porter bus stop.
Organized by: The UCSC Sustainability Office and Pitch In Santa Cruz

AM Seminar: Flexible Filaments and Swimming Cups: Just Go with the Flow
2026-03-30 16:00 - 17:00 | CA
Presenter: Lisa Fauci, Professor, Tulane University
Description: The motion of waving or rotating filaments in a fluid environment is a common element in many biological and engineered systems. Examples at the microscale include chains of diatoms moving in the ocean, flagella of individual cells comprising multicellular colonies, as well as engineered nanorobots designed to deliver drugs to tumors. In this talk we will present mathematical and computational insights into these flows at the microscale. Our modeling approaches will vary from detailed models that capture flagellar material properties and wave geometry to minimal force-dipole models that represent a flagellum by a single point. We will investigate a few intriguing systems, including the journey of extremely long insect sperm flagella through tortuous female reproductive tracts, and the hydrodynamic performance of shape-shifting Choanoeca flexa colonies.
Bio: Lisa Fauci received her PhD from the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, and directly after that joined the Department of Mathematics at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Her research focuses on biological fluid dynamics, with an emphasis on using modeling and simulation to study the basic biophysics of organismal locomotion and reproductive mechanics. Lisa served as president of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) in 2019-2020. She is a fellow of SIAM, the American Mathematical Society, the Association for Women in Mathematics, and the American Physical Society. In 2023, she was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences.
Hosted by: Applied Mathematics Department

Free Coffee, Snacks, & Conversation
2026-03-31 09:00 - 11:00 | Merrill College Office, 641 Merrill Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Enjoy a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea, and a breakfast snack with Merrill Provost McGuinness. Stay and chat with him and Poppy the Merrill Chihuahua, or take it go.
See you outside of the Merrill College office, across from the Merrill Mailroom.

Yoga as Healing Series
2026-03-31 18:00 - 19:30 | CA
Yoga as Healing is a 7-session trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness program hosted by UCSC’s CARE office. Spring Quarter classes will be held Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30 p.m. from March 31–May 12. Classes are free for students.
Each class facilitated by CARE Advocate Abbey Wise (she/ella), includes gentle, trauma-informed movement, breathwork, meditation and reflective journaling to support survivors in reconnecting with their bodies, building confidence and being present. Mats, blocks, blankets and journals are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle.
CARE aims to build a consistent group of 8-10 survivors who can attend all 7 classes to foster the community, predictability and safety core to the trauma-informed structure of the program.
If you are interested in participating submit an application and a CARE Advocate will get back to you with further information. Location will be provided upon approval to participate.
Check out our schedule for the series:
3/31 — Orientation and Intention
4/7 — Safety & Grounding
4/14 —Self-Care as Daily Practice
4/21 — Embodied Boundaries
4/28 — Self-Compassion
5/5 — Inner Strength & Trust
5/12 — Cultivating Community
If you have previously attended Yoga as Healing, we would love to hear from you. Please complete our short, anonymous survey —your feedback helps us grow and improve our programming.
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.

A Sacred Witnessing: A Trans Day of Euphoria Event
2026-03-31 18:00 - 20:00 | Diversity Center, 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062, United States
Join the Cantu Queer Center and the Diversity Center for an intergenerational Trans Day of Visibility gathering rooted in euphoria, joy, and sacred witnessing. Trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and gender-expansive people of all ages are invited to share their stories, create art, and witness each other’s full humanity in a moment of dangerous hypervisibility and harm to our community. The event will include intergenerational story sharing, protest sign art, gentle restorative offerings, live performance, tabling with local organizations, and light refreshments.
This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alums, and the wider Santa Cruz community.
RSVP in advance.
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.

FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories seminar series featuring Dr. Randi Solhjell
2026-04-01 10:30 - 12:00 | Ocean Health Building, McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Please join us for the first talk in the FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories seminar series featuring Fulbright Fellow Dr. Randi Solhjell. Her talk, “Managing a Fishy Business: Norway’s foreign aid and its impact on global fisheries governance” will discuss how Norwegian actors shape global fisheries policy through diplomacy, regulatory innovation and engagement in international institutions such as the UN FAO. She will also discuss how she studies fisheries from a social/political science lens.
FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories Seminar Series
Dr. Randi Solhjell, Fulbright fellow, University of Oslo
Title: Managing a Fishy Business: Norway’s foreign aid and its impact on global fisheries governance
When: Wednesday, April 1st from 11am-12pm
Where: Ocean Health Building Rm 118, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 and on Zoom
Agenda:

10:30 am – 11:00 am – Professional Networking Session (in person only – light snacks and refreshments provided)
11 am to 12 pm – presentation followed by Q & A
12 pm – 1pm – student lunch with the speaker in OHB courtyard → sign up here

Zoom Meeting Registration: https://ucsc.zoom.us/meeting/register/NwH0_qUbSeuIm3A76DY-Dg
Randi Solhjell is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law, Faculty of Law, The University of Oslo, and visiting Fulbright scholar at the Science and Justice Research Center, the University of California, Santa Cruz. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the London School of Economics.

CSE Colloquium - Messages from across the event horizon: AI Agentic Design for Computer Architecture (and more generalizable learnings)
2026-04-01 11:00 - 12:15 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Christopher Fletcher, UC Berkeley
Abstract:
It is difficult to escape the hype of agentic coding. Is the hype real? Are we still living in ~Summer 2025 — when AI coding would accomplish little more than upset its human supervisor? Or has a level shift in technology finally arrived?
In this talk I will argue the latter. I will describe a self-imposed experiment to discover modern AI coding tools’ capabilities (starting mid February 2026). I will try (my best) to communicate my utter and sheer surprise at where the state of the art actually is. Then I will do a deep dive and try to relay everything I have learned about this new engineering discipline—based on my attempts to push the technology as hard as I can for the past 1.5 months. I will conclude by pontificating about the future of computer architecture and academic research more generally.
Bio:
Christopher Fletcher is an Associate Professor of EECS at UC Berkeley. He is a computer architect whose research spans architecture, security, and domain-specific acceleration, especially at their intersections from cryptography and hardware attacks to algorithm-to-hardware co-design. His work has received 31 paper recognitions and several other honors, including the NSF CAREER Award, Intel and Google faculty awards, UIUC research and promotion awards, election to DARPA ISAT, and MIT’s George M. Sprowls Award, with related work also recognized by Scientific American as one of ten “World Changing Ideas.”
Hosted by: Professor Alvaro Cardenas
Location: Engineering 2, Room E2-180 (Refreshments such as fruit, pastries, coffee, and tea will be provided.)
Zoom Option: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/93445911992?pwd=[REDACTED]

Engineering Teaching Community (Faculty)
2026-04-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Jack Baskin Engineering, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
During the chaos of a quarter, is it hard to find time to reflect and improve as an instructor? Would you like to be a part of an inclusive, supportive group of engineering instructors who do this in community? ETC is for sharing teaching experiences, classroom ideas, research on learning, and methods that support instructors and students. All are welcome, and lunch is provided. Please reach out to Jenny Quynn with questions.

VMCC Talk with Maggie Cao—Sepia: Biotic Media and Ocean Worlds
2026-04-01 16:00 - 17:30 | Porter College, D-Building, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Sepia is a term used to describe inks of a rich, brown color, but few know that this artistic usage is taken from the animal world, where sepia refers to a genus of cuttlefish—a nod to the long history of extracting melanin fluid from cephalopods for drawing and writing. This talk uses cuttlefish ink as a vehicle for rethinking human-ocean relations in the mid nineteenth century, tracing flows between Victor Hugo’s maritime drawings made in the Channel Islands to paleontological discoveries and scientific illustrations on nearby coastlines. During the nineteenth century, the expansion of fisheries and the growth of marine biology fostered public interest in the strangeness of cephalopods, or “devil fish,” whose inkiness was associated with artistic creation. Experiments with biotic media, the talk argues, were efforts to conceptualize the nonhuman environment of the ocean.
This event is presented as part of the Visual & Media Cultures Colloquium (VMCC) Series.
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ADMISSION
– FREE and open to the public
– Located in Porter College Rm. D245
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PARKING
– Lot 124 & 125 are the closest parking lots to the event.
– Parking is by permit or ParkMobile.
– Refer to TAPS for more parking information.
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Your AI Advantage: Tools, Skills, and Career Paths
2026-04-01 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Transform your workplace with practical AI skills.
Explore how to lead with AI—whether you want to build it or apply it. In this information session, discover two dynamic pathways: AI Business Practices, for professionals seeking practical AI tools to boost productivity without coding, and AI Engineer, for those ready to design and deploy production-ready AI systems. Learn how generative AI, automation, and intelligent agents are transforming today’s workplace—and how you can be part of that change.
Speaker
Join Hien Luu, Program Chair and Head of Machine Learning Infrastructure at Zoox, for an inside look at how our courses help you build prompt‑engineering know‑how, ethical AI awareness, and productivity‑boosting workflows—so you can lead AI‑driven change in your organization.
Learn more
This spring info session is sponsored by the AI Business Practices and Engineering programs.

Claim your seat today.

Drop-in Figure Drawing
2026-04-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Elena Baskin Visual Arts Center, Baskin Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Drop-In Draw provides a live model and room monitor. There is no formal lesson and only dry media is allowed (no paints).
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ADVISORIES
– These events contain mature content and nudity.
– Drop-In Draw is subject to the possibility of last-minute cancellation without notification, and sessions are not guaranteed.
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ADMISSION
– FREE and open to the public
– UCSC Art Department Room M-101
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
This series occurs weekly on Wednesday evenings during spring quarter, including the following:
Wednesday April 1, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 8, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 15, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 22, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 29, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 6, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 13, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 20, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 27, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
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PARKING
– Parking by permit or ParkMobile.
– Arts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event.
– Visitors with DMV placards or plates may park for free in DMV spaces, Medical spaces, or ParkMobile spaces without additional payment, or in timed zones for longer than the posted time.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS).
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Learn to use the UCSC Genome Browser
2026-04-02 09:00 - 11:00 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The UCSC Genome Browser is hosting a free workshop for new and advanced users!

Beginner session starts at 9 and will include:

How to understand genome annotations
How to find annotation data
Overview of training resources

Intermediate + advanced session starts at 10, covering

Custom tracks
Track hubs
BLAT
And more!!

Join us and be the FIRST to see a brand new feature! At the end we’ll have free stickers and a chance to ask the team questions.

Bring your laptop to follow along, and we encourage questions. See you April 2nd in E2 180.

BME 280B Seminar: Small changes, Big consequences: Modulators of Alphavirus Assembly
2026-04-02 11:40 - 13:15 | Biomedical Sciences Building, 575 McLaughlin Drive
Presenter: Dr. Suchetana (Tuli) Mukhopadhyay, Professor, Indiana University
Description: N/A
Bio: Suchetana “Tuli” Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Biology at Indiana University, Bloomington. She received her B.A. in chemistry from DePauw University and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Following her doctoral studies, Mukhopadhyay conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, focusing on G-protein mediated signaling. She continued her postdoctoral work at Purdue University in structural virology, where she developed a strong interest in arboviruses. Mukhopadhyay joined Indiana University in 2005, where she established her research program on the assembly and spread of alphaviruses.
Hosted by: Professor Rebecca Dubois, BME Department

Wellness in Action: Healthy Metabolism, Healthy Heart Workshop
2026-04-02 12:00 - 12:30 | CA
Thursday, April 2, 12:00 PM -12:30 PM
Register for the Zoom link.
Healthy metabolism and heart health play a key role in overall energy, resilience, and long-term well-being. This workshop will highlight simple, everyday habits that support metabolic function and cardiovascular health.
This new Wellness in Action workshop series is designed to help you improve your health with a short session with simple tips you can try in your own life.
Register here for the Zoom link. The workshop will be recorded, and a link to the recording will be sent out after the first session.
In the follow-up session on Thursday, April 16 from 12:00 PM -12:30 PM, you will have the opportunity to share your experience and learn from others in the group. This session will not be recorded.
For questions, please reach out to Ashley Parker, Health and Well-being Specialist, at aseparke@ucsc.edu.

Digital Accessibility: Presentations and Visual Aids
2026-04-02 12:00 - 13:00 | https://UCOP.zoom.us/meeting/register/NM6IpEiSSWmZmGkUONGYYA
Presenter: Brian McNeilly – Web Accessibility Specialist – UCOP
Presentations often contain a unique hybrid of static documents and an accompanying live presentation or talk. This interface of live discussions along with a displayed visual document creates a unique tension for accessibility. In this session we will discuss ways to ensure not long that your slide deck is accessible, but that the whole presentation experience is as accessible as possible.
Learning Objectives:

Design slides using accessible layouts
Adjust the reading order of content within a slide deck
Ensure sufficient font size & color contrast
Understand how animations should be used for digital accessibility
What to include on screen vs in the spoken presentation

M.F.A. Exhibition for Environmental Art & Social Practice (EASP)—"Picking up Shells Amid a Tsunami"
2026-04-02 12:00 - 2026-05-02 17:00 | Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery, Baskin Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The culminating exhibition of the Environmental Art and Social Practice (EASP) M.F.A. program at UC Santa Cruz presents new projects—Picking up Shells Amid a Tsunami 쓰나미가 밀려오는데, 조개나 줍고 있네—developed through concentrated inquiry over a two-year period and offers a window into the artists’ unique long-term research projects that expand beyond the gallery space.
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– Ongoing Exhibition: Thurs.., April 2–Sat., May 2, 2026
– Opening Celebration: Thurs., April 2, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
– Artist Roundtable: Thurs., April 23, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
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ADMISSION
– FREE and open to the public
– Gallery hours are Tues.–Sun.noon–5:00 p.m (closed Mondays)
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PARKING
– Lot 124 & 125 are the closest parking lots to the event.
– Parking is by permit or ParkMobile.
– Refer to TAPS for more parking information.
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ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Notes from the EASP cohort:
“The phrase evokes a scene in which, amid an approaching catastrophe, someone appears to be idly picking up seashells. In South Korea, it gained political currency during the 2017 presidential impeachment protests, when feminist, disability rights, and animal rights groups were criticized for bringing their demands into the demonstrations. Their interventions were dismissed as distractions—acts of “picking up shells” at a moment when the sole priority was said to be the president’s removal.
“We choose to pick up shells nonetheless. Not because the crisis is small, but because the shells matter. They are the body of the future, what accumulates slowly, what endures. One day, shells become mountains, and mountains become home. To pick up shells is not to turn away from urgency, but to insist on a future beyond it.
“This exhibition comes together through an insistence on the opposite premise: that picking up shells while disaster is at our doorstep is not a distraction, but a necessity. What gets dismissed as marginal, secondary, a mere luxury, or mistimed, is precisely where social and political life becomes livable and where dreams, desire and the imagination open lines of flight towards other worlds.
“Waves can level buildings once on the shore, dragging and revealing the damage as they recede. Rather than turning away from the storm, we acknowledge the multilayered and epistemic devastation caused by centuries of colonial, patriarchal, racist violence upon people, earth and more than human life. We witness the ongoing bifurcation of human and nature that is sedimented into our lives, languages and social, material, infrastructures.
“The act of bending down to gather shells, ردم, fragments, sounds, 뼈, blue bottles, grotta, relationships, bodies, cries—composes a score that moves towards forms of care through minor gestures, embodiment, ritual, ofrendas, listening and beholding. Mundane and everyday poetics do not negate the scale of devastation and loss, nor do they refuse engagement. Rather, they bear witness. They reveal pathways towards endurance, negotiation, memory and imagination beyond colonial catastrophe. In this sense, the exhibition reframes the tsunami not as a singular event or metaphor, but an invitation us to behold, actively look, to sit within the textures of tectonic plates and energy flows, at the conjuncture where plates meet, in the flow of energy through tempo, liquid, movement, land, sound, ecotone.
“The wave does not demand one unified response. It forms part of a condition, a form of everyday accretion, a movement in and out of different temporalities. Picking up shells while the tsunami unfolds, amid the tsunami, alongside the water’s ebbs and flows, calls us to pay attention to overlooked lives, stories, bodies, memories, flows and relations, to transform materials so that they become reconstituted and are able to hold new and ongoing narratives that refuse to remain silent.”

Black on the Block
2026-04-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Crown Provost House, 660 Crown Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join the African American Resource & Cultural Center every Thursday from 1–2 p.m., at the front of the Ethnic Resource Center for Black on the Block, a weekly tabling and engagement space.
Stop by to learn about campus resources, upcoming programs, and ways to get involved. It’s a casual, welcoming space to ask questions, make connections, and build community. All are welcome.
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.

Beyond public and private: Collaborative governance in global education reform with Antoni Verger and René Espinoza Kissell
2026-04-02 17:00 - 18:30 | McHenry Library, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
We are excited to invite you to join us for a hybrid research talk on collaborative governance with international education scholar and sociologist Dr. Antoni Verger (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) in conversation with Dr. René Espinoza Kissell (UCSC) on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 5pm.
Neoliberal educational policies aimed at efficiency through competition have often resulted in greater inequality and fragmentation. Can empowering new stakeholders through collaborative networks challenge market logics? Professor of Sociology Antoni Verger will present evidence on international cases of collaborative governance, where education leaders aim to convene stakeholders, co-design supports, and steer improvement collaboratively. Assistant Professor of Education René Espinoza Kissell will provide a local case study of school choice markets in Oakland, California, examining the racial politics of school closures and charter school regulation. This will be followed by a discussion on the opportunities and contradictions in global governance shifts, as well as the tensions between public and private coordination in addressing enduring political challenges.
Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, 5-6:30PM
: McHenry 3170 or via Zoom (Meeting ID: 980 6836 8045; Passcode: [REDACTED]
Please complete this RSVP form if you plan to attend (food will be provided).

About the Speakers:
Antoni Verger is Professor of Sociology at the UAB and research fellow at the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA). With a cross-disciplinary training in sociology and education studies, his research examines the relationship between global governance institutions and education policy – i.e. how education policies are internationally disseminated and enacted in different institutional settings, and what effects this has on education quality and equity. In recent years, he has specialized in the study of public-private partnerships, school autonomy and accountability policies in education. He is one of the lead editors of the World Yearbook of Education and the Journal of Education Policy, and academic director of the Erasmus Plus awarded Master programme Education Policies for Global Development – GLOBED.
René Espinoza Kissell is an Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies at UC Santa Cruz. Her scholarship brings together policy, politics, and political economy to study issues of power and governance in education. Drawing on critical theories and qualitative methods, her work centers on school choice and community engagement, as well as the creation, management, and racialized surveillance of school district debt. She recently served as a research expert for the 2025 international evaluation of New Public Education Reform/La Nueva Educación Pública (NEP) in Chile. Her research has been published in Journal of Education Policy, Educational Policy, Urban Education, and Educational Administration Quarterly.
We hope you can join us in welcoming international education scholar Antoni Verger to the UCSC campus!

Opening Celebration for EASP M.F.A. Exhibition—"Picking up Shells Amid a Tsunami"
2026-04-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery, Baskin Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The culminating exhibition of the Environmental Art and Social Practice (EASP) M.F.A. program at UC Santa Cruz presents new projects—Picking up Shells Amid a Tsunami 쓰나미가 밀려오는데, 조개나 줍고 있네—developed through concentrated inquiry over a two-year period and offers a window into the artists’ unique long-term research projects that expand beyond the gallery space.
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– Ongoing Exhibition: Thurs.., April 2–Sat., May 2, 2026
– Opening Celebration: Thurs., April 2, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
– Artist Roundtable: Thurs., April 23, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
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ADMISSION
– FREE and open to the public
– Gallery hours are Tues.–Sun.noon–5:00 p.m (closed Mondays)
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PARKING
– Lot 124 & 125 are the closest parking lots to the event.
– Parking is by permit or ParkMobile.
– Refer to TAPS for more parking information.
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ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
– More exhibition information here.
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

The toughest challenges in advanced IC development
2026-04-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Explore the expanding career opportunities in semiconductors
The modern economy is powered by silicon and the demand for skilled professionals in semiconductor design and engineering continues to grow.
In this live-online discussion with Jignesh Shah, principal STA & CAD engineer and UCSC Extension instructor, we’ll explore how Timing Closure in Silicon IC Design prepares engineers to meet one of the toughest challenges in advanced IC development.
Our expert instructors and carefully designed courses are here to help you achieve your career goals. Bring your questions about how AI is transforming the industry and gain insights into the essential skills needed to build a standout resume.
This info session is sponsored by the Silicon Chip Design & Semiconductor Engineering Certificate program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension.
Claim your seat!

Colm Toibin – The News From Dublin
2026-04-02 19:00 | Hay Barn, 94 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Bookshop Santa Cruz and The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz welcome acclaimed author Colm Tóibín (Long Island, Brooklyn) for a discussion about The News from Dublin, a brilliant collection of nine short stories, many never-before-published, set across Ireland, Spain, and America—about the complexities of family, longing, loss, and love.

Celebrated as “his generation’s most gifted writer of love’s complicated, contradictory power” ( Los Angeles Times), Colm Tóibín is a master of short fiction as well as the novel, able to summon an extraordinary intensity of emotion in a brief tale. The eleven stories transport readers across continents and eras.
In The Journey to Galway, a mother who has learned of the death of her son, a fighter pilot in World War I, travels to Galway to inform his wife and their three now fatherless children. “Sleep,” originally published in The New Yorker, explores the rift between two lovers as one of them cannot reckon with his grief and fear after the death of his brother. Death, again, is a central character in the title story, “The News from Dublin,” as Maurice Webster travels to Dublin to try to save his younger brother who is dying of tuberculosis. Maurice must petition the health minister for access to a new experimental drug, and this is the only hope.
Colm Tóibín is the author of eleven novels, including Long Island, an Oprah’s Book Club Pick; The Magician, winner of the Rathbones Folio Prize; The Master, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; Brooklyn, winner of the Costa Book Award; and Nora Webster, winner of the Hawthornden Prize, as well as three story collections and several books of criticism. He is the Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University and was named the 2022–2024 Laureate for Irish Fiction by the Arts Council of Ireland. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature.
More information at: Bookshop Santa Cruz – Colm Tóibín

Co-sponsored by The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

Movie Night Under the Stars: Screening "Castle in the Sky"
2026-04-02 20:00 - 22:00 | Oakes Lower Lawn, Oakes College, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The DSAS Office of Leadership and Involvement invite you to join us for our Movie Night Under the Stars event screening the Studio Ghibli movie “Castle in the Sky”:

Date: Thursday, April 2nd
Screening Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Oakes Lower Lawn

*Bring your own blanket*
There will be free ramen, candy, drinks and activities! For any questions or accommodations, please email involved@ucsc.edu
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.
