Events

Visualizing Abolition Screening Series: Beyond Access
2026-05-10 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-13 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
On view in the IAS Screening Room is a selection of short films curated by Visualizing Abolition Visiting Faculty Fellow Dr. Pooja Rangan.
Prisons deny and censor the access of those trapped inside them—to information, to intimacy, to community, to meaningful work, to nourishment of all kinds, and perhaps most cruelly, to care. This program assembles a series of films, including works by filmmakers incarcerated in California as well as others without that lived experience. Together, these works confront the debilitating impacts of these restrictions and reveal how the disabling logic of the prison is extended to other institutional spaces (the hospital, the university), turning access into a scarce commodity by enclosing what should be held in common. Questioning the carceral and state-sponsored productions of disability and accessibility, the short films together reveal the courage of people working despite limitations to produce collective access for one another, described simply and beautifully by disability justice activist Leah-Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha as “revolutionary love without charity.”
Thanh Tran
Dying in Prison, 2022
HD Video (color, sound), 3 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Carolyn Lazard
Pre-Existing Condition, 2019
HD video (color, sound), 6 minutes
Courtesy of the artist and Trautwein Herleth3
Anthony Alejandrez
Another Rainy Day, 2023
Phone video (color, sound), 3 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Jordan Lord
After…After… (Access), 2018
HD Video (color, sound), 16 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Rahsaan “New York” Thomas
Friendly Signs, 2023
Video (color, sound) 21 minutes
Courtesy of Tommy Wickerd, Empowerment Ave & System Impact Media

Spring Exhibitions at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences
2026-05-10 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-13 12:00 - 17:00 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right, the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj, a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies, a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art.
The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public.
Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right
Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons.
Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements
The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas.
Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies
Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in times of violence.

Johns, M. (CMPM) - Playing Together in a Co-Designed Future: Building Resilience Through Community-Centered Gameful Design
2026-05-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Complex societal problems (e.g. wicked problems) such as those brought on by climate change can be addressed through a combination of Research through Design (RtD), co-design, and Serious Games (SG) by inviting affected communities to take part in developing iterative, experimental solutions and exploring their potential impact. In the course of my research, I have proposed a framework for design research that engages with wicked problems at the community level through gameful design, which is based on existing literature in HCI drawing from RtD, co-design, and SG. Core elements of the framework include supporting diverse perspectives, interdisciplinarity, working with local knowledge, and aligning different concepts with specific gameful elements to support meaningful interactions and discussion.
In a specific case study, my proposed framework is applied to create a gameful intervention to support wildfire resilience in communities at the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) which face particular risks from natural hazards. Through a community co-design process, open discussions have identified consistent pain-points and challenges faced by communities who have experienced wildfires or evacuations, e.g. traffic congestion in areas with one road in and out, while also pinpointing differences in their approaches based on local conditions, such as whether or not to encourage people to evacuate on foot. Through an RtD approach, important ideas have emerged about how serious games can be utilized in this space. For example, a common approach to serious game design is to align the win condition of a game with specific learning outcomes or desired changes. However, when working with wicked problems there are often complex social dilemmas and conflicting values without clear right answers. In these cases there is a need to map dilemmas and trade-offs to game mechanics rather than mapping learning outcomes to win conditions.
The gameful intervention developed through this dissertation integrates local knowledge from communities alongside expert knowledge from disciplines including fire science, social science, engineering, and design. The resulting artifact leverages a minigame design to map different concepts to specific and approachable game mechanics. Through universal and inclusive design practices, the games can be accessible to a broad audience including both children and older adults. The cooperative multiplayer aspects of the games encourage discussion and collaborative play between friends, community members, and particularly intergenerational play within families. In addition to contributing RtD reflections as a result of the project, I also measured change in resilience at the individual and community levels after deployment of the games through qualitative and quantitative methods. This dissertation contributes to knowledge about what game design has to offer to addressing wicked problems, with specific approaches to better serve communities facing complex risks such as those associated with a rapidly changing climate.
Event Host: MJ Johns, Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Media
Advisor: Katherine Isbister
Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/7959349044?pwd=[REDACTED]

Let's Talk
2026-05-11 14:00 - 15:00 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/lets-talk-6/2026-05-11/
Need to talk? We’re here to listen! Drop in for a confidential chat with a professional counselor who can provide support, advice and information.
Zoom Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 870 435 8865
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Facilitator: Niki Severson, LCSW (831) 459-2628
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.

Statistics Seminar: Learning under Constraints and Extremes: Methods and Applications in Energy Systems
2026-05-11 16:00 - 17:00 | Jack Baskin Engineering, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Yu Zhang, Associate Professor, ECE Department of UC, Santa Cruz
Description: Modern cyber-physical systems present statistical learning problems that deviate significantly from standard i.i.d. supervised settings. In particular, two challenges frequently arise: (i) learning under hard structural constraints, and (ii) learning under severe distributional imbalance and rare events. In this talk, I present two case studies from energy systems that illustrate these challenges and motivate new learning paradigms. First, I consider the problem of approximating the solution map of the AC optimal power flow (AC-OPF), a nonlinear and nonconvex optimization problem governing power grid operations. Rather than relying solely on labeled optimal solutions, we develop both unsupervised and semi-supervised physics-informed learning frameworks that incorporate equality constraints directly into the training objective via augmented Lagrangian formulations and implicit gradient estimation. These approaches enable data-efficient learning while maintaining physical feasibility, and can be interpreted as constrained function estimation where physical laws provide structural supervision. Second, I discuss short-term power outage forecasting under extreme weather conditions, where the data exhibit zero inflation, heavy tails, and strong temporal dependence. We propose a two-stage modeling framework that separates event occurrence and magnitude, combining calibrated classification with Tweedie-based regression to better capture rare but high-impact events. Together, these examples highlight a unifying theme: modern applications often require learning methods that effectively integrate domain structure while remaining robust to challenging data characteristics such as sparsity and extreme events. I conclude with a discussion of broader implications for scalable learning, uncertainty handling, and decision-making in complex systems.
About the speaker: Dr. Yu Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Minnesota, followed by postdoctoral appointments at the University of California, Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dr. Zhang’s research advances the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of modern electric power systems through innovations in AI-driven optimization, machine learning, and dynamic decision-making. His work develops physics-aware learning methods, stochastic and robust optimization techniques, and cyber-physical coordination frameworks to support reliable grid operations under uncertainty. Recent projects include learning-augmented outage forecasting, planning for weather-driven grid hardening, and integrating large flexible loads such as data centers into market and operational strategies. Dr. Zhang has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2025 Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the Energy Systems Division of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), the 2021 Early Career Best Paper Award from the INFORMS Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment (ENRE) Section, and the 2019 Hellman Fellowship.
This seminar is hosted by Professor Allen Kei.

AM Seminar: Column Subset Selection: Theory, Structure, and Algorithms
2026-05-11 16:00 - 17:00 | Jack Baskin Engineering, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Anil Damle, Associate Professor, Cornell University
Description: The column subset selection problem is a classical topic in numerical linear algebra, with renewed interest driven by applications in computational quantum chemistry, integral equations, model reduction, and model compression in machine learning. This talk surveys recent advances that clarify how structural properties of a matrix influence the performance of column selection algorithms. We focus on structure-aware and randomized methods, highlighting both theoretical guarantees and practical algorithmic consequences.
About the speaker: Anil Damle is an associate professor of computer science at Cornell University. His research focuses on the development and analysis of robust and efficient algorithms in applied and computational mathematics that exploit structure coming from underlying physical or statisical models. He interfaces with a broad range of application areas, and his work is inherently interdisciplinary—with the ultimate goal of developing algorithms that are usable for practitioners. He received his PhD from Stanford University in computational and mathematical engineering (ICME), and his MS in applied mathematics and BS in applied mathematics and computer engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
This seminar is hosted by Applied Mathematics.

What Could UCSC Be By 2050?
2026-05-11 17:30 - 20:00 | Cultural Center – Merrill College, 641 Merrill Rd, Santa Cruz, 95064, United States
What Could UCSC Be By 2050?
Civic Imagination Project
Monday, May 11, 2026 5:30 – 8:00 PM Cultural Center at Merrill, UC Santa Cruz
Register for the Event | Learn About the Project

About the Event
Join us for a campus-wide civic imagination event to envision the future of UC Santa Cruz. Share your ideas for what UCSC could become by 2050, hear from fellow students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and help shape a collective vision for our university’s next quarter century.
This interactive event is part of the What Could UCSC Be By 2050? project, a community listening initiative using facilitated dialogue, the open-source Pol.is platform, and AI-assisted synthesis to surface shared priorities and meaningful differences across our campus community.
Free dinner from India Joze is included with registration. Open to all UCSC students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
What to Expect
This is a participatory event — not a lecture. You’ll have the chance to submit your own ideas about UCSC’s future, vote on proposals from other community members, and join facilitated conversations about the themes that emerge. Whether you care about sustainability, housing, curriculum, campus culture, research, or something else entirely, your perspective matters.
All responses in the Pol.is conversation are anonymous. No one can see who submitted, agreed with, or disagreed with any idea. The more people participate, the clearer the picture becomes.
Campus Units & Student Organizations
Interested in tabling at the event? We’re inviting UCSC campus units and student organizations to set up a table and connect with attendees. Fill out the form below to reserve your spot.
Request a Table
Part of the 2026 Right Livelihood International Conference
This event is part of the 2026 Right Livelihood International Conference at UC Santa Cruz. If you’re interested in more opportunities to get involved, join us on Friday, May 15 for the Global Open Space — a day of participant-led dialogues about what matters to you, open to the entire campus community.
Co-Sponsors: UCSC Right Livelihood Center · UCSC Foundation
Contact: rightlivelihood@ucsc.edu

Reyna Grande – Migrant Heart
2026-05-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Bookshop Santa Cruz
Bookshop Santa Cruz welcomes award-winning author Reyna Grande (The Distance Between Us) back to the store to celebrate the release of her newest book Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget—an ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. Grande will be in conversation with Sylvanna Falcón, Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at UC Santa Cruz.
Migrant Heart is a powerful testament to Grande’s role as a storyteller and cultural witness. It is an essential, moving read that continues to expand what we understand about the United States and the complex people who cross and live within its borders. It is a book for anyone seeking to understand the true price of belonging and the enduring power of finding one’s voice.

Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US-Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in The Distance Between Us, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Her other books include the novels A Ballad of Love and Glory, Across a Hundred Mountains, and Dancing with Butterflies, the memoirs Migrant Heart, The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition, and A Dream Called Home, and the anthology Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. She lives in Woodland, California, with her husband and two children. Visit ReynaGrande.com for more information.
Sylvanna Falcón is a Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at UC Santa Cruz. She is the winner of the 2016 Gloria Anzaldúa Book Prize from the National Women’s Studies Association and of a teaching award from the Division of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz.
More information at: Bookshop Santa Cruz – Reyna Grande

This event is cosponsored by Latin American and Latino Studies and The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

Chen, Q. (CSE) - New Approximation and Online Algorithms using Novel Combinatorial Structures
2026-05-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Most optimization problems face the challenge of computing an optimum solution requiring superpolynomial time. In particular, they are classified as NP-hard problems that have no polynomial-time algorithm to date. Instead, computer scientists turn to find an approximate solution and create numerous elegant algorithms. However, in the modern era, computational environments have changed drastically, and we are not able to afford to design new algorithms for each new problem via repeated trial and error. Therefore, systematic ways to understand the possibilities and limitations of these problems are desired. This dissertation studies several central combinatorial optimization problems, focusing on understanding the key structural obstacles and developing unified frameworks. Mainly, we study two types of combinatorial optimization problems:
(1) Scheduling. The problem is associated with limited resources, and our target is to find an allocation method to complete all jobs over time that minimizes the overall budget cost.
(2) Network Design. Different from scheduling problems. In this problem, we aim to find a minimum-cost topological network that supports routing for demanding communications.
Our first work is focused on a group-to-group survivable network design problem that generalizes the classic point-to-point network to support routing between any pair of subsets of nodes. Previous research stops at limited faults, and the difficulty comes from the way to compress the graph into a tree. We propose a new framework via capacitated tree embeddings against arbitrary faults in the network, which gives the first polylogarithmic approximation algorithm. Further, this framework captures nearly all the recent models proposed in the area.
In contrast to the offline optimization problems mentioned above, online algorithms are natural adaptations that have been found in tremendous real applications. In online algorithms, the algorithm wants to compete against arbitrary uncertainty, which means the instance is unknown at first and revealed over time. We study various scheduling problems and focus on some important metrics – average flow time, which measures the average time a job stays in the system from its arrival to completion. Real-world demands give online scheduling problems enormously different settings. Computer scientists need to repeat errors and trials to find a provably good solution. We find the key required combinatorial property is supermodularity for the residual objective, which measures the average completion time for all alive jobs assuming they have the same arrival time. Further, we relate supermodularity with gross-substitute/linear-substitute (GS/LS), which is a well-studied definition in economics. Finally, we propose a meta-algorithm that solves all captured problems in one shot. In the end, we revisit the proportional fairness (PF) algorithm for $L_p$-norms of flow time. By reinterpreting the previous potential function and the corresponding Fisher market, we show that PF is competitive.

Event Host: Qingyun Chen, Ph.D. Candidate, Computer Science & Engineering
Advisor: Sungjin Im
Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/92628493495?pwd=[REDACTED]

Yoga for Mind and Body Wellness
2026-05-12 11:30 - 13:30 | Health Center (Student Health Center), 525 McLaughlin Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join us for a trauma-informed yoga practice where you can enjoy slow movements met with guided meditation. The choices you make with your body are honored in this space, beginners are welcome! Hosted by Anna James, CARE Advocate and Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher. Yoga will take place at the Cowell Student Health Center Mural Room.
This event is supported by Student Health Services for Mental Health Awareness Month. You are invited to engage in a variety of campus-wide activities focused on mental health and wellness. Learn about support services, discover ways to help a friend in need, and explore strategies to care for your own well-being. Information is available on the Mental Health Month Event Calendar.
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.

Inspirando the Colega Mindset: Co-creating Change through Equitable Partnerships
2026-05-12 12:00 - 13:00 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/inspirando-the-colega-mindset-co-creating-change-through-equitable-partnerships/
This is the 2nd session of a 2-part Student-led Equity Talks Series titled “From Voice to Power: Students as Leaders, Knowledge Holders, and Change Agents.”
Student Advisory Equipo, launched in 2025 through the HSI Title V CULTURA grant, is made up of six undergraduate student advocates. Grounded by their lived experience and experiential knowledge, they serve as collaborators who play a critical role in shaping culturally affirming programs, policies, and decisions that impact student life. UCSC’s Equipo draws inspiration from the student-led transformation work at Pasadena City College (PCC) and Dr. Desiree Zuniga, whose testimonios, insights, and guidance shaped the foundation of UCSC’s own initiative. UCSC’s Equipo is part of a growing movimiento committed to empowering student leaders as partners and collaborators in advancing servingness and institutional transformation.
In its first year, Equipo members have engaged across multiple campus initiatives, including Pan Dulce Fridays and the HSI Survey Coding Project. This presentation will invite participants to move beyond siloed efforts toward a more integrated, collaborative campus community that empowers students as essential partners in shaping more equitable institutional practices.
Please register to receive a calendar invitation and Zoom details.

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.

Let's Talk
2026-05-12 13:00 - 14:00 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/lets-talk-2/2026-05-12/
Need to talk? We’re here to listen! Drop in for a confidential chat with a professional counselor who can provide support, advice and information.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 831 459 2572
Password: [REDACTED]
Facilitator: Erica Lopez, LMFT (831) 459-2572
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.

Yoga as Healing Series
2026-05-12 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.

First-Gen Wellbeing Workshop
2026-05-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Porter I-Lounge
Join SHOP in collaboration with Porter College to be in community with other first-gen students and learn how you can thrive at UCSC. Dinner and raffle prizes!
This event is supported by Student Health Services for Mental Health Awareness Month. You are invited to engage in a variety of campus-wide activities focused on mental health and wellness. Learn about support services, discover ways to help a friend in need, and explore strategies to care for your own well-being. Information is available on the Mental Health Month Event Calendar.
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 Publication.

Carceral Media Ecologies—and How to Break Them
2026-05-13 09:30 - 17:00 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
Organized by Pooja Rangan, Visiting Scholar, Visualizing Abolition, UCSCm Carceral Media Ecologies—and How to Break Them is the culminating in-person event in a series of conversations examining how contemporary documentary forms participate in both the making and unmaking of carceral power. This symposium brings together organizers, filmmakers, scholars and artists—both with and without experiences of mass incarceration—for a daylong conversation on disrupting the carceral state and its media ecologies across multiple scales of intervention: from feminist organizing and prisoner-initiated programs to incarcerated media production, participatory defense, counterforensic art, and legal advocacy.
RSVP
Symposium Program
9:30 am onward – Coffee + Pastries
10:00–10:15 – Welcome (Rachel Nelson + Pooja Rangan)
10:15–11:15 – Keynote: Gina Dent
Reflections on the work of feminist organizing in shaping an abolitionist media imaginary
11:15–11:30 – Break
11:30–1:00 – Panel: Fugitive Media (Keisha Knight, Thanh Tran, TBD), moderated by Rachel Nelson
A panel on media produced behind bars and the activism involved in building oppositional circuits of visibility and solidarity
1:00–2:00 – Lunch
2:00–3:30 – Panel: Counterforensic Advocacy (Ashraf Hamdan, Silicon Valley Debug, Sharon Daniel), moderated by Pooja Rangan
A panel on decarceral legal and policy interventions, including participatory defense, exoneree media, and counterforensic art
3:30–3:45 – Break
3:45–4:45 – Conversation: Adamu Chan + Gilda Sheppard, moderated by Gina Dent
A conversation on the challenges of pursuing anti-carceral aesthetics and the political stakes of speaking outside the carceral frame
4:45–5:15 – Reception

FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories seminar series featuring Melissa Mahoney
2026-05-13 10:30 - 12:00 | Ocean Health Building, McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Please join us for the fourth talk in the FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories seminar series featuring Melissa Mahoney.
Melissa Mahoney brings over two decades of experience at the intersection of sustainable seafood, fisheries policy, and marine innovation along the U.S. West Coast. Her career has focused on translating complex fishery science and regulatory frameworks into practical solutions that strengthen fishing businesses and coastal economies. Since August 2022, Melissa has served as Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, where she leads initiatives to stabilize local fishing operations, expand community seafood access, and revitalize Monterey Bay’s working waterfront. Under her leadership, the organization is deepening its role as a systems-level intermediary supporting fishermen, local food systems, and regional economic development.
FINS: Fisheries Insights Narratives and Stories Seminar Series
Melissa Mahoney Executive Director Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust
Title: The Future of Blue: Co-Creating a Thriving Seafood Economy in Monterey Bay
When: Wednesday, May 13th 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 – catered student lunch with the speaker in OHB courtyard → sign up here

Zoom Meeting Registration: https://ucsc.zoom.us/meeting/register/NwH0_qUbSeuIm3A76DY-Dg

CSE Colloquium - The EU’s Cybersecurity Framework: what it is, what it means
2026-05-13 11:00 - 12:15 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Chris Jay Hoofnagle, Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius, Lothar Determann, Pieter T.J. Wolters
Abstract:
The European Union has enacted a comprehensive cybersecurity framework (the “Framework”) that imposes far-reaching obligations on developers of standalone software and connected products. This Article describes the European legislative approach before turning to a description of the Framework. Anchored by the Cyber Resilience Act and the Cybersecurity Act, and reinforced by a constellation of sector-specific measures, the Framework effectively creates a California-like-products-liability regime for software. It mandates extensive security-by-design obligations, imposes stringent conformity assessment and incident-reporting duties, and shifts substantial compliance burdens onto manufacturers, importers, and distributors. It even treats emotional wrongs caused by software as injurious. The Framework will take full effect in December 2027, meaning that companies must integrate its requirements into their current product cycles.
Bio: Chris Hoofnagle is professor of law in residence at the University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches tort law and cybersecurity.
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]

Research Lunch & Learn: Cost Sharing
2026-05-13 12:00 - 13:00 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/research-lunch-learn-costsharing/
Join us on May 13, 2026, 12-1 p.m. for a session led by Deirdre Beach (Executive Director, Sponsored Programs) and Lindsey Demeritt (Executive Director, Research Financial Services), as they discuss the nuance and implications of cost sharing. This session will review the differences between mandatory and voluntary cost share, the requirements for committing cost sharing at proposal, and the mechanisms by which cost sharing is tracked throughout the award.
Join: Zoom link for this session.

Engineering Teaching Community (Faculty)
2026-05-13 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.

Ehrlich, D. (CM) - Designing Open Microscopy Tools for Neuroscience Research
2026-05-13 12:00 - 13:30
Advances in microscopy have transformed our understanding of biological systems,
yet the high cost and limited accessibility of commercial imaging platforms continue to re-
strict their use in many research settings. This thesis presents the design and development of
open hardware microscopy tools for neuroscience research, with a focus on integrating user-
centered design principles into the instrument development process. Two primary methods
are introduced: augmenting existing microscopes with new imaging capabilities, and the cre-
ation of modular microscopes that are designed for continuous, long-term live-cell imaging.
Both platforms are built around open hardware principles, prioritizing low cost, modularity, and
adaptability to the practical needs of working researchers. Alongside the hardware contribu-
tions, this thesis presents user experience research methods for examining how neuroscience
researchers interact with novel microscopy technologies, providing a methodological frame-
work for human-centered scientific instrument design. These contributions demonstrate that
pairing hardware development with user-centered design methodologies produces microscopy
tools that are both technically capable and meaningfully accessible to both laboratories and
individuals studying neuroscience, education, and other fields.

Event Host: Drew Ehrlich, Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Media
Advisor: Sri Kurniawan
Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/2491739056?pwd=[REDACTED]

Santa Cruz Launchpad Student Startup Competition & Job Fair
2026-05-13 12:00 - 19:00 | the Grove, 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, United States
The 10th annual Santa Cruz Launchpad event combines a student startup competition with a community career fair, all under one roof! This year’s event takes place at the The Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
The first half of the day spotlights emerging startups in a live startup competition, with cash prizes. The second half shifts into a job fair featuring 25+ local companies and 300+ opportunities, including part-time roles, full-time positions, and internships.
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND. ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

2026 Schedule
12-4pm: Student business plan pitches (open to the public)
4-4:45pm: Employer Table Setup
5-7pm: Job Fair + Networking (open to the public)
Student Startup Competition | 12-4pm
From 1-4pm, students will compete in a startup competition for cash prizes. The pitch competition portion of the event typically includes 12 student teams who each have five minutes each to deliver their pitches to a judge panel. Check out 2025 winners here. This year’s competition is open to both college and high school students in Santa Cruz County. If you are a student at UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College or a high school student in Santa Cruz County or Pajaro Valley Unified School District and would like to compete, click the button below.
Applications are due Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 5pm: https://bit.ly/4d9MaqW
Pitch Prize Categories for 2026

• Biotech/Health (QB3) = $5,000
• Social Impact = $5,000
• Technology = $5,000
• Main Street = $2,000
• Runners Up = $500 each
• People’s Choice Award = $2,000
• High School Award = $2,000

– Top winners eligible to participate in the SC Accelerates program.
– All teams will receive Santa Cruz Works Perks Package by OneValley (Value $1M)

– Every team that qualifies for the final round will receive a cash prize!

Job Fair | 5-7pm
From 5-7pm, job seekers will have the opportunity to interact with 20+ local companies offering 200+ jobs and internships ranging from engineering to marketing, healthcare, project management, sales, customer support, tech, and more.
This event allows students, job seekers, and professionals of all experience levels and backgrounds the opportunity to show off their resumes, find career opportunities, and make new connections. There is no charge for job seekers to attend the job fair. The job fair is open to the public (you do not need to be a student or pitch contest participant to participate). But all attendees must register in advance! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-cruz-launchpad-2026-tickets-1976673979082
Previous employers included Joby Aviation, Capstan Medica, Paystand, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Cruz Foam, Digital NEST, Bay Federal Credit Union, Mynt, Central California Alliance for Health, Unnatural Products, Santa Cruz Seaside Company, California Highway Patrol, BMO, PVUSD, and more.
A list of participating employers will be shared at the beginning of May.

This year’s event is proudly hosted by UCSC Center for Innovation and Development (CIED), UC Santa Cruz Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, UCSC Career Success, and UCSC QB3 Santa Cruz Works, Cabrillo College, , Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), and Santa Cruz County Office of Education (SCCOE),

Free Attendee Registration

Employer Registration

Thriving in Transition: A Mental Fitness Toolkit for What's Next
2026-05-13 13:00 - 14:00 | CA
Life After Graduation Series
Hosted by UC Davis, open to recent alumni and rising seniors of all UC campuses.
The Cal Aggie Alumni Association is kicking off its Life After Graduation Series with an engaging virtual session, “Thriving in Transition,” on Wednesday, May 13 at 1 p.m. (Pacific Time).
The transition from college to post-graduate life can bring both opportunity and uncertainty. Without the structure of academic life, many graduates face new pressures related to job searching, career decisions, and navigating change.
This session introduces the concept of mental fitness – the capacity to respond to challenges with clarity, resilience, and intention. Through practical, accessible techniques, participants will learn how to manage stress, regulate emotions, and strengthen focus during this period of transition. Attendees will leave with tools they can apply immediately to support their wellbeing and sustain momentum as they move into their next chapter.
Learning Objectives

Define mental fitness and its role in personal and professional success
Recognize common stressors and emotional patterns during post-graduate transitions
Practice techniques to manage stress and increase emotional regulation
Strengthen focus, motivation, and adaptability during periods of uncertainty
Develop habits that support long-term resilience and wellbeing

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Career Success Drop-Ins at the Cantú - Week 7
2026-05-13 13:00 - 14:30 | Cantu Queer Center, Crown Lane, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Drop-in at the Cantú 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!
If you need accommodations please email bridgekk@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.

Community Connections Annual Spring Scholarship Presentation
2026-05-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Arboretum, 122 Arboretum Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join Community Connections as we present scholarships to local first-year and re-entry students. This event is an opportunity to meet, congratulate, and celebrate with these outstanding students. Choral group Fiat Musica will sing, and the scholars will share their stories as we dine.
Register to attend in-person
2:00 p.m.
Presented by Community Connections at UC Santa Cruz.
Questions? Contact Sally Lester at sal@ucsc.edu

Building Belonging Program Student Showcase 2026
2026-05-13 15:00 - 17:30 | Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Join us for the Institute for Social Transformation’s annual student showcase, celebrating the incredible work of our Building Belonging Fellows! This special event highlights the achievements of undergraduate research fellows. Each student will give a 2-minute lightning talk about a research project they worked on with a Social Sciences faculty mentor.
The event will be held in person on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. in the Seymour Center La Feliz Room, followed by an outdoor reception with light refreshments on the Oceanview Terrace from 5:00–5:30 p.m.
All are welcome—students, faculty, staff, family, and friends—we look forward to celebrating together!
RSVP HERE
Sponsored by:
The Institute for Social Transformation and the Division of Social Sciences
For questions, you can reach us at transform@ucsc.edu

Sweet Send-Off Celebration
2026-05-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Rachel Carson College Red Room
Greetings, International and Global Learning students!
Join us for a special celebration in recognition of our international students studying here at UCSC, Global Learning alumni that have studied abroad/away, and to those that are about to start their programs this summer and fall.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 from 17:00 – 19:00 (5 pm – 7 pm)

We’ll be saying ‘bon voyage’ to our international exchange students that have been studying at UCSC and our new global learning students. Our global learning alumni will also be joining to join in our community space for reflection, connection, and storytelling!

Our event will consist of:

A panel for departing global learning students highlighting what it’s like to be on exchange and study abroad/away (led by our alumni and international students)
Opportunities to connect with each other based on region of the world or study/your home institution

Please RSVP here by our deadline of Friday, May 1 and let us know how you’d like to be involved.
If you have any questions, email us at globallearning@ucsc.edu.

What is Mythos? Conversations on AI
2026-05-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
What do we know about Mythos?
Anthropic’s Claude Mythos, a next-generation, general-purpose AI model with 10 trillion parameters, is the most powerful AI developed to date. It is highly capable of advanced reasoning, coding, and autonomously identifying and exploiting complex software vulnerabilities, creating significant cybersecurity risks.
Join us for Chat with Praveen Krishna, chair of our AI program, a monthly drop-in conversation about the latest developments in artificial intelligence and what this technology means for developers, professionals, and organizations adopting AI tools.
What you need to know to stay ahead
This is a casual, interactive session. Bring your questions, share your experience, and hear directly from an AI educator working at the forefront of applied AI training. You’ll get an insider’s look at the technologies shaping the next generation of AI.
Event details

Speaker: Praveen Krishna, AI chair, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension
Format: Online discussion + open Q&A about the latest news in AI
When: 2nd Wednesday of the month
Who should attend: Developers, technologists, product managers, and professionals exploring AI tools and automation

Claim your seat today.
Share your perspective. Plan your learning.
Visit our Artificial Intelligence program page to learn more about our AI offerings.

Chat with the Chair: Conversations on AI
2026-05-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Curious about the newest developments in artificial intelligence?
Join us for Chat with the AI Chair, a monthly drop-in conversation designed for professionals who want to stay ahead of emerging AI trends.
Event details
Praveen Krishna, chair of the Artificial Intelligence Application Development certificate program, will lead the informal discussion about what this technology means for developers, professionals, and organizations adopting AI tools.
Format: Online discussion + open Q&A
When: Every 2nd Wednesday of the month
Who should attend: Developers, technologists, product managers, and professionals exploring AI tools and automation
This is a casual, interactive session—bring your questions, share your experience, and hear directly from an AI educator working at the forefront of applied AI training. You’ll get an insider’s look at the technologies shaping the next generation of AI—and what you need to know to stay ahead.
Register
CLAIM YOUR SEAT.
