Events

The Future of Work in the Age of AI: March Slugs and Steins with Dean PK Agarwal
2026-03-23 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Future of Work in the Age of AI: Chaos, Adaptation, or Growth?
Artificial intelligence has reignited an old debate: are we approaching mass technological unemployment, or simply the next phase of economic evolution? Public discourse swings between dystopian predictions of human obsolescence and confident assurances that “new jobs will replace old ones.” This lecture steps back from speculation and examines evidence. Drawing on economic history and disruptive change, going back to the wheel and the printing press to electrification, computers, and the internet—we explore how societies have repeatedly confronted disruptive change: moments when existing skills, institutions, and expectations no longer matched the pace of innovation. The goal is not to predict the future, but to provide a framework for thinking about it—what AI may automate, what it may amplify, and why the real disruption may be the speed of adaptation rather than the disappearance of work itself. The talk concludes with implications for higher education, workforce development, and how individuals can remain resilient in an age where intelligence is no longer exclusively human.
REGISTER

Community Conversation with Author Randy Ribay
2026-03-23 16:30 - 18:00 | Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, Fourth Floor, 275 Main St, Watsonville, 95076, United States
Please join us for a community conversation with Randy Ribay, young adult fiction writer and National Book Award Finalist. During the event, Randy will discuss his recent novel, Everything We Never Had (2024), about four-generations of Filipino American men grappling with identity, masculinity, and father-son relationships. The characters’ stories traverse histories of Filipino America, including those of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley.

Monday, March 23, 2026

Time: 4:30 – 6:00 pm

Location: Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, Fourth Floor

275 Main Street

Community Conversation with author Randy Ribay
2026-03-23 16:30 - 18:00 | CA
Please join us on Monday, March 23, 2026 for a community conversation with Randy Ribay, young adult fiction writer and National Book Award Finalist. During the event, Randy will discuss his recent novel, Everything We Never Had (2024), about four-generations of Filipino American men grappling with identity, masculinity, and father-son relationships. The characters’ stories traverse histories of Filipino America, including those of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley. Randy conducted archival research using the Watsonville is in the Heart Community Digital Archive and other repositories to create intergenerational narratives of Filipino American migration, labor, and family.
Our conversation will take place in the Community Room located on the Fourth Floor of the Watsonville Civic Plaza. This event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by Watsonville Public Library, UCSC’s Center for Labor and Community, Watsonville is in the Heart, The Tobera Project, and Pajaro Valley for Ethnic Studies and Justice.

Santa Cruz Pickwick Club presents: Bleak House
2026-03-22 13:00 - 15:00 | CA
Spontaneous human combustion! Evil lawyers! Detectives! Family intrigue! These all come together in Charles Dickens’s masterwork, Bleak House. This year, we will spend the year reading the 2026 Dickens Universe novel. Join Dickens enthusiasts and Pickwick Club members on Zoom for a series of discussions about this beloved book.
Register via Zoom
Reading Schedule:

OCT 26: Chapters 8-13
NOV 23: Chapters 14-19
DEC 28: No meeting
JAN 25: Chapters 20-25
FEB 22: Chpaters 26-32
MAR 22: Chapters 33-38
APR 26: Chapters 39-46
MAY 24: Chapters 47-53
JUN 28: Chapters 54-67 (End)

Recommended Edition: We recommend the Penguin Classics edition of the novel for its appendices and notes, but other versions are fine. First-time readers should avoid the Introduction if they don’t want spoilers. Download the novel to read at Gutenburg.org or listen to it at LibriVox.org.
The Santa Cruz Pickwick (Book) Club, a branch of the Dickens Fellowship, is a community of local bookworms, students, and teachers who meet monthly to discuss a nineteenth-century novel. The Santa Cruz Public Libraries provide support for the reading group.

AI-Enhanced Project Management Workshop
2026-03-21 09:00 - 15:00 | Silicon Valley Campus, 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, United States
Transform the way you manage projects
Join Sri Srinivasa, program management leader at Tesla, for a one-day workshop focused on leveraging generative AI tools for project management.
Workshop goals

Describe and discuss AI technology available to Project Managers
Explain the transformative potential of Generative AI in improving project planning, resource allocation, and stakeholder communication
Demonstrate an ability to properly and effectively use generative AI for project management tasks and processes, reducing errors, optimizing workflows, and saving time and resources

Topics

Benefits of adopting generative AI for project management
Effective prompt engineering to optimize generative ai usage along with case examples
Identify use cases for generative AI in project management
AI-driven insights for KPI & project performance measurement

Here’s the workshop syllabus.
Students are required to bring laptops for class exercises.
About the AI Technology Workshop Series
The UCSC Silicon Valley Extension AI Technology Workshop Series provides an immersive AI experience. Students are introduced to new and established AI tools create and manipulate content in new and powerful ways. Each session is led by an industry expert who will guide you through the material and share its real-world implications.

Explore lots of AI courses
Project management courses
Workshops

Enroll today.

Digital Accessibility: Video and Zoom
2026-03-19 15:00 - 16:00 | https://UCOP.zoom.us/meeting/register/DNRkXUuoTxiFTrhYkXuVLg
Videos & online calls require different accessibility considerations than documents or websites. In this session, we will discuss what you can do to ensure your audio/visual content – including live meetings – is as accessible as possible to people with disabilities.
Presenter: Brian McNeilly – Web Accessibility Specialist – UCOP
Learning Objectives:

Understand accessibility requirements for videos, including captions and audio descriptions
Describe tools and methods for editing or uploading captions after events
Be able to articulate when an audio description is needed & what should be included in them
Understand the various accessibility features included in Zoom

Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours
2026-03-19 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.

Mental Health First Aid Certification
2026-03-19 10:00 - 14:00 | CA
Thursday, February 19, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Register for the Zoom link
Be prepared to support those around you by getting certified in Mental Health First Aid. Mental Health First Aid teaches the skills needed to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, as well as how to provide someone with initial support until they are connected with appropriate professional help. In the course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies to help someone in crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
We encourage all staff and faculty to take advantage of this opportunity. Whether you work directly with students or behind the scenes, your participation in MHFA training is a crucial step in building a resilient and supportive campus community.
Register for the Zoom link. For more information, please visit the Occupational Health Training website.
For questions or to schedule a training for your team, please contact Occupational Health Specialist, Elizabeth Tomlinson, at ektomlin@ucsc.edu.

Undiscovered Shakespeare: The Two Noble Kinsmen - Episode III
2026-03-18 19:00 - 23:59 | CA
Shakespeare returns to the characters and themes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in what may have been the last play he had a hand in writing: The Two Noble Kinsmen. This time, however, the story of Theseus and Hippolyta, the disorienting experience of adolescent sexual desire, and the conflict of duties to sovereigns, parents, friends, and spouses are no laughing matter. It’s over-shadowed by the play’s source text — Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale, in which chance foils Theseus’s best efforts to create order out of chaos and meaning out of loss — and by Shakespeare’s own experience writing tragedy and tragicomedy.

Thomas Luxon is Professor of English, Emeritus at Dartmouth College, where he was also the inaugural Cheheyl Professor and Director of the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning. His teaching and scholarship focus on literature of the English Renaissance and Reformation, with a particular interest in John Milton, John Bunyan, John Dryden, and 17th-century English religion and politics. In his revelatory book, Single Imperfection: Milton, Marriage, and Friendship (Duquesne UP, 2005), Professor Luxon explores the impact of ancient theories of friendship on Milton’s conception of Reformation marriage, and during the pandemic, he contributed a lecture about the rivalry of friendship and marriage in Two Noble Kinsmen to Ian Doescher’s Shakespeare 2020 Project.
Undiscovered Shakespeare is a public arts and humanities series co-produced by Santa Cruz Shakespeare, UCSC Shakespeare Workshop, and The Humanities Institute. It brings professional actors and scholars together with the public for a staged reading and discussion of works by Shakespeare that are rarely produced.

Amplifying the History Curriculum for Multilingual Learners
2026-03-18 16:30 - 18:30 | CA
Join us to discuss how teachers can “amplify” rather than “simplify” history instruction for multilingual learners (and all students) by engaging with historical texts and interactive learning opportunities. We are celebrating the publication of the 2nd edition of Amplifying the Curriculum: Designing Quality Learning Opportunities for Multilingual Learners, which includes a chapter co-authored by Professor George Bunch and HCP Director Dr. Daisy Martin.
We will focus on the History/Social Studies chapter titled, “Selecting, Preparing, and Using Multiple texts in the History Classroom, ” and consider teaching the Deportations of the 1930s. The event will include presentations and discussions about creating inclusive learning environments and advancing equity using student-centered curriculum frameworks! We will host these events at both a Santa Cruz County and Monterey County location.
DATE: FEBRUARY 19 & MARCH 18, 2026
TIME: 4:30-6:30
TWO LOCATIONS: COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IN APTOS & CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTEREY BAY
Register for Community Foundation Santa Cruz County in Aptos Location Here (Feb. 19)
Register for California State University Monterey Bay Location Here (Mar. 18)
Free books for the first 15 registrants who attend!
This event is supported in part by a grant from the Institute for Social Transformation at the University of California, Santa Cruz

Amplifying the History Curriculum for Multilingual Learners Flyer DOWNLOAD

Jazz at Lunch! The Art of Spontaneous Creativity
2026-03-18 12:30 - 13:30 | Porter/Kresge Dining Hall, 411 Porter-Kresge Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Take a break from studying for finals and grab lunch in the Porter/Kresge Dining Hall and enjoy the Jazz.
Grab a snack from the Porter Market and take in the concert from the Mezzanine. Or purchase lunch at the dining hall and enjoy the performance from the Dinning room floor.
Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
Wednesday, March 18
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Questions/Accommodations: Porter_Activities@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.

The Art of Spontaneous Creativity
2026-03-18 12:30 - 13:30 | Porter/Kresge Dining Hall, 411 Porter-Kresge Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Come and enjoy a winter concert by the spontaneous composition and improvisation, MUSC 150J ensemble. You’ll be able to experience the art of spontaneous creativity in action.
—
ADMISSION
– FREE and open to UCSC affliates
– Located in Porter Dining Hall
—
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.
—
This program is open to all UC Santa Cruz affiliates consistent with state and federal law.

Engineering Teaching Community (Faculty)
2026-03-18 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.

Narcan Training for Faculty and Staff
2026-03-17 13:00 - 13:30 | CA
Tuesday, March 17, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Register for the Zoom link.
Narcan is a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug. Join us in this workshop as we learn the following:

How to use Narcan
When to use Narcan
Narcan FAQs
Where to find Narcan locally

Register for the Zoom link. To learn more, please visit the Narcan wellness initiative webpage. For trainings, please visit the Occupational Health Training website.
For questions or to schedule a training for your team, please contact Occupational Health Specialist, Elizabeth Tomlinson, at ektomlin@ucsc.edu.

Free Coffee, Snacks, & Conversation
2026-03-17 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.

Karen Russell - The Antidote
2026-03-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Bookshop Santa Cruz
Bookshop Santa Cruz welcomes bestselling author Karen Russell (Swamplandia!) for a discussion about her latest novel The Antidote, which will be available in paperback on the night of the event. “The Antidote blends speculative and fantasy elements with rich language and vivid characters in an effort not to escape reality but to comment even more thoughtfully on it. . . . Russell’s lyrical writing dazzles on every page.” —The New York Times

Your RSVP helps us plan for your arrival and keep in touch with any changes. Thank you for registering!
The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing—not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. The Antidote follows a “Prairie Witch,” whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples’ memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch’s apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town’s secrets and its fate.
Karen Russell is the author of six books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. She has received MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she now lives in the Bay Area with her husband, son, and daughter. The Antidote, a national bestseller and a finalist for the National Book Award, is her second novel.
This event is cosponsored by The Humanities Institute.

Teng, Z. (CM) - Visualizing Player Processes: Towards Design Guidelines for Interactive Process Visualization Tools in Game Analytics
2026-03-16 08:00 - 10:00
Game analysts face a significant challenge in understanding problem-solving and decision-making processes from the vast and complex sequential data generated by modern video games. Existing visualization tools often fail to adequately support the exploration, suffering from issues of visual clutter, inflexible cohort construction, and a lack of interactive depth. To address this gap, this dissertation adopts a Research through Design (RtD) methodology to investigate how an interactive process visualization system can be designed and developed to better support the needs of game analysts.
The research was conducted in three phases. First, an initial set of five design guidelines was identified through a breakdown analysis of existing tools and semi-structured interviews with professional game analysts. Second, these guidelines were iteratively refined through long-term, collaborative case studies with analysts working on diverse commercial games. This process not only validated the initial guidelines and surfaced one additional guideline concerning interactive inspection, but also resulted in INSPECT, an interactive process visualization prototyping system that embodies the refined guidelines. Third, the guidelines were empirically validated through two complementary user studies of the INSPECT system. A controlled experiment demonstrated that features designed according to the guidelines enabled participants to identify player strategies more efficiently than with a baseline system, while a qualitative study with professional Dota 2 coaches and players demonstrated the system’s practical value for strategic analysis and strong usability.
The primary contributions of this dissertation to the fields of game analytics and information visualization is a set of validated design guidelines for process visualization tools. This contribution provides a durable and transferable framework for the design and development of more effective, analyst-centered tools for understanding player problem-solving and decision-making processes.
Event Host: Zhaoqing Teng, Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Media
Advsior: Magy Seif El-Nasr
Zoom- https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/97624383966?pwd=[REDACTED]
Passcode-595285

UCSC Jazz Big Band—with guest artist Marcus Shelby, bass
2026-03-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join the UC Santa Cruz Jazz Big Band for a winter concert, featuring compositions by Charles Mingus, with guest artist Marcus Shelby, bass, including an original arrangement performed for the first time by the UCSC Jazz Big Band. Directed by Charles Hamilton.
—
ADMISSION
– General admission.
– Free for UCSC students (ticket required).
– Tickets available here online through Eventbrite only.
– Follow the Music Dept on Eventbrite for notices and updates.
– Doors are scheduled to open 30 minutes prior to event start time.
– Ticket holders not seated at least 5 minutes before the advertised start time may forfeit their ticket/seat and no refund will be issued.
—
PARKING
– Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendant
– 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.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
—
This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Barnstorm Presents—Musical Theater Cabaret
2026-03-15 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-14 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-03-13 19:30 - 21:00 | Theater Arts B100 Studio Theater, 453 Kerr Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Step into the spotlight with Barnstorm’s musical theater showcase—an intimate, cabaret-style evening featuring standout performances by our talented students. From beloved Broadway tunes to hidden gems, this lively celebration of song and story is not to be missed. Directed by Ella Freed.
—
ABOUT BARNSTORM
UC Santa Cruz students experiment with and create their own innovative theater and gain a sense of operating and creating art in the Barnstorm Theater Company, a student-run theater arts production company established in 2004.
—
ADVISORIES
– Ticket holders not seated at least 10 minutes before the advertised start time may forfeit their ticket/seat and no refund will be issued.
—
FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Fri. March 13: 7:30 p.m.
Sat. March 14: 2:00 p.m.
Sun. March 15: 2:00 p.m.
—
ADMISSION
– Tickets issued through Eventbrite; Follow the Dept. of Performance, Play & Design and Barnstorm on Eventbrite for notifications and updates.
– Free for UCSC undergraduate students (ticket required).
– General admission “Pay What You Like” options $5–20
– A limited number of tickets/seats may be available at the door, even after online ticket sales end or reach full capacity.
– Doors are scheduled to open 30 minutes prior to event start time.
—
PARKING
– Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendant
– 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.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
—
This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Cookies & LoFi Cram (finals study hall)
2026-03-15 13:00 - 23:00 | Porter/Kresge Dining Hall, 411 Porter-Kresge Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
If studying in your room or apartment is not getting you where you need to be, change up the scenery and head to Porter Dining Hall for an hour or three. Bring your book, bring your final draft, or your flash cards.
We’ll bring the cookies & coffee (and tea & hot chocolate).
If you think you would like to attend, please RSVP on the registration page. It’s not required but it does help us plan.
Sponsored and hosted by: staff at the Porter Activities Office
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.

OLLI at UCSC Sunday Speaker Meeting
2026-03-15 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 Bruce Lyon, Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
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, March 15th, in the Colleges Nine/Lewis Multipurpose Room at UCSC.
Join us for a social hour and a presentation titled, Sparrows in the Mist: Complex Winter Social Behavior in a Little Brown Bird.
Ornithologists often study breeding birds, and as a result, the winter ecology and social behavior of migratory birds is relatively understudied. A 22-year study of a population of golden-crowned sparrows that winter in the Arboretum of the University of California, Santa Cruz was conducted. Each sparrow was given a unique combination of color bands, which allowed us to identify individual birds in the wild and monitor their behavior and survival. Given that they survive migration and breeding, individual sparrows return winter after winter to the arboretum and flock together with the same individuals as in previous years. We used innovative social network methods to understand the patterns of social organization and discovered remarkable social complexity in these birds that is similar in some ways to the societies of mammals, including primates.
Professor Lyon seeks to understand the ecological and evolutionary basis of reproductive strategies and social behavior in animals, particularly reproductive parasitism, parental care, and mating systems. One focus is to understand patterns of cooperation and reproductive parasitism in birds and insects. His passion for photography has also been very useful in his research.
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.

Summer Live in the Schedule of Classes
2026-03-15 00:00 - 23:59 | CA
The Summer Session Schedule of Classes goes live today. Explore course descriptions, prerequisites, and meeting times to start planning early for summer enrollment. Email summer@ucsc.edu with questions or call 831-459-5373.

UCSC Chamber Singers
2026-03-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The UCSC Chamber Singers present a winter concert under the direction of Michael McGushin.
—
ADMISSION
– General admission $5–12
– Free for UCSC students (ticket required).
– Tickets available here online through Eventbrite only.
– Follow the Music Dept on Eventbrite for notices and updates.
– Doors are scheduled to open 30 minutes prior to event start time.
– Ticket holders not seated at least 5 minutes before the advertised start time may forfeit their ticket/seat and no refund will be issued.
—
PARKING
– Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendant
– 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.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
—
This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Wildlife Photography from Hummingbirds to Elephants - a photo presentation by Kevin Lohman
2026-03-14 13:00 - 14:30 | CA
Join Kevin for “Wildlife Photography from Hummingbirds to Elephants” at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden in the Horticulture 2 Meeting Hall. He will offer tips for photographing hummingbirds, share beautiful images taken at the arboretum, and present highlights from his wildlife photography across Monterey Bay and from his travels around the globe.
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.
The event is free with paid admission. UCSC students and faculty receive free admission to the Arboretum. Public admission costs are: Adults $10, Seniors $8, and Youth (4-17) $5.

Planting for Hummingbirds
2026-03-14 12:00 - 14:00 | CA
Would you like to attract hummingbirds to your garden? Join us on the patio at Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop where UC Master Gardeners will host a pop-up information booth to offer advice and answer questions about the best Arboretum plants to attract hummingbirds.
Flowers really are the best hummingbird feeders and these tiny birds are attracted to many of the Arboretum’s high-nectar-producing blossoms. We will provide handouts about which Arboretum plants are best to make your garden abuzz year-round. We’ll also have fun facts about these aerial acrobats and will raffle off a beautiful plant from our nursery – a nectar producer that is a favorite of hummingbirds.
Come celebrate the wonders of our local hummingbirds and stock up on plants for your home garden.

Non-Toxic Gopher Control workshop
2026-03-14 09:00 - 12:00 | Hay Barn, 94 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Gophers! Every backyard gardener’s nemesis. Join Anastatia Foster for this informative class on effective gopher control methods that are safe for humans and the environment.
Gophers and other vertebrate pests take a huge toll in agriculture as well as your own backyard; as much as 10 to 50% of crops can be lost to animal pests. This workshop will cover innovative methods and tools to reduce crop damage by managing pest populations in several ways. The most effective lethal traps and techniques will be presented along with exclusion barriers, integrating pest predators, and crop rotation.

UCSC Concert Choir
2026-03-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
UCSC Concert Choir performs in a winter quarter concert, “Contrast,” with music by Chris Pratorius, Einojuhanni Rautavarra, and Juhi Bansal. Featured is “Contraponientes,” by Pratorius, a 30-minute piece for choir, three flutes, harp, and cello. a song cycle for choir on texts by Federico Garcia Llorca. “The Rautavaara” also features Llorca texts, while the Bansal reflects some of the pastoral imagery of the Llorca texts. Ensemble directed by Nathaniel Berman with guest conductor Lukáš Janata.
—
ADMISSION
– General admission.
– Free for UCSC students (ticket required).
– Tickets available here online through Eventbrite only.
– Follow the Music Dept on Eventbrite for notices and updates.
– Doors are scheduled to open 30 minutes prior to event start time.
– Ticket holders not seated at least 5 minutes before the advertised start time may forfeit their ticket/seat and no refund will be issued.
—
PARKING
– Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendant
– 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.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
—
This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Questions that Matter - How to Live Long and Prosper: Lessons from a Star Trek Opera
2026-03-13 19:00 | Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, 95060, United States
What do we need to live a fulfilling life? This essential question of the humanities feels especially pressing now, on the precipice of profound changes to our planet, our bodies, and our sense of human exceptionality. Join us for a conversation — and a music-and-drama masterclass — about speculative fiction from the Star Trek world, the myth of Orpheus, and what the operatic form can teach us about intelligence, humanity, and the good life. The evening will feature UC Santa Cruz faculty, Ben Leeds Carson (Professor of Music), Camilla A. Hawthorne (Associate Professor of Sociology), and Pranav Anand (THI Faculty Director and Professor of Linguistics), along with librettist Perre DiCarlo.

This event follows the “The Trial of Spock — An Opera Workshop” on March 8th. The opera creators will present five scenes from an opera-in-progress by Ben Leeds Carson, Perre DiCarlo, and Lincoln and Lee Taiz. With co-authors John DeLancey, Camilla Hawthorne, and Michael Chemers.
Questions That Matter is a public humanities series developed by The Humanities Institute and the community of Santa Cruz. It brings together, in conversation, two or more UC Santa Cruz scholars with community residents and students to explore questions that matter to all of us.
