2025 Science Division Projects

The Dean's Excellence Fund in the Science Division

The Dean’s Excellence Fund in the Science Division at UC Santa Cruz allows the division to achieve the next level of excellence. Contributions to this fund allow the dean the flexibility to launch new programs, supplement scholarships, enhance facilities, and support research opportunities that make a difference in our community and the world. Recent support from the Dean's Excellence Fund has powered initiatives like the 2024 iGEM team’s award-winning project to address infant formula affordability, supported the Lux supercomputer in advancing discoveries from a major James Webb Space Telescope survey, and provided programmatic support for the Degree-Defining Experiences Program. By giving to the Dean’s Excellence Fund, you help spark discoveries, open doors for students, and ensure scientists at UC Santa Cruz continue to make an impact far beyond campus.

The Science & Justice Research Center

Help us celebrate the 20 year anniversary of Science & Justice by supporting our graduate student researchers and Training Program (SJTP) through the Science & Justice campaign. Now more than ever the training offered by the SJTP is critical to addressing the problems of our times: ecological destruction; data justice; growing inequalities. These are problems that are not the domain of one discipline or area of practice. They require working across fields of knowledge and practice. The SJTP provides the space and transdisciplinary tools and thought needed for social science, humanities, engineering, physical and biological science, and art students to collaborate to respond to these core concerns of our times. Your support creates a vibrant future for science and justice researchers. With your help, we can provide: Travel for student field research and Summer research fellowships.

EPS Achievement Fund

The Earth & Planetary Sciences (EPS) Achievement Fund supports the department's greatest needs and special projects. Giving to the Achievement Fund allows us to direct funding where it is needed most, such as undergraduate research experiences and alumni events that foster vital connections and bring additional resources into the department. We invite you to give to this "special needs fund" so that we can support essential initiatives within our department.

Weigh the Weanlings!

UC Santa Cruz has been conducting a long-term study of the elephant seals of Año Nuevo Reserve for over 50 years and we need your help to continue the study! Every year, we weigh, tag, and measure several hundred weanling elephant seals. We then follow these seals throughout their entire lives to better understand how long they live, if they move between colonies, whether ocean conditions impact their health, and a variety of other important questions.  Thank you for helping us "Weigh the Weanlings!"

John Pearse Endowment for Field Courses

The John Pearse Endowment for Field Courses honors John's amazing legacy in experiential field courses while he was a faculty member in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB). John's courses had profound impacts on students and created the foundation for EEB's current field courses. Funding focuses on increasing the quality of and accessibility to EEB's many field courses.

Cal Teach Landesman Fund for Math and Science Teachers

UCSC’s Cal Teach program supports math, science, and engineering (STEM) majors to explore and prepare for K-12 teaching careers. Now more than ever, our society needs to rebuild and sustain its corps of outstanding STEM-educated teachers to inspire and prepare the diverse creators, innovators, and informed citizens of tomorrow. Cal Teach depends on the funds raised on Giving Day to provide scholarships for undergraduate prospective math or science teachers that reduce the financial burden of choosing a career in public service.

Gifts will support Cal Teach students to complete internships in local K-12 schools and will support current students and alumni to participate in professional development programs, and more!

-Your gift of even $5 will combine with other gifts to tell our students that their commitment to educate our society’s children matters to you
-$50 can send a student or alum to a teacher conference
-$150, $300, or $600 provides a scholarship for a UCSC undergraduate in our CaT1, CaT2, or CaT3 (beginning, intermediate, and advanced) course
-Our Giving Day goal of $27,000 will cover the cost of all scholarships for the year

Center for Coastal Climate Resilience

The UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) brings together partners in research, policy and practice, and community engagement to reduce the impacts from climate change. We invest in projects that are piloting new ideas that can grow into solutions for coastal climate resilience, with a focus on three key areas: Nature Based Solutions, Climate Justice, and Communications.

Undergrad research in antibiotic drug discovery

The Auerbuch Stone Lab at UC Santa Cruz aims to develop new antibiotics for hard to treat infections. We work with the UCSC Chemical Screening Center to sift through thousands of naturally derived compounds to find novel antibiotics. A number of UCSC undergraduates have already received hands-on training that has helped them gain admittance to graduate programs or find biotech jobs after graduation. We are seeking funding to provide additional valuable research opportunities to UCSC undergraduates in microbiology and antibiotic drug discovery. Community funding will not only help us discover next-generation antibiotics, it will also help train the next generation of researchers.

The Fisheries Opportunity Fund

The Fisheries Opportunity Fund (FOF) supports programs and professional development opportunities for students interested in fisheries-related science and FCP members. Past funds have been used to support summer research projects, hands-on student internship experiences, student seminars, student networking/professional development opportunities, and community-building events. Gifts are necessary to continue offering opportunities and programs that support our conservation & mentorship efforts.

Bob and Jan Garrison Outstanding Ocean Science Student Award

This gift honors the memory of a founding science faculty member who helped make UC Santa Cruz a science powerhouse and a supportive incubator of student excellence. The annual Garrison award recognizes outstanding Ocean Sciences graduate students who have shown exceptional scholarship, teaching and mentoring, and service to their community

Long Marine Lab - Marine Mammal Stranding Network

We are the Long Marine Lab - Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and we respond to all dead marine mammals in Santa Cruz County.  Our mission is to advance science, education, and public awareness of marine mammals and ocean health through response and detailed examination of marine mammal carcasses. For over 25 years, we have contributed high-quality research data to the broader marine mammal science community. Numerous researchers have used these data to further understand marine mammal populations. Along with data from our neighboring partners, the Marine Mammal Stranding Network data has also contributed to changes in fishing regulations, a better understanding of marine mammal health and disease, and the link between human and ocean health.
The money we raise from Giving Day will be utilized for multiple projects to expand on our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. We hope to expand access to field experience to historically underrepresented students through the CAMINO internship program, be able to provide volunteer stipends, allow better access for schools to connect with our Skulls For Schools initiative (a K-12 program in partnership with local Santa Cruz schools to bring marine science into classrooms), and host necropsies (animal autopsies) for classes and interested organizations.

Investing in Future Leaders: Evolutionary Genomics Research Program

The Kelley Lab at UCSC focuses on evolutionary and functional genomics, exploring how populations adapt to extreme environments and leveraging natural systems to gain insights into basic biological processes with implications for human health. By investing in the Kelley lab, you're not only funding critical scientific inquiry but also nurturing the next generation of brilliant minds, providing undergraduates with invaluable hands-on experience in marine and evolutionary genomics that shapes their future careers. The funds will support all aspects of training, including summer internships and opportunities for students to attend conferences and present their own research to experts in the field.

Academic Excellence (ACE) Program

The Academic Excellence (ACE) Program reduces the achievement gap for underrepresented students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at UCSC. We've been doing this successfully for more than 38 years! ACE enhances educational equity through community building, peer-mentorship, and supplemental active learning experiences aligned with academic coursework.

Support Science Student Success through the Science Excellence program

Science Excellence aims to take the guesswork out of being a science student. We support students in their first year to prepare them for their academic careers. Our team does outreach, advising, consulting, workshops and events in order to create a favorable outcome for student success. To increase our services we need YOU to support our program.

UCSC RNA Center Student Success

The UC Santa Cruz RNA Center has helped to drive discoveries, with award-winning and prestigious faculty, students, and postdoctoral scientists working to develop novel RNA platforms for early cancer diagnosis, explore the potential for RNA-based therapeutics to treat cancer and rare inherited diseases in children, and understand the function of long non-coding RNAs, as well as the structural and mechanistic underpinnings of RNA in biological systems. Your support of the UCSC RNA Center Student Success initiative will help to support the training of the RNA scientists of the future.

Younger Lagoon Reserve Field Gear Fund

Every quarter, dozens of students intern and volunteer at Younger Lagoon Reserve. These amazing students assist with native habitat restoration, land stewardship, and biological monitoring. The work is often dirty and requires specialized field gear including boots, rain pants, warm layers, binoculars, and more. We lend gear to students who need it and after a while, it wears out. This year, we're again raising funds to replenish our Field Gear Closet so that we can continue to support students at the reserve.

Ocean Sciences Equity & Inclusion Student Hardship Fund

Part of creating a welcoming graduate program is to acknowledge and address the
fact that the cost of living in Santa Cruz creates a hardship that disproportionately
affects students. These inequities create barriers to achievement and success, and the Ocean Sciences Equity & Inclusion Student Hardship Fund helps support graduate students who face these barriers.

The Ocean Sciences Equity & Inclusion Student Hardship Fund ensures that we are
preparing our graduate students of all backgrounds and circumstances to be scientists
with outstanding research, teaching, and professional skills.

Your gift will:
Help with students’ moving expenses or necessary personal travel, such as to visit
close family members;
Alleviate unexpected financial hardship due to the cost of living in Santa Cruz;
Purchase a laptop computer or other necessary equipment.

Opening the Skies to Student Researchers

The UC Santa Cruz Transients Team trains undergraduate students to observe the Universe using the research-grade telescopes at Lick Observatory located on Mt. Hamilton in the hills above San Jose. With guidance from faculty and researchers, students help investigate some of the most exciting questions in astronomy, from searching for stars orbiting black holes to studying supernovae and searching for the sources of gravitational waves. This immersive experience provides students with enriching, real-world exposure to observational research early in their careers. Every $260 raised fully funds one undergraduate to observe at Lick for a night — opening the skies to the next generation of astronomers!

Raingear equity for UCSC Campus Natural Reserve student interns!

UCSC Campus Natural Reserve student interns take their learning outdoors, building skills and growing as they prepare to be our Earth's next stewards, ecologists, natural historians, environmental educators, and connected individuals. This  doesn't stop when the rain starts, so we are raising funds to purchase rain gear (rain jackets, rain pants, rain boots) to help our students stay safe and comfortable while working outside. This will increase equity in our program, as students will be prepared without needing to purchase their own gear, the cost of which may cause some students to avoid applying to our internships.

Calypso Monterey Bay

Calypso Monterey Bay is a small unassisted aerial system to monitor the state and health of our bay.  Our project will explore the relationships between physical oceanography (e.g. upwelling) and the growth and productivity of algae and phytoplankton in our local ecosystem.  The support through Giving Day will enable undergraduates to participate in the forefront research through the collection and analysis of temperature and color observations of the ocean surface. 

SDA Health Sciences Banquet

We are the Student Doctor Alliance, a Pre-Healths Club. Our organization focuses on providing students at UCSC more opportunities to gain experience and insight into the Pre-Health field. We host events to give our members a chance to meet with medical professionals/researchers, volunteer hours, clinical hours, and academic guidance. The project we are raising funds for is our end of year Health Sciences Banquet where professors, researchers, medical professionals and alumni come to a semi-formal event to speak with students who are interested in a career in the Pre-Health field. Due to UCSC not having a direct medical path, this opportunity is a great way for students to step into the field, meet people who have gone through different experiences in order to network and get their questions answered. Exposing students who are interested in this field can help inspire the next generation of doctors, psychiatrists, researchers etc. The funds will be used to book the venue, decorate the event, pay for catering, and pay for parking accommodations for the guest speakers.

The MCD Biology General Fund

The MCD Biology General Fund goes to the area of greatest need in the department and provides crucial support for education and research. Donations brighten the future of our student and faculty researchers by allowing career growth and exciting new discoveries.

Robert A. Ludwig Memorial Scholarship

The Robert A. Ludwig Memorial Scholarship Fund provides our young scientists with crucial experiences. This scholarship provides funds for attendance at special summer courses and conferences and small stipends to complete promising research.

Fund student aquarists @ Seymour Center

Launch a student's marine science career via Seymour Center’s Student Aquarist Program.
There are limited technical, hands-on, professional marine science jobs. With community support, the Seymour Center will offer three student aquarist roles this year. Mentored by the Seymour Center’s aquarium team, these students learn aquarium husbandry techniques through cleaning and maintaining the tanks, keeping with animal care protocol, and learning the seawater system functions.

Mary Zavanelli Endowment fund

The Mary Zavanelli Endowment fund provides full summer support for undergraduates in health sciences to conduct independent research projects. This support allows the students to focus full time on developing their projects and their research skills, and not have to work to support themselves.

John Pearse Endowment for Field Courses

In memory of Dr. John Pearse, UC Santa Cruz has established a memorial fund to continue John’s legacy and increase access to field courses. A beloved UCSC professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and leading authority on marine invertebrates,  intertidal and kelp forest ecology, his colleagues and students know him best as a dedicated mentor who inspired students and launched careers in science.

MPC2SC Summer Research Program

For 30 years, the UC Santa Cruz Chemistry Department has run ACCESS, a summer academic bridge program for community college students interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences. This program, which has focused on first-generation college students, has been funded primarily by a federal grant, with some additional philanthropic support. Since this NIH program was cancelled, we are requesting philanthropic support to host 4 students from Monterey Peninsula College  (Monterey Peninsula College to UCSC (MPC2SC)). The students will live on campus for 8 weeks and participate in summer research in a faculty laboratory along with special programming to form a bridge to the university.

ROOTS: Research Opportunities for Outstanding Trainees in STEM

Research Opportunities for Outstanding Trainees in STEM (ROOTS) is a new initiative under the STEM Diversity Programs that provides research stipends to undergraduate students with limited access to funded opportunities. More than just financial support, ROOTS offers holistic mentoring, professional development, and opportunities for students to present their research at local and national conferences. This program aims to grow the next generation of scientists by grounding them in strong mentorship and high-impact experiences that build confidence, skills, and community.

Plant Conservation in the UCSC Greenhouses

Every year our local flora faces threats from land use changes, climate impacts, and more. The UCSC Greenhouses Plant Conservation Program seeks to identify local species at risk, grow them for ex-situ seed amplification, and distribute the seeds to conservation programs, researchers, or seed banks as appropriate. This year the Rare Plant Conservation Interns will be continuing our work saving fresh seeds from the late Randall Morgan's Trifolium seed collections. Your contribution to our efforts will make a big impact on species conservation.

MCD Biology Student Opportunity Fund

Science is under threat and funding for our programs in in the crosshairs. Funding for both our undergraduate and graduate students are desperately needed to maintain their training through research. Help us to provide professional development and research experiences for our talented scientists in training.

Santa Cruz Astronomy Impact Fellowships

Astronomy Impact Fellowships support outstanding graduate students in their final 2 years of their PhD.  These students have completed telescope observations, built new instruments, and developed new theoretical frameworks -- they are poised to deliver high-impact results. Unfortunately, grants often expire in this period, forcing students to juggle TAships and other projects to survive.  Astronomy Impact Fellowships fill this gap, enabling PhD candidates to focus on delivering their exciting discoveries to the world.

ACCelerating Equity & Success in SCUBA Diving @ UCSC

 ACCESSdiving @ UCSC (ACCelerating Equity and Success in SCUBA diving) is closing equity gaps in marine science by removing barriers to SCUBA diving for UC Santa Cruz undergraduates, especially transfer, first-generation, and underrepresented minority (URM) students. Despite being a core field skill in marine science, access to SCUBA remains limited due to high costs, limited gear, and cultural exclusion. ACCESSdiving builds early confidence, science identity, and belonging so students can envision futures in underwater science. 'ACCESS diving @ UCSC' is the programmatic host for a suite of initiatives designed to increase students’ understanding of SCUBA diving, specifically scientific diving, and to foster a diverse and inclusive on-campus dive community by providing students with increased access to fun, safe, and formative underwater experiences.

EEB Undergraduate Research Opportunity Fund

UCSC’s Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department is known for its high-impact, hands-on field and research opportunities for undergraduate students. Partner with us to fund paid summer research internships and professional development activities - these are often the most impactful or transformative degree-defining experiences for undergraduates.

Bring K-12 students to Fort Ord Natural Reserve

Help us bring K-12 students from the Monterey bay and Salinas valley to explore nature at Fort Ord Natural Reserve. Each year we bring hundreds of students to visit the reserve, explore trails, and learn about local natural history. Students from local universities, gain valuable, teaching experience, and we could not do this without your help!

Help us study 99P, the rarest elephant seal seal we’ve ever met

We are raising funds for a one-of-a-kind northern elephant seal research project. This spring, researchers at Año Nuevo Reserve discovered an untagged seal with the body size and droopy nose of a male and the reproductive anatomy of a female. We estimate this extremely rare combination occurs in just 1 out of every 5,000 seals, and may be a lingering consequence of the species’ genetic bottleneck, when elephant seals were hunted down to just 20 individuals by humans in the 1800s.

Now identified as “99P,” this remarkable individual has generated significant scientific interest  regarding its development and life-history. During the summer, researchers from the Pinniped Cognition and Sensory Systems program collected acoustic recordings, while researchers from the Beltran and Costa labs successfully deployed biologgers and collected detailed measurements and samples. You can watch 99P’s foraging journey unfold in real time: https://my.wildlifecomputers.com/data/map/?id=6829010234aecb9d3e06c20f

We are excited to be launching a groundbreaking collaborative project that will compare 99P’s genetic, anatomical, physiological, acoustic, and behavioral traits to those of typical males and females. This presents a unique opportunity to gain unprecedented insight into the development of these traits, and the underlying factors that drive sex-based differences in this species. As far as we know, this is the first time a living, wild intersex mammal has been studied in such detail.

To maximize the impact of this research, we need to raise $50,000 to support analysis and support the collaboration between 30 researchers including students. This funding will cover essential lab work and data processing, which are critical to the success of this project. Your generous support will help make this extraordinary project possible.

UCSC Scientific Diving Program

The UCSC Scientific Diving program provides UCSC students with the opportunity to safely use SCUBA diving to support their field research and academic objectives. The Scientific Diving Program offers the BIOE75 Scientific Diving Course which meets the AAUS standards for scientific diver training and certification. This certification is a prerequisite for any of the EEB Field Courses that utilize SCUBA diving (Kelp Forest Ecology, Marine Ecology Field Quarter (Corsica), Global Change Ecology Field Quarter (Sitka), as well as independent studies or faculty sponsored research. By supporting the Scientific Diving Program, you will help provide students access to costly equipment and training. Funds will directly support the purchase, maintenance and repair of SCUBA equipment, sampling gear and will offset the course fee associated with the training and certification course. Thank you for your support in helping keep our students and future ocean researcher safe and well equipped!

Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative Mentorship Program

Children with cancer need more treatment options. The UCSC Treehouse team has developed an innovative RNA analysis that provides answers that similar DNA tests can miss, and now, with our newly certified clinical lab, we can scale up our analysis to make it available to more kids.

Part of scaling up is training more students in computational biology and our team's specialized approaches—and that's where you come in! This Giving Day, you can support the Treehouse Undergraduate Bioinformatics Immersion (TUBI) program, where we mentor students as they contribute to the search for new cancer treatments, allowing them to make a real impact while they gain invaluable research and career training.

Your gift to TUBI will help prepare a member of the next generation of scientists to join us in our mission of defeating childhood cancer.

Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells

Since 2005, with support from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the IBSC has fostered Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Training Programs to shape the next generation of scientists. Join us in preparing future scientists for diverse careers and advancements in this transformative field. Funds will be used to support our trainees (travel, meetings, annual Research Review Day, and other events).

Harvesting and sensing fog water for coastal climate resillience

The Fog Net - Slugworks collaboration is designing and building fog collection and water sensing systems for backyard and community gardens. We are looking to build these for low-income coastal residents in need of an additional irrigation water source. We are designing simple yet effective water sensing systems that can quantify fog's benefit to gardeners and bring more awareness to the practice of fog water harvesting.

Materials Science and Engineering Education and Research Programs

The MSE Program supports graduate education and undergraduate student research projects. Funding will be used to support student stipends and research project costs such as materials and supplies, travel to conferences, and hosting external speakers for our seminars. Our projects focus on novel materials and devices that create new energy-efficient electronics, photovoltaic devices, and energy storage technologies that benefit the planet.

A Handheld Non-invasive Nanopore Test to Detect Cancer Early: Powered by UCSC Undergrads

Early detection is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against cancer- it can mean the difference between a chance at life and a terminal diagnosis. We are a team of undergraduate researchers in the Daniel Kim Lab at UC Santa Cruz developing a portable, low-cost test that detects cancer-specific RNA in blood using handheld nanopore sequencing. This non-invasive approach has the potential to transform early cancer screening and make it accessible to all. Your support will directly accelerate the development of this life-saving technology- join us in making early detection equitable and possible for everyone.

Sustainability Office

Support the UCSC Sustainability Office this Giving Day and help scale up impactful, student-driven work across campus. Your gift directly supports zero waste efforts, climate action projects, and hands-on learning opportunities —from composting at the Agroecology Center to student-led climate research—that advances equity, resilience, and environmental stewardship.These initiatives don’t just reduce our footprint—they prepare the next generation of leaders to take on real environmental challenges. Together, we can build a more resilient and responsible campus community.

Physics Outreach

SCOOP (Santa Cruz Organization for Outreach in Physics) is a student-led group in the UCSC Physics Department dedicated to making physics more accessible, inclusive, and engaging. We organize hands-on outreach events like school and observatory visits, science fairs, and research showcases to build community and spark curiosity in physics. Your support helps us connect with local schools, provide resources for interactive demos, and expand opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Funds raised will go toward materials, transportation, and event supplies to keep our programs creative, collaborative, and open to all.

UCSC Chemistry Club

Chem Club works to garner interest in chemistry and promotes scientific exploration. We have built an inviting community of students that fosters curiosity and peer support. Through weekly meetings, symposiums, conferences, and lab tours, we show the real world applications of chemistry. We nurture growing curiosity in STEM through hosting demonstrations and outreach events at local elementary, middle, and high schools.

Enhance the Impact of Coastal Science and Policy Students

The Coastal Science & Policy Program is tailored for rising leaders to develop interdisciplinary solutions to challenges facing coastal communities and ecosystems around the world. To elevate, enhance the reach of our students' work, increase subject area expertise and build professional networks, CSP students need support to attend conferences and other professional programs. Such programs include the Blue Economy Summit, the World Fisheries Congress, Black in Marine Science, and others. We support each student with our limited funds, and this Giving Day, we ask for your support to help us fund student travel to conferences and professional trainings. This support also helps students share their own research and outcomes from their capstone projects across a host of coastal science and policy issues, thereby enhancing the reach and impact of their work. Learn more about the program by going to our website csp.ucsc.edu.

Plant Sciences Fund

The Plant Sciences Fund at UC Santa Cruz supports research and educational activities for students across all departments.  The UCSC Greenhouses are a focal point and gathering place for this diverse and enthusiastic community of plant lovers.  Our Giving Day campaign raises essential funding to cover student research and support the activities of the Plant Science Club.  We can’t do it without you!

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 Statement for University of California Publications Regarding Student-Related Matters.