Earth & Planetary Sciences News
Seismologists use deep learning to forecast earthquakes
August 31, 2023
A team of researchers at UC Santa Cruz and the Technical University of Munich created a new model that uses deep learning to forecast aftershocks.
Alumnus goes to great depths to sustain the study of oceans
August 4, 2023
After earning his Ph.D. at UC Santa Cruz, James Hein became world-renowned for his deep-ocean research. He has left an indelible mark in his field and is now leaving a legacy in Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCSC by establishing an endowment that will help prepare the next generation of geoscience oceanographers.
UCSC’s Center for Coastal Climate Resilience awards over $4.6 million to support California coastal projects
June 28, 2023
The UCSC Center for Coastal Climate Resilience has awarded over $4.6 million in funding to 23 UC Santa Cruz research groups for pilot projects and implementation projects supporting efforts to fight climate change in coastal communities across California and beyond. Funds for these grant programs came from the California State Budget Act of 2022-23.
Paul Koch stepping down after 12 years as dean of physical and biological sciences
June 20, 2023
The Division of Physical and Biological Sciences has made exceptional strides in key areas under Dean Koch’s leadership.
Geoscientist Emily Brodsky elected to the National Academy of Sciences
May 3, 2023
Emily Brodsky, professor of Earth and planetary sciences, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of her distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
As the California sea lion population got bigger, so did male sea lions
April 27, 2023
Unlike other marine mammals, male California sea lions have gotten bigger over the past 50 years as their population has grown.
Elephant seals drift off to sleep while diving far below the ocean surface
April 20, 2023
Brainwave patterns show elephant seals take short naps while holding their breath on deep dives, averaging just 2 hours of sleep per day while at sea.
Grad student Huazhi Ge wins postdoctoral fellowship for planetary science research
March 30, 2023
Huazhi Ge, a doctoral candidate in planetary science at UC Santa Cruz, has won a prestigious 51 Pegasi b Fellowship from the Heising-Simons Foundation to support his postdoctoral research.
Planetary scientist Myriam Telus wins NSF CAREER Award
March 13, 2023
Myriam Telus, assistant professor of Earth and planetary sciences at UC Santa Cruz, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support her research on the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets.
Five student teams embark on tech for social good projects
January 23, 2023
Five student teams will take on tech for social good projects with funding from the UCSC CITRIS and the Banatao Institute and the UCSC Institute for Social Transformation.
Earth scientist James Zachos honored for climate change research
January 11, 2023
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Climate Change category recognizes Zachos and fellow paleoclimatologist Ellen Thomas of Yale University.
Bering Land Bridge formed surprisingly late during last ice age, study finds
December 26, 2022
By reconstructing the sea level history of the Bering Strait, scientists found that the strait remained flooded until around 35,700 years ago, not long before humans began migrating into the Americas.
Breaking up is hard to do: Separation of Fiji and Vanuatu tied to Samoan seamounts
December 14, 2022
New analyses of volcanic rock samples collected in the 1980s link the geologic histories of these South Pacific islands to explain their current locations and character.
Report outlines plans for major research effort on subduction zone geologic hazards
November 7, 2022
An ambitious interdisciplinary initiative aims to advance understanding of the processes that trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and volcanic eruptions where tectonic plates converge.
Research on shear strength of rock has implications for carbon sequestration
October 5, 2022
With a $1.1 million grant from the Department of Energy, seismologist Emily Brodsky will address seismic challenges involved in carbon sequestration, geothermal energy, and other areas.
Frontier Fellows: Peter Nguyen
September 27, 2022
The Earth Futures Institute’s Frontier Fellows program offers undergraduate research opportunities and funding at UC Santa Cruz. UCSC student Peter Nguyen studies a federally listed endangered flowering plant—Lupinus nipomensis.