Events

Come join fellow international students for an exploration on how food and language shape our memory and identity. Let's eat, speak, mispronounce, and remember together!

Event offerings:

Reflection and presentation on how recipes (like languages) are passed down, translated, misheard, or forgottenSample homemade Jeju-style seaweed soup (mom-guk) *vegan/gluten-free options available*Date: Monday, May 12

Time: 12:00 - 14:00

Location: Graduate Student Commons, Fireside Lounge

RSVP Here

This event is part of a series facilitated by International Grad Peer Mentors and fellow international graduate students in International Student Services and Programming (ISSP). If you have any questions, please contact us at iprogramming@ucsc.edu.

Join the Center for South Asian Studies for a presentation by Aküm Longchari, the Center’s Scholar in Residence.

From an Indigenous perspective, peace processes in the first quarter of the 21st century have been focused on State-building, where questions of justice and peace remained a matter of privilege and power rather than a right of all peoples. State-led processes tend to focus on ending physical violence in armed conflict, without addressing the violence of unjust political, social, economic, and cultural structures, which led to the conflict in the first place. This dialogue seeks to “Reimagine Humanization, Just Peace, and Healing through an Indigenous Lens,” as an emancipatory bottom-up framework, applying intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches which amplifies the values of a shared humanity.

Aküm Longchari is an educator in peacebuilding, co-founder and publisher of The Morung Express (2005), an independent English-language newspaper based in Nagaland. Aküm holds an LLB, MA in Conflict Transformation, and a PhD which focused on Self Determination as a Resource for JustPeace.

Presented by the Center for South Asian Studies. Co-Sponsored by the UC Santa Cruz Indigenous Faculty Network and The Humanities Institute.

Join other globally-minded slugs for our IEW-themed Global Café on select Wednesdays from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Share international experiences, speak with ISSP staff, enjoy a cup of tea (and other goodies), and meet new people. This event is open to all international students and scholars, Global Learning students, and anyone interested in international experiences. No RSVP is needed.

Spring Global Cafe Dates:

Wednesday, April 16Wednesday, May 14

Join the Center for Labor and Community for a discussion on the state of young workers in Santa Cruz County. Researchers will share findings from a massive survey we’ve recently administered on the working conditions and organizing attitudes among 18-34 year olds in Santa Cruz County, which suggest that young workers in our region are poised to lead a union boom. Given the clear appetite among young workers to organize, we will hear from worker-organizers with Starbucks Workers United, REI, the Oakland Educators Association, and the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee on how their campaigns got started, what’s working, what’s not, and what lessons can be extracted for organizers elsewhere. Little Giant Collective will offer free screen printing to attendees.

🌅Sunset Cinema 🌅

Ever feel like you’re doing everything, everywhere, all at once?
Take a break from the chaos of the multiverse and join the Student Union Assembly (SUA) for a night of movie magic, munchies, and making your voice heard!

🎬 UCSC SUA Presents:
Sunset Cinema - Everything Everywhere All At Once
🗓 Friday, May 16th
🕕 Doors open at 6:00 PM | 🎞 Film starts at 8:00 PM

✨ Come early for interdimensional delights:
– FREE spam musubi for the first 500 students (courtesy of Pono’s — yes, in this universe!)
– FREE boba from Teaspoon (flavors: honey oolong, jasmine cream, etc. ?)
– Pre-movie infotainment & tabling
– Sweet swag & merch
– And maybe a googly eye or two 👁️

This isn’t just a movie night, It's part of our Get Out The Vote celebration, because your vote has power in every reality. Shoutout to our heroic SUA Elections Commissioners for keeping the multiverse running smoothly.

🗳 Voting Info:
The SUA Election Ballot opens Monday, May 5th and closes Friday, May 16th.
Cast your vote, avoid the bagel void, and shape the future of your universe.
Follow @ucsc.elections to stay in the loop (no googly eye required).

So grab your friends, your fanny pack, and maybe a hot dog finger glove — and we’ll see you under the stars for a night that’s out of this world. 💫

With love (from every version of us),
— The UCSC Student Union Assembly

The MCD Diversity Committee, the Genomics Institute Diversity Committee, and STEM Diversity invite you attend this talk with a scientist, advocate, and researcher devoted to equity and inclusion.

Please join for drinks and light refreshments after the talk from 4-5 PM.

Bio: David Asai attended Stanford University (Chemistry, BS; Biology, MS), Caltech (Biology, PhD), and was a postdoc and research scientist at UC Santa Barbara, then a professor at Purdue University where he was Head of Biological Sciences. After 18.5 years at Purdue, he moved to Harvey Mudd College where he was Stuart Mudd Professor and Chair of Biology.

Asai's research group studied the structural diversity and functional specialization of dyneins in sea urchin embryos and Tetrahymena thermophila. In 2008, he joined the Howard Hughes Medical Institute where he was Senior Director for Science Education. His group at HHMI created several initiatives aimed at improving the learning and training environment for all students, including Inclusive Excellence, Driving Change, the new Gilliam graduate fellowships program, and the Scientific Mentorship Initiative. Asai retired from the HHMI in 2024.

Asai was a member of the NASEM committee that produced the 2023 report Advancing Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM Organizations. He currently serves on several boards and advisory committees. He received the Bruce Alberts Award for innovative and sustained contributions to science education, the Wm. E. Bennett Award for contributions to civically responsible science, and was the inaugural Ambrose Jearld Lectureship on Diversity and Inclusion. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Cell Biology.

UCSC affiliates can join via Zoom using their ucsc.edu email addresses here:

https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/96268207742?pwd=t5p37TP48bT7lFNY9XDHGuV323DqoJ.1
Meeting ID: 962 6820 7742
Passcode: UCSC

Join us for an evening of powerful education and reflection at Neglected Histories of the Holocaust: Jewish-Muslim Cooperation and Rescue, a timely panel discussion that uncovers lesser-known stories of solidarity and resistance during one of history’s darkest chapters.

While the Holocaust is often examined through a European lens, this event sheds light on the global dimensions of World War II, specifically exploring how Jewish and Muslim communities with roots in North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia resisted Nazi ideologies and supported one another in the face of persecution. Through a conversation with distinguished scholars, we will examine the moral courage, political alliances, and interfaith relationships that challenge oversimplified historical narratives and deepen our understanding of resistance and survival across cultures and continents.

This event invites students, scholars, and community members to reexamine commonly held assumptions and to engage with a more inclusive historical narrative—one that underscores shared humanity and the global implications of justice and remembrance.

Panelists include:

Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, Professor of Religion & Philosophy and Director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan University.Dr. Edward Kissi, Professor of Africana Studies at the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies at University of South FloridaModerated by Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather, CEO of Anne Frank Center USA

Presented by the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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ADMISSION
- FREE and open to the public
- Registration link: https://bit.ly/NeglectedHistories
- Doors open at 5:30 PM

Attend a screening of Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life (2022), a powerful documentary that chronicles Pittsburgh’s response to the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. In the aftermath of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue that claimed eleven lives, the film follows survivors, families of the victims, community members, and civic leaders over the course of three years. Together, they confront the lasting impact of rising antisemitism, racism, hate speech, and gun violence.

This intimate and deeply moving documentary captures the pivotal role of a diverse and resilient community as it works to heal, bridge deep divisions, and respond to hate with strength and unity. The story that unfolds offers not only reflection and mourning, but also powerful examples of hope, solidarity, and the pursuit of justice.

Following the screening, join us for a panel discussion with filmmaker Patrice O’Neill; Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather, CEO of the Anne Frank Center USA and former Executive Director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh; and moderator Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan University.

Presented by the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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ADMISSION
- FREE and open to the public
- Registration link: bit.ly/RepairingtheWorld
- Doors open 1 hour prior to event start time

UCSC's Fisheries Collaborative Program and the Santa Cruz-Monterey Bay Area Subunit of the American Fisheries Society invite you to the fifth annual, Diverse Voices in Fisheries Science Seminar. This will be a five-part series. We are excited to present Maisie Ganzler and her talk "How Fisheries Science Can Impact Business (and Where It Falls Short)" as the fourth seminar in this year's series.

Speaker: Maisie Ganzler, Bon Appetit Management Company

Talk Title: How Fisheries Science Can Impact Business (and Where It Falls Short)

Date: Wednesday, May 21st

Time: 10:30am-12:00pm

Register here: https://ucsc.zoom.us/meeting/register/d8TogemjRACiktuSqdr5-A

Agenda:

10:30 am - 11:00 am

In-person only - Professional Networking Session (light snacks and refreshments provided)

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Speaker Presentation followed by Q&A For Audience Members

Access recordings from previous years

Slugs at Sundown Alumni Meet-Up: The Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Silicon Valley

As the federal landscape shifts, many companies and municipalities are re-evaluating their DEI staffing, policies, and long-term commitments. What does this mean for employees and leaders dedicated to fostering inclusive workplaces?

Join fellow UC Santa Cruz alumni for a casual evening of networking, connection, and discussion. Speakers will share insights on how organizations are navigating the evolving DEI climate from both public and private sector lenses.

Thursday, May 29

5:30–6 p.m. | Registration & light refreshments
6–7 p.m. | Welcome and Introduction, Speakers,
Q&A - Followed by Networking

Mia Hernandez (Porter, Community Studies B.A., `18)

Mia is a Senior Executive Analyst in City of San José’s Office of Racial and Social Equity, where she helps embed racial equity into city policies and programs. With over a decade of experience in community organizing and public policy, she has advanced housing justice and civil rights through roles at Project Sentinel, the City of

Oakland, and more. A UC Santa Cruz alum, Mia is also a poet and storyteller who uplifts queer communities and people of color through narrative and advocacy.

Je A'nna McCurdie (UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, HR Management Certification,`96)

Je A’nna is Director of Hiring Engagement Strategy and Programs at Google, leading global efforts to build inclusive, scalable hiring systems. Since joining in 2009, she’s shaped key DEI initiatives—Culture Add, Inclusive Hiring Steps, and more—that now define Google’s hiring approach.

Je A’nna is Director of Hiring Engagement Strategy and Programs at Google, leading global efforts to build inclusive, scalable hiring systems. Since joining in 2009, she’s shaped key DEI initiatives—Culture Add, Inclusive Hiring Steps, and more—that now define Google’s hiring approach.

JOIN US

Please register to confirm your attendance.

All are welcome:
This event is open to all alumni, faculty, staff, and families consistent with state and federal law, and the UC Nondiscrimination Statement.

We look forward to seeing you at Slugs at Sundown!
For more information, please visit our website.

On Friday, May 30 at 1:20 pm, you are invited to join Associate Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Karen Miga’s BME 80G Bioethics course for a talk by Joanna Radin.

This is a story about what happened when an enterprising Ivy league, pre-med majoring in anthropology encountered a machine he was told could, among other miracles, transform the spoils of generations of racial conquest into anti-racist science. It is a cautionary tale, not unlike the ones this pre-med would become best known for when he abandoned medicine for mass-market publishing and Hollywood. I narrate this account not as a thriller, adventure, or mystery, but as a bad romance. Or more specifically a necromance, born out of opportunistic relationships to the dead and mass cultural movements to refuse civil rights. The story unfolds between Cambridge, UK and Cambridge, MA in the 1960s. Specifically, collections of skulls at Cambridge University and the gender and racially segregated halls of Harvard College. It traces the intersections of Black Power and the power of computers—specifically the IBM 7090–as a strategy for intervening in entrenched ideas about human racial and sexual difference. I follow the consequences of this skullduggery into the present, after calls for the release of human remains from Anthropology’s crypts amidst the Black Lives Matter movement during the twilight of Affirmative Action.

Joanna Radin is Associate Professor of History of Medicine at Yale University, where she is a core member and Director of Graduate Studies of the Program in History of Science and Medicine. She also holds appointments in the Departments of History and of Anthropology and is an affiliate of the Programs in American Studies and in Religion and Modernity. She is the author of Life on Ice: A History of New Uses for Cold Blood (Chicago 2017) and with Emma Kowal, the co-editor of Cryopolitics: Frozen Life in a Melting World (MIT 2017). Her most recent publication is an essay in The Yale Review, “Is Celebrity Real?”

Co-hosted by the UCSC Department of Biomolecular Engineering, the Genomics Institute, and the Science & Justice Research Center.

Available: In-Person

In-Person location: Seymour Center

Sequence to Solutions: Creating a Healthier World

May 16 | 2pm-5:30pm | Seymour Center

Please join us for a special half-day symposium as we celebrate a milestone anniversary for genomics research at UC Santa Cruz, and look forward to a future of revolutionary applications for human and planetary health.

The day will include a keynote from Euan Ashley, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University, followed by a panel discussion and then a science fair with live demos and presentations!

RSVP Appreciated

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16QE6L3Mav2WGbpdu2OXM_5pbbjBdK09zJlPvTWgkI4s/edit

Available: In-Person

In-Person location: Seymour Center

Sequence to Solutions: Creating a Healthier World

May 16 | 2pm-5:30pm | Seymour Center

Please join us for a special half-day symposium as we celebrate a milestone anniversary for genomics research at UC Santa Cruz, and look forward to a future of revolutionary applications for human and planetary health.

The day will include a keynote from Euan Ashley, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University, followed by a panel discussion and then a science fair with live demos and presentations!

RSVP Appreciated

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16QE6L3Mav2WGbpdu2OXM_5pbbjBdK09zJlPvTWgkI4s/edit

David earned his BS in Chemistry and MS in Biology from Stanford, followed by a PhD in Biology from Caltech. He was a postdoc and research scientist at UC Santa Barbara, then a professor and Head of Biological Sciences at Purdue University, before becoming the Stuart Mudd Professor and Chair of Biology at Harvey Mudd College. His research focused on dyneins in sea urchin embryos and Tetrahymena thermophila. In 2008, he joined the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as Senior Director for Science Education, enhancing student learning environments, and he retired in 2024. He also contributed to the NASEM committee that produced the 2023 report on diversity and inclusion in STEM organizations.

Available: In-Person

Register here: bit.ly/NeglectedHistories

This event explores overlooked stories of solidarity during the Holocaust, focusing on Jewish-Muslim cooperation.

https://bit.ly/NeglectedHistories

Available: In-Person

In-Person location: Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

Register here: bit.ly/RepairingtheWorld

Experience this powerful documentary and a post-screening panel reflecting on the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting and the enduring strength of interfaith and community support.

http://bit.ly/RepairingtheWorld

This year, our Keynote speaker is Dr. Clif Poodry, former faculty and one of the founders of our MARC and MBRS programs, which was the beginning of the STEM Diversity Office.

This is an informal gathering for faculty and staff to share, interact, support each other, and build community across the Science Division.

We hope you stop by.