INQUIRING minds

• Anil Ananthaswamy (’00)
• David Egerter, Editor (’88)
• Emma Hiolski (’17)
• Alla Katsnelson (’07)
• Jane Palmer (’10)
• Stephanie Pappas (’09)
• Annie Roth (’18)
• Ben Shouse (’01)
• Alison F. Takemura (’16)
• Eric Vance (’06)
• Cameron Walker (’02)
• K. M. Watson (’84)
• Leslie Willoughby ('15)
• Marcus Woo (’07)
• Chris Woolston (’95)
• Sascha Zubryd (’11)

With the unique expertise of scientists-turned-journalists, the 16 graduates of the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Master’s Program shown above created the stories that populate these pages. Their reporting well documents the breadth and depth of the research enterprise at UCSC and how its impact reaches around the world.

This sizable impact also applies to the “SciCom” Program (scicom.ucsc.edu). Directed by veteran science journalist Erika Check Hayden, the program is recognized as one of the world’s best training grounds for former scientists who wish to use their expertise to foster the public understanding of science, health, technology, and the environment. Perhaps the best measure of the program’s impact is the substantial body of work its 300-plus graduates author nationally and internationally in newspapers, radio, television, online media, peer-reviewed journals, magazines, and university public relations.

More immediate evidence of SciCom success from just the last year includes:

• The certificate-to-Master’s-of-Science (M.S.) program upgrade.

• Substantial two-year grant awards from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for promoting diversity in science communication and from the Heising-Simons Foundation for training and teaching.

• National Association of Science Writers (NASW) Diversity Fellowships to Jennifer Leman (’18), Helen Santoro (’19), and Rodrigo Pérez Ortega (’19).

• George Foster Peabody Awards to Vicky Stein (’18) and Nsikan Akpan (’14).

• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism to Esther Landhuis (’04).

• American Astronomical Society (AAS) Jonathan Eberhart Planetary Sciences Journalism Award to Alexandra Witze (’93).

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to Anil Ananthaswamy (’00), author of “Waiting with GODOT” cover story in this issue.

• Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VII Award of Excellence (Bronze) for Inquiry@UC Santa Cruz, 2018–19 (last year’s issue).

We hope you enjoy reading this year’s inquiry@UC Santa Cruz.