Dear Science Community,
We have finally come to the end of an academic year like no other, and I remain awed by our community’s resilience. The jubilant spirit of the small in-person “Slug Crossing” ceremonies that celebrated our newly graduated scientists this June was particularly exhilarating after a year filled with uncertainty. I am happy to share some of our many student accomplishments with you all in this issue of the Impact Report.
As we head toward a more normal academic year this fall, I want to take this opportunity to praise our faculty and staff members whose heroic efforts have not only supported our institution through an emotionally taxing period, but have tangibly made it better. I’ve watched members of our Science community pivot their research to help fight COVID-19, rapidly establish a testing center for campus and community members, safely evacuate both people and animals during the CZU fire, create impressive new virtual learning experiences, and provide critical support services for our students. This level of commitment to teaching, research, and service is what makes UC Santa Cruz one of the leading schools in the nation for making an impact, and I am grateful to be able to represent such an incredible group of people.
Finally, I want to extend a special thanks to everyone who has worked to make our campus a more diverse and inclusive space. There is always more we can do, but I believe that our newly established Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is setting in place a structure that will allow the sciences at UC Santa Cruz to continue to be a leader in promoting STEM diversity.
I am looking forward to what the new year will bring.
Sincerely Yours,
Paul Koch
