Empower
your future

The Division of Physical & Biological Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz is a global engine of high-impact science and student research experiences. Take a look at what you can do here, then join us and make your own impact on the world.

Browse degree programs

Find research opportunities

Get academic support

Learn how to apply

Explore
new discoveries

Beware: Consuming our high-impact science can be a satisfying brain workout. View at your own risk.

DESI mounted on the U.S. National Science Foundation Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. (Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Marenfeld)First results from DESI make the most precise measurement of our expanding universe

April 4, 2024 We now have the largest 3-D map of our cosmos ever created, thanks to a powerful instrument mounted atop a telescope in Arizona with a robotic array of 5,000 fiber-optic “eyes” that look into the night sky.

Single Chromosome with Telomere ends highlightedNew study finds potential targets at chromosome ends for degenerative disease prevention

April 11, 2024 Telomeres, which cap the ends of chromosomes, play a critical role in the cell-renewal process—with a direct bearing on health and disease.

Milk-producing alveolar cells shown in magenta and milk protein shown in yellow in this cross-section of a mouse mammary gland at day five of lactation. (Image courtesy of Julien Menendez)UC Santa Cruz scientists reveal new path to increased lactation for nursing mothers

April 19, 2024 Scientists at UC Santa Cruz have discovered a cellular process in the breast that can increase milk production by pregnant women, revealing a potential path to addressing lactation-insufficiency syndrome.

Experience
immersive research

Are you a student looking for high-impact research experiences and funding? Check out these résumé boosting opportunities.

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

1. Undergraduate Research in Science & Technology Awards (URST)