UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

OMG!! Did you know it’s the Year of Alumni @UCSC? This is huuge!! From agroecology to astronomy, #UCSCAlumni are making a mark on the world! Rad! #thinkucsc #slugpower #noknownpredators

UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE SPRING 2018 10 Preventing plastic’s perils Chemistry professor Rebecca Braslau is working to make a new kind of plastic without phthalates, which can mimic hormones and cause health problems. 13 Alumni Weekend: Come home Alumni Weekend is April 27–29, 2018. Check out the full program of events and join fellow alumni for mingling, reminiscing, learning, and lingering. Join us as we share the beauty of diverse cultures 18 A rain check for undying love She sketched out a check for him from the “Cowell College Love Bank,” and they went their separate ways—until 39 years later. UC Santa Cruz has designated 2018 as the Year of Alumni, a time to savor, Comic relief celebrate, and promote the legacy 20 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES of proud Banana Slugs who have Alumnus Doug Bragdon employs student artists made their mark as they’ve gone on with Santa Cruz Comics, a new glossy magazine to successful careers and paradigm- that takes its cue from Japanese manga comics. BIOSCIENCES shifting endeavors. These walls can talk This issue’s articles are about alumni 24 First-generation Salvadoran American Mauricio BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT or written by alumni. This is our way Ramirez—an alumnus and current grad student—finds of sharing stories of graduates whose voice, art, and inspiration in the murals of San Francisco’s lives were changed by UC Santa Mission District. EDUCATION Cruz and who embody the values and qualities that represent this campus—social justice, public service, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY environmental stewardship, a dedication to exploring the human condition, and a A certificate, an award or a single course: what does your career need? determination to change the world. It’s time to focus on your career—with us! We hope you’re inspired by these stories. We are.

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Letters 2 This Is UC Santa Cruz 4 Alumni Profiles 28 Calendar 3 1 More Thing 32

YOUR UC IN SILICON VALLEY About the cover: Illustration by Taylor Callery ucsc-extension.edu MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU | Copyright © 2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. | 3175 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95054 | Courses enroll weekly. | II UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 1 LETTERS CALENDAR UC Rants, raves, recommendations, and love letters from our readers. events.ucsc.edu SANTA Write us at [email protected]. CRUZ MAGAZINE SPRING 2018 UNIVERSITY believe, propelled UC Santa a “hippie school” was the least OF CALIFORNIA UC SANTA Cruz into the ranks of of its problems. SANTA CRUZ CRUZ MAGAZINE “serious” universities, while FALL 2017 When I arrived on the Chancellor still maintaining a sense of campus, it was clear that UC Founders George Blumenthal community in the colleges. An Santa Cruz faced a number of Campus Provost/ indelible Celebration mark I solicited his friend Arthur major challenges—from the Executive Vice Chancellor Fall 2018, date TBD Marlene Tromp Graham to fund the endowed legislature; the community; UC Santa Cruz chair in his honor and was the UC system; the campus Vice Chancellor, delighted when Art and Carol itself; and the negative University Relations Graham replied affirmatively. national, state, and local media Keith E. Brant Farm to Fork Everyone loved Karen coverage of the mass murders Assistant Vice Chancellor, Fall 2018 Robert Sinsheimer’s in Santa Cruz. Communications lasting legacy Sinsheimer, who managed Date and location TBD and Marketing to “humanize” Robert and UC Santa Cruz—this Sherry L. K. Main ADMIRATION open up the campus to the gorgeous campus that had UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE FOR SINSHEIMER larger Santa Cruz community. done so many things right— Spring 2018 I’d like to commend you for Robert had an annoying, but was struggling. Night at Mandel Lecture Editor the insightful, well-researched, funny, habit of flicking the Only if one understands the the Museum: with Alumni Gwen Jourdonnais and thoughtful article on lights at University House depth of the challenge can “Global 1968: Jedidah Isler Weekend Chancellor Sinsheimer [“An when a dinner with donors Creative Director one appreciate what Bob Race and June 7 April 27–29 Lisa Nielsen indelible mark,” page 21, went too long. Sinsheimer accomplished. 7:30 p.m. See page 13 fall ‘17]. I was the last vice Revolution Art Director/Designer Thanks for the article that His appointment as chancellor Around the Rio Theatre for full Linda Knudson (Cowell ’76) chancellor for advancement brought back many memories. was a significant lift for the weekend Sinsheimer hired prior to his World” Associate Editor —Terry Jones campus. program retirement. CIED May 16 Dan White Newport Beach What Chancellor Sinsheimer Business 6 p.m. Proofreader You captured his lasting did was extraordinary. I worked from August 1973 Design Santa Cruz Museum of Art Jeanne Lance achievements and touched Through his exceptional through the ’70s as the & History on the significant changes intellect and integrity he not Showcase Photography assistant for public affairs Carolyn Lagattuta he made on campus. When only saved the campus, but April 18 and planning to Chancellors I was there, a great number also laid the foundation for the 6 p.m. Contributors McHenry, Christensen, Taylor, Silicon Valley Campus of faculty and students were outstanding institution UC Right Livelihood Teresa L. Carey (SciCom ’17) fuming/protesting over his and Sinsheimer. Keith Curry (Oakes ’99) Santa Cruz has become. North American changes in the college and Scott Hernandez-Jason It is difficult to overstate —Dan McFadden, Ph.D. Laureates Jennifer McNulty board of studies systems. the contribution Chancellor Gathering Scott Rappaport Sinsheimer saw the future Sinsheimer made to the May 15–18 Tim Stephens (SciCom ’90) and made changes that, I Peggy Townsend campus. Being viewed as Various locations on Dan White campus and in town

UC Santa Cruz Magazine Spring 2018, volume 56, number 1. UC Santa Cruz Magazine is published by UC Santa Cruz Communications and Marketing, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1077, (831) 459-2495, [email protected], magazine.ucsc.edu. Spring Opera: It appears twice a year: spring and fall. Inclusion of advertising in UC Santa Cruz Magazine is not meant to imply endorsement of any company, product, or service being advertised. Advertising opportunities: contact Alexandra Sibille, [email protected], (831) 502-8578. Postmaster: The Magic Flute Send address changes to UC Santa Cruz Communications and Marketing, Attn: UC Santa Cruz Magazine, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA Opens May 31 95064-1077. News, notes, and other editorial material should be sent to the address noted above for the Postmaster; (831) 459-2495; or UC Santa Cruz [email protected]. 3/18 (1718-410/110m) The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and university policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other covered veteran. The university also prohibits sexual harassment. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, access, and treatment in university programs and activities. To view UC Santa Cruz’s Sex Offense Policy and Procedures for Reports of Sexual Assault(s) and Sexual Harassment, please contact the Title IX Coordinator/Sexual Harassment Officer, (831) 459-2462, or go to www2.ucsc.edu/title9- sh. If you need disability-related accommodation to access information contained in this publication, please call (831) 459-4008. To view To see a full list of upcoming UC Santa Cruz current retention and enrollment information on the web, please visit planning.ucsc.edu/irps/. UC Santa Cruz’s annual security report may be events, visit events.ucsc.edu. viewed by contacting the UC Santa Cruz Police Department or by visiting ucsc.edu/about/crime-stats. PHOTOS: MUSEUM BY CRYSTAL BIRNS; OPERA BY STEVE DIBARTOLOMEO; ISLER, COURTESY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, RYAN LASH; ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES YANG. MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 2 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 3 onager, or simply a separate and saber-toothed cats. Equus "We are training the next The answer lies in sharing species within the genus survived in Eurasia, eventually generation of scholars and information, said Ogawa, now Equus, which includes living leading to domestic horses. advocates in the ongoing war a research professor at UC horses, asses, and zebras. on poverty," said Heather Santa Cruz and the higher- Bullock, a professor of education leader of the Silicon The new results, however, Taking on poverty psychology and the director Valley Regional Data Trust reveal that these horses, Among the greatest of the UC Santa Cruz Blum (SVRDT), a major new data- now named Haringtonhippus challenges facing the Golden Center, which recently sharing initiative. francisci, were not closely received a $500,000 gift to related to any living population State is that one in five The data trust will link deepen and expand its reach. of horses. Californians live in poverty. school districts and offices Planned activities include of education in Santa Cruz, “The horse family, thanks to Students at UC Santa Cruz the creation of a new Santa Clara, and San Mateo its rich and deep fossil record, are focused on the problem, micro-lending program for counties with health and has been a model system for gaining hands-on experience low-income students and human services agencies, understanding and teaching in community-engaged an initiative to bolster food enabling teachers, principals, evolution. Now ancient DNA research with an eye toward security among students. social workers, and others has rewritten the evolutionary reducing poverty and to share information in real history of this iconic group,” promoting economic justice. time about students and the said Peter Heintzman, who led Each year, student scholars of Schooling the services they’re receiving. the study as a postdoctoral the Blum Center on Poverty, researcher at UC Santa Cruz. Social Enterprise, and education system In the current system, As a professor of education, separate agency "data silos" At the end of the last Participatory Governance dive into a range of issues related Rod Ogawa spent 30 make it labor intensive and ice age, both Equus and to fiscal equity, affordable years studying public time consuming to try to get Haringtonhippus francisci housing, and food insecurity schools, trying to figure out an accurate, timely picture of became extinct in North how to improve student A small team of UC Santa Cruz astronomers was the first to as they build the skills they’ll how a child is doing. America, along with other large performance. In retirement, THIS IS observe the light from the violent merger of two neutron stars. animals like woolly mammoths need to help create a more "The thing that was always equitable society. Ogawa is getting high marks for a new approach. missing was information," said Ogawa. "This isn't UC working within organizations A small team led by Ryan Explosive A horse is a horse, to help them improve. This is Foley, assistant professor of discovery of course—or is it? changing the ground on which astronomy and astrophysics, On August 17, the Advanced Researchers discovered a they're standing." SANTA was the first to find the Laser Interferometer previously unrecognized source of the gravitational Gravitational-Wave genus of extinct horses waves, located in a galaxy Observatory (LIGO) notified that roamed North America Research engine CRUZ 130 million light-years away. astronomers around the during the last ice age. In the latest analysis of the “This is a huge discovery,” world’s top universities world of the possible The new findings are based Foley said. “We’re finally published by Times Higher detection of gravitational on an analysis of ancient connecting these two Education (THE), UC Santa waves from the merger of DNA from fossils of the different ways of looking Cruz ranked third in research two neutron stars. “New World stilt-legged at the universe, observing influence as measured by the From that moment, the race horse.” the same thing in light and number of times its faculty’s was on to detect a visible gravitational waves, and for Prior to this study, these thin- published work is cited by counterpart, because unlike that alone this is a landmark limbed, lightly built horses scholars around the world. the colliding black holes event.” were thought to be related The analysis measured overall responsible for LIGO’s to the Asiatic wild ass or four previous detections Among other things, the research influence based results could resolve a hotly of gravitational waves, this Opposite page: Illustration on the average number of debated question about the event was expected to depicting a family of citations per paper, using a origins of gold and other produce a brilliant explosion stilt-legged horses database of almost 62 million heavy elements in the citations to more than 12.4 of visible light and other (Haringtonhippus francisci) universe. types of radiation. in Yukon, Canada, during million research publications the last ice age. published over five years, from 2012 to 2016. ILLUSTRATIONS: NEUTRON STARS BY ROBIN DIENEL, COURTESY OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION FOR SCIENCE; STILT-LEGGED HORSES © JORGE BLANCO MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 4 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 5 Find more UC Santa Cruz news at news.ucsc.edu. Have news delivered straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the UC Santa Cruz e-newsletter at news.ucsc.edu/newsletter Left: After their release, narwhals made a series of deep dives, swimming hard to escape, while their heart rates dropped to shockingly low levels (three to four beats per minute). Lower left: Scientists studied narwhals in Scoresby Sound on the east coast of Greenland after “Smart” greenhouses hold great promise for both releasing them from nets set by native hunters. farming and renewable electricity production.

Williams said. “The question Brown returned to campus Hey, is, what are we going to do to display her latest project, Mr. Librarian Man about it?” “Conversations I Wish I Had.” Alumnus Mark Davidson has She spent an afternoon in the an interesting job title: “Bob Humanities courtyard, alongside Dylan librarian and collections Defusing death a custom-made, collapsible manager.” Alumna Morgan Brown’s life wooden phone booth. Last year, Davidson (M.A. ‘09; changed drastically shortly The idea was for people to Ph.D. ‘15, music) became the after she graduated. enter the phone booth and head archivist and librarian of Her mother was killed by a have a conversation with a the Bob Dylan Archive, based commercial truck driver on lost loved one. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. meth, who swerved into her If the participants agreed, The Dylan Archive includes mother’s lane and hit her car some of their conversations 6,000 mostly unseen items in a head-on collision. were recorded for a podcast. from Dylan’s personal collection. Devastated, Brown (Kresge Brown spent several months According to the New York ‘12, history) began traveling going up the West Coast on Times, it was acquired by to escape. Over a six-month a mini tour, doing a variety of the George Kaiser Family period, she visited nearly two pop-up events like this. It’s all Foundation for a reported $15 dozen countries. part of her ongoing mission million–$20 million. “The highlight of the trip was to make death and dying less The Kaiser Foundation also in Iceland, where I realized taboo. owns and administers the With a citation score of This combination of hard I didn’t have to be ‘Morgan, Woody Guthrie Archives and 99.9, UC Santa Cruz tied exercise and low heart whose Mom died’—I could the Woody Guthrie Center. for third place with Stanford rate while not breathing just be someone who is Below: Alumna Morgan University. St. George’s underwater is costly and could traveling,” she recalled. Brown with her phone booth The Bob Dylan Archive is not University of London and the make it difficult for the deep- in the Humanities courtyard. open to the public—it’s instead Massachusetts Institute of diving whales to get enough a research collection that is The campus received 11,282 Really green energy to photovoltaic strips, Technology tied for first. UC oxygen to the brain and other designed to become a resource transfer applications, a 12.8 greenhouses where electricity is produced. Berkeley ranked just behind critical organs, according to a for academic study—but percent increase over last year. The systems absorb some UC Santa Cruz and Stanford new study. tourists shouldn’t despair. The (that are magenta) of the blue and green with a citation score of 99.8. “Our admissions office has Tomatoes and cucumbers “These are deep-diving Kaiser Foundation is sorting wavelengths of light but let been working up and down the grown inside electricity- The THE website explains marine mammals, but we through bids to create a Bob the rest through, allowing the state to be sure that community generating solar greenhouses that the citations show whose were not seeing normal Dylan Center in Tulsa, which, plants to grow. college students are aware of were as healthy as those research has stood out, has dives during the escape like the Guthrie Center, will be the welcoming opportunities raised in conventional The technology was been picked up and built period,” said Terrie Williams, the public face of the collection. and distinct learning greenhouses, signaling that developed by Sue Carter and on by other scholars, and a professor of ecology and Highlights of the Dylan environment available at UC "smart" greenhouses hold Glenn Alers, both professors has been shared around the evolutionary biology. collection include hundreds Santa Cruz,” said Vice Provost great promise for dual-use of physics, who founded global scholarly community to of original tape reels, unseen Narwhals live year-round in and Dean of Undergraduate farming and renewable Soliculture in 2012 to bring the expand the boundaries of our concert films, lyric sheets, and Arctic waters. They have been Education Richard Hughey. electricity production. technology to market. understanding. relatively isolated from human personal correspondence. California high school seniors "We have demonstrated Reducing the energy disturbances until recently, also applied to UC Santa Cruz that 'smart greenhouses' consumed by greenhouses when declines in Arctic sea Whale worries Campus in demand in record numbers, with the can capture solar energy has become a priority as the ice have made the region campus receiving 45,737 global use of greenhouses Heart monitors on narwhals In a promising step toward for electricity without more accessible to shipping, applications—a 7.1 percent for food production has that were released after increased transfer enrollment, reducing plant growth," said oil exploration, and other increase over last year. increased six-fold over the entanglement in nets showed UC Santa Cruz marked nearly Michael Loik, professor of human activities. past 20 years to more than the animals did a series of a 12 percent increase in the More than 56,000 students— environmental studies. “The implications of this study 9 million acres today— deep dives, swimming hard to number of applicants from a new record—applied to be These greenhouses are are cautionary, showing that roughly twice the size of escape, while their heart rates California community colleges. new first-year students for fall outfitted with transparent the biology of these animals New Jersey. dropped to unexpectedly low 2018 quarter, a 6.9 percent in- roof panels embedded with makes them especially More than 9,800 California levels of three to four beats crease over the previous year. a bright magenta dye that vulnerable to disturbance,” students applied to transfer to

per minute. PHOTOS: NARWHAL BY TERRIE WILLIAMS; WHALE MEASURING BY MADS PETERJORGENSEN; HEIDE- BROWN BY BLANCA RODRIGUEZ; GREENHOUSE PHOTO BY ELENA ZHUKOVA UC Santa Cruz for fall 2018. absorbs light and transfers MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 6 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 7 Below: Weddell seals “don’t have land predators so they don’t see humans as a threat. You can just walk up to them,” Right: The 2017 Pacific Rim Music Festival opened with “From says alumna Roxanne Beltran, coauthor with alumnus Patrick the Root,” a performance featuring traditional court music, Robinson of the children’s book A Seal Named Patches. folk music, and dance performed by the Creative Traditional NMFS Permit #17411 Orchestra of the Korean National Gugak Center.

by a donation from former player George Kraw (Cowell ‘71, history/Russian literature), enable more hours of practice in the evenings. Work with an expert coach is Above: Thanks to a U.S. Energy Department grant, alumna improving training, and they’ve and physics grad student Katie Hellier is doing research into begun a fundraiser they hope new solar cell materials that may one day be able to generate will ensure ongoing wins. high-voltage energy. The season will culminate Megawatt March 24 with a homecoming Posting up match against Stanford researcher Alumnus Michael Scherer University and the annual Katie Hellier answers a (Oakes ‘98, creative writing) Slug rugby reunion, where all question about why she loves in September joined the current and former players are physics by talking about shoes. Washington Post as a national invited to celebrate the 50th political reporter. A stiletto heel will exert great anniversary. pressure on the ground while a Scherer had been Time For information, visit www. flat shoe will apply much less, magazine’s Washington and Patrick Robinson have A Seal Named Patches is shoulders colliding with foam ucscrugby.com. To hear a and physics can illuminate why bureau chief since 2013. He enough stories to fill a book. available at the Seymour practice targets. companion audio piece on this first joinedTime in 2007 and Marine Discovery Center, that is, says the UC Santa Cruz So, when a third-grader at an The men’s rugby team is story, visit soundcloud.com/ was named the magazine’s the Monterey Bay Aquarium, alumna (Porter ’14, applied Alaskan elementary school practicing the skills they hope ucsantacruz/sets/storycruz. White House correspondent Amazon, Target, and physics) and current grad asked Beltran if she would will carry them to a national following the 2008 presidential Walmart. student, who also has a degree write a book about her work championship. campaign, traveling to more from the Fashion Institute of so the child’s father could Music than a dozen countries with “In our 50th year, I want to Ensemble, the Borromeo Design and Merchandising in read it to her every night, bridges cultures The festival offered five President Barack Obama. Rugby going dominate the game,” Head free public concerts of String Quartet, the New York San Francisco. Beltran said, “Why not?” The 2017 Pacific Rim Music strong at 50 Coach Robbie Bellue says. traditional music and 40 New Music Ensemble, and Thanks to a U.S. Energy One of the first students in Festival, held at the Music The result is a 48-page Festival Ensemble Korea. the Creative Writing Program Monday, Wednesday, and It has been years since the world premieres, featuring Department grant, Hellier is children’s book titled A Seal Center Recital Hall in October, led by literature professors Friday nights, the East Field Banana Slugs were this the 55-member Creative It also featured a special doing research into new solar Named Patches, which sold included a dazzling array of Micah Perks and Karen rumbles with 40 or 50 pairs optimistic, but they have their Traditional Orchestra of collaboration between the UC cell materials that may one out half its 2,000-volume traditional and contemporary Yamashita, Scherer went of running, cleated feet and reasons. New portable field the Korean National Gugak Santa Cruz Music Department day be able to generate high- printing within two weeks Korean music. on to graduate from the echoes with the thuds of lights, purchased with help Center, the center’s Chamber and the Creative Traditional voltage energy instead of the of its release. In November, Columbia University Graduate Orchestra of the National low voltage delivered now. it received the 2017 DeBary School of Journalism. Gugak Center of Korea (NGC). It was at Los Medanos College Outstanding Children’s The word “gugak” translates in Pittsburg, Calif., that Hellier The author of more than 20 Science Book award. as “national music,” and the took her first physics class and Time cover stories, Scherer Robinson (Rachel Carson ‘03, NGC orchestra is responsible “fell in love.” won the National Press Club’s marine biology) is director for preserving ancient Lee Walczak Award for Political Transferring to UC Santa Cruz of the UC Natural Reserve musical traditions, as well Analysis for his articles on the in 2011, she met physics at Año Nuevo. Beltran as developing contemporary 2012 Obama re-election effort. professor Sue Carter and asked (Stevenson ‘13, marine works for performance. He also received the 2014 Carter for a spot in her lab. biology) is a visiting researcher New York Press Club Award “The idea was conceived in at UC Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. Eventually she worked on for Political Coverage for a 2014 when I resided in Korea candidate at the University of projects that ranged from using cover story about the 2013 as a Fulbright scholar,” noted Alaska, Fairbanks. The two are algae for biofuels to researching government shutdown. Hi Kyung Kim, UC Santa Cruz engaged to be married. luminescent solar concentra- professor of music and artistic tors, which use fluorescent Their book centers on director of the festival. dye to absorb light and make Seal story scientists’ hunt for a seal Left: The Slugs duke it out solar cells more efficient. (See named Patches that had steals hearts in a 2017 match against “Really green greenhouses,” As field scientists in been tracked since birth but seemed to have disappeared. Chico State on the East

PHOTOS: HELLIER BY MARSHAL GREEN; SEAL BY PATRICK ROBINSON; RUGBY BY LORRAINE CORRISASO;ORCHESTRA COURTESY OF KOREA NATIONAL GUGAK CENTER. page 7.) Antarctica, Roxanne Beltran Field. MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 8 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 9 By Teresa L. Carey (SciCom ’17)

PREVENTING PLASTIC’S PERILS Chemistry professor Rebecca Braslau is working to develop an alternative plastic without the problematic molecules phthalates, which can mimic hormones and cause health problems

Chemistry professor Rebecca Braslau in her lab with graduate student Chad Higa.

There is a toxin lurking in every children and particularly infant boys. “black.” Concerned, they wondered “More than anything else, that is what changed me,” she says, a Phthalates, which leach household in America, and one The daughter of an aerospace if she needed therapy. tear forming in the corner of her chemist is racing to find a remedy. engineer father, Braslau was brought To Braslau, black was the majestic from aging plastic, can eye. Braslau went from being Chemistry professor Rebecca up in an upper-class neighborhood in color of the stallions in the books nearly bucked off the horse to Braslau, an organic chemist, has Palos Verdes surrounded by science- she loved. When she was 13, mimic hormones and cause riding bareback. Her personality made it her mission to protect minded people, but her personality Braslau’s parents wanted to do changed from painfully shy to the people and the environment from as a child didn’t give any indication something special for her, so they health problems for people, confident person she is today. the problematic molecules called that she could hack it as a chemist. bought her a young horse. Braslau phthalates, which leach from As a little girl, she often hid behind says the gift brought about an “If I were still as shy, I couldn’t be especially children and aging plastic. This chemical can her mother’s leg. When her parents important shift in her life. a chemist,” she says, “I wouldn’t particularly infant boys. asked Braslau what color she wanted be able to collaborate, present my mimic hormones and cause health problems for people, especially to paint her room, her answer was work, or teach classes.” PHOTO BY C. LAGATTUTA MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 10 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 11 PLASTIC’SPERILS continued from page 11

Speaking in chemistry lesson plans, or catching up on the plastic tubing. Her chance mistake latest research. Braslau’s commitment would happen two more times in the Braslau describes her mother as a to mentoring young scientists is evident following years. As a result, Braslau polished woman who wanted the on the walls of her office. Lining her learned to easily identify phthalate. same for her daughter. She persuaded bookshelves are photos of smiling When it started becoming relevant Braslau to get her ears pierced and students proudly holding diplomas, in the literature she was reading, she gave her a pair of braided gold hoops, getting married, or working in the lab. was already familiar with the molecule. as well as encouraged her to take care Students drop in anytime, and Braslau of her appearance. Her mother didn’t As a polymer chemist, Braslau is a holds extra study sessions on Saturday plastic-enthusiast of sorts. She keeps want Braslau to become too nerdy for those who need some help. this weekend when she went off to college, so the up on the literature regarding plastic, not daughter agreed to take arts classes “I’ve never seen any other professor only in the scientific sense, but also the is for you as well as science. care as much as she does,” says Chad social, cultural, and economic sense. Higa, a graduate student who has been Braslau regularly gives a talk titled Braslau was taking her first college in Braslau’s group since 2013. “If I ever “More Than One Word on Plastics” to organic chemistry class when she become a professor, I hope I’m like her.” audiences at Burning Man, conservation became aware an earring was missing. groups, or universities. The talk is about Annette Gardner, Braslau’s friend of But she noticed something interesting plastics in American culture. It explains more than three decades, says this about the loss—she didn’t particularly what they are, how they changed the dedication has characterized Braslau care. And that’s when Braslau realized markets, and how our culture evolved for her entire life. “In college, she was she had changed. around the rise of plastics. always looking after those of us who were scrambling,” says Gardner. In the 1920s, the fusion of phthalate Phthalates are of a ester-plasticizer with polyvinyl chloride Braslau isn’t all work and no play. She (PVC) launched the boom of the recently took a scuba diving trip in Cuba. similar size and shape plastics industry. Phthalates can turn She is a regular attendee of Burning PVC, a hard and brittle material, into a as some hormones, Man, where she makes elaborate full- supple and flexible plastic. The more body puppets out of glowing wire. phthalates are used, the more flexible and can fool the Pictures in Braslau’s office show her the material becomes. Now phthalates wearing a dragon puppet that stretches are found in PVC worldwide. They are endocrine-signaling the entire length of her outstretched responsible for bendy garden hoses, arms, from head to tail. pathways in the body. hospital IV bags, and that new-car smell. Nearly everything labeled with “I just didn’t have time anymore for Danger of phthalates “vinyl” or the #3 recycling symbol drying my hair, putting in earrings, Many years ago Braslau stumbled on contains phthalates. While PVC is the or wearing clothes that necessarily a question that confused her. She was most common use for phthalates, they matched,” Braslau said with a laugh. working in a lab in Australia, studying can also be found in other things like Braslau’s long, wild hair and marine natural products. As a chemist, cosmetics, fragrances, and adhesives. comfortable duds testify to her Braslau was used to mixing things The problem with phthalates wasn’t continued love affair with chemistry. together to cause a chemical reaction, initially recognized. As plastic ages, Starting in that class, she was which forms new molecules. She then the phthalates leach out. Even brand- bewitched by the riddles she saw in isolates the newly formed molecules to new plastic is leaching phthalates. It compounds, complex molecules, and identify what they are. turns out phthalates are of a similar reactions. “It’s like cartoons. People While trying to isolate a molecule size and shape as some hormones, are drawing arrows and electrons are from a sea sponge, some of her and can fool the endocrine-signaling flying all over, but it made sense to experimental mixture accidentally pathways in the body. Phthalates are me. They were speaking my language. splashed a piece of plastic lab tubing. often called hormone mimickers or I could think that way,” she says. So, unaware that the splash had endocrine disruptors because they contaminated her mixture, Braslau interfere with the endocrine system. Mentor to spent the next three days isolating a Their ability to stand in for hormones ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES YANG young scientists molecule from it and trying to identify can cause health problems, especially a molecule she mistakenly thought in young boys or pregnant women. Braslau calls herself a workaholic. She came from the sponge. When she For example, they can lower sperm Come spends long hours in her UC Santa finally figured out that it was phthalate, count or cause birth defects in the Cruz office writing exams, preparing she knew it had come from the male reproductive system. They’ve

continued on page 17 MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 12 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE UC SANTA HomeCRUZ ALUMNI WEEKEND Spring2018 2018 13

1718-062A AW Magazine Insert-Draft5.indd 1 3/5/18 3:27 PM Alumni Weekend Schedule

A C E I E N C N friday, april 27 6:30–8 p.m./ $12 (includes two beers and G M 11 a.m.–12 p.m./Engineering courtyard S A S swag)/Cruzio (877 Cedar St. #150, Santa Cruz) ret r a tuan year No quizzes! Get acquainted with the groundbreaking 1–3 p.m./Norris Center for Natural History— G S A C Enjoy two short public talks on the latest from the 9 a.m.–5 p.m./ Exhibition and admission to the research of one of our accomplished faculty. Three 12–3 p.m./ARCenter Natural Sciences 2, Room 239 Astronomy Dept., along with bar-type games. Arboretum is free for alumni and guests on different talks will run concurrently. Arrive at 10:30 Get updates on EOP trends and future vision and talk See natural history displays and student artwork of 10–11:15 a.m./Stevenson Fireside Lounge Saturday/UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and a.m. to check in. Choose from: Connecting Through with EOP academic counselors, student staff, and local Santa Cruz bees, and try your own hand at Graduate student alumni honorees discuss their S G N Botanic Garden Play by Design—Katherine Isbister, professor, EOP students. Pablo Reguerin, associate vice natural history drawing. Students will talk about computational media; career paths after receiving their degree. Current 7–9 p.m./Silicon Valley Campus, Experience the critically acclaimed art exhibition. New Optical Tools for 3D chancellor for student success and EOP director, will their science and art projects and guide you in —Sara Abrahamsson, and alumni graduate students encouraged to attend! 3175 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara Curator-led walk-through at 2 p.m. Functional Neuroimaging be the featured speaker. Light refreshments. drawing insects, banana slugs, and more. assistant professor, electrical engineering; and Join us for a fun presentation from our games ZSC A A I Sharing Precision Medicine—Benedict Paten, C S E and playable media faculty. Includes reception; Sanae assistant professor, biomolecular engineering. interactive demonstrations of virtual reality and I A M 1:15–2:30 p.m./Tours depart from the courtyard games and playable media, led by Games and between Baskin School of Engineering and E2 10 a.m.–6 p.m/KZSC Radio 88.1 FM 9:30 a.m–3 p.m./ 12–4 p.m./Porter College Quad Playable Media Director Michael John and selected Join a group tour of three of Baskin Engineering’s Student radio at UC Santa Cruz started in 1967— Porter Hitchcock/Fireside Lounge A Enjoy student-run creative makers’ stations . We’ll we’re 50 years old now! All KZSC alumni faculty; and a Q&A and mixer. have sun prints, t ie -dye, photo booth, screen research labs:Illuminating RNA “dark matter” in stem Dick Davis, British poet and translator of the e tial Rle programmers are invited back to spin classics and Shahnameh; Larry Reed (ShadowLight Theatre); and printing, card making, origami, crochet, poetry, cells and cancer—Daniel H. Kim, assistant share refl ections about their days on the air. Contact S A S S other artistic directors of Bay Area theater groups will te uli Unierity student performances, and KZSC DJs! professor, biomolecular engineering; Modeling, Maelin at alumni@kzsc.org to schedule your slot. 7 p.m.–midnight/Crown Senior Commons, meet Theater Arts Department faculty and students 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m./Quarry Amphitheater stability, robust control, observer design, and Crown College and discuss producing themes from the Middle East Bettina Aptheker (Ph.D. ‘83, history of D A N M simulation of nonlinear and hybrid systems with Crown Senior Commons will be transformed into the and India in contemporary California. consciousness), distinguished professor and Peggy M..A. E applications to power systems, robotics, aerospace, and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for and biology—Ricardo Sanfelice, associate 1–6 p.m./Physics Department boho den of pioneer Crownie memory. Drop in, 12–5 p.m./Digital Arts Research Center Visit faculty from 1–2 p.m.; colloquium 2–3:20 p.m.; rekindle old friendships, meet new alumni friends, E A Feminist Studies, created one of the country’s professor, computer engineering; Cave Automatic and enjoy dinner and drinks. Crown alumni only. largest and most infl uential introductory feminist The art exhibition is open to the public. Tours available Virtual Environment/Multi-user immersive virtual lab tours 3:20–5 p.m.; mingling 5–6 p.m. in the ISB 10–11 a.m./Engineering 2, Room 499 throughout the day; wine reception 4–6 p.m. studies courses, taken by more than 16,000 students Sri courtyard. After a brief introduction and short presentation, reality tools for research and teaching— over four decades. Aptheker will talk about the Kurniawan, professor, computational media and Sanae I enjoy a continental breakfast while mingling with public university’s potential to be a center of M M computer engineering; Mircea Teodorescu, associate G S I D other alumni and Economics Department faculty, courage, insight, and principled rational discourse. 12:15–2:15 p.m./$20/Café Iveta (Quarry Plaza) professor, computer engineering. 7:30–9 p.m./Porter Quad/Hitchcock Lounge staff, and current students. 1:30–4 p.m./McHenry Library Information Marlene Tromp, campus provost and executive vice Connect with bright young students who want to hear Commons South and adjoining classrooms Dance theater performance of Shahnameh, the great chancellor, will join her in conversation. from alumni and get an honest look at the good and A Free and open to the public. Current and alumni epic of the Muslim world, as the opening to a C A the bad as they embark on their professional journeys. 1:30–2:30 p.m./Cervantes and Velasquez graduate students encouraged to attend! Theater Arts conference/workshop that will lead to S S S Z a campus version of the story. UC S C Conference Room 11 a.m.–4 p.m./Quarry Plaza Re an uliet Bay Area opera company Opera Parallèle, founded by UC S C G 10–11:30 a.m./Meet at the Cowell Ranch Family-friendly zone with craft booths, games, and 12:30–1:30 p.m./Quarry Amphitheater UC Santa Cruz Music Professor Emerita Nicole Hay Barn Saturday, april 28 snacks. Students who are part of Theater Arts outreach Paiement, has commissioned an opera based on the life 2–3:30 p.m./$5/Thimann rooftop Join us for a walking tour of the 30-acre organic project Shakespeare to Go will present their of Georgia O’Keeffe. Bettina Aptheker, distinguished Greenhouse tour with light refreshments. C CASFS/UC Santa Cruz Farm and learn about its S 50-minute adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. professor of feminist studies, is collaborating with research, education, and community outreach work. E D A Paiement. Aptheker and panelists will talk about the 8–10 a.m. /OPERS East Field House opera and women in the arts. Light refreshments. G S 12–1 p.m./$8/ A C $15—student with valid ID C A A $30—alumni/individual Engineering courtyard (between BE and E2) 12:30–2 p.m./Quarry Plaza 10 a.m.–12 p.m./Cardiff House Women’s Center G G 4–6 p.m./McHenry Library $50—two-person combo Join the Baskin Alumni Advisory Council for lunch $20 per box, $35 for a group of two, $65 for a south terrace and lawn $90—four-person bundle Reconnect with fellow alumni and meet current staff with the dean. When pre-registering, guests will group of four 2–3 p.m./Kresge Garden Co-op and students. Find out about new programs, Lace up your running shoes for a scenic run in have a selection of gourmet boxed lunches from Grab a gourmet carry-out lunch to eat in Quarry Summer Session lecturer David Shaw (Porter ’04, Free and open to the public. Current and alumni initiatives, and ways to become involved. Light graduate students encouraged to attend! support of student scholarships. Afterward, you can which to choose. Plaza or bring to your lunchtime event. community studies) will lead an interactive tour of use the gym facilities to shower and get ready for brunch and refreshments. Kresge Garden, which is used in his course open to alumni during summer. Light refreshments. S S D the day. Refreshments and commemorative gifts for E I C all racers. ZSC A A GII A A A I C C 12–1 p.m./$25/Soc Sci 2, Room 47 Slug ea an earn at i 4–6 p.m./La Feliz Room, Seymour Center ISC S C 10 a.m.–6 p.m./KZSC Radio 88.1 FM C at Long Marine Lab Join us for discussions about social change and tie earning an y e it Matter Student radio at UC Santa Cruz started in 1967— 2–4 p.m./Rachel Carson Red Room Presented annually to a graduate whose career is innovation both past and present, and discover more 12:30–2 p.m./ Humanities 259 9–10:30 a.m./Biomedical Sciences Building we’re 50 years old now! All KZSC alumni about our work building the next generation of Enjoy wine and cheese and learn about student characterized by sustained and exemplary programmers are invited back to spin classics and Come back to class with four of the campus’s most contributions to society through research, practice, Join us for a faculty lecture and private tour of compassionate, strategic, and skillful change innovative educators and see how we keep our projects at Rachel Carson College. the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells. share refl ections about their days on the air. Contact makers. education, policy, or service. Maelin at [email protected] to schedule your slot. classes dynamic and relevant, while maintaining the Light refreshments. great tradition of teaching at UC Santa Cruz. S G S D A A C G UC S C A UC S C M C A 2–4 p.m./Porter College Koi Pond courtyard 5–7 p.m. /$15/Aloha Terrace 10:30–11:30 a.m./ Crown College Library at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk C D S Meet the dean of the arts and Porter provost for a toast 9 a.m.–12 p.m. /• Arboretum Horticulture 2 Join Crown alumni, donors, students, faculty, and 12–2 p.m./Kresge Town Hall to celebrate the new Sesnon Gallery signage, and join Get Alumni Weekend started off right by joining guests for the grand reopening of the Crown College A UC S C fellow alumni for refreshments and mingling the Classroom (UC Santa Cruz Bioblitz) Free lunch and intergenerational dialogue about 1–2:15 p.m./Merrill Cultural Center us for exhibition walk-throughs with Gallery Director Library. Light refreshments. Shelby Graham and alumna Molly Cliff Hilts (Porter ’81). night before the main festivities. • Ocean Health Building, Room 118 how we can be wiser together through our unique To celebrate 50 years of Merrill College, a panel (Younger Lagoon Reserve Bioblitz) contributions. Participate in a fun, lively, and G E of alumni from across the decades will speak C SEAM Join the UC Santa Cruz Natural Reserves for intellectually enriching World Café–style about witnessing and participating in their era’s I C 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m./Cervantes and Velasquez conversation. Pre-registration required. 5–7 p.m./Crown College Provost House our third annual community-building bioblitz event engagement with academic freedom. UC S C and help inventory the biodiversity of the Conference Room 2–4 p.m./Oakes Learning Center Join Crown College Provost Manel Camps for an UC Santa Cruz campus and Younger Lagoon Reserve. Mingle with fellow alumni and current students G evening showcasing the artistic STEAM (science, while viewing winning photos showcasing An event highlighting the experiences and memories The events will run concurrently and are open to of current and past African, black, and Caribbean technology, engineering, arts, math) everyone. Light refreshments. photography from both our returned Study Abroad accomplishments of current Crown students. student participants and our international students . students. Featuring a “memory space,” including Appetizers. and scholars. Light refreshments. photos and memorabilia. Refreshments. continued

For more information and to register, visit:

Lace up for the Campus 5K Fun Run! MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 14 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Fall 2016 15 Supporting student scholarships. 8 a.m. Saturday, April 28, at OPERS. alumniweekend.ucsc.edu 2

1718-062A AW Magazine Insert-Draft5.indd 2 3/5/18 3:27 PM 1718-062A AW Magazine Insert-Draft5.indd 3 3/5/18 3:27 PM saturday, april 28, continued PLASTIC’SPERILS continued from page 12 GAME N M S D M E 2–4 p.m./Crown/Merrill Dining Hall e Cat at Sae eria 10 a.m.–12 p.m./Merrill Provost House Enjoy the creativity of student-designed games. Test 4:30–6:30 p.m./Crown/Merrill Dining Hall Join Provost Elizabeth Abrams, fellow alumni, and your skills with current and alumni Crownies. Snack Join alumna Lisa Rose (Crown ’72) for the showing, current students for good food and good company. provided. followed by a presentation by the Santa Cruz Puma Provost Abrams will present a program in celebration Project. of Merrill’s 50th anniversary. A also been linked to diabetes and thyroid “If we can find a system that is 2–5 p.m./Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center ACE C A irregularities. inexpensive and can be scaled up “I’m not afraid to 10 a.m.–12 p.m./Cowell Provost House safely, I would love to not have any Join fellow LGBTQIA+ alumni, current students, and 4:30–6:30 p.m./Engineering courtyard Phthalates are often called the the Cantú Queer Center staff at this informal event, Join us for a reunion and refreshments. Enjoy brunch with fellow alumni. more phthalates out there,” she says. make new things, that’s which will serve as our spring GALA Gallery art “everywhere chemicals” because they exhibit opening. Hearty refreshments. D A S C A are, well, everywhere. Yet sometimes In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety what I was trained to 10 a.m.–12 p.m./Stevenson Provost House they get confused with bisphenol Commission began prohibiting U.S. N . M 5–7 p.m./$25/Quarry Amphitheater Join Stevenson College Provost Alice Yang for brunch A (BPA), which is used to make the companies from using plastic containing do. I want to affect 2:30–3:30 p.m./Merrill Cultural Center UC Santa Cruz alumni are making some of the and get involved in the discussion about events and polymer in a different type of plastic. certain phthalates in baby toys and Professor Noel Q. King helped introduce the study of highest-quality and most innovative wines and craft projects at the college. Water bottles labeled “BPA free” may products that were intended for a baby’s society. I want to do religion to a young UC Santa Cruz and engage Merrill beers in the industry. Stop by for tastes and still contain phthalates. mouth. Many companies voluntarily College students in lifelong curiosity about and appetizers. New Bohemia Brewing Co. and ZSC A A something that will help respect for the beliefs of the peoples of the world. Uncommon Brewers are pouring again, along with followed suit. Now the commission is Award-winning scholar Mark Massoud, associate local and/or alumni vintners. proposing to ban more phthalates. professor of politics and legal studies, will speak 10 a.m.–6 p.m./KZSC Radio 88.1 FM Seeking a better way the world.” about the lived experience of Islamic law for Muslims Student radio at UC Santa Cruz started in 1967— E C When Braslau first began reading With expanding regulations and in Somalia, Sudan, and California, followed by an we’re 50 years old now! All KZSC alumni Braslau is holding the details of her programmers are invited back to spin classics and about these problems in the chemistry mounting pressure from consumers, onstage discussion between Professor Massoud and progress close to the vest for now, but writer Laurie R. King, King’s widow, author of the 6–9 p.m./$10–$15/Stevenson Event Center share refl ections about their days on the air. Contact literature in the early 2000s, she plastics manufacturers are vying to Maelin at [email protected] to schedule your slot. says, “We are trying to take something New York Times best-selling historical series Enjoy dinner, drinks, and dancing while you engage had a realization. “I recognized that commercialize alternative techniques. featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, and with the EOP community. Chemists across the globe are hoping, that looks and acts like one of these holder of an honorary doctorate in theology. molecule,” she says, recalling the day C N as Braslau is, to design and patent new plasticizers and bond it so it can’t fall C she accidentally isolated phthalate from S UZ molecules that plasticize without the away.” C ZSC 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m./Terry Freitas Café the plastic lab tubing. 3–4 p.m./Cowell lawn toxicity. If Braslau’s technique works, the 7–9 p.m./Quarry Amphitheater Join us for a continental brunch and an opportunity She made it her mission to do something Mary-Kay Gamel, research professor emerita of A live radio variety show featuring personalities, to reconnect with students, staff, and alumni. “It’s a competitive field that’s gaining a consumer won’t realize the plastic has classics, comparative literature, and theater arts, will about the problem. She set out to make artists, and other creatives who were part of the lot of interest,” says Rudy Wojtecki, a changed. Yet the negative effects on present a scene from one of her adaptations of Greek C A C an alternative to phthalates that would 50-year history of student radio at UC Santa Cruz. chemist for IBM. Braslau “is trying to health and environment could end. and Roman drama—the Aristophanes comedy, The Want to be a part of the show? Contact Maelin at C retain its desired qualities without the Wasps. ensure we have a sustainable PVC, and [email protected]. 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m./Crown Provost House negative health hazards. “I’m a trained With scientists in Spain, China, and Highlighting mentors/mentees and new alumni/ synthetic chemist,” she says. “I’m not one that doesn’t show societal harm.” Korea also making strides toward MCD A S S S student partnerships and friendships, Crown College afraid to make new things, that’s what finding a solution, Braslau is hopeful 3–5 p.m./Humanities courtyard 7 p.m.–midnight/Crown Senior Commons Provost Manel Camps invites Crownies past and I was trained to do. I want to affect that the threat to public health posed We invite alumni of the MCD biology undergraduate We invite Crown alumni to enjoy snacks, wine, and present to his home for an informal breakfast. Cheering the and graduate programs to a reception with MCD dessert. society. I want to do something that will by phthalates will soon be a thing of faculty. Light refreshments and drinks. A help the world.” competition the past. A M What drives Braslau isn’t the idea of being C C E. 11 a.m.–1 p.m./$5/Oakes Provost House Braslau sees plastic everywhere she “Sometimes I have dreams where I 7:30–8:30 p.m./Merrill Cultural Center Enjoy a casual brunch, including mimosas, the first to find a solution or the one who M . C goes. see electrons flying around me. You Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas, a student-run and overlooking the lovely West Field and catch up with lands the patent. “I just want it to be out M C other alumni. can’t actually see electrons, but I can in -directed Mexican folkloric dance group, has had a “I’m not a chemophobe,” says Braslau there and used,” she says. So, if that 4–4:30 p.m./Merrill Cultural Center long association with Merrill College and is honored my dreams,” Braslau says, explaining as she sips from her plastic water bottle. The philanthropist, writer, and artist Charles E. to perform in celebration of the college’s 50th S S means her competitors reach the finish that this chemistry challenge is Merrill Jr., who facilitated the gift to endow Merrill anniversary. 12–2 p.m./Stevenson Event Center But because of her awareness, she does line first, Braslau will be cheering them College, died in 2017 at age 97. Provost Elizabeth constantly on her mind. Drop in to see the research being done by take more precautions than most. She on. “They’re making this thing called Abrams will preside as we formally celebrate the handles phthalate-laden grocery receipts Then, folding her hands in her lap, she 50th anniversary of the college and commemorate its Sunday, april 29 undergraduate students. phthalate on the multimillion–ton scale infl uential namesake. (made of thermal paper, a special fine per year, and all of it will eventually go into says, “But I think we are close.”n A D C paper coated with a chemical that the environment. It will have problems for A N C 12:30–1:45 p.m./Cowell Provost House changes color when exposed to heat) as humans and all sorts of animals.” Teresa L. Carey (SciCom ’17) is a E C 9 a.m.–12 p.m./Colleges Nine and Ten Everyone is welcome to come dance little as possible, and airs out products Science and Social Media News Wojtecki says Braslau is on the right 4–6 p.m./$10/Cowell Conference Room 132 Multipurpose Room the afternoon away! that have that “new plastic” smell. Fellow at PBS NewsHour, where she An afternoon of socializing and enjoying food and path, and he hopes to work more Break bread with current and past members of the covers stories related to the ocean drinks while celebrating many accomplishments with Womyn’s Radio Collective and celebrate women in S G Since the 1970s, when word with her soon. The two scientists and environment. She lives in Reston, El Centro Chicano/Latino. the arts and media! Broadcasting live from the event. 12:30–4 p.m./DeLaveaga Park: Lone Tree about phthalate toxicity got out, met at a meeting for a new chapter RSVP required. Picnic Area Virginia. @teresa_carey environmentalists and consumer of the American Chemical Society in M Join physics faculty, grads, undergrads, and staff for advocacy groups began to demand Monterey Bay. 4:30–5 p.m./Merrill Cultural Center A C our fun, famous picnic and softball game. BBQ burgers and drinks provided. Please bring a side dish change. Braslau, a progressive at heart, Please join us for the fi lm’s premiere. A A At the meeting, Wojtecki presented a to share! Softball game will start at 2 p.m. chooses her battles carefully. She is A G slide show. “After the talk, (Braslau) a vegetarian because she says the 9:30–11:30 a.m./Kresge Provost House came up to me and had my work all Join Kresge Provost Ben Leeds Carson and fellow environmental impact of eating fish and sketched out. She was asking me, ‘Did alumni and friends for brunch and good company. meat is too high. Yet she isn’t a you think about this … or that … ?’ It vegan. She drives a car, but it is electric. was like the movie A Beautiful Mind, She still uses plastics, yet recycles wow,” he says. them. “You can’t do it all,” she says. For more info and to register, visit:

alumniweekend.ucsc.edu MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 16 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE april 27–29, 2018 Spring 2018 17

1718-062A AW Magazine Insert-Draft5.indd 4 3/5/18 3:27 PM By Peggy Townsend

Left: Vicenti and Lightbourne, now married, live in Santa Cruz. “This was relaxing, natural,” she said of their romance. “A homecoming.”

“I looked at it and the handwriting looked familiar,” said Lightbourne. “Then it Above: An envelope labeled “private” and taped clicked and I started screaming and in the back of a poetry notebook held a nearly laughing. I’d totally forgotten that crazy forgotten treasure. rain check. Basically, he said, ‘OK girl, it’s time to pay up.’” “I’d hung onto the note for 39 years,” Vicenti said. “Smart move. She was always a special person to me.” A rain check for undying love They decided to meet at the Istanbul airport and travel through Turkey and Greece when her teaching duties She sketched out a check for him from were over. the ‘Cowell College Love Bank,’ and they went “When we met in person, he apologized that he was older and not as skinny as their separate ways—until 39 years later before. And I said, ‘But you’re still Rich Vicenti,’” Lightbourne remembered.

He met her at his job exchanging students’ her on the college steps. He lowered a back of a piece of scrap paper and dirty sheets for clean linen at Cowell note from an upper floor of Beard House handed it to him. A natural College. He was a 6-foot-4 sociology where she lived, asking her to change her “Cowell College Love Bank,” read the homecoming major with long sideburns and tousled dark mind and be with him. block letters across the top of the note. hair. She was a slender blond freshman On Vicenti’s 65th birthday, while on a To her, he was the handsome RA, a big “Pay to the order of Richard Vicenti, love bicycling trip in Tuscany, Lightbourne studying anthropology with a peaceful way man on campus who’d help found the of undetermined amount to be cashed at about her that he admired. proposed to him over terrible pizza and a free bus system that still serves UC unknown date in the future.” fine bottle of wine. So when he saw her across the room at Santa Cruz today. “Sadly, it was a nice form of a Dear one of the college’s semi-regular waltzes, “Karmically, I owed him,” she said with “I really liked him. I was torn,” said Alesa John letter,” said Vicenti (Cowell a laugh. he asked her to dance and she agreed. (Cowell ‘74, anthropology), whose last ‘72, sociology). He put the note in an His name was Rich Vicenti and hers was name is now Lightbourne. envelope, marked it “Private” and Today, they share a light-filled “Hands Off!!” and taped it in the back of condominium overlooking a spread of Alesa Smith. The year was 1970. But loyalty to her boyfriend won out, and his poetry notebook. green pasture near Santa Cruz’s Small Over the next months, he pursued her on a February day in 1971, she sketched practiced: female circumcision and honor Craft Harbor. He’s 67 and she’s 65. even though she had a boyfriend. He took an image of a check in blue ink on the He graduated in 1972 and she followed Islands and Saudi Arabia. She divorced, killings of women who’d shamed their her to a Julian Bream concert and kissed two years later. Both went on to separate came back to the U.S. for her master’s They’ve traveled to 17 countries, have lives. in creative writing, started work as a families in some way. five kids and five grandchildren between corporate writer, raised three boys, and “It was a very difficult time,” she said. them, and Lightbourne has just published eventually became a college professor in a novel based on her experiences in Iraq, Diverging paths the Seattle area. Social media spark titled The Kurdish Bike. Vicenti set up transit systems around In late 2009, on a challenge from one of “It wasn’t like the falling in love that you the Bay Area, got married, received an her grown sons to chase the thing she While in Iraq, she saw a post on Vicenti’s have with someone you don’t know,” M.B.A. in business at Stanford, and be- loved rather than stay in her safe world, Facebook page. “We’re praying for a Lightbourne said of their romance. “This gan working as a chief financial officer at Lightbourne quit her job, rented out her speedy recovery,” it read. was relaxing, natural. A homecoming.” house, and was soon in Kurdish Iraq high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. Concerned, Lightbourne emailed Vicenti, She put her hand on his. teaching middle school. who said he was recuperating from She went to Jamaica, married a “We just fit.”n Jamaican man, and taught school There, she was befriended by a widow open-heart surgery and was fine. Both there. Later, she taught in the Virgin and her daughter who lived in a small, were now single. To hear a companion audio piece on cement- block house in a village outside of They began to Skype and email. this story, visit soundcloud.com/ Erbil. Lightbourne ate with them, stayed One message from Vicenti had an ucsantacruz/sets/storycruz. Left: Alesa Smith (now Lightbourne) and over at their house on visits, went to attachment: a photo of her “check” for Rich Vicenti in their college years. weddings and funerals. But, she said, it love at a future date. Lightbourne’s novel, The Kurdish Bike, was hard for her to reconcile the villagers’ is available on Amazon.

PHOTOS BY C. LAGATTUTA kindness with the tribal customs they MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 18 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 19 By Dan White

Opposite page: The firstSanta Cruz Comics manga included “Against the Wall” by alumnus Doug Bragdon. Above: Bragdon with student intern Nick Yi, who is contemplating a comic about being Asian American, COMIC RELIEF while touching on other issues. Alumnus Doug Bragdon employs student artists A student start-up like no other “It was an entirely student-driven project,” Gunderson with Santa Cruz Comics, a new glossy magazine said. Like Santa Cruz Comics, their publications were So far, the world is only just starting to find out about also available off-campus. In fact, you can still find that takes its cue from Japanese Santa Cruz Comics, which is available in a few select secondhand copies listed in an official underground stores across the United States, including Santa Cruz’s comics guide. own Comicopolis, a graphic novel and gaming store. manga comics Gunderson, along with his friend Peter Coha (Kresge But Bragdon has high hopes. He bluntly characterized ‘78, mathematics), donated 1,700 vintage Marvel this new publication as entertainment combined comics to UC Santa Cruz Special Collections and with “propaganda” in response to President Donald In one storyline, a pale-skinned troll with bulging eyes —this fledgling publication, founded and run by Archives three years ago. Trump’s election in 2016. befriends a beautiful young fairy with gossamer wings. alumnus Douglas Bragdon (Kresge ’89, politics) has a Together they defend a forest near the UC Santa Cruz uniquely activist bent. “The combination of texts and visuals triggers Drawing them in different parts of the brain and makes it more campus from a group of rampaging humans. “I don’t think Japanese manga push an overtly political engaging,” he said. “It is very accessible even for One recent rainy weeknight, a group of bedraggled Another narrative follows the adventures of view,” said Bragdon, principal writer and editor of the those who don’t really like to read. It could be a good students filed into the Stevenson Provost House to impoverished Mexican youth who dodge drones, magazine he launched in 2016 after spending about a tool to convince people and make them aware of meet with Bragdon, who is married to Stevenson’s robbers, and vigilantes, only to confront a border wall year fleshing out the details. different social perspectives.” provost, Alice Yang, an associate professor of history as they make their way across a desert toward the The major difference between Santa Cruz Comics and at UC Santa Cruz. Bragdon staffs his magazine entirely with student United States. Japanese manga is one of sensibility, Bragdon said. interns drawn from a pool of applicants attending Most of the people who attended the meeting These are two of the illustrated tales that fill the pages “(In Japan) they don’t want to offend anyone with their UC Santa Cruz. He spread the word by reaching out had already been selected as interns to work on of a new glossy magazine called Santa Cruz Comics, manga,” he said. “They want to maximize their ad directly to students in various disciplines, including the the magazine, though a few other students were which is produced at UC Santa Cruz and takes its revenue. I want ad revenue, too, but this is Santa Cruz, arts and games and playable media. just tagging along, or were there to support their cue from the action-packed, splashy style of manga which has a history of activist publications.” significant other. comics from Japan. This is not the first time UC Santa Cruz students have Continuing in that activist tradition, Santa Cruz Comics helped bring comics to life on campus. Alumnus Jim The meeting was fast-paced. It was important to get While many classic elements of contemporary manga includes features such as “Fairy and Troll,” which Gunderson (Rachel Carson ’77, philosophy), a comic- the interns caught up. After all, production had already are on display here—edgy visuals, racy references, talks about the way humans are destroying the Earth; books aficionado, collector, and donor, pointed out that begun on the upcoming issue of the magazine before and violent clashes between characters, for instance “Against the Wall,” which supports immigration rights; the Graphic Stories Guild, a student-run comics club this latest crop of interns signed on; to make the process and “Moscow Hitman,” which is about the abuse of on campus in the 1970s, was based at College Five more efficient for himself and the students, Bragdon laid power in Russia. (now Porter College). out the fundamentals of the stories and the storyboards PHOTOS BY C. LAGATTUTA before soliciting the help of these students. MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 20 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 21 COMICRELIEF continued

Santa Cruz Comics art by student artists. Artist credits for the above left panel, clockwise from top left: Reshma Long panel in center: Charisse Lo (Crown ’21). Far right: Romeo Jung (Porter ’20). Zachariah (Cowell ‘19); Joyce Lin (Porter ‘20); Courtney Chavez (Porter ‘18); and Chloe Calhoun (Crown ‘21).

“Otherwise, I’d be like a movie director hiring actors Welcome creative freedom Filling the bank Roots of a new magazine without a script, and it would introduce a timing risk into the project,” Bragdon explained later on. That creative freedom is good news for young —and the résumé The roots of Santa Cruz Comics go back to Bragdon’s contributors such as Tiffany Phan (Porter ’20, games time in Japan. In the early 1990s, he taught English Bragdon is paying students $25 for every frame they Most of the selected interns were games and and playable media), who is already an accomplished classes there and started studying Japanese complete for his magazine. “There can be six to nine playable media and computer science majors seeking artist. immersively for four hours a day. Bragdon was able frames per page,” Bragdon points out. “That can be some extracurricular diversion, as well as a venue for to get work in the semiconductor industry, in part During the informal meeting at the provost’s house, $150 or more per page, and for experienced artists, I their art and a way to make some money. because of his proficiency with the language. Phan showed off a detailed portfolio of her striking pay more.” But several showed up because of the magazine’s and painstakingly crafted images on her smart phone, Meanwhile, he brushed up on his speaking skills by He is seeking grants and hoping to generate revenue activist inclinations. “What drew me is the LGBT including a horned imp-girl with an elfish face, and a binging on manga, which was written in Japanese that from magazine sales to cover expenses including portion of it, and the fact that they are having those haunting watercolor-on-canvas portrait of a despairing was more informal and conversational than the kind he payments to artists, but for the first issue, he simply kinds of stories published,” said Charisse Lo (Crown young woman floating in a pond, while holding a koi. was learning from textbooks. ’21, games and playable media). paid his young artists out of pocket. “I paid out about “She wants to fade away from reality, but this fish $2,000 over the summer,” Bragdon noted. “That was In 2015, after resigning from a nonprofit he was As rain pelted the wooden house, Bragdon handed means hope in my painting,” Phan said. a fair amount of frames!” running, he decided to take advantage of his out basic black-and-white mockups detailing the “between jobs” status. Bragdon, who has written After the artists finish drawing in the characters, For some students, this will be their first monetized action, dialogue, and narrative for each frame of the two self-published novels, wondered if he could marry Bragdon has them scanned and adds in digital text artwork, but this manga also gives them résumé new manga-in-progress. The template drawings were his interests in art, writing, and start-ups by creating balloons. The magazine is full of surprises—there are fodder as well as spending money. Students can even deliberately threadbare; the young artists are given homegrown manga. the freedom to fill in the details, while adding their several different storylines in each issue, hidden puzzles pitch Bragdon on their own edgy political comics. and backward messages, as well as flamboyant and That’s when he realized that UC Santa Cruz would be visual spin and style. This method adds a splash of Nick Yi (Merrill ’21, games and playable media) is mostly tongue-in-cheek Saturday Night Live–style an ideal place for such a venture. personality and a dash of intimacy to each issue. contemplating a comic about being Asian American, parody advertisements. But the stylistic variations within while touching on other issues, including the way “Here I am on campus with a lot of student artists each comic strip add another level of intrigue. people navigate their identities. wanting experience. Maybe this would be a start for “My first impression is that this is extremely different them,” he said. “Students had expressed an interest “I’ve written papers about this,” said Yi. “I really think from [other manga] that I’ve read because the in working with me on art projects. This seemed like that art can bring about meaningful discussions about different frames had different art styles,” said Vivian an ideal way to do that.” n minorities, LGBT issues, and disabilities.” Nguyen (Crown ’18, computer science), who signed on to design the Santa Cruz Comics website. “That really caught my eye. That sealed the deal for me.” ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED BY DOUG BRAGDON DOUG BY CONTRIBUTED ILLUSTRATIONS MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 22 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 23 By Dan White

Mauricio Ramirez may Art history Dark times for be soft-spoken, but he “This is part of Central American Central American history,” said Ramirez, 28, one First-generation found his voice among the foggy winter morning in Balmy immigrants Salvadoran American color-splashed walls of Alley, a block-long public art display Murals such as the ones in Balmy between 24th and 25th streets in Alley foster a strong feeling of Mauricio Ramirez San Francisco’s Mission San Francisco’s Mission District. comfort and acceptance for finds voice, art, District. Balmy Alley contains one of immigrants and their children. the greatest concentrations of “Central Americans see these and inspiration Ramirez is an oral historian, murals in all of San Francisco. The murals and feel welcomed,” in the murals of interpreter, and, in his own words, paintings here are so mesmerizing Ramirez said. “an interlocutor” for murals that that it is easy to forget that the But lately, Ramirez’s personal San Francisco’s speak for immigrants from all over “canvas” is the back walls of mission has taken on a new the world, including Ramirez’s homes and apartment buildings. degree of urgency, at a time when Mission District ancestral homeland El Salvador. Sometimes, a visitor will look, immigrants in the United States— His parents fled the country in the hypnotized, at a piece of artwork, including hundreds of thousands of 1980s in the midst of a brutal civil only to see that painting tilt upward Salvadoran immigrants—face a new war that lasted until 1992, leaving unexpectedly when someone set of hurdles and circumstances. 75,000 dead. opens a garage door. Most chillingly for Ramirez, the “Public murals give a voice to the Ramirez paused for a moment in Trump administration announced These walls can talk community, and in this sense, front of a 2004 mural painted by this winter that it was ending the community reclaims its public the artist Joel Bergner called “Un a humanitarian program called space,” said Ramirez, an alumnus Pasado Que Aún Vive” (“A Past Temporary Protected Status (TPS) (Oakes ’11, art) who is currently a That Still Lives Here”), depicting a for Central Americans—including UC Santa Cruz third-year doctoral Salvadoran village under siege. The Salvadorans and Nicaraguans— student in Latin American and shapes of trees beneath a jungle- who had been permitted to live Latino studies with an emphasis covered volcano suggest ghostly and find work in the United States on visual studies. His dissertation faces. Perhaps they’re the phantoms legally in the aftermath of natural focuses on transnational solidarity of guerillas who died fighting the disasters and political upheavals. in Latinx visual art in the San right-wing government, or they may The protections, instituted in 1990 Francisco Bay Area. “Really, the be among “los desaparecidos”—the for the survivors of such traumas point of this is solidarity,” he said. civilians who, presumably killed by as earthquakes and civil wars, were “These murals tell us this: You can the military or police, vanished and routinely extended. The decision create your own sense of place, were never seen again. regarding the fate of Hondurans and educate those who come by.” While California’s Chicano art under the protection of the TPS In portraits of laborers, immigrants, movement has received a large program is pending. and martyrs, in streaks, dots, fine amount of attention from academics, This decision affects 200,000 lines, and daubs of red and orange relatively little has been said Salvadorans living in the United paint signifying blood and fire, in about Central American art, and, States. Those who have not shoots of green showing growth specifically, Salvadoran murals. attained permanent residency in and regeneration, these murals tell That’s why Ramirez dedicated the U.S. face deportation. The the story of people. his life to telling the story of San measure goes into effect next year. Francisco’s Central American– They tell tales of diaspora, of Salvadorans of San Francisco themed murals, collecting expansive escape from genocide, grand also face a more insidious enemy. oral histories from the artists; doing ambitions, artistry, and collective Gentrification threatens to academic studies of the murals identity. They also tell the shove out all but the wealthiest as part of his work toward a Ph.D. story of the Central American residents from town. “It seems at UC Santa Cruz; and teaching “pioneers” who fostered a creative like this issue of displacement is art, murals, mural history, and life renaissance across America, while something that keeps occurring to skills at juvenile hall facilities in San brightening drab and dreary walls Salvadorans,” Ramirez said. “First Mateo and San Francisco with the with their paintbrushes. they were displaced from Central nonprofit organization The Imagine America. Then they came here, laid Bus Project. He also makes art of his down roots, but now, again, they’re own, either alone or as part of mural Left: A section of a mural being displaced.” by Isaías Mata, 500 Years of projects.

PHOTO BY C. LAGATTUTA Resistance, 1992 MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 24 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 25 WALLSTALK continued from page 25

Prior to a devastating 2001 quake on 24th street is a monument to youth artists, was whitewashed Left: Juana Alicia, in El Salvador, another great resilience and pan–Latin American because the building’s owners had No One Should Comply with upheaval took place—the savage identity. One side of the church just leased the ground-floor space an Immoral Law, 1996 civil war from 1980 to 1992 that has images of saints and martyrs, to a new restaurant and wanted pitted a ruthless military regime, including Martin Luther King Jr. “something bright,” according to developers often use the backed by the United States, and Archbishop Oscar Romero, a story published last year in the “funky,” “authentic,” and creative against leftist rebels. Hundreds who became a national symbol of Mission Local news blog. atmosphere of the Mission, of thousands of Salvadorans fled resistance when he stood up to the After the owners replaced a including its murals, as incentives to the violence, seeking refuge in the murderous right-wing regime in El mural saying, “Our Culture Is Not lure renters and homebuyers, even United States and other countries. Salvador; he was killed by a death for Sale,” with skulls, skeletons, as those same gentrifying forces Ramirez sees the bitter irony in the squad sniper in 1980. On the other and other vibrant images from make it harder for Salvadorans of reversal of Temporary Protected side, the mural delves much deeper Mexico’s “Día de los Muertos” modest means to keep living in the Status. into the past, showing a magisterial (“Day of the Dead”), the artists city whose walls tell their story. Olmec head from Mesoamerica and and their supporters protested. This irony has not been lost on “I like to call it the double a Nazca figure from ancient Peru. displacement—not just from the The owners eventually agreed to Josué Rojas, executive director immigration policy change, but But not all murals enjoy the work with Precita Eyes Muralists, of nonprofit Acción Latina, a also from the tech boom, the same level of public support and the nonprofit organization that respected figure in the world of gentrification, the rising cost of real protection. At 24th and Folsom commissioned the original artwork, San Francisco’s murals, and one estate,” Ramirez continued. On streets, a two-part mural on a to replace the mural with help from of the artists featured in Ramirez’s top of this, Ramirez noted, some shop wall, created by Mission neighborhood youth. oral history of the Mission’s Central Mauricio Ramirez Salvadorans are in a precarious America–themed murals. is one of a dozen UC Santa Cruz state. Many—but not all—of the “Enrique’s Journey,” one of Rojas’s Right above: Miranda graduate students Salvadorans who emigrated to the most evocative artworks, is based Bergman and O’Brien who received United States lawfully or illegally on Sonia Nazario’s Pulitzer-winning Thiele, The Culture support from the over the past few decades have nonfiction book about a Honduran Contains the Seed campus’s new become naturalized citizens. Those child who faced robbers and of Resistance That Such problems can be vexing sharing hundreds of years of Social Science who haven’t face a potentially multiple deportations in his efforts Blossoms into the for Ramirez and others who history with artful brushstrokes. Research Council Flower of Liberation, agonizing situation. to reach the United States and find love the murals. Then again, the It’s no small wonder that Ramirez, a Dissertation 1984. Below: Carla “It is heartbreaking to see families his mother. That mural has earned muralists of the Mission have San Francisco native who grew up Proposal Wojczuk, 56 Lu/The are being split up once again,” widespread praise from, among lived and persevered through dire close to the Mission District in the Development Wanderer, 2011 Ramirez said. many others, Nazario herself. circumstances before. Excelsior neighborhood, found his Program. Ramirez sees a direct link to the In fact, it was a moment of crisis that life’s calling here as a young man, Rojas believes that making murals Recipients received displacement of those Salvadorans led to the creation of the Balmy Alley thanks in large part to Precita Eyes has become “a double-edged sword $5,000 and were and the fate of the Mission’s murals; public art project in the first place. Muralists. The nonprofit makes and because you might be beautifying invited to attend those public works of art could lose preserves murals of the Mission, the experience of a neighborhood for two dissertation- Back in 1984, a collective of artists, their cultural context, as well as their providing historical information rich people that are coming in and proposal calling themselves PLACA (the protections, if the people who made and expertise, as well as painting raising property values. workshops with literal translation is “badge” or the art, advocate for it, and protect supplies and docent-led mural tours. doctoral students “insignia,” but “placa” can also “At the same time, communities it, are forced to go away. and advisers mean leaving a personal mark on “I’ve got to give it up for Precita can’t help but make this art, in from four other “If the population shifts, if it gets a place), incensed by the United Eyes Muralists,” said Ramirez, who the same way that a bird can’t universities. displaced, will the murals remain States’ support of brutal regimes briefly experimented with artistic help its song,” continued Rojas, here?” he asks. in Central America, took over the and unsanctioned spray-painted a respected journalist as well as alley. Thirty-six artists crafted 27 cartoon characters and other graffiti an artist and educator. “You have The silencing murals, telling the story of the on the walls of San Francisco before to do it. These murals are unique beauty and culture of El Salvador, Precita Eyes opened him up to the because they bear these stories, of walls Nicaragua, and Guatemala, and communal possibilities of mural they bear our witness, they bear our experience. So I struggle with Balmy Alley is an important heritage the armed conflicts and acts of work. “They changed my life.” genocide that sent millions of their it. But at the end of the day, I know site for Central Americans, but the it is positive because those stories Mission has many other beautiful residents fleeing to the far corners Murals and of the world. are there. And we can’t help but murals. One of the most remarkable continue.” n is “500 Years of Resistance” by the In doing so, PLACA gave birth to a gentrification Salvadoran artist Isaías Mata. Newly cultural icon. Their murals helped While Ramirez talks about the restored, this panoramic artwork build solidarity among Central way murals can build community,

on two sides of St. Peter’s Church PHOTOS BY C. LAGATTUTA American immigrants and beautify he is also aware of a troubling drab and gritty city blocks, while contradiction: landlords and MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 26 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 27 Profiles by Peggy Townsend

ALUMNI PROFILES Carolina Fuentes: Singing out M.A. ’10, social documentation

Carolina Fuentes had seen enough Radio Bilingue, the Spanish PBS, and finished the film,Our Right to Sing, death in her native El Salvador to then for 16 years as a reporter for which was eventually screened at know it was no longer safe to stay. Univision in Fresno and Los Angeles. the National Theatre for the arts in her home country. Four classmates at the Jesuit In 2006, her life turned again. “Music becomes the collective university where she studied in When her television contract wasn’t voice of people, for expressing the 1980s had been murdered by renewed, she headed for UC ideals, hope, frustration, and anger the military. Her friend and fellow Santa Cruz. It was there that she in the context of social repression,” musician Ricardo Merlos had mentioned a life she’d rarely spoken says Fuentes from El Salvador, been assassinated, and composer about. A classmate encouraged her where she is now teaching. Guillermo Cuellar had been to tell that story in film. arrested and tortured for music the “Through lyrics, we overcome the “It was the realization that I had government considered subversive. feeling of isolation that a repressive been denying my true self for discourse tends to impose.” As a singer of protest music, so many years,” she says of her called Nueva Trova (New Song), decision to document what had Read a companion Q&A about which Merlos and Cuellar had also happened to the protest singers of Fuentes’s experiences at practiced, Fuentes knew she also El Salvador and to her generation. magazine.ucsc.edu. was in danger and fled north. With an initial $4,500 budget from For more on Salvadoran art, history, Lisa White: Fueled by fossils She landed, first, in Mexico, where her Berkeley Human Rights Institute and culture, see “These walls can she lived for seven years. Then she fellowship and three years of talk,” page 24. Ph.D. ’90, Earth sciences moved to California’s Central Valley, emotionally draining work, Fuentes PHOTOS: WHITE BY ANASTASIIA SAPON; FUENTES, COURTESY OF CAROLINA FUENTES where she worked as a journalist at

If you have a saber-toothed tiger mother, Myrtle Escort White, was “We’re not afraid to look at fang on your desk, there’s a a public health nurse and her father challenging topics of the time,” good chance your life is pretty was the late Joseph L. White, White says in a modulated voice interesting. So it is with Lisa White, who pioneered the field of black that’s born to teach. “Bring it on,” who is a working paleontologist. psychology—led her in 2001 to she says. start a program called SF-ROCKS, But White is more than that. Last summer, White accompanied which took minority youth into She is also director of education 20 educators on a research vessel national parks to explore fossils and and public programs at the UC off Southeast Asia, where she geologic formations. Museum of Paleontology, which brought science alive by letting means her job is to make sure lay Now, White not only leads students them examine a deep core sample people, especially students, have on tours through the museum’s from the time, 65 million years ago, a chance not only to see evidence 5 million fossil specimens but is when much of the Earth’s plants of the Earth’s changes but also to also reshaping its virtual offerings. and animals went extinct. understand them. This year, “Understanding Global Paleontology, White believes, Change” will join “Understanding White spent 22 years as a allows us to see a world in change, Evolution” and “Understanding faculty member and later as an a world in which saber-toothed Science” as web-based learning administrator at San Francisco tigers no longer exist. tools. State. But her activist genes—her

Above: Carolina Fuentes at her film screening. Right: With fellow musicians in 1980. Ricardo Merlos is behind the big drum. MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 28 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 29 ALUMNIPROFILES

Tom Killion: A life in color Cowell ’75, history

Tom Killion is in his studio on Inverness Ridge, describing the process for making his elaborate woodcut prints. First, there are hours of sketching and note-taking in the wild. Then later, maybe years later, he’ll hand-carve a “key block” of one of those scenes into a sheet of Japanese all-shina plywood. If the print is to be in color, each hue in his hyper-real offering will require a different carved color block and a separate run through his 40-year-old cylinder proof press. Some prints need 10 to 12 blocks. Rolando Perez: Free from fear of failure “Then, depending on how the first layer of color, your foundation, Kresge ’15, bioengineering interacts with the next colors, the print takes off in its own direction,” In science, failure can be an homeless. A stint at a college in change medicine, the food industry, says Killion. important part of learning. The Gilroy to earn his certificate to be even the clothes we wear. Just like in life. same can be said of Rolando Perez. a civilian jet mechanic ended after Today, Perez is working with less than a year. Now a 34-year-old Ph.D. candidate Stanford Associate Professor of Killion, raised at the foot of at Stanford University in one of “The old life ended up sucking me Bioengineering Drew Endy, one of Mount Tamalpais, was inspired science’s most cutting-edge up again,” Perez says. synthetic biology’s most important by Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of figures, and hopes to not only be Mount Fuji; his own first layer fields, Perez grew up a rebellious One day, right after he’d gotten part of this scientific revolution but were woodcut prints he made of and confused kid in a low-income a second DUI and learned of a also to make sure its potential for Mt. Tam. Next came UC Santa household in Salinas, Calif. friend’s murder, an acquaintance wealth generation is just, equitable, Cruz, where, during what he called He had so many brushes with pointed a gun at Perez and pulled and open to those besides the campus’s “golden age,” he the law for fighting and drinking the trigger. privileged white males. studied fine book making with that when he walked in his high The gun jammed and, in that the unconventional printer Jack school graduation ceremony, he His family and his innate intelligence instant, Perez says, he knew Stauffacher. were large parts of his success, A doctorate in African history from traveling exhibit, which is showing was wearing a court-ordered ankle something had to change. monitor. but so, too, was UC Santa Inspired by friends and UC Santa Stanford followed, along with work at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art Perez moved in with his Cruz Professor of Biomolecular Cruz poet-in-residence William in an Ethiopian refugee camp and and History through April 22. He joined the Air Force and became grandparents, enrolled in Hartnell Engineering Nader Pourmand. Everson, a Beat poet who, in 1975, travels with rebels in war-torn Eritrea. a jet mechanic but was arrested His next project will focus on College, sought counseling, stopped created a fine-art book of poetry But Killion’s “key block”—the light- for drunken driving and underage “He empowered me to be treescapes: another layer in an drinking, and became fascinated titled Granite and Cypress—“the lanced landscapes of Northern drinking and discharged from the successful. He gave me the artistic life. with synthetic biology, a science that most beautiful book created by California—lured him back. military. He worked his way up to an opportunity to fail without fear of combines genetics, engineering, anybody at UC Santa Cruz,” Killion judgment,” Perez says. Over the years, he’s turned out office manager job in L.A., but his computer science, and cellular says—he used the Cowell Press to scores of prints and six books. His drinking again caused him to spiral biology to reshape the building It was something he’d never been craft his first book using his Mount most recent volume, California’s out of control and become blocks of life. It has the potential to given before. Tam prints that same year. Wild Edge, is the basis for a PHOTOS: PEREZ BY C. LAGATTUTA; KILLION BY KLEA MCKENNA ([email protected]), “TREE 2014; WITH WINDOWS, SANTA CRUZ POGONIP,” TOM KILLION, 2003. MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU MAGAZINE.UCSC.EDU 30 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE Spring 2018 31 32 UC SANTA CRUZ MAGAZINE SANTA CRUZ UC 1MORE THING IT ISN’T ALL ABOUTIT ISN’T THE MONEY STAY CONNECTED; by Keith Curry (Oakes ’99, American studies) American (Oakes ’99, by Keith Curry requested to meet. During these these to During meet. requested and guidance forme career to out reached ofmany them graduating, After students. with to speak to campus returned the Ihave Cruz, Santa UC from Igraduated ever also, since But inscholarships. a total of $5,500 to 11awarded providing graduates, have been funds scholarship 2009, Since opportunities. leadership future pursue graduate the help to meant is and year academic of each end atthe out given is It campus. on community to African/black the energy and time personal significant dedicated has who graduate Cruz Santa to aUC annually awarded is scholarship This scholarship program. to that directly go donations my all financial and Scholarship, Education Higher Destination Curry Keith have the Ialready that and excited) well-mannered very are often (who callers the remind have I to office, fundraising the from calls yearly those I receive when alumnus, Cruz Santa a UC As College. for Compton funds to raise many new opportunities with potential donors, and exploring meetings dinner and lunch calls, telephone infundraising participate I president, college my as In role Cruz. Santa to UC connected staying on alumni most than perspective feel Ihave adifferent system’scollege 114th campus—I the becoming College, Community aCalifornia as recognized formally was year last just College—which of Compton president As Visit alumni.ucsc.edu. Visit CEO of Compton College. Keith Curry, Ed.D., the is president/ much. so all us given has which Cruz, Santa UC with importantly, most fellow with programs, alumni, and, academic the with a connection you were one?) maintaining and when (remember students Cruz Santa to UC back giving about Rather, adonation). is it accept gladly will Cruz Santa UC of course (though money about not always is mater. alma your engaged Staying with reconnected or connected you to become like to encourage Iwould and Cruz, Santa at UC “Year the is year This of Alumni” experience. fulfilling very careers—a their build to beginning and out starting just to people young advice providing also while meetings these during Cruz Santa UC with reconnecting often Iwas my friends. and Oakes College, accomplishments, my as such experiences, college my own think about me made conversations These organizations. student and members, staff and faculty Cruz, Santa UC about questions asking and reminiscing myself Ifound alumni, young these with meeting While dream. that pursue them help to resources financial available researched and out we sought and together opportunities, leadership other pursuing or school to graduate were applying of many them Ilearned meetings,

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Test your UC Santa Cruz alumni knowledge! 1. axel alonso 2. adilah barnes 3. kevin beggs 4. reyna grande B A. CEO of YouTube B B. Award-winning film, television, and stage actor B C. California Secretary for Natural Resources B D. Scientist, 5. john laird 6. martha mendoza 7. kent nagano astronaut, and Match the alumni award-winning illustration to the educator corresponding job title, career, or B E. Tech achievement and entrepreneur enter to win free B F. Two-time Pulitzer admission for a Prize–winning guest when you Associated Press register for the reporter Alumni Weekend beer and wine 8. julie packard 9. kris perry B G. Chairman of reception on April 10. m sanjayan the Lionsgate 28—a $25 value! Television Group See the full Alumni B H. Opera and Weekend program symphony inside for more conductor details on the wine I. Monterey Bay reception and all the B other exciting events Aquarium happening during executive director Alumni Weekend B J. CEO of the (April 27–29). 11. kathryn sullivan nonprofit 12. sage weil 13. susan wojcicki Conservation International B K. Comics visionary B L. Marriage equality trailblazer B M. Award-winning novelist and memoirist

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