For innovations with lasting impacts on society and for his influence on generations of inventors and entrepreneurs, he received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural UC Regents Innovation Awards.
Read more about Bowers’ work
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula is pleased to announce a major investment in the community’s recreational future with the allocation of $1.5 million in state funding for Phase II of the Santa Paula Sports Park Complex.
The allocation, championed by Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, will help move the City closer to completing the next phase of improvements and expand recreational opportunities for Santa Paula’s residents. The new funding builds upon previous state support also graciously secured with Limón’s assistance for sports field lighting at the complex.
“The need in our community is growing at a pace we haven’t seen before,” said Andrea Gallagher, president and CEO of Senior Concerns. “We used to receive one or two inquiries a week about Meals On Wheels. Now we’re receiving 10 to 12. At the same time, more older adults and family caregivers are reaching out to our case workers for guidance, resources and support. The funds raised through events like Par and Away help us respond when our neighbors need us most.”
The work by UC Santa Barbara’s Danyi Zhang and Tamas Vami demonstrates a novel method for searching for particles. The results will inform theories and future searches.
Read more about their findings
“We are beyond thrilled about the generous donation from Cheryl Goldberg and I also wanted to honor the work of Kathy O’Connor, who is the impetus for the new building,” shared Superintendent/President Dr. Erika Endrijonas. “Scheduled for completion in late spring of 2028, the new building provides state-of-the-art classrooms, event spaces, a new home for the SBCC Life Fitness Center, offices, and more in half the footprint of the existing building.”
“When we opened the facility, our goal was simple: to create an amazing, reliable place where people could play pickleball, make friends and feel part of a community,” said owner Ted Guggenheim. “Over the past few months, we’ve listened closely to our players, our staff, and the people who walk through our doors every day. In response, we are moving away from a membership model and lowering the pricing by offering a player Pass system. This allows us to focus on the occasional customer as much as our regulars.”
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table (SBART) is pleased to announce that Santa Barbara native Gabe Grandcolas has been named president of its board of directors, taking on a leadership role with an organization that has supported and celebrated local student-athletes for nearly 60 years.
Grandcolas brings deep roots in the Santa Barbara community to the role. He graduated from Santa Barbara High School, where he was a high school baseball pitcher, before heading to the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, where he graduated cum laude. As the Sales Director with the Knight Real Estate Group, Grandcolas built his reputation on careful listening, creative problem-solving and giving clients a clear understanding of their options, whether they are selling a family property or looking to call the greater Santa Barbara area home.
VENTURA — Ventura College Athletics has unveiled a new visual identity and spirit logo, bringing a bold, unified look to all the teams and programs that make up Pirate Athletics. Developed through a collaborative process involving student athletes, athletics staff, college leadership, and key stakeholders, this refreshed look honors the past while making way for the future with a modern, unmistakably Pirate brand.
“Our athletics tradition is an important part of the Ventura College story, and this new identity honors that history while giving our student-athletes, coaches and supporters a renewed sense of pride and connection to the college,” said Luca E. Lewis, president of Ventura College. “It reflects who we are today and the direction we are headed—grounded in tradition, connected to our community and committed to a future of continued excellence. This is a meaningful expression of our enduring legacy and our vision for the future.”
The results of Donald Trump’s latest venture as head referee at World Cup soccer matches prove that American soccer knows how to get tired of winning: just get the ref to issue an executive order when it looks like the American team is “being treated unfairly.” When your preferred team doesn’t like a lower referee’s call, all the head ref has to do is threaten to tariff the opponent’s soccer equipment and uniforms. This audacious merger of assertive diplomacy and international sports guarantees that if we can’t win on the field, we can at least tie things up in court for decades.
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks is excited to announce major improvements for park visitors with the launch of a new reservation management website. These updates make booking easier, offer longer advance windows for popular sites, and introduce new self-service options for Day Use and Community Center reservations. New features for our guests include online booking for Distinguished Veterans, extended 180-day windows for Rincon Parkway, and streamlined self-service for Day Use and Community Centers. These enhancements are designed to make planning visits more convenient and accessible.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY — More than 300 guests gathered at the Santa Ynez Valley Polo Club on Saturday, June 27, for a sold-out 2026 Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic benefiting People Helping People (PHP), demonstrating how visionary leadership and philanthropy continue to strengthen the Santa Ynez Valley.
Presented by Happy Canyon Vineyard, the Polo Classic has become one of the region’s premier charitable sporting events, where exceptional polo, hospitality, and philanthropy converge to support local families.
VENTURA — The inaugural Bike the Coast Ventura hosted nearly 600 riders on June 13, welcoming participants of all ages and experience levels to ride through the scenic City of Ventura. The event partnered with local businesses and organizations to ensure that the Ventura community charm was truly highlighted throughout the event. The field of riders included Ventura locals, loyal participants of Bike the Coast San Diego, the event’s sister ride that takes place in the fall, and cyclists who traveled from Northern California, Las Vegas, and Arizona.
VENTURA — City Impact, Inc. celebrated a landmark morning on the Ventura Promenade on Saturday, May 30, as the 16th Annual Beachfront Run drew its largest field in event history. With 1,267 registered runners — a new record — participants of all ages and abilities took to the scenic coastal course in support of City Impact’s mental health, youth outreach and family services programs serving over 500 Ventura County residents annually.
This year’s event not only attracted regional runners in Ventura County from Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Fillmore, Simi Valley, Santa Paula, Camarillo and Ventura, but also runners from San Diego, Carpinteria, Long Beach, Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, Santa Maria, Whittier, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Sylmar and Reno, Nevada. Following are finalist winner results for first and second place runners.
Jia-Ching Chen will spend a year in Taiwan on a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to study geopolitical intersections of energy transition and environmental governance.
Read more about Chen’s research
n a media environment where creating content and spreading false or misleading material is easy, perception is everything. Political scientist Julia Morse examines how these dynamics play out in the international arena.
UC Santa Barbara’s Top News & Featured Events
April 9, 2026
? Top News
Daniel Blumenthal in his lab
To advance quantum technology, miniaturization is the name of the game
Daniel Blumenthal’s research group is working to shrink large lasers, optical components and quantum optical light-matter experiments down to the size of a deck of cards.
At a partnership summit hosted by the nonprofit REACH, leaders from across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties convened on campus with an eye toward collaboration and innovation.
The first comprehensive museum survey of the Vietnamese American artist brings together more than 70 works spanning 25 years of research-driven practice.
Read more about the exhibition
THOUSAND OAKS — California Lutheran University scholar-athlete Camden Hyde been named to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team (Winter). The junior men’s basketball player is being honored by the Allstate National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA ) for his leadership in community service, academics and athletics. Annually, 60 student-athletes throughout the country are recognized for the fall, winter and spring seasons.
We welcomed hundreds of guests for an inspiring first look at Pages to Posters: The Visual Worlds of Simms Taback. This exhibition celebrates learning, community, humor, and cultural connection, values that shaped Taback’s work. Vibrant original posters and illustrations are on display, along with Taback’s Caldecott Medal and his design for the first McDonald’s Happy Meal box. The evening featured refreshments and live jazz by The Dennis Berger Trio, sponsored by the Ventura Music Festival.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
Marine science professor Bob Miller helped create the first framework to identify and compare marine blackouts, which can severely impact kelp forests, seagrass beds and other light-dependent marine life.
Scientists overcame storms and bureaucratic setbacks to investigate the ocean’s carbon cycle, revealing more about how tiny organic particles, known as marine snow, transport carbon.
The $3.8 million grant supports professors Tamara Afifi and Nancy Collins in their research goals: extending lifespan and improving quality of life.
SANTA BARBARA — A new home to the pickleball community is coming to Santa Barbara County. The former Bed Bath & Beyond location, in the Fairview Shopping Center in Goleta, will soon be transformed into a premier indoor pickleball facility, The Picklr Santa Barbara, owned and operated by local residents Ted and Trish Guggenheim. The state-of-the-art complex will feature 7 professional-grade courts, including 2 official championship-sized courts.
“Our goal is to strengthen connections within your team and inspire collaboration among new ones,” said Recreation Supervisor Tyler Nelson. “Together, you’ll gain a renewed sense of unity both on and off the field.”
Thousands of rare and uniquely American songs from the Jazz Age and the Great Depression are available for free listening.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College’s (SBCC) Physical Education Department is proud to announce the launch of three innovative certification pathways designed to meet growing workforce needs in sports, fitness, and healthcare industries: Youth Coaching, Fitness Trainer, and Pre-Sports Medicine. The certifications launched this Fall semester and registration for Spring 2026 begins Friday, Dec. 12.
In his book “When It All Burns,” Jordan Thomas sets out to answer a straightforward question: What led to today’s megafires? What emerged was an immersive account of a changing world.
Join us for an unforgettable evening Sept. 25) as we celebrate the 50th anniversary
of El Concilio Family Services recognizing our legacy of empowering families, bridging communities, and creating brighter futures through citizenship, immigration services and youth leadership development. And recognizing the outstanding Latino Leadership Honorees for 2025.
With support from a new NSF CAREER Award, Jennifer Jacobs is developing more intuitive, human-centered digital fabrication tools.
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is excited to announce the reopening of Buenaventura Golf Course on Friday, May 2, 2025. The course has been closed since January 2023 as a result of extensive storm damage to buildings, equipment, and golf course features. The opening represents the first phase of a larger plan to design and integrate flood mitigation improvements that will protect the course from future flood events.
New research demonstrates that fruit fly larvae navigate toward the negative electric potential using a small set of sensory neurons in their head.
The professor’s new novel weaves a tale where truth is slippery, race and class are in flux, and the past refuses to stay buried.
Read more about the book
A team led by UCSB researchers highlights the importance of monitoring shark populations and combining different strategies for managing their numbers.
CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) (Feb. 5) announced the distribution of $225,000 in sponsorships to community-based and national organizations to support Ventura County and neighboring communities to provide relief to victims of the recent fires and strengthen preparedness efforts for future emergencies.
In response to the growing needs arising from the devastation of the recent fires in Camarillo and the Greater Los Angeles area, GCHP distributed $225,000 in total funding to support the following organizations:
A trio short films by undergraduates — “Not Just Water,” “quwa’” and “The Kelp We Breathe” — will be featured during the festival’s Santa Barbara Documentary Shorts programming.
The Chicana and Chicano studies professor discusses her new book, “The Children of Solaga: Indigenous Belonging across the U.S.-Mexico Border.”
The emeritus professor’s new book unpacks how inept leadership by the Russian ruler precipitated the fall of the Romanovs.
New research provides the first comprehensive map of the vast footprint of coconut palm agriculture across nearly every Pacific atoll.
If policy makers implemented just four policies acting across the plastic lifecycle (from production to use and disposal), researchers say, we could reduce plastic pollution by 91%.
“The demand in our area and throughout the state is unmistakable, given its growth and success. Very quickly, flag football will be ubiquitous throughout the college athletics landscape,” Davis said. “I’m proud that Cal Lutheran is an early adopter and excited to add what I believe will be another elite athletic program for us.”
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU) is excited to announce its exclusive partnership with Ventura County FC (VCFC), becoming the official credit union partner and a founding partner of the professional soccer team. This sponsorship underscores VCCU’s dedication to supporting local sports, promoting community engagement, and being a strong advocate for Ventura County’s growth and development.
Researchers at Craig Montell’s lab created deaf mosquitoes by knocking out a single gene and found that the males had absolutely no interest in mating. The results could have major implications for how we manage disease transmission.
UCSB has again been named as a Fulbright HSI Leader for its strong engagement, as an Hispanic-Serving Institution, with the Fulbright Program.
Tasked with uniting efforts across campus to enhance “servingness” — an HSI model that goes beyond enrollment numbers to truly support the success of Latiné — Fematt characterized the establishment of the new role as a “significant step forward” for the campus.
Professor and historian Giuliana Perrone discusses her new research in the context of Juneteenth and the latest from California’s reparations task force.
Ashley Yeh ’24 will go on to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine. The Knight-Hennessy Program, established in 2018, provides fellows up to three years of tuition and a stipend for living and academic expenses.
VENTURA — Ventura College men’s tennis team concluded their 2024 season in triumphant fashion, securing a 5-0 victory over American River College from Sacramento in the 3C2A State Championship. This victory marks the third state title for Ventura College under the leadership of longtime head coach Nelson Emery, their first since 2010.
Patricia Fancher digs into Alan Turing’s technical and scientific writing, highlighting his role in computing’s inception and his collaborations with women and queer individuals.
THOUSAND OAKS — The wildly popular Angel City Football Club (ACFC) has extended its contract with California Lutheran University as the team’s training site for the National Women’s Soccer League team.
The Angel City Football Club has practiced at Cal Lutheran since 2022, when the team was founded. The new two-year agreement, with a possible one-year extension, enables ACFC to continue training at North Field and use the facilities within William Rolland Stadium and Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center.
“The Angel City football team includes athletes who are top in their sport. As such, the entire club serves as a role model for our own student-athletes and all others who strive to be and do the very best in their life and their career,” said Cal Lutheran President Lori E. Varlotta. “We are proud to have a continued partnership with the team and appreciate being able to support professional women’s soccer.”
Healing meets the surreal in the hyper-saturated dreamscape featured in the exhibition and performance series by the art professor, whose work captures the banality and enormity of everyday life.
The library has acquired the Cedric J. and Elizabeth P. Robinson Archive, comprising research and teaching papers, ephemera and digital materials reflecting their seminal scholarship and activism.
Focusing on the Maldives and Guyana — two communities on the front lines of sea level rise — sociologist Summer Gray’s new book examines and illustrates how seawalls serve as a point of conflict between rich and poor, colonizer and Indigenous, powerful and powerless.
The College of Creative Studies and Black studies professor emeritus described the work as a “tribute to the tradition of swing” and “an exercise in contemplative jazz.”
The first Super Bowl, which could have been known as “Super Bowl No. 1,” was played the year I graduated from high school in 1967. “Super Bowl No. 2” followed in 1968, and so on, until we got to “Super Bowl No. 4” in 1970.
The “footballerati” started to think that this numbering system for the Super Bowl games was getting a bit “boring.” Lamar Hunt, the late owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, decided that the Super Bowl needed a more eloquent numbering system…something that would make it sound more important, dignified, and even “magisterial.”
Researchers reveal that eukaryotic organisms had already evolved into a diverse array of forms 1.64 billion years ago.
The Los Angeles-based architect’s 50-year career in organic architecture is the focus of the Art, Design & Architecture Museum’s current exhibition “From Within: The Architecture of Helena Arahuete.”
