The Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz hosted the inaugural Baskin Engineering Climate Week April 21-25, 2025, focused on making connections between climate issues and the impact of sustainability research and teaching. The event brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni, campus partners, and the local community to highlight groundbreaking research and educational initiatives aimed at addressing the climate crisis.
Baskin Engineering Climate Week underscored the intersection of technology and climate action, illustrating how research, education, and student leadership are driving impactful solutions for climate resilience.
“Our goal for Climate Week was to showcase the many ways Baskin Engineers are meeting challenges of a changing world,” said Alexander Wolf, dean of Baskin Engineering. “We have a responsibility to confront the urgency and magnitude of the climate crisis by activating the expertise and perspectives provided by our world-class engineering researchers.”
Throughout the week, Baskin Engineering faculty integrated climate science-focused lectures into their courses, demonstrating how a range of disciplines contribute to real-world solutions to the most pressing climate issues. Students learned about a variety of topics including energy efficiency in data science, renewable energy technologies, the application of statistics in global warming research, and AI-driven weather and climate predictions.
Faculty and alumni delivered open climate talks, offering expert insights on topics such as genomics for biodiversity preservation, sustainable agricultural technologies, innovative approaches for wildfire monitoring, and the latest advancements in green computing.
“The climate talks were inspirational, highlighting that our Baskin Engineers are leading the response to critical issues, with impact at the campus, local, state levels and beyond,” said Anne Criss, assistant dean and chief of staff at Baskin Engineering. “I was especially impressed by how our students are making the link between their studies and solutions to climate change.”
In the Baskin Engineering Courtyard, students participated in hands-on activities focused on science and sustainability.
Student organizations, researchers, and the experiential learning creatorspace, Slugworks, hosted demonstrations of sustainable innovations. This included a wildfire preparedness mini-game and an augmented reality game focused on flood resilience in the Santa Cruz region. These activities encouraged collaboration and creativity, fostering a sense of community around climate action.
Climate Week also highlighted efforts to integrate sustainability and climate education into UCSC curriculum. One initiative is the UC-wide course “Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All,” offered through the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Baskin Engineering. The course enables students to explore the interconnectedness of natural and social systems while analyzing climate change—helping to shape the next generation of climate leaders.
As climate challenges intensify, the research, teaching, and community engagement highlighted during Baskin Engineering Climate Week help to position UC Santa Cruz as a leader in developing sustainable solutions for a resilient future.
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