Research
UC Santa Cruz research improves lives and livelihoods—help us safeguard the future of innovation.
Engineers have the power to create new things and the responsibility to use our knowledge for good.
Our faculty and students pursue novel, visionary research that leads to positive societal impact.
R1
Designated Research 1 University
(Carnegie Research Foundation)
60
patents awarded
(2022-24)
$47.2M
in new research funding
(2024)
11
research institutes and centers
(2024)
#16
Santa Cruz/Watsonville top 16 in research output in US
(National Bureau of Economic Research, 2025)
What’s trending
Harnessing AI for extreme weather prediction
UC Santa Cruz researchers are finding new ways to leverage AI to better predict rare, unprecedented events like Category 5 hurricanes.
Celebrating 25 years of genomics innovation
July 2025 will mark the 25th anniversary of the UC Santa Cruz Genome Browser, one of the most widely used resources for genomics worldwide.
Bold new solutions to society’s most complex issues
Explore research by impact areas
Undergraduate research
Research opportunities abound for Baskin Engineering students. The world-recognized Genomics Institute provides a hands-on and immersive environment for students interested in genomics. You can join clubs and student groups to explore genomic research and collaborate on projects with your peers. Baskin Engineering is also home to a nationally ranked computer game design major, recognized as one of the top 10 undergraduate programs in the country. Undergraduates work with faculty on innovative projects in areas like cyber-physical systems, security, and artificial intelligence—just a few of the many ways to get involved and make an impact.
Latest research news
- Student hackers tackled California's wildfire crisis at the event co-hosted by the United Nations and the Baskin School of Engineering
- The campaign is a collective effort to raise funding to accelerate the campus’s groundbreaking discoveries, create real, lasting solutions to some of the world’s most consequential challenges, and amplify the next generation of leaders and scholars.
- From aquatic adventures and mountaintop stargazing to lab work aimed at saving lives, students describe how the Degree-Defining Experiences Program fosters unforgettable moments and deepens meaning
- 25 UC Santa Cruz researchers earned a spot on the prestigious annual list.
Research with impact
Innovating autonomous vehicles, space exploration, and robotics with Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ricardo Sanfelice.
Additional areas of expertise
Algorithms, logic, and complexity
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Artificial intelligence and ethics
Bayesian statistics
Communications, signals, and image processing
Computer hardware
Computer security
Computer vision, visualization, and graphics
Database systems
Data science
Data privacy
Data privacy
Distributed systems
Generative AI
Mathematical modeling and numerical analysis
Natural language processing
Networks
Programming languages
Real-time systems
Systems biology
Software engineering
Storage systems