Science & Tech

December 20, 2020

Dating To a Science: UCSB Researchers Study Patterns in Assortative Mating

By Devanshi Tomar

While doing matrix models of mate choice, Conroy-Beam saw a correlation between specific traits, despite the traits being assorted randomly throughout individuals in the simulation. 

December 7, 2020

UCSB Researchers Find Significant Gaps in Widely Used Fisheries Datasets

By Sean Crommelin

Blasco’s hope is that studies like this will shine a spotlight on the work that those working with the FAO, RAM and the IUCN still have ahead of them.

December 7, 2020

NASA and ESA Partner up to Launch an Oceanography Satellite from Santa Barbara County Designed to Monitor Rising Sea Levels

By Brian Patton

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will begin transmitting oceanography data within three months, following a series of tests and calibrations which are already underway.

December 1, 2020

At Valentine Camp, a Plan is Hatched to Fix California’s Drought-stressed, Overstuffed Forests

By Sean Crommelin

In one 155-acre plot of land in Mammoth Lakes, researchers are trying to better understand how California’s overgrown forests can be rehabilitated through both selective burning and thinning.

November 27, 2020

With a Winter Wave Looming Large, UCSB Enters Into COVID-19 Smartphone Exposure Notification Pilot Program

By Sean Crommelin

To supplement traditional means to contain the spread, such as testing and contract tracing, UCSB has entered into the California COVID Notify pilot program.

November 18, 2020

The Future of Forests in the Warming, Drying American West

By Sean Crommelin

"Physiology is very important in understanding forest mortality, but we are still missing some key mechanisms in being able to predict it at large spatial scales,” Trugman said.

November 17, 2020

UCSB Professor Wins NIH Award to Study Navigational Neurons in Fruit Flies

By Sean Crommelin

Kim specifically intends to gain an understanding of the manner in which landmarks are selected by the brain in order to establish a sense of direction. 

November 13, 2020

The Scientists’ Declassified Guide to Talking About Climate Change

By Michelle J. Lee

Through these conversations you — better than any scientist — have the opportunity to find and address misinformation, misunderstanding and fear.

November 13, 2020

In Search of Effective Conservation Strategies, Researchers Studying Amphibian Disease Look to Natural Resistance

By Katherine Sheng

“When management supports these natural mechanisms, it will lead to more successful management outcomes and fewer failures,” Brannelly said.

November 8, 2020

Mosquitoes in Santa Barbara Test Positive for West Nile Virus

By Devanshi Tomar

Carrier mosquitoes have the potential to pass the virus on to humans — but it isn’t a reason for panic.

November 3, 2020

UCSB Professor Investigates Cognitive and Neurocognitive Effects of Being an Interpreter

By Gracie Shi

Whether or not there is a cognitive advantage due to the bilingual experiences of interpreters is still in debate.

November 2, 2020

A Closer Look At California’s Iconic Oaks in Sedgwick Reserve

By Sean Crommelin

At Sedgwick, Davis and his collaborators have been studying oak regeneration on the decadal scale.

October 28, 2020

UCLA Professor Speaks on Research Into Synaptic Reorganization in BMSE/MCDB Seminar

By Sean Crommelin

Donlea discussed his experimental studies into the role which sleep plays in injury and synaptic reorganization in fruit flies.

October 25, 2020

Tango of the Valkyries: What Makes Music Sound Different or the Same?

By Sean Crommelin

“What my lab and I asked was: ‘How would listeners categorize music if we used tasks from relational category experiments?’” 

October 21, 2020

UCSB Researchers Investigate Mortality Among Amphibians Besieged by Endemic Parasites

By Sean Crommelin

The researchers had earlier developed a flexible statistical model, specifically looking at patterns of aggregation in parasite abundance. These patterns informed host mortality.  

October 18, 2020

Rivers in Madagascar Offer a Window Into the Inner Workings of Abrupt Channel Shifts

By Sean Crommelin

Brooke and his collaborators are among the first attempting to map out where avulsions occur in order to test existing hypotheses regarding the factors and conditions leading to these events.