From campus to community: UCSC brings science to the neighborhood to spark local dialogue

When a scientist mentions storm surge modeling and hands immediately go up, you know the conversation has hit home.

That energy set the tone at the most recent Science in the Neighborhood event, where about 20 community members — representing a range of ages and professional backgrounds — gathered with both technical questions and a shared desire for a clearer understanding of the science shaping Santa Cruz’s coast. This event was a part of an ongoing public lecture series hosted by UC Santa Cruz’s Physical and Biological Sciences Division (PBSci). Launched in December with a lecture about chromosomal diseases, the free, in-person program brings UCSC researchers out of their laboratories and into community spaces.

Stefano Profumo, UCSC associate dean for graduate studies and postdoctoral affairs, said he created the series to give researchers the chance to receive “fresh perspectives and questions that can spark new research directions.” Emphasizing the value of dialogue between scientists and the public, Profumo noted that “breakthrough insights often come from unexpected places — sometimes from people outside specialized academic fields who ask simple but profound questions.”

The Feb. 5 lecture featured Mike Beck, director of the UCSC Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, who explained how communities can prepare for climate-driven coastal threats. He described how the center assesses coastal risks like flooding and erosion, evaluates adaptation solutions including natural and engineered interventions, and identifies incentives and funding opportunities to support these efforts. Beck highlighted the importance of partnerships in helping turn scientific research into practical strategies that protect both people and ecosystems.

As his presentation progressed, the conversation quickly turned local.

Audience members asked how storm damage modeling applies specifically to Santa Cruz and what mitigation strategies might look like in practice. One attendee questioned the costs and benefits of the Santa Cruz harbor jetty. Others asked what realistic adaptation options exist for a small coastal city already facing erosion and increasingly severe storms.

This response is exactly what scientists are excited about. “We hope that the work that we’re doing actually does matter to folks like this,” Beck said.

For Beck, engaging with the public is essential to making research useful beyond academia. “We are actually trying to gear the work that we do to solve real-world problems,” he said. Rather than prescribing solutions, Beck emphasized that it’s the role of scientists to support informed decision-making about complex issues — like managing ecosystems, evaluating restoration strategies or balancing competing land-use priorities. “We’re not trying to tell anybody what to do. We’re trying to say, ‘We can help inform you about what the risks and benefits and opportunities are,’” he said.

Making these dynamic science topics more accessible can be a challenge. Beck said he intentionally strips away unnecessary complexity and prioritizes clarity in his presentations. His team works with artists and game engine designers to communicate risks and solutions in more engaging, intuitive ways. His presentation last week included animated models depicting past Santa Cruz wave events striking the shoreline. By using these interactive tools, Beck hopes audiences can better understand what climate scenarios mean in real terms.

“I was really impressed with how his visuals make science more approachable and easier to understand,” said Kim Strenge, an attendee who read about the lecture in an email newsletter from the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Equipped with her own experience in the public health field, Strenge knows that “it’s hard to translate real, immediate consequences to the average resident,” but added that she thinks Beck “translated science well to a person with a non-scientific background.”

For Strenge and her husband, Ernst, the event challenged assumptions about academic pursuits. “It’s not somebody who is just in the ivory tower doing his research,” Ernst Strenge said; instead, they are “really doing things that are benefiting society.” He and his wife added that the well-stocked food tables were a welcome bonus and perhaps another reason to attend the next lecture.

Both Profumo and Beck know that continual involvement and communication is crucial for engaging the community in science. “We never assume that doing it once is enough,” said Beck.

That long-term commitment is central to the series’ vision. Profumo hopes Science in the Neighborhood becomes a familiar gathering place for community engagement. He hopes that it will evolve into “a regular gathering place where Santa Cruz residents of all backgrounds come to engage with science, ask questions, and feel connected to the research happening in their backyard.”

Held at the Seymour Center on the Westside, each presentation runs for roughly an hour and concludes with a live Q&A. While typically held quarterly, the series will feature two lectures this winter.

The next Science in the Neighborhood lecture, scheduled for March 6, will feature professor Eric Palkovacs, who will discuss ecosystem-wide approaches to wild Pacific salmon recovery, as the series continues its effort to turn scientific research into an ongoing “two-way exchange,” said Profumo.

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