Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz

Restoring Ms Blue’s skeleton sustainably is the Seymour Center’s top priority. Swell Cycle co-founder and CEO Patricio Guerrero is using large-format 3D printing to create high-performance surfboards with less waste and is working with the Seymour Center to restore Ms Blue. Make sure to check out the full documentary episode on YouTube and join us at the Seymour Marine Center on November 8th from 11am-3pm for Ms Blue Returns, Marine Science Fest! Details are below; see you there!

Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twD4TCAvRRQ&list=PLMif4c5zvokzJ3P2sqBVKaeHahYPptecY&index=1 Tickets: https://linktr.ee/seymour_center Swell Cycle: https://swellcyclesurfboards.com/

Chapters:

00:00 — Ms Blue Returns series

03:35 — A surfboard sparks change

05:03 — Waste in manufacturing

08:42 — Large-format 3D printing

11:59 — Designing the board

18:53 — A more sustainable process

22:22 — Plastic waste

25:29 — Printing Ms Blue’s bones

In honor of Ms Blue’s return to the Seymour Center, this podcast episode features Steve Davenport, a longtime UCSC marine science leader. Steve shares the stories of how this iconic blue whale was recovered, restored, and brought back to life. Make sure to check out the full documentary episode on YouTube and join us at the Seymour Marine Center on November 8th from 11am-3pm for Ms Blue Returns, Marine Science Fest! Details are below; see you there!

Full YouTube ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLxiov60njo Marine Science Fest info: https://linktr.ee/seymour_center

Chapters: 00:00 — Celebrating Ms Blue’s Return 02:03 — Steve Davenport’s Marine Lab 05:51 — Ms Blue Washes Ashore 09:33 — The Whale’s Dramatic Arrival 13:38 — The Reality of Recovery 19:20 — Building the First Mount 23:23 — Restoring the Missing Bones 29:13 — Ms Blue’s Florida Detour 34:35 — Becoming a Campus Icon 41:19 — Testing New Restoration Materials

Climate change is pushing whales to change faster than the people who study them can keep up. Cetacean research senior manager Gina Lonati reveals how drones, thermal imaging, and long-term monitoring are transforming the way scientists track gray whales, humpbacks, and entanglement risk along the California coast.

Marine Mammal Center Hotline for injured animals: 415-289-SEAL

Chapters:

00:00 — Duchess of Anchovy rescue 05:38 — Drones spark whale research 09:54 — Inside the Marine Mammal Center 13:48 — Tracking changing whale populations 18:31 — Humpbacks face growing threats 22:44 — Preparing for ocean changes 28:02 — Ropeless crab gear explained 31:43 — A day surveying whales 37:33 — Drones transform whale science 44:26 — The disentanglement mission

After a second fire at the Moss Landing battery plant, residents still face urgent questions: what entered the air, what reached people, and why are answers so hard to find? UCSC environmental toxicology expert Don Smith joins the podcast to unpack the science behind lithium-ion battery fires, failures in the response, and the data related to health impacts that communities still need. Don explains how community-led sampling detected battery-associated metals miles from the plant, why surface dust can reveal contamination, and how delayed testing leaves health risks difficult to assess. If you want to learn about the Moss Landing fires implications for battery storage, public trust, and California’s clean energy future, be sure to tune into this episode!

Chapters: 00:00 — Why Moss Landing matters 01:19 — Revisiting the first battery fire 03:19 — Community concerns and communication 05:06 — The community-led sampling effort 06:39 — What dust wipes reveal 08:43 — Metals in batteries 09:44 — How fire particles travel 12:36 — Symptoms and missing health data 17:37 — Measuring metals in samples 19:34 — Lessons from lead research 22:42 — The clean energy dilemma 28:04 — The cost of uncertainty 31:34 — Hair testing and exposure evidence

Santa Cruz County faces wildfire, floods, earthquakes, and coastal storms nearly every year. Dave Reid, director of the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, explains how local leaders prepare for disasters, coordinate emergency responses, and help communities like Santa Cruz rebuild after catastrophic events. He shares lessons from the CZU fire, the power of Cruz Aware alerts, and the difficult choices behind Measure Q investments in wildfire reduction, water, parks, and infrastructure. This conversation explores natural disasters, evacuation planning, grant funding, everyday preparedness, and offers practical ways residents can protect their households while strengthening the resilience of the entire community over time. Sign up for Cruz Aware alerts at Login | CruzAware Portal and learn more about Measure Q funding at Measure Q Funding Distribution!

Chapters:

00:00 — Why Santa Cruz County Needs Disaster Readiness

01:24 — Building a New Office After the CZU Fire

03:21 — Rebuilding the Community’s Disaster Memory

06:15 — How Cruz Aware Alerts Protect Residents

08:57 — What Response, Recovery, and Resilience Mean

13:54 — Why Disaster Recovery Takes Years

18:35 — Prioritizing Limited Resources

24:23 — Making Wildfire Projects “Shovel Ready”

37:08 — Measure Q and the Future of Resilience Funding

54:36 — What Residents Can Do to Prepare Now

Description: California’s kelp forests are in crisis, but an unexpected solution may be making a comeback: the sunflower star, a giant sea star that once helped keep urchin populations in check and kelp forests healthy. In this episode, Reuven Bank and Andrew Kim of the Sunflower Star Laboratory explain how their grassroots conservation effort grew from a volunteer project in a garage into a serious scientific initiative.They discuss the devastating effects of sea star wasting disease, marine heat waves, and unchecked urchin populations, along with the sunflower star’s unique role as a keystone predator. They also explore why restoration must move quickly but responsibly, including the importance of genetic diversity, permitting, survivorship studies, and long-term funding. If you want to donate or learn more about Reuven and Andrew’s work, go to sunflowerstarlab.org!

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet the Sunflower Star Recovery Team

01:45 - From Garage Startup to Conservation Lab

05:47 - What Caused California’s Kelp Decline?

08:22 - Why Sunflower Stars Matter

16:41 - Raising Sea Stars in the Laboratory

20:48 - How Sunflower Stars Reproduce

24:20 - Preparing for Responsible Restoration

26:28 - Outplanting Experiments in Monterey Bay

46:12 - New Tools for Conservation

52:55 - How Everyone Can Help

Description: What if a surf break was more than a wave? Nik Strong- Cvetich reveals why surf ecosystems are worth protecting, how they shape local economies, and why Santa Cruz could become a model for coastal conservation everywhere. Save the Waves CEO Nik Strong-Cvetich unpacks the idea behind a newly defined category: the surf ecosystem. It is not just the break itself, but the geology that creates it, the marine life it supports, and the community built around it. That definition is already helping conservationists make the case for policy, stewardship, and climate planning in Santa Cruz and beyond. Nik also shares how Save the Waves uses coalition-building, research, and local partnerships to protect surf-dependent places in places like Peru, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Chile, and California. Along the way, he explains why Cowells Beach went from one of the dirtiest beaches in the state to a stewardship success story, how innovative insurance ideas could one day fund reef and coastline restoration, and how surf communities in Santa Cruz and across the world are fighting climate change.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Nik Strong Cvetich and Save The Waves

02:22 - Defining the term “surf ecosystems”

05:34 - How local communities fit into surf ecosystems

09:19 - What real protection requires: coalition, policy, and stewardship

13:12 - How sea level rise and infrastructure can reduce surfability

14:50 - Climate uncertainty, El Niño, and why surfer observations matter

20:23 - How Save the Waves is thinking about long term stewardship funding

31:15 - Generational knowledge and in surf communities

33:27 - Awards, innovation recognition, and what matters most to the mission

39:31 - Why impact matters more than recognition

43:38 - What’s next in Santa Cruz, Malibu, and across California

47:53 - Future projects across the world

51:26 - Why surfers and other users of wild places can be conservation allies

55:51 - How listeners can get involved with Save the Waves

Prepared to feel charmed by chemistry professor and big wave surfer Sarah Gerhardt in this episode. Sarah steps into her role as a teacher in this conversation to walk listeners through the itty bitty, nitty gritty details of how materials we interact with every day are just miraculous strings of molecules that shape our lives. As the first woman to ride the giant waves of Mavericks, Sarah knows the importance of a good wetsuit. She breaks down the science of neoprene and reflects on the evolution of gear she’s used across a lifetime of cold water surfing. Sarah also shares how surfing has carried her through the challenges of life, from caring for a parent with muscular dystrophy to navigating the world of academia and becoming a parent herself. Her infectious enthusiasm for paddling into waves and talking about polymers is driven by her unshakable sense of wonder and curiosity. For lessons on life and chemistry, lock in for the full episode today.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Sarah Gerhart and her dual passions for surfing and science

01:30 First surfing experiences and the significance of that moment

03:13 Challenges with wetsuit fit and the evolution of wetsuit technology

05:27 The chemistry of wetsuits: polymers, natural rubber, and materials science

07:32 Surfers' ear: causes, effects, and protective strategies

09:48 History and innovation in wetsuit materials, including neoprene

11:09 The chemistry of polymers and natural plastics in wetsuit development

16:30 Environmental issues: microplastics, forever chemicals, and sustainability

21:00 The impact of oil-based polymers and efforts for eco-friendly wetsuits

24:59 Community and industry efforts toward sustainable wetsuit production

28:53 The intersection of science, surfing, and community in Santa Cruz

33:42 The role of wisdom, fear, and curiosity in big wave surfing

37:24 The cultural and community identity of Santa Cruz and its connection to nature

41:24 The importance of humility, diverse knowledge, and community collaboration

45:45 The motivation behind the podcast and the role of science in community solutions

52:09 Closing remarks and appreciation for the guest

Keywords: 

surfing, wetsuits, ocean science, sustainability, Santa Cruz, marine biology, polymers, climate resilience

Javier González-Rocha grew up with his feet on Watsonville soil and his mind on aerospace engineering. He knew from an early age that he wanted to apply his penchant for math and science to helping people and solving real world problems. Now a professor of applied mathematics at UCSC, Javier’s research focuses on designing drones that can improve measurements of air quality in agricultural areas. Growing up in a family of farmworkers inspires him to work closely with Pájaro Valley community groups like Regeneración and the Center for Community Advocacy in Salinas to ensure that people can access and understand the data he collects. Javier joined us in the studio to chat about gaps in air quality data following events like the CZU fires and the Vistra battery storage fire, how climate and seasonal changes affect the behavior of particles in the air, and what it feels like to “win the lottery” by having an academic career in his hometown. He also discusses opportunities for high school and undergraduate students to get involved with his research.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Javier González-Rocha and his work in Watsonville

02:12 The origin of the ATMOS lab and its mission

04:35 Using drones to measure wind and atmospheric conditions

07:03 The potential of drone-based sensing for community health

08:46 Personal motivations and lived experiences shaping the research

13:13 Air quality issues in agricultural communities

16:13 Monitoring air pollution during wildfires and prescribed burns

19:54 Findings on particulate matter and health impacts

22:21 Understanding pollution patterns and community perceptions

27:52 Sensor deployment, calibration, and data challenges

36:49 Future directions: policy, community engagement, and technology innovation

Keywords: air quality, drones, environmental monitoring, community health, Pajaro Valley, UC Santa Cruz, air pollution, sensor technology, climate resilience

How does studying the dust of distant galaxies help us understand our oceans? Apparently, tools that tell us what stars are made of are also good at pointing out things like phytoplankton or heat waves. In this Deep Dive episode, astrophysicist and UCSC professor X Prochaska details his professional pivot from outer space to ocean surfaces. His work with spectroscopy, or understanding how light changes color based on the materials it encounters, turns a palette of colors into clues about ecosystem processes. Adopting AI tools early on helped him process vast amounts of information collected from sea and space frontiers. X now enlists NASA’s PACE satellite and other instruments that glide, float, or fly across the ocean to gather a mass of data that paints a picture of the current climate crisis. Check out the full episode to hear X and guest host Eric Palkovacs discuss the process of making and breaking scientific models, the benefits and concerns of AI, and the importance of thinking outside the box (or planet) with how to use the tools in one’s toolkit. 

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest background

01:31 Guest's journey from astronomy to oceanography

03:50 Tools used in astronomy and their application to ocean science

08:03 The role of AI in developing scientific theories

13:05 Challenges in measuring ocean color and biological processes

16:54 Monitoring climate change through ocean data

20:50 Potential for creating a digital twin of Monterey Bay

23:58 Impact of AI on scientific research and data collection

28:10 Future directions in ocean and space research

31:58 Implications for fisheries and coastal economies

35:52 The importance of interdisciplinary training and collaboration

38:01 The disruptive impact of AI on scientific jobs and funding

40:49 Conclusion and final thoughts

Resources:

NASA’s PACE Satellite: https://pace.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/people/j-xavier-prochaska/

Keywords:

astronomy, oceanography, AI, digital twin, Monterey Bay, ocean color, climate change, scientific modeling, interdisciplinary science