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Artist's rendering of a quasar, featuring a bright, glowing supermassive black hole emitting a powerful white beam of energy, surrounded by swirling rings of pink and blue cosmic dust.

Physics professor Joseph Hennawi helps discover earliest quasars yet observed

2026-07-06

Physics professor Joseph Hennawi helped discover 31 ancient quasars, including two record-setting objects that reveal how supermassive black holes formed early in cosmic history.

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Portrait of Thuc-Quyen Nguyen sitting at a desk. She wears a green tweed jacket against a red wall displaying three traditional scroll paintings.

In pursuit of captured sunlight

2026-07-01

UC Santa Barbara chemist Thuc-Quyen Nguyen, the university’s next Faculty Research Lecturer, traces a path from rural Vietnam to international leadership in organic electronics, solar-cell research and mentorship.

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A 3D scientific illustration of complex protein structures, featuring intertwined purple and red molecular chains and floating particles.

Chemistry and biochemistry professor Joan-Emma Shea collaborates on AI tools to study protein assembly

2026-06-30

Chemistry and biochemistry professor Joan-Emma Shea collaborated on AI models that predict protein assemblies associated with neurodegenerative disease.

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Paul Atzberger smiling and holding a gray, 3D-printed geometric object with multiple rounded protrusions.

Paul Atzberger’s geometric neural operators help AI analyze shape and structure

2026-06-25

UC Santa Barbara professor Paul Atzberger and graduate student Blaine Quackenbush are developing open-source geometric neural operators that help AI understand shapes, surfaces and structure.

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Bright pink bacterial biofilm clusters rest on dark sediment beside a dime for scale.

Keck Foundation invests $1.2 million in six UC Santa Barbara research projects

2026-06-24

Three UCSB Science teams are among six UC Santa Barbara projects receiving $1.2 million in W. M. Keck Foundation bridge funding for climate science, cell biology, materials science, superconductors and gene regulation.

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Sunlit coastal sand dunes dotted with green brush and vegetation, sloping down toward a calm blue ocean under a partly cloudy sky.

Geography and marine science researchers map major losses of California coastal dunes

2026-06-22

Researchers led by UC Santa Barbara geography and marine science experts found that California has lost 60% of its coastal dune systems since 1850.

Continue Reading Geography and marine science researchers map major losses of California coastal dunes

Chancellor Dennis Assanis, center, shaking hands with UC President James Milliken on stage at the inauguration ceremony. Nobel laureate David Gross stands to the left in academic regalia.

Nobel discovery, quantum science and biomedical innovation featured in chancellor’s inauguration events

2026-05-28

Science faculty and Nobel laureates were among the voices highlighted during Chancellor Dennis Assanis’ inauguration events, underscoring strengths in discovery-driven research, experimental science and public-impact innovation.

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A dense optical table setup in David Weld's physics laboratory, illuminated by glowing red and purple lights, featuring mirrors and lenses.

Physics professor David Weld selected for 2026 National Brown Investigator Award

2026-05-28

UC Santa Barbara physics professor David Weld has been selected for the 2026 National Brown Investigator Award, receiving up to $2 million over five years to advance curiosity-driven research in quantum science.

Continue Reading Physics professor David Weld selected for 2026 National Brown Investigator Award