Virtual Events
Virtual Events
Wherever you live, connect with UC Santa Cruz by joining us for virtual events. Engage in meaningful conversations, gain professional insights, or network with fellow Slugs, gain professional insights, or simply catch up with fellow Slugs—all from the comfort of your own home.
Slugs & Steins
Slugs & Steins is a monthly series of informal discussions highlighting UC Santa Cruz’s amazing faculty members. Talks are held on the 2nd Monday of each month with topics ranging from organic artichokes to endangered zebras, self-driving cars to Shakespeare.
All are welcome, and audience participation is encouraged. We encourage you to share the link far and wide as slugs and friends from around the world may join us.
Career development webinars
Whether you’re exploring your next move or sharpening the skills you already have, our virtual career development programs are here to help you grow. Join live, online workshops and webinars led by industry professionals and career experts.
Kraw Lecture Series
The Kraw Lecture Series in Silicon Valley is made possible by a generous gift from UC Santa Cruz alumnus George Kraw (Cowell ‘71, history and Russian literature) and Raphael Shannon Kraw. The lecture series features acclaimed UC Santa Cruz scientists and technologists who are grappling with some of the biggest questions of our time.
These talks are hybrid, free, and open to the public. Attend in person at UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley extension or via livestream.
September 2025
Winds of Change: Tracking Toxic and Climate Pollutants From Above
Virtual Event
Assistant Professor Javier González-Rocha
Monday, September 8
6:30pm to 8:00pm
How can flying robots help us track the air we breathe—and the pollutants we can’t see? In this talk, I’ll share how our team uses aerial robotic systems—commonly known as drones—to measure wind patterns and detect airborne pollutants in places that are hard to reach with traditional monitoring equipment. These systems are helping us better understand how toxic and climate pollutants move through the atmosphere, and how they affect both human health and the environment.
From wildfire smoke drifting across communities to methane leaks from dairy farms and oil fields, these emissions are often poorly monitored—especially in rural or overburdened areas. Our low-cost, adaptable drone systems offer a new way to fill that gap. By combining real-time flight data, environmental sensors, and advanced modeling, we can generate targeted, on-demand measurements that inform air quality assessments and improve emissions tracking.
This work sits at the intersection of engineering, environmental science, and community collaboration—with the goal of building tools that empower people and support climate resilience from the ground up.
Speaker
Dr. Javier González-Rocha is an Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics at UC Santa Cruz and a Climate Justice Fellow with UCSC’s Center for Reimagining Leadership. He leads research on drone-based environmental monitoring, developing aerial robotic systems that use real-time flight data, low-cost sensors, and mathematical modeling to track wind, wildfire smoke, and toxic and climate pollutants. His work bridges engineering, data science, and community engagement to create tools that support air quality monitoring, emissions assessments, and climate resilience—particularly in underserved regions. Dr. González-Rocha earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and was previously a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Riverside.
Questions? Please contact University Events at specialevents@ucsc.edu.