Peregrine falcons — long celebrated as one of the greatest wildlife recovery stories in modern history — have seen rapid deaths across the greater San Francisco Bay Area since 2022. Long-term monitoring by the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group suggests bird flu could be the culprit.
Cassidy Beach
Originally from the Midwest, Cassidy earned her bachelor of science degree in earth and environmental science, with a minor in oceanography, from the University of Michigan. She had the opportunity to conduct hands-on research across the country, from spearing lionfish in the Caribbean Sea to collecting water chemistry samples in the Great Lakes. Through these experiences, she discovered her passion for making science feel tangible and relevant to everyday life.
Eventually shifting into communication work with the hope of making science more accessible to the public, she gained experience in community-based conservation education and even spent a spring teaching science programs aboard a sailboat.
Now a master’s degree student in science communication at UC Santa Cruz and an intern with Lookout, she uses her storytelling abilities to highlight the complex relationships between humans and the natural world. She is particularly drawn to stories that reveal the hidden dynamics of coastal ecosystems and the people working to protect them.
Posted inEducation
Seymour Studios goes live with new community science podcast
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center launched a new podcast Tuesday to connect Santa Cruz County’s scientists, problem-solvers and community members. While the new show spotlights local environmental success stories, the studio itself offers an inclusive space for anyone in the community to record and share their message, conservation-focused or not.
Posted inLatest News
Big cats, bigger protections: Santa Cruz County mountain lions now listed as threatened
Mountain lions in Santa Cruz County recently gained new protections under the California Endangered Species Act after years as candidates for listing. Protecting six distinct puma populations around the state is a win for many dedicated researchers, but the move heightens the concerns about potential land-use and livestock impacts for developers, ranchers and farmers.
Posted inLatest News
First bird flu cases confirmed in California’s northern elephant seals
Researchers have detected avian flu in a major breeding colony of northern elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park. Swift detection has triggered an intense scientific response as researchers work to determine how the virus jumped species.
Posted inEducation
From campus to community: UCSC brings science to the neighborhood to spark local dialogue
UC Santa Cruz has launched a lecture series that takes researchers out of the lab and into neighborhoods to provide the public with a clearer understanding of cutting-edge science.
Posted inLatest News
Through night drama, Elkhorn Slough reveals its salty secret life
A fresh look at North America’s coastal wetlands highlights the importance of the ecosystem in our own backyard: Elkhorn Slough. New camera-trap research and ongoing restoration offer rare insight and real optimism for the future of this landscape.
Posted inLatest News
Holding the line: What’s happening with salmon in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County’s salmon population faces a variety of threats, but scientists and habitat restoration groups point to the fish’s resilience, bolstered by decades of monitoring and an expanding web of restoration efforts.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Federal land in Santa Cruz County safe from drilling under new BLM proposal, but environmentalists remain wary of oil and gas development
With a federal plan updating oil and gas drilling rules on Central Coast public lands now open for public comment, attention in Santa Cruz County has turned to whether any local federal lands could be vulnerable to drilling.
Posted inLatest News
Ask Lookout: Why are beach hazards more frequent and dangerous in winter?
Storms in the North Pacific Ocean deliver sneaker waves, rip currents and longshore currents to Santa Cruz County’s shores in winter, making it a dangerous time for beachgoers.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Exploring hidden light: Steven Haddock brings ocean’s radiant secrets to life
In “The Radiant Sea,” scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute bring together a lifetime of research and photography of deep-sea creatures. A book event Friday will dive into the role of light in the ocean’s depths with a presentation, demonstration, videos and a Q&A session.