1975-1984
Peregrine falcon
1975: Peregrine falcon populations throughout North America crashed in the 1960s due to widespread use of the pesticide DDT. By 1970, wildlife biologists knew of only two pairs of peregrine falcons nesting in California.
With the birds nearly extinct, the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group was formed on the UC Santa Cruz campus. The SCPBRG was the brainchild of Santa Cruz veterinarian James Roush, who teamed up with the late UCSC biologist Kenneth Norris to establish the group.
By 1998, thanks to UCSC people, there were approximately 150 nesting pairs of peregrines and an estimated total population in the state of about 750 birds. And in August of that year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced a proposal to remove the peregrine falcon from the endangered species list.
In this 1979 photo, Ken Norris showed a drawing of the group’s logo to Robert Mallette of the California Department of Fish and Game. With them were biologist Brian Walton, left, who had been asked by the founders to run the program, and Roush, right.
(Photo: Carol Foote)
Dalai Lama of Tibet
1979: A crowd of 3,500 filled the East Field House green in October to hear the exiled Dalai Lama of Tibet, shown on stage with Chancellor Robert Sinsheimer.
Earlier in the day, the 14th Dalai Lama was presented a memento by Santa Cruz mayor John Mahaney, was questioned by a press corps that was in awe of its interview subject, was the honored guest at a reception and lunch attended by prominent local leaders and faculty, and gave a private audience to 250 in a campus concert hall.
(Photo: Carol Foote)
Legendary composer John Cage
1980: Legendary composer John Cage, whose mycology collection is housed in McHenry Library, visited UC Santa Cruz on a number of occasions during his lifetime. In this January 1980 photo, he is shown helping UCSC student Robin Tinker, a member of Ensemble Nova.
(Photo: Carol Foote)
The Dickens Project at UC Santa Cruz
10/1981
In 1981, the enthusiasm of UCSC faculty members John Jordan, left, and Murray Baumgarten — and their love of all things Charles Dickens — led to the establishment of The Dickens Project at UC Santa Cruz. The world-renowned research group eventually attracts the interest of scholars on all UC campuses and other campuses outside the UC system.
(Photo: Unknown)
The first American woman to walk in space
1984: Alumna Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space, returned to UC Santa Cruz in November for a day honoring her historic Space Shuttle flight a month earlier. “Kathy Sullivan Day” included a press conference, downtown chamber lunch, an Earth Sciences seminar, and an alumni reception.
Sullivan and fellow astronaut Steven Hawley were named Alumni Achievement Award winners by UCSC’s Alumni Association in the mid-1980s.
More recently, Time magazine featured Sullivan on its 2014 list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.”
In this photo, Sullivan is shown with fellow astronaut Sally Ride during that 1984 flight aboard the Challenger space shuttle.
(Photo: Courtesy of NASA)
