Give
Support science and inspire the next generation.
Philanthropy Makes Our Work Possible
Unlike many other sciences, progress in astronomy has traditionally relied on the generosity of informed public benefactors— the UCSC Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and its associated observatories are no exceptions. Private gifts are precious resources for opening up new avenues in research and education that State and Federal funds cannot support. Your gift can make an enormous difference to the education and research careers of our students and faculty. We are currently encouraging support of the following programs.
Featured Funds
Osterbrock Leadership Program Fund
The Osterbrock Leadership Program is founded on the conviction that the lifelong value of the PhD – to the recipient and to society – will be maximized if PhD candidates can master basic principles of leadership and management in addition to their regular research training.
Astronomy & Astrophysics General Fund
Your gift supports students, faculty, instrumentation, and research at one of the world’s leading centers for observational and theoretical research in astronomy and the most fundamental questions of cosmology.
More Astronomy & Astrophysics Funds
Your gift supports the search for evidence of life beyond Earth, the limits of planetary habitability, and the origins of life on other planets and ocean worlds.
Friends of Lick Observatory Fund
Your gift enables astronomers throughout the University of California to receive state-of-the-art research support at Lick Observatory, with a special emphasis on projects and initiatives that support public outreach and education.
Your gift supports a summer program that introduces students from local, diversity-serving community colleges to methods and tools for state-of-the-art astrophysical simulations. Students who participate stay in science and graduate at higher rates than their peers.
Other Worlds Laboratory (OWL) Fund
Your gift supports discovering and exploring the planets of our solar system and planets around other stars (exoplanets) using world-class telescopes and supercomputer resources.
Vera Rubin Presidential Chair for Diversity in Astronomy Endowment
Your gift supports a unique kind of faculty chair designed to advance the cause of diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence in astronomy. It can support fellowships, research support, travel for grads, and special needs.
Bill Mathews Fund for Excellence in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Gifts in Bill’s memory can be made to support current graduate students and attract outstanding graduate student candidates in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Department.
James Edward Keeler Fund Excellence Astronomy & Astrophysics
The fund, established in 2016, by long-time UCO staff researcher Arnold Klemola, supports current graduate students and helps the department attract outstanding applicants. The Keeler fund aims to help students from all backgrounds, particularly first in family to enter higher education.