Contact, Shipping, and Mail Information
Contact information:
Please see the UCSC campus directory.
For more information on A. T. Fisher and other members of the UCSC Hydrogeology group, please see the People page.
Address:
Andrew T. Fisher
UCSC, Earth and Planetary Sciences Department
for shipments, please add: Thimann Receiving
1156 High Street, E&MS A232
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Telephone:
Direct line: 831-459-5598 *
Fax: 831-459-3074
Main EPS Office: 831-459-4089 *
Hydrogeology Labs: 831-459-2838 – rarely used, not monitored
* These numbers should have voicemail. Please leave a message if no one answers.
EPS Office (FTW!):
Front office personnel:
- Lisa Stipanovich, Office Manager
- Allison Curtis, Office Assistant
- Jennifer Fish, Graduate Advisor
- Jade Loftus, Undergraduate Advisor (EPS and Environmental Science, ESCI)
Campus and Local Maps, Directions
I used to have several styles and scales of maps posted here (well, the equivalent to here on the old website), but now everyone likely has a favored map app on their phone. Still, it can be helpful to have a paper map sometimes, or to pull up a static map to help with orientation. Below are some resources, both dynamic and static.
Interactive UCSC Campus Map
Printable UCSC Campus Maps
Static UCSC map from several years ago, showing where to enter (main entrance, southern edge of campus), get a parking pass, park, and walk to the E&MS Building (GIF format, PDF format). Both of these highlight locations of the Transporation and Parking Services (TAPS) office, kiosk near entry, E&MS building, and what is likely to be the best place to park: the Core West Garage. Parking is explained more below, but here is the most important thing to know – buy a day pass or plan to hunt for short-term parking. Visitor parking information
Directions to UCSC from the inner peninsula:
Take Hwy 17 over the hill from San Jose. Take the Hwy 1 exit off Hwy 17 that heads north towards Half Moon Bay. Go straight across the river and then go straight through the intersection with Hwy 9. The road winds to the left slightly. At the next light, bear right onto Hwy 1 business – also called Mission Street. Drive straight on Mission Street for about 1. 5 miles, through several traffic lights.Turn right on Bay Street (a major intersection with a traffic light) and climb the hill towards the campus, passing through a traffic light on Meder Street. Drive straight across High Street (another light) and onto campus using the UCSC Main Entrance. The kiosk for parking passes is on your right immediately after entering campus.
Directions to UCSC from the North via Hwy 1 – if you have a bit of time:
This is the scenic route from SFO, no faster than taking Hwy 17 and probably somewhat slower, but often more pleasant. From 280 south take the 92 exit west towards Half Moon Bay. When you reach Half Moon Bay, take Hwy 1 south to Santa Cruz. This becomes Mission Street when you enter Santa Cruz. Drive about one mile and look for Bay Street (major intersection with light) and turn left, then go up the hill to the campus, following the directions above.
Directions to UCSC from the South via Hwy 1:
This is the (sometimes) scenic route from the south. You can get to Hwy 1 from 101 by crossing over outside Monterey, or taking Hwy 129 or Hwy 152 (twisty!) through Watsonville. The “secret” route that is often pretty efficient is to pick up San Miguel Canyon Road from 101, just past Prunedale, and then Hall Road to Salinas Road to Hwy 1. Much depends on your timing and other travel plans. Once you are on Hwy 1 north, continue into Santa Cruz (taking the “fish hook” that merges with the off ramp for Hwy 17). The rest of the directions are like those for coming over Hwy 17: head north towards Half Moon Bay. Go straight across the river and then go straight through the intersection with Hwy 9. The road winds to the left slightly. At the next light, bear right onto Hwy 1 business – also called Mission Street. Drive straight on Mission Street for about 1.5 miles, through several traffic lights.Turn right on Bay Street (a major intersection with a traffic light) and climb the hill towards the campus, following the directions above.
Parking on the UCSC Campus and Getting to the EPS Department:
Clark Kerr is supposed to have once said, “The university is a series of individual entrepreneurs held together by a common grievance about parking.” Likely true, even if he never said it. Think about a parking pass as being much like a hunting permit – no one promised you would bag a feral hog. But you are allowed to try.
UCSC recently switched to an online (virtual) parking permit system, with electronic license plate scanners that link your car to your permit. However, the first time you use this system, you are supposed to visit the TAPS office in order to register, both for you and for your vehicle. See instructions here. If you visit the TAPS office or kiosk at south entrance, you can also ask for advice, get a paper campus map, find out more about short-term (ParkMobile) options, etc. In any case, and for however long you plan to visit, you must get a permit. The Parking Enforcement group will show you NO MERCY. Purchase a permit or plan to pay for metered (ParkMobile) parking.
Assuming you have arranged for an A-permit (the least restrictive kind for visitors), proceed up the hill on the main road from the south entrance, Coolidge Drive. Stay on Coolidge as you wind past the great meadow (new housing and childcare center) and continue to enter the redwood grove containing the central campus. You will pass through several stop signs, and the road eventually is renamed McLaughlin Drive. You will pass the Cowell Health Center on the left (which has a small A-permit lot – might work if you arrive before 8), then cross a bridge. Your next left is the entrance to the parking lot by the Science Library (closest to Earth and Marine Sciences). This lot only has a few spaces for carpools, medical permits, vendors. The Baskin Engineering lot is next, on your right, is generally full unless you arrive early. Your best bet is the Core West parking garage at the end of McLaughlin Drive, on your left after you pass Baskin Engineering. Turn left at the stop sign (onto Heller Drive), then immediately turn left again to enter the garage. There may be limited ParkMobile spaces, some spaces for ZipCars, some for carpools or University vehicles, and some for charging electric vehicles. Most of the lot requires an A permit. Some spaces on the second floor are reserved for carpools, ZipCars and others – don’t park in one of these spots or you will get a ticket.
Once you have parked, you need to navigate to the Earth and Marine Sciences (E&MS) building. Go out the back corner of the parking garage, opposite to the side of the garage on which you entered – there are stairs here to all parking levels. Go down the stairs to ground level (between 1st and 2nd floors), then follow the path through some redwood trees. The Sinsheimer building is in front of you and on your left. Bear to the right of the Sinsheimer building, go up a small flight of stairs, then turn left. Walk under a catwalk connecting the Sinsheimer and Thimann buildings. Pass a statue of sea lions on your right and continue up the incline. To your left is the NatSci II building, to your right is the Center for Adaptive Optics. Walk between these buildings, under the dark green flying buttresses (EQ reinforcement), and enter the E&MS building (to your right) through the 3rd floor, above a foyer with a coffee/snack cart.
The EMS building is arranged in blocks, labeled A, B, C, and D. The Earth Sciences main office is in A232, the block to your right. Go to the end of the hall directly in front of the main entrance, take the stairs or elevator down one level, and then go right, back towards the entrance and the foyer.
Airport Options and Transportation to/from Airports
The closest airport is in San Jose (SJC), which is about 40 minutes from Santa Cruz when it is not rush hour. San Francisco (SFO) is next most convenient, about 75 minutes outside rush hour. You can also try Oakland, but this is about 1.5-2 hours away and requires that you drive around the East Bay, which can be challenging any time, especially around rush periods. Try to time your arrival and departure to avoid driving to/from the airports during 7:30-9 am and 4-6:30 pm, if possible.
The easiest transport option is Early Bird Airport Shuttle, 831-462-3933. Tell them you are traveling on UCSC business and you might get a discount (not sure if this still applies). The driver will pick you up in the baggage claim area at the airport, carry your bags, drive you door-to-door in a private car. It is fast, easy, and very comfortable – please be sure to tip the driver!
Here are additional options from the UCSC TAPS website: Airport Transportation
Please note that shuttle/van options change frequently, and you will want to call to confirm options and costs. You can get up-to-date information by Googling: “airport transport Santa Cruz”
You can try Metro Santa Cruz (831) 425-8600 to find out about the bus schedule. This may be cheapest of all, but it will take longer and there is at least one transfer involved.
There may be an option for renting a car at SJC or SFO and leaving it in Santa Cruz, or renting for the drive to the airport. We used to have several options, but now it may be only Enterprise that has a local office in Santa Cruz.