Hello from Richard! And Other News Bytes
Montecito Journal’s Richard Mineards is recovering nicely and sends his pip pips and gratitude to everyone who has reached out.
New Chancellor and Two Nobel Prize Wins for UCSB
Chancellor Dennis Assanis begins his work as the sixth chancellor of UCSB starting January 2026. He is spending his first weeks around campus meeting with students taking selfies, holding sessions with faculty and staff, and of course meeting with local politicians. He holds a BA in Marine Engineering from Newcastle University England. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he earned three master’s degrees: Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (1982), Mechanical Engineering (1982), and Management (1986). Also at MIT, he earned a PhD in Power and Propulsion (1985). He received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Delaware in 2025. He is joined by his wife Eleni.
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics went to UCSB’s professors Michel Devoret and John Martinis for breakthrough work in macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit – and for laying the groundwork for next-gen quantum technology.
Art Critic & Pulitzer Prize Author at SBMA
Author Sebastian Smee will present his book, Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism, at the SB Museum of Art, Sunday, January 18, 11:30 am. Tickets required. The book links Impressionism with the particularly traumatic period from which the new form emerged.
411: www.sbma.net/events
ARISE 5K Walk/Run Returns
The ARISE 5K Walk/Run returns to Santa Barbara on Saturday, January 24, bringing the community together in support of women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, addiction, and other challenges. Now in its 19th year, the event welcomes participants of all ages to a USATF-certified course at Chase Palm Park. Proceeds will benefit Network Medical Women’s Center, which provides free reproductive healthcare, and the Santa Barbara Dream Center, supporting housing for women transitioning toward independence. With every step and every dollar raised, participants help create pathways to healing, dignity, and hope for women across the region.
411: www.arise5k.org
Sissy Taran and Tiffany Howard Book Launch
The Grace Fisher Foundation (GFF) invites the community to a book launch party celebrating We Are Resilient on Sunday, January 25, from 1-3 pm, at the Grace Fisher Foundation Inclusive Arts Clubhouse. Grace Fisher, founder/creative director of the Grace Fisher Foundation, is the book’s cover artist. The book’s chapters are by different authors, and a worksheet is included. Proceeds from book sales directly support the Grace Fisher Foundation’s inclusive arts and education programs, which serve individuals of all ages and abilities throughout Santa Barbara County.
411: www.gracefisherfoundation.org
Congrats President Limón
Senator Monique Limón has been elected by her colleagues to lead the California State Senate as the President pro Tempore. Senator Limón is the first Latina to serve in this role, and also the first mother to lead the Senate. The President pro Tempore presides over the chamber in the absence of the Senate President.
Underwater Parks Day at Sea Center
The SB Museum of Natural History’s Sea Center is joining the celebrations of “Underwater Parks Day” on January 17 with free admission for all. The event is from 10am to 3pm at the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf. It features their current exhibits, ocean educators, conservation organizations and community partners. No reservations are required.
411: www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar
New Cottage Medical Clinics Include Pediatrics
Cottage Health’s Grotenhuis Pediatric Clinics have moved to a newly built facility that brings all 15 pediatric specialties together under one roof, offering patients and families a modern and family-centered environment designed to support coordinated, high-quality care. The new location is on the second floor of the newly built Cottage Medical Clinics – Santa Barbara building at 2401 Bath Street, directly across from Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital.
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