George R. Blumenthal was appointed Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, on September 19, 2007 after serving as UCSC's Acting Chancellor for 14 months (July 14, 2006-September 18, 2007).

Chancellor Blumenthal joined UC Santa Cruz in 1972 and is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics.

He has been a distinguished scholar and academic leader both at UC Santa Cruz and within the University of California system. Chancellor Blumenthal served as chair of the UC Academic Senate for 2004-05. He was the faculty representative to the UC Regents from 2003 to 2005, and chaired the UC Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate from 2001 to 2003. He served previously as chair of UCSC's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

As a theoretical astrophysicist, Chancellor Blumenthal investigates the origin of structure in the universe, such as galaxies and clusters of galaxies, and the role that dark matter plays in the formation and evolution of this structure. He also studies related cosmological issues, such as the generation of density fluctuations during an early inflationary phase of the universe. He has studied gamma-ray bursts, accretion disks, and active galactic nuclei. He is a coauthor of the astronomy text 21st Century Astronomy.

Chancellor Blumenthal is known for his efforts to increase access to the university and for his commitment to diversity. He currently serves on two systemwide committees: the UC Diversity Study Group, for which he chairs a subgroup focused on graduate students and postdoctoral scholars; and the Task Force on Planning for Doctoral and Professional Education.

Blumenthal received his bachelor of science from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and his doctorate in physics from the University of California, San Diego.

He is married to Kelly Weisberg, a professor of law at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. They have two children. He was appointed to the Council in January 2008.