- J. Doyne Farmer, PhD
1981 - Physics Researcher at Santa Fe Institute
- Laurie Garrett, BA 1975 -
Newsday science reporter and author
- Alexander
Gonzalez, PhD 1979 - President of California State University, San Marcos
- Victor Davis Hanson, BA 1975 - Classicist and Senior
Fellow at the Hoover Institution
- Steven Hawley, PhD 1977 - Astronaut
- bell hooks, PhD 1983 - Feminist social critic
- Geoffrey Marcy, PhD 1982 - Professor of Astronomy at UC Berkeley and planet finder
- Kent Nagano, BA 1974 - Conductor
of the Los Angeles Opera and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
- Marc Okrand, BA 1972 - Linguist, creator of Klingon language
- Julie Packard, BA 1974 -
Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Joe Palca, PhD 1982 - National Public Radio science reporter
- Dana Priest, BA 1981 - Washington Post reporter and author
- Rebecca Romijn-Stamos* - Supermodel, actress
- Maya Rudolph, BA 1995 - Comedian, musician, SNL cast member
- Kathryn D. Sullivan, BS 1973 - Astronaut, first American woman to walk in space
- Gillian Welch, BA 1990 - Singer and songwriter
* Attended but did not graduate.