  We study the existence of proper holomorphic embeddings of bordered Riemann
surfaces into the complex plane C^2. Denote by M(R) the moduli space consisting
of all equivalence classes of complex structures J on a given smooth oriented
bordered surface R. We introduce a class F(R) in M(R)with the following
properties: (1) F(R) is nonempty and open (in a natural topology on M(R)); (2)
The interior of any Riemann surface (R,J) in the class F(R) admits a proper
holomorphic embedding in C^2; (3) If R is a finitely connected planar domain
then F(R)=M(R); (4) Each hyperelliptic bordered Riemann surface (R,J) belongs
to the class F(R) and hence admits a proper holomorphic embedding in C^2. Part
(3) above is equivalent to the theorem of Globevnik and Stensones (Holomorphic
embeddings of planar domains into C^2, Math. Ann. 303, 579-597, 1995). Our
approach builds upon the earlier work of Cerne and Globevnik (On holomorphic
embedding of planar domains into C^2, J. d'Analyse Math. 8, 269-282, 2000).
