Events

Downtown Merced was awash in blue and gold as UC Merced's Fall 2023 Commencement literally spilled into the streets. Graduate students took the stage of the Art Kamangar Center inside the Merced Theater on Friday evening. They were followed on Saturday by the graduating class from the Schools of Engineering, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences, Humanties and the Arts.

After Thanksgiving wraps up, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday take hold of many people's time, attention and dollars. However, there is another day of opportunity — one that holds the potential of creating a positive ripple effect originating at UC Merced and extending across the globe.

Thousands of incoming UC Merced students participated in the Scholars Bridge Crossing, one of the university's earliest traditions. The annual event is a rite of passage for new Bobcats who also walked through the "Beginnings" sculpture, signifying the beginning of their journey at UC Merced.

New this year, a group of "Bob-kittens" from the Early Childhood Education Center led the spirit-filled procession. Following these future Bobcats was the inaugural "Paw-rade" - a line of more-than-30 golf carts, decked out in various colorful themes by campus departments and groups. 

A delegation of dignitaries from the University of California Office of the President, UC Merced and UCLA were recently treated to a presentation that included the astrophysicists from UC Merced at the William M. Keck Observatory headquarters in Waimea, Hawaii.

About 20 UC Merced students spent the past two weeks working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to see if they can solve a problem that could have a significant impact on cardiology.

The annual Data Science Challenge (DSC), a two-week, full-time internship at LLNL, this year teamed students from Merced and UC Riverside. They attempted to see if machine learning could address a gap in the information provided by the common electrocardiogram (ECG) test.

Faculty members from the departments of Physics and Chemistry and Biochemistry recently co-hosted a conference that drew about 100 faculty members, researchers and students from around the country and around the world.

UC Merced 's resident expert on the nightmarishly massive megalodon will play a role in Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, a celebration of the toothy creatures at the top of the oceanic food chain.

Professor Sora Kim will be featured in a show called “Jaws vs. The Meg,” in which she and other experts discuss and compare two of the largest predators to ever roam the oceans.

A sea of blue and gold regalia filled Recreation Field as hundreds of UC Merced Bobcats crossed the stage during commencement weekend. Almost 1,500 students took part in three distinct ceremonies celebrating the Graduate Division, School of Engineering (SoE), School of Natural Sciences (SNS) and School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA).

A teacher who has touched the stars and a professor who was the first star in the UC Merced doctoral firmament will serve as keynote speakers at the university’s spring Commencement ceremonies May 12-14.

Final exams are keeping Bobcats busy. The temperature is starting to creep up, ushering in the feeling of summer. Spring 2023 Commencement is fast approaching.