All Stories

UC Merced Aerial Picture
Students, Faculty Inducted into Hispanic Honor Society
December 19, 2014
Spanish majors and minors at UC Merced have a new measure of excellence to pursue, thanks to the recent charter of the university’s chapter of Sigma Delta Pi. UC Merced is the seventh UC campus to charter a chapter of the National... Read More
Day of Giving Nets $40,000 for Scholarships
December 18, 2014
On Dec. 2, UC Merced alumni, parents, staff, faculty members and friends of the campus came together for the first #GivingTuesdayUCMerced, in an effort to create a positive effect on the lives of students. In all, nearly 170 people... Read More
New Algorithm Helps Machines Function More Like Brains
December 17, 2014
Alt
Every day, your brain completes millions of complicated functions without you even being aware of them, and it learns as it goes. Teaching a machine to do the same thing is extremely complicated, but it has gotten a little easier thanks... Read More
UC Merced Journeys | Stephen Maxey
December 16, 2014
Alt
Even when Stephen Maxey might have wanted to, he never gave up. Through education, and with the help of a strong support system, he has created a new life for himself at UC Merced and is working to provide the same support to others in... Read More
Undergrads Get One-of-a-Kind Experience through NanoBIO Program
December 15, 2014
Students Seth Spitulski, Joseph Silva and John Harvey Paredes (from left) took part in this year's nanoBIO internships.
For the University of California, Merced, students in this year’s nanoBIO internships and research program, working with something extremely small could have huge implications. “I had no idea nanotechnology could have so many... Read More
Discovery News | Why We Torture When We Know It Doesn't Work
December 11, 2014
Prof. Courtenay Conrad comments on the reasons why government agents use torture instead of other methods of coercion.
Engineering Programs Earn ABET Accreditation
December 10, 2014
UC Merced’s undergraduate degree programs in environmental engineering, materials science engineering and mechanical engineering have been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the recognized accreditor of... Read More
Discover Magazine Features Archaeologist’s Cave Research
December 10, 2014
Holley Moyes studies remote caves in Belize.
Most archaeologists have to dig in the field, but Professor Holley Moyes digs deeper than most. Her research takes her more than 400 feet into the Belize underground, where ancient Maya caves hold evidence of rituals to appease gods of... Read More
Six UC Merced Students Awarded UC Food Initiative Fellowships
December 9, 2014
Alt
As part of the University of California Global Food Initiative, 54 students — including six from UC Merced—have been awarded fellowships to fund projects that will address issues ranging from community gardens and food pantries... Read More
Campus Earns Fourth Platinum LEED Certification
December 8, 2014
The Student Services Building earned a platinum LEED certificate from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The University of California, Merced, received another Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification, this time for the Student Services Building. The award brings the campus total for LEED certifications... Read More
Chancellor Attends Second White House Education Summit
December 4, 2014
Alt
MERCED, Calif. — The University of California, Merced, will report at the White House today (Dec. 4) on progress the campus is making in its efforts to support undocumented students, create career pathways to the Silicon Valley and... Read More
Forbes | 5 Financial Skills Every 50-Year-Old Should Master
December 1, 2014
Professor Laura Hamilton's research is cited as she studied students’ grades and compared levels of parents’ contributions.
Ph.D. Student Beats Odds to Put Science and Community First
December 1, 2014
Ruben Rodriguez (left) with fellow grad student Jackie Minas
The odds were stacked against Ruben Rodriguez. When the 27-year-old UC Merced student was still in high school, he was confronted with a sobering statistic that Hispanics receive only 5 percent of all doctorates awarded. “That... Read More
The Seattle Times | Agriculture-oriented drone firm moving to Seattle
December 1, 2014
Professor YangQuan Chen has done small-scale testing of drone technology that can collect data on the condition of agricultural crops.
Inventor Spot | Biofuels Or Bioelectricity? Miles Per Acre Are Compared In New Study
November 26, 2014
Professor Elliott Campbell comments on the most efficient way to use farmed crops to power vehicles.
Diverse Physics Group Achieves Milestones with Focus on Innovation
November 26, 2014
The new physics graduate group offers a variety of research possibilities.
From understanding how groups of atoms behave at ultra-low temperatures to modeling how flocks of birds organize, UC Merced's Physics group is helping solve many of the world's mysteries and using the knowledge to improve... Read More
Researchers Delve into Valley Fever from All Angles
November 24, 2014
One of the ways people contract valley fever is by breathing in agricultural dust from soil where the fungus is present.
Note: This story originally appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of UC Merced Magazine. Before it infects humans who breathe it in, the fungus that causes valley fever changes shapes in the environment. Once infected, some people fight it off... Read More
California Healthline | UC Merced Takes Grassroots Approach To Reducing Obesity
November 21, 2014
A grant awarded to UCMerced and the Merced County California Regional Obesity Prevention Program from NIH's Child Health and Human Development Institute allows academics from various disciplines to engage directly with community... Read More
Barley helped ancient Tibetans climb to 3400 meters
November 21, 2014
Agriculture may not have been required for year-round, permanent settlement of the Tibetan Plateau, says Mark Aldenderfer, an archaeologist at UC Merced.
Discover Magazine | Exploring the Cave of the Crystal Maiden
November 21, 2014
UC Merced archaeologist Professor Holley Moyes has spent two decades crawling into jungle-choked caves to answer one question: What drove the Maya to make offerings in such dark, remote places?