Materials & Matter

Stretchy Material That Gets Stronger When Hit Has Exciting Potential

May 8, 2024

A flexible material that gets stronger the more it is hit and conducts electricity is shown.

Much of the work Yue (Jessica) Wang does at UC Merced sounds like science fiction: She creates flexible material that gets stronger the more you hit it. And it conducts electricity. Science, yes. Fiction, no. This work is happening. It was featured in a presentation materials scientist Di Wu...

Federal Grant Preserves Critical Equipment for Molecular Exploration

An important and expensive piece of equipment that was nearing the end of its life is getting a vital upgrade, thanks to a new grant awarded to Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Professor...

Two New Faculty Members Expand Physics Department and Bring the Cosmos to Campus

UC Merced occupies just one small corner of the world. But through the research, teaching, experience, and connections of two new Department of Physics faculty members, students can access and begin...

Physics Professor Dustin Kleckner studies structure in fluid and soft matter systems.

With Kleckner’s Award, Physics Department Nabs its Third CAREER Grant This Year

Physics Professor Dustin Kleckner has received a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award for his research — the third in his department this year. He studies how optical and...

Physics Professor Daniel Beller is investigating how biological matter is able to self-organize.

Active Matter Organization Earns Beller a CAREER Award

Physics Professor Daniel Beller has received a CAREER award for his research into how complex organization arises from simple physical interactions for biological cells or polymers assembled in...

UC Merced Reaches Out with an All-Virtual Research Week

The question: What happens when UC Merced holds Research Week in the middle of a pandemic? The hypothesis: An annual, weeklong presentation of ground-breaking work reaches a big, new virtual audience...

Undergrad Experience: Jacqueline Bustamante

Name: Jacqueline Bustamante Year: Fourth year Major: Chemistry Hometown: Atwater What is a memorable project that you worked on during your time at UC Merced? My experience working on...

Undergrad Experience: Anthony Rodriguez

Name: Anthony Rodriguez Year: Fourth year Major: Materials Science and Engineering Hometown: Bell, near Los Angeles What is a memorable project that you worked on during your time at UC...

Prestigious Biennial Grant Program Includes Funding for Ag-labor and Wildfire Research

Two new projects designed and led by UC Merced researchers will address challenges facing many Californians — wildfire recovery and agricultural labor — but will also have global reach...

Fall Commencement: UC Merced a ‘Companion’ for Student Speaker

For Xiaolong “Harry” Chen, UC Merced is more than a university. “It is a friend and a companion,” he wrote in his application to be student speaker at Fall Commencement....

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