Research

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Bacteria Use the Physics of Twist to Measure Their Own Size and Shape
June 9, 2020
Theoretical physics Professor Ajay Gopinathan has been working over the past decade to model a submicroscopic mystery. Now, he and a team of colleagues have verified an important piece of the puzzle of how tiny, intrinsically twisted... Read More
Researcher Provides Helpful Guide to Coping with Stressful Times, Part I
June 3, 2020
Professor Matthew Zawadzki is with the Department of Psychological Sciences in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. His research examines social psychological processes as applied to health. This is the first of a two-part... Read More
Human Waste Treatment Helps Solve Climate-Change Puzzle, New Study Shows
June 1, 2020
About 4.5 billion people around the globe do not have access to adequate sanitation, and what they do have — typically pit latrines and lagoons — are responsible for widespread illnesses and a portion of the greenhouse gases that are... Read More
Bobcats Help Shape Future of NASA, SPACEX Missions
May 30, 2020
As the SPACEX Crew Dragon spacecraft left Earth today to ferry two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, many Bobcats were watching the live stream with keen anticipation. It’s not just that the flight marks the first time a... Read More
Innovate to Grow Awards 10 Winners from Virtual Expo
May 28, 2020
Despite the challenges of making an in-person event into a remote one, students in this year’s Innovate to Grow spring showcase displayed the determination, passion and innovation Bobcats are known for. Student teams highlighted more than... Read More
Physics Ph.D. Student Named Grad Slam Campus Champion
May 21, 2020
UC Merced’s Graduate Division wrapped up its annual Grad Slam competition this week, announcing Physics doctoral candidate Boe Mendewala as its campus champion. The judges awarded two runners-up, Shayna Bennett, a third-year Ph.D. student... Read More
Innovate to Grow Goes Virtual
May 7, 2020
Innovation is nothing new at UC Merced, but this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone on campus has had to reimagine nearly everything they do. But leave it up to the School of Engineering to wholly reinvent its annual... Read More
At the Intersection of Math and Biology, Sindi Lab Sees a Breakthrough in Prion Disease
May 4, 2020
A UC Merced researcher and her lab have unlocked one of the mysteries that could lead to treatments — or even cures — for prion diseases in mammals. Prion diseases are a family of rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect... Read More
How 'Bout Them Apples? Engineers Correlate Friction to Texture
April 20, 2020
Think about biting into a fresh apple. What do you perceive? Is it juicy? Sweet? Tart? Crisp? Now remember how unpleasant it is to bite into mealy apple flesh. Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, a horticulture science and technology... Read More
Babies Forage for Sounds That Contribute to Language Acquisition, Study Shows
April 16, 2020
Most people wouldn’t think physics has anything to do with baby babble and human language development. But most people aren’t Ritwika Vallomparambath PanikkasserySugasree. The graduate student, who prefers to go by her first name,... Read More