News

What Will We Keep from Our Dive into Remote Technology?

June 15, 2020

It was, depending on who’s talking, a tumble into the deep end. A triage driven by exhaustive planning and exhausting, sleep-deprived days. A severing from the face-to-face culture that energizes teachers and learners. In just over three weeks, more than 10,000 UC Merced students, faculty and staff...

Researcher Offers Guide to Coping with COVID-related Stress, Part II

June 10, 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 second of two parts. These are unusual times. In the midst of a pandemic that has...

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 discussion. These are unusual times. In the midst of a...

Grad Students, Alums Receive NSF Research Fellowships

June 3, 2020

Two UC Merced Ph.D. students, a recent undergraduate and an alumna have each been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP). The fellowship provides multiyear support to predoctoral students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The...

Consensus: Muñoz a ‘Perfect Fit’ as UC Merced Chancellor

June 2, 2020

Juan Sánchez Muñoz won’t begin his tenure as UC Merced’s fourth chancellor until July 1, but leaders in the University of California and across campus are already expressing excitement and optimism about his selection. Muñoz, whose appointment was approved by the UC Board of Regents on May 24,...

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 warming the planet. UC Merced Professor Rebecca Ryals and a...

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 commercial aerospace company will carry humans — two NASA...

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 60 projects — from mobile applications that translate...

Internet of Things and Autonomous Retail Research Win Awards for Professor, Students

May 22, 2020

The number of everyday smart devices, such as Nest and Samsung SmartThings, is projected to grow to the billions in the coming decade. Professor Shijia Pan and her students work to quantify the sensing quality in real-world applications, optimize the information these devices collect and model the...

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 in Applied Mathematics, and Melinda Gonzales, a first-year...