News

Challenges, Opportunities Presented at Small Farm Tech Expo

December 10, 2025
The Small Farm Tech Expo brought researchers, farmers, university students and even a group from a Modesto elementary school to UC Merced to talk about agriculture technology and how it can best help those who grow the world's food. Sponsored by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, also...

Report Reviews How California's Water Projects Balance Needs of People and Endangered Species

December 9, 2025
A National Academies committee that includes a UC Merced researcher recently released its findings from a review of the science behind the operations of two massive California water projects. Civil and environmental engineering Professor Josué Medellín-Azuara is a member of an ad hoc committee of...

UC Merced Receives Transformational $38 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott

December 8, 2025
The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This transformational investment, Ms. Scott’s second major gift to UC Merced, underscores growing national recognition of UC...

Graduate Students Highlight Research and Campus Life to Encourage Transfers

December 5, 2025
Three Ph.D. students recently visited Madera Community College to share research findings and highlight opportunities available to transfer students at UC Merced.   Emily Rivera Mondragon, a second-year environmental systems Ph.D. student, joined sociology graduate students Justin Barnes and Eliana...

Engineering Professor Earns Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award

December 5, 2025
The American Society of Civil Engineers has awarded civil and environmental engineering Professor Siddaiah Yarra the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award for Region 9. The ASCE San Francisco Section Individual Awards aim to recognize people who have made outstanding achievements or leadership in...

New UC Merced Professor Delves Deep into Artificial Intelligence in Real Life

December 2, 2025
From smartphones to medical devices, artificial intelligence is a part of much of everyday life. One of UC Merced's newest professors is working to make AI more explainable and more efficient. Electrical engineering Professor Xiaofan Yu started at UC Merced this summer after graduating from UC San...

Giving Tuesday at UC Merced: Collective Generosity Transforms Lives

December 1, 2025
When UC Merced launches Give to UC Merced 2025 on Dec. 2, it won’t just be about one day of giving; the month-long campaign will be about hope, opportunity and community impact. For the 12th year, the campus joins the global Giving Tuesday movement, inviting donors to power change through the...

Ag Tech For Small Farms Highlighted at UC Merced Expo

November 26, 2025
An expo at UC Merced next week will bring together farmers, ranchers, researchers and community organizers to highlight what's possible when agriculture technology is designed for small farms. The Small Farm Tech Expo, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, will include hands-on...

A Husband’s Self-esteem Could Protect Against Preterm Births, Study Finds

November 20, 2025
A husband’s optimism and confidence might play a crucial, if often unseen, role in helping babies arrive healthy and on time. A new study from UC Merced psychology researchers found that when married fathers reported higher levels of resilience — a quality that includes traits such as optimism,...

Postdoc Leads Study to Turn Cotton Waste into Climate-Smart Compost

November 12, 2025
UC Merced researchers are collaborating on a two-year research project to develop effective composting methods for cotton textiles. The project explores manufacturing cotton waste scraps from clothing into compost to demonstrate efficient composting with the right recipe, and the compost’s ability...

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