News

Kurtz’s Latest Publication Examines Renewable Energy Expansion

December 6, 2021

Finding creative solutions to lessen humans’ impact on the environment and reduce reliance on fossil fuels is a core tenet of the renewable energy field, something engineering Professor Sarah Kurtz specializes in. In her most recent paper with co-author Nancy Haegel published in the Institute of...

Honduras Elects First Female President; Study Shows How Protests Affect Change

December 2, 2021

Hondurans cast their votes in the presidential election over the weekend, and the majority decided to elect opposition candidate Xiomara Castro to lead the Central American country. Nasry Asfura, the candidate from the incumbent National Party, conceded defeat and congratulated Castro, who will...

Shakespeare in Yosemite Film "Imogen in the Wild" Addresses Environmental Justice

December 2, 2021

After a monthslong collaboration between dozens of UC Merced students, professional artists, National Park Service staff and Merced community members, Shakespeare in Yosemite's first feature-length film, "Imogen in the Wild," celebrated its premiere in November on YouTube. The 90-minute film is an...

With Fellowship, Grad Students Pay It Forward at Community College Level

December 1, 2021

Their community college experiences occurred hundreds of miles apart, but Kim Arellano Carmona and John Wilson each found the support and inspiration that would propel them to Ph.D. candidate studies at UC Merced. Now they both have a golden opportunity to give back as awardees of a fellowship...

Pay it Forward During “Give to UC Merced” Monthlong Virtual Fundraiser

November 29, 2021

As a way to help students reach their academic goals, UC Merced is inviting campus supporters to virtually come together and take part in the “Give to UC Merced” initiative. For a second year, the traditional 24-hour period of giving held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving will be expanded through the...

Physicist’s Exploration of 2D Materials Earns a CAREER Award

November 29, 2021

Professor David Strubbe has become the eighth faculty member of the 21-member Department of Physics to receive a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award for his research into improving the fundamental understanding of the interaction of light and vibrations in materials. He is the 29th...

From Shakespeare to Music Awards Shows: UC Merced Undergrad Hits the Right Notes

November 24, 2021

This time around, what happened in Las Vegas will not stay there — at least for Cathryn Flores. The fourth-year undergraduate, who's working on a major in English and minor in writing, reached yet another milestone in her music career as she attended a major Latin music awards show recently to be...

Winston Cone Optics' Innovative Technology Garners State, National Attention

November 22, 2021

When people hear the word “solar,” many think of solar panels on a house, which generate electricity. But there is another way to use energy harnessed by the sun: heat. Founding faculty member and Director of the University of California Advanced Solar Technologies Institute (UC Solar)...

USDA Grant Supports Diverse Ag-related Learning and Training for Students

November 18, 2021

Students at UC Merced and those who might someday become Bobcats are the focus of FARMERS, Professor Rudy M. Ortiz’s training program funded again for $1 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FARMERS stands for Facilitating Agriculture-Related Mentoring for Emerging Research...

Study Shows Climate-Driven Forest Fires on the Rise

November 17, 2021

An upside of the increase in forest fires in the West is that they reduce the amount of fuel available for other burns. That might provide a buffering effect on western fires for the next few decades, but the threat of climate-driven forest fires is not diminishing, a new study shows. Without...