News

New Dean of SSHA Arriving with the Fall Semester

June 11, 2024

Professor Leonardo R. Arriola from UC Berkeley has been named dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA) as of Aug. 1. Vice Chancellor and Provost Betsy Dumont made the announcement today, saying Arriola was chosen after a nationwide search that produced a diverse array of...

Major Gift to Reimagine Humanities Research, Community-engaged Projects

June 6, 2024

Humanities education has been under fire on college campuses over the past decade. “There’s a lot of concern nationally about graduate education in the humanities. We’re producing plenty of Ph.D.s but are there enough jobs for them upon graduation?” said anthropology and heritage studies Professor...

How Scientific Research Can Inform Visitor and Environmental Management at National Parks

June 5, 2024

National Parks are magnificent landscapes where the public can go for sightseeing and recreation. They also are research labs - gorgeous, awe-inspiring and wild research labs, to be sure. And the science conducted there can help ensure that the parks' natural beauty will be available for...

Lighting the Path: Thank You and Farewell to Charles Nies

May 27, 2024

It’s spring break 2009 and Jane Lawrence is rushing across campus, the words from the phone call still ringing in her ear. The unimaginable is happening and she must tell Charles Nies, First Lady Michelle Obama is coming to UC Merced as commencement speaker. Lawrence, the vice chancellor for...

High-Speed Rail, High-Quality Jobs: Career Trek Shows Students Opportunities

May 23, 2024

California high-speed rail, a multibillion-dollar project designed to connect the Central Valley to Los Angeles and the Bay Area, promises swift transportation, the protection of agricultural land and contributions to a cleaner environment. It's also providing a lot of jobs - from design to...

UC Merced Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Celebrates CAREER Successes

May 22, 2024

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program provides some of the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards to higher education faculty. According to the NSF website, these awards are given "in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role...

Untangling Hmong History with UC Merced’s Ma Vang

May 21, 2024

Exploring sources of historical narratives can take you to places where walls seem to move and truth feels fluid and interchangeable. Ma Vang’s research has focused on how people narrate their histories, tracking the lived experiences of people pigeonholed or marginalized by dominant narratives...

UC Merced Hosts Tobacco Control Summit

May 21, 2024

The community is invited to an all-day summit where researchers will present cutting-edge information on the latest efforts to stem tobacco use in the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills. The Tobacco Control Summit is scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at The Mainzer, 655 W. Main St. in...

Stem Cell Engineering and Biology Program Hosts First Symposium

May 16, 2024

In April, the Training Undergraduates in Stem Cell Engineering and Biology (TUSCEB) program marked a significant milestone toward its mission of fostering excellence in stem cell engineering and biology education by hosting its first symposium. “As the cornerstone of our TUSCEB program, this...

Scholar Workshop Studies Genocide from Several Angles

May 15, 2024

An online workshop this week aims to deconstruct one of humanity’s most destructive traits: genocide. UC Merced’s Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences is bringing together an interdisciplinary panel of scholars for “Understanding Genocide: Neural, Psychological and Political Science...