Patty Guerra

UC Merced Celebrates 15 Years as a Hispanic-serving Institution

October 8, 2025

Photo depicts a graduation cap with writing on it in Spanish at UC Merced's commencement.

Fifteen years ago, UC Merced was designated as a Hispanic-serving institution. And though recent developments at the federal government have left what that designation means in limbo, the mission of serving the university’s largest demographic has remained unchanged. More than 53 percent...

Photo depicts a firefighter battling a blaze at a Southern California home during the Palisades fire in January 2025.

Wildfire Disasters Surged in the Past 10 Years, Study Shows

Nearly half of the world’s worst wildfire disasters have occurred in just the past decade, new research from UC Merced’s Fire Resilience Center shows. A study published Thursday in the...

Photo depicts smoke over a wildfire burning through a forest.

Forest Carbon: Store it or Burn it? Actually, Both is Best

Storing carbon in forests is an essential, nature-based buffer against climate change. Yet forests packed with too many trees increase the threat of severe wildfires, which are becoming all too...

AI-Powered Irrigation System Offers Opportunities for Communications as well as Farming

An almond orchard in Parlier provides a look into the future of farming. Researchers at UC Merced and the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources installed an irrigation system...

UC Merced and Almond Board officials are pictured underneath letters that spell out "University of California Merced"

New Technology, New Opportunities, New Varieties: UC, Almond Board Sign Agreement

A new partnership focused on a popular snack nut will offer exciting opportunities for students, research potential for faculty and the latest technology for farmers. Representatives of the...

Photo depicts a crowd of people watching the UC Merced women's soccer game.

UC Merced Celebrates 20 Years of Firsts

Twenty years to the day after students first crossed Scholars Bridge into the campus, UC Merced celebrated its milestone birthday with a party, a drone show, and the university’s first NCAA...

Photo depicts a silhouette of California firefighters battling a lightning-caused fire in 2020.

Damaging Lightning-Caused Wildfires Likely to Increase in a Few Years, Researchers Find

Lightning from thunderstorms rolling through Central California on Sept. 2 ignited numerous wildfires, including several large fires in the Sierra Nevada foothills that had burned more than 19 square...

Photo depicts mugshots of professors Andrea Joyce, Josh Garcia and Crystal Kolden on a background of the Beginnings sculpture at UC Merced.

UC Merced Agricultural Experiment Station Adds Fire, Insect and Soil Researchers

Three professors are joining UC Merced’s Agricultural Experiment Station this fall, bringing more expertise and resources to the 3-year-old research center. Management of complex systems...

Photo depicts hay and a tractor at UC Merced's Experimental Smart Farm.

State Delivers $3 Million for Ag Technology Center at UC Merced

UC Merced’s smart farm is getting a smart barn. The university will receive $3 million from the state of California, part of $80 million in funding to support 11 projects across California...

Photo depicts Professor Xiaoyi Lu on a blue and gold graphc background.

Boosting AI and Science: NSF Invests $600K in OpenDOTA Project at UC Merced

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded nearly $600,000 to support a groundbreaking project at UC Merced aimed at accelerating the future of artificial intelligence and scientific research...