Patty Guerra

What Do Driverless Cars and Building Evacuation Routes Have in Common? A Lab at UC Merced

July 8, 2026

Students and Professor Ross Greer are pictured in his lab, holding a small car with a processor affixed to the top of it.

Step into Ross Greer’s lab — gingerly, because there’s a makeshift racetrack on the floor — and you will see multiple projects aimed at making autonomous vehicles smarter and safer. And these projects are getting global recognition. A team from the lab...

Students walk along a path in front of a staircase near The Pavilion on a sunny day at UC Merced.

UC Tech Lands at UC Merced This Summer

Hundreds of University of California technology professionals will converge on UC Merced's campus this week for a conference aimed at sharing ideas, highlighting best practices and...

Depicted is student Anthony Savala Alvarez, in a red cap and gown at his high school graduation, with a blue and gold graphic reading "Bobcat Bound"

Student from Modesto Ready to Make an Impact at UC Merced

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2026 semester. Anthony Savala Alvarez comes to UC Merced this fall with several accomplishments under...

Depicted is the UC Merced campus in the foreground, with smoke from a distant wildfire seen behind it on a blue sky.

Heat Waves Making Wildfires Worse in the Western United States

Key points: • Researchers found that heat waves are a critical enabler and driver of wildfire-burned areas across the western U.S. • The findings suggest that heat waves...

Depicted is Project Nexus, a structure that holds solar panels over an irrigation canal in Hickman.

Regional Answers Best Option to Address Global Water, Energy Problems

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for the U.S. Department of Energy to develop innovative technology and infrastructure at the intersection of...

Agreement Opens New Opportunities for Longtime Partners UC Merced, Livermore Lab

UC Merced and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have long been partners in cutting-edge science and technology. University students and researchers take part in numerous lab...

Depicted is a mugshot of Professor Qian Wang in a white shirt with a blue sweater next to the UC Merced entrance sign with palm trees.

Work Aimed at Increasing Computer Security Earns CAREER Award

Electrical engineering Professor Qian Wang has received a CAREER award for her research into quantum computing. She is the 42nd researcher from UC Merced to earn a CAREER award from...

Depicted is UC Merced graduate Eduardo Savala Alvarez, in a cowboy hat and stole on campus.

A Brand-New Degree and a Stellar Job Offer to Accompany it

UC Merced prides itself on its high social mobility ranking (No. 3 among public schools in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal). Social mobility is defined as the ability to move...

Depicted are students in yellow vests and hard hats standing around and in a two-story Snoopy doghouse.

Bobcats Outbuild Bears in Timber Strong Competition

A doghouse built by Bobcats for a famous beagle beat out a fairytale structure hammered together by Bears. UC Merced's student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers took...

Depicted are groups of people sitting at tabled and talking at UC Merced's Merced 2 Market event.

Projects to Make the World Better Promoted at Merced 2 Market

An artificial intelligence-powered system to ensure the safety of the elderly while still providing privacy. Wearable muscle monitoring to speed recovery from injury. A chemical-free method of...