News

Wildfire Disasters Surged in the Past 10 Years, Study Shows

October 2, 2025

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 journal Science reveals that 43 percent of catastrophic wildfire disasters struck in the past 10...

Prospective Graduate Students Invited to Diversity Forum at UC Merced

October 2, 2025

For students considering a master’s or doctoral degree, the 2025 California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education is the place to be on Oct. 18. Eight hundred undergraduate and master's-level students are expected to descend on the UC Merced campus for a one-day conference offering...

UC Merced Named the 14th Best College in the Nation by Wall Street Journal

October 1, 2025

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best Colleges in the U.S., the highly respected media outlet has named UC Merced the 14th best college in...

UC Merced Launches Distinguished Speaker Series with World-Renowned Bioengineer David Kaplan

September 30, 2025

The Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) at UC Merced is preparing to launch its long-envisioned distinguished speaker series on Oct. 6 with a visit from David Kaplan, a Tufts University professor internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in bioengineering. “This is...

20th Anniversary Exhibit Presents UC Merced Architecture as Art

September 29, 2025

Before the first walls were raised or walkways paved, UC Merced existed as an idea on paper. The vision consisted of a campus master plan, detailed architectural designs and artistic renderings that illustrated a bold vision for a university at the heart of California’s Central Valley. In...

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

September 25, 2025

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 common in warmer, drier conditions. A team of UC Merced and collaborating researchers evaluated the...

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

September 24, 2025

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 powered by artificial intelligence to deliver the precise amount of water needed and measure the...

UC Merced Named Top 25 Public University by U.S. News & World Report

September 22, 2025

UC Merced’s upward trajectory shows no signs of slowing as the university has cracked the Top 25 of U.S. News & World Report’s best public schools in the nation. The annual survey, which evaluates nearly 1,700 national public and private colleges and universities, also placed UC...

Gary Stewart Named UC Merced Head Men's Basketball Coach

September 22, 2025

Gary Stewart, who has won 385 career games across all levels of NCAA basketball, has been named the University of California, Merced head men's basketball coach, Executive Director of Recreation & Athletics David Dunham announced today. "We are excited to have Gary join...

UC Merced and Fresno Unified Launch Guaranteed Admission Path with Scholarship Opportunity

September 19, 2025

A new program between UC Merced and the Fresno Unified School District guarantees admission to UC Merced for qualified high school juniors and offers each student the chance to earn up to $12,000 in scholarships. The Merced Automatic Admission Program (MAAP) agreement notes that both UC Merced...