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Ants, Endurance and a Ph.D. at the Finish Line

March 18, 2026

UC Merced graduate student Reo Maynard studies a carpenter ant from one of his many ant colonies.
On most days, Reo Maynard’s life swings between two ecosystems: the microscopic world inside an ant’s gut and the sprawling one that stretches from Fresno to the Sierra Nevada mountains. The 51-year-old Navy veteran, dad of two, screenwriter-in-waiting and newly minted Fresno City...

Founding Professor Named Associate Dean of Natural Sciences

The School of Natural Sciences has a new associate dean for Academic Programs, founding faculty member Professor Michael Colvin. “With his experience as a researcher and administrator,...
Harrison Duran, a fifth-year biology student, discovered a Triceratops skull during a paleontology dig in North Dakota.

Undergrad Discovers Triceratops Skull on Paleontology Dig in North Dakota

Harrison Duran has always wanted to discover ‘the land before time,’ and his desire to dig up dinosaur bones led him to the Badlands of North Dakota, where Alice the Triceratops was...

Auxiliary Services Restructured to Better Serve Students

UC Merced leadership met with more than 50 university staff members this month to discuss organizational changes to housing, dining and other auxiliary services on campus. The goal is to improve...

Zanzucchi Appointed Associate Dean for Student Services and Academics

Anne Zanzucchi has worn many different hats in her 14 years at UC Merced and now she is preparing to enter her newest role as associate dean for Student Services and Academics for the School of...

Biochemistry Researcher Named to NIH Review Board

Professor Andy LiWang has accepted an appointment to the National Institutes of Health’s Macromolecular Structure and Function B (MSFB) Study Section Center for Scientific Review. Over his...
A view of Half Dome from the Merced River in Yosemite National Park

New Program Offers Veterans a Way to Realign with Civilian Life

One of the pillars of UC Merced is service and giving back to the community. Now the university, Yosemite National Park and partners in the region are offering a new program to help a group of...
UC Merced's Gateway Scholarship, College Track and KIPP program partnerships provide students the tools and support needed to be successful at the university.

University Promotes Social Mobility Through Local and Regional Programs

UC Merced students come from all over the state, some from very long distances. But for dozens of students just five miles away from campus, getting here took its own kind of journey. Becoming...

Engineering Honored for Achievements in Diversity

UC Merced’s School of Engineering has been recognized with a bronze award for its excellence in inclusiveness by the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). To accelerate the...

Campus Wins Four Awards at Annual Sustainability Conference

UC Merced continues to earn recognition and awards for its sustainability efforts. Last week, the university won four awards at the 16th annual Higher Education Energy Efficiency and...

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