Research

Her UC Merced Path Changed But Stockton Student Stays on Track

March 25, 2026

UC Merced student Taliyah Miller poses for photo
Taliyah Miller would be the first to tell you she arrived at UC Merced with an unwavering, long-range goal: become an anesthesiologist. What she could not have predicted was that a difficult roommate, a therapist’s question and a job she forgot she applied for would upend that goal and leave...
UC Merced student Grace Grinder in the university library.

Ripon Student Turning Heart and Heritage into a Path of Healing

As a child of the Central Valley and a member of a Native tribe, Grace Grinder developed an early awareness of health care disparities affecting rural regions and underserved communities. While in...
UC Merced graduate student Reo Maynard studies a carpenter ant from one of his many ant colonies.

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

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...
Depicted is the sun in an orange sky framed by palm leaves.

UC Merced Climate Experts Explain Why March Heat Wave is Dangerous

Temperatures in the 90s are nothing new to the northern San Joaquin Valley. But having them in March, as expected this week, is unusual and potentially dangerous. An exceptionally strong ridge of...
A sign on a southern California beach indicates it is unsafe to swim because of human-caused contamination.

Ocean Chemistry Now Substantially Shaped by Humans

Although the oceans are the least explored places on the planet, even their depths are not untouched by humans. Drawing on more than 2,300 seawater samples collected across the Pacific, Atlantic...
Several people, including graduates of UC Merced Professional Certificate in California Government and Policy program, plus faculty, staff and friends.

UC Merced Launches California Government and Policy Certificate Program

The inner machinery of democracy in California – from bills and lobbying to courts and elections – is revealed in a professional certification program launched at the University of...
Depicted are the letters "Ai" on a green graphic background

Amazon Funds Research into Making AI More Efficient

Two UC Merced computer science and engineering professors will delve deep into artificial intelligence in projects with Amazon. Dong Li and Xiaoyi Lu earned Amazon Research Awards, the...
Brightly colored photo of Assyrian women from Miram Ohan multimedia project

Empathy is the Central Theme of Todo Cambia Film Festival

em·pa·thy (noun): the ability to recognize, understand and share the thoughts, emotions and perspectives of another person. It is a means of connection, a path to understanding. Can...
Depicted is a scene of burned-out trees and ash in the wake of the Caldor Fire.

Rising Simultaneous Fire Weather Threatens International Firefighting Efforts

High-risk conditions for fires are increasingly happening across countries at the same time, making wildfires even more challenging to tackle, new research reveals. Scientists from UC Merced and...
Collage of historical Black figures: Lorraine Hansberry, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida Wells, Oscar Michaeux, Granville Woods

Spotlighting Black Trailblazers Whose Stories Deserve to be Told

Black History Month often honors familiar names, leaders whose courage and determination changed the course of a nation. But many others have made groundbreaking contributions that exposed injustice...

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