Faculty

Astronomers Reveal Hidden Activity in the Early Universe’s Most Massive Galaxies

January 5, 2026

Spectroscopy at the UC's W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii helped the researchers interpret complex data about ultramassive galaxies. Photo courtesy of the W.M. Keck Observatory.

An international team of astronomers has studied ultramassive galaxies - galaxies containing more than 100 billion stars - as they existed when the universe was less than 2 billion years old. The results show that while some of these ultramassive galaxies, or UMGs, had already shut down star...

UC Merced graduate programs in the natural sciences and engineering are included in the newest U.S. News rankings of 2023-2024 Best Graduate Schools.

UC Merced’s Graduate Programs Rank Among Best in the Nation

UC Merced continues to be recognized nationally, with some programs leaping forward, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 edition of Best Graduate Schools released on April 25...

Two people are seen in the snow in Yosemite National Park.

Environmental Conservation Takes Center Stage in Shakespeare in Yosemite's 'Romeo and Juliet'

"Romeo and Juliet" is considered William Shakespeare's most famous romantic tragedy. But this Earth Day weekend, it will be transformed into a new production that will offer hope for...

Global Arts Faculty in Concert

Faculty members with the Global Arts Studies Program at UC Merced will present their fifth annual Faculty Concert on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 3 p.m. at Merced College, 3600 M St. This concert is...

NASA mounted samples of solar films developed at UC Merced on a cube outside the International Space Station for 10 months.

First Test of Perovskite Films in Space Indicates More Resilience than Researchers Expected

Solar films developed by a graduate student in the Department of Physics at UC Merced while on an internship at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) not only survived 10 months in space with minimal...

From left, graduate student John Wilson, alumnus Qiaochu “Michael” Li and Professor Jing Xu.

Graduate Students Help Further the Understanding of Diseases such as Alzheimer's

Student researchers in experimental physics Professor Jing Xu’s lab have played a critical role in a study that will help understand Alzheimer’s and other diseases that progressively...

Demonstrators hold up United Farm Workers flags while marching.

UC Merced Library Hosts Opening Reception for Farmworker Movement Exhibit

The UC Merced Library is hosting an opening reception for a new art exhibit that showcases the farmworker movement in the Central Valley through the lens of the late photographer and labor activist...

Diversity, Community, Creativity and Self-expression are the Focuses of Pride Week 2023

A drag show, open mic night and collaborative coloring are among the fun events slated for this year’s Pride Week, April 10-14, celebrating LGBTQ+ identity and culture at UC Merced. The...

Ten finalists will compete in Grad Slam on April 10 on campus.

Cheer on Campus’s 10 Grad Slam Finalists April 10

Ten graduate UC Merced students will take the stage on April 10 to compete in the Graduate Division’s Grad Slam finals. Grad Slam is an annual University of California competition that aims...

An image depicts a tree and the Beginnings sculpture at UC Merced.

Advisory Committee Hit Hard by COVID-19 Rebuilding to Continue Supporting Women

The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (CACSW) has brought awareness to issues related to the campus climate for women since its founding at UC Merced in 2008. But after...