Faculty

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...

Professors Joshua Viers, left, and Tom Harmon share oversight of the new smart farm being constructed next to campus. The farm will be UC Merced's AES site.

UC Merced Gains Prestigious UC Agricultural Experiment Station Designation

UCs Merced and Santa Cruz became the newest campuses in the system to be named an agricultural experiment stations (AES), UC President Michael Drake announced at today’s Regents’...

UC Merced Holds Toloma 5k Run in Honor of Native American Heritage Month (Slideshow)

Members of the community joined UC Merced students, faculty and staff and their families for the annual "UC Merced Toloma 5k Fun Run". The event is held every year in honor of Native...

Nishiguchi Joins California Academy of Sciences, Recognized for Contributions to Microbiology

Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor Michele “Nish” Nishiguchi has been inducted as a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences and was recently named president-elect for the...

Professors to Share Their Research Through Comics at Events

The Center for the Humanities is hosting in-person and virtual events to give some insight into how professors share their research through comics. The center's Bobcat Comics ...

Local activist Ana María Fabián Lomelí is seen in a still from "Letters2Maybe."

Merced Premieres Professor's Films as Their International Acclaim Grows

Film festivals across the world continue to reach out to filmmaker and Professor Yehuda Sharim to invite him to screen his latest films "El Ojo Comienza En La Mano" (translated to...

Sociology Professor Charlie Eaton smiles in a photograph.

Professor Eaton Makes Case for Student Loan Forgiveness on 'Dr. Phil' Show

Sociology Professor Charlie Eaton was a recent guest on the "Dr. Phil" talk show, where he discussed President Joe Biden's plan to cancel billions of dollars in federal student...

Professor Linda Cameron is seen in a composite image with the Beginnings sculpture.

Professor Contributes to New Report on Health and Climate Change that Paints Grim Picture

The 2022 report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change warns that global health is at the mercy of fossil fuels. An accompanying policy brief states that an estimated 32,000 people in...

Computer Science and Engineering Students Compete Against Thousands in Hackathon

Three UC Merced computer science and engineering students will take on more than 5,000 other teams around the world at the IEEExtreme Hack-a-Thon on Oct. 21-22. The Hack-a-Thon is a 24-hour...

Xu Chosen One of Four New Council Members of Biophysical Organization

Physics Professor Jing Xu has been elected to the Council of the Biophysical Society. She will help guide the organization of more than 7,500 members who teach and conduct research in colleges,...