Leadership

Open Arms, Open Skies: Students Welcomed at Spirited, Soggy Scholars Bridge Crossing

August 26, 2025

Spirits were high and futures bright while all else was soaked in a summer storm that made Tuesday morning’s Scholars Bridge Crossing, UC Merced’s traditional greeting to new students, a welcome unlike any before. Call them Thunder ‘Cats. The ceremony embraced about 2,000...

Most of the Universe Composed of Dark Energy, Researchers Show

A UC Merced researcher and her teammates around the world have succeeded in measuring the total amount of matter in the universe for the second time. A new paper in the Astrophysical Journal,...

Zulema Valdez Appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for EJIE

Zulema Valdez has been selected as UC Merced’s associate vice chancellor for Equity, Justice and Inclusive Excellence (EJIE). In making the announcement, Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity...

The UC Merced astrophysicists with the Keck Observatory behind them

Astrophysics Researchers Present their Work at Hawaiian Observatory

A delegation of dignitaries from the University of California Office of the President, UC Merced and UCLA were recently treated to a presentation that included the astrophysicists from UC Merced at...

Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz and Professor Teenie Matlock at the dedication of Toloma Grove.

Matlock Retires After Stellar UC Career

In the early days of building UC Merced, founding faculty member Teenie Matlock took on lots of tasks that were well outside her job description. Over the years, she expanded her service to the...

UC Merced graduate student Josiah Beharry appointed as 2024-25 UC student Regent

The University of California Board of Regents has appointed University of California, Merced graduate student Josiah Beharry to be the 2024-25 student Regent. Beharry is the 50th student...

Academic Senate Honors Faculty Members with Annual Awards

Each year, faculty members are specially recognized by their peers in the Academic Senate for a variety of accomplishments. This year’s Academic Senate awards honor faculty from across the...

Big Turnout for Recognition of Staff Service and Excellence

A standing-room-only audience in UC Merced’s largest room gathered Monday morning to honor staff employees who have reached milestones in service to the UC system and others whose work was...

A Turn of the Page: Camfield on Why It’s Time to Bow Out

At the end of May, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Gregg Camfield will step down after five years in the role and nearly a decade in executive leadership at UC Merced. He intends to take a...

Wilson Selected as a 2023 American Astronomical Society Fellow

Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development Gillian Wilson has been named a 2023 American Astronomical Society (AAS) Fellow — the preeminent organization of professional...