Research Excellence

July 15, 2026

A closeup of a pine tree with needles and cones
Everyone recognizes the sharp, clean fragrance of pine needles. But that's not just a pine forest or a Christmas tree we're smelling - it's the aroma of thousands of microscopic partners working quietly on every needle, helping shape the health of entire forests...
Jaapna Dhillon is UC Merced’s first postdoctoral researcher to receive a Pathway to Independence Award from the National Instit
Jaapna Dhillon had no idea that studying how almonds affect health would win her a huge advantage in securing a tenure-track position. But Dhillon just became UC Merced’s first postdoctoral...
Even if some members of a goal-driven group don’t seem to work well with others — even if the whole group is extremely frustrated — the group can still compromise and find new ways...
California aims to lead the nation — and the globe — in climate change research, policy and action — in large part through climate-focused research conducted at University of...
Bioengineering Professor Changqing Li was recently awarded a four-year, $2.5 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help develop a focused X-ray luminescence tomography (...
Almonds overflowing from a white bowl.
Independence: It’s what many students value most about the transition to college life. But the freedom to make decisions without interference from parents can lead to unhealthy eating habits...
A kneeling woman holds the skull of a saber-toothed cat in front of a chest of drawers containing fossils.
Paleoecology Professor Jessica Blois recently became the campus’s 19th recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award. The NSF...
A woman holds a broken cigarette in her hands
UC Merced has been awarded a $3.8 million grant to establish the UC Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center (NCPC), positioning UC Merced and the San Joaquin Valley region as a leading center for the...
Solar arrays.
UC Solar received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to develop solar-thermal desalination technologies that reduce the cost of creating...
Soils are carbon sinks, storing more planet-warming carbon than the atmosphere and all animal and plant life combined. But they can also release massive amounts of stored carbon into the...

Pages

Subscribe to Research Excellence