School of Engineering

Work Aimed at Increasing Computer Security Earns CAREER Award

June 8, 2026

Depicted is a mugshot of Professor Qian Wang in a white shirt with a blue sweater next to the UC Merced entrance sign with palm trees.

Electrical engineering Professor Qian Wang has received a CAREER award for her research into quantum computing. She is the 42nd researcher from UC Merced to earn a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). CAREER awards are among the NSF's most...

Depicted is UC Merced graduate Eduardo Savala Alvarez, in a cowboy hat and stole on campus.

A Brand-New Degree and a Stellar Job Offer to Accompany it

UC Merced prides itself on its high social mobility ranking (No. 3 among public schools in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal). Social mobility is defined as the ability to move...

Depicted are students in yellow vests and hard hats standing around and in a two-story Snoopy doghouse.

Bobcats Outbuild Bears in Timber Strong Competition

A doghouse built by Bobcats for a famous beagle beat out a fairytale structure hammered together by Bears. UC Merced's student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers took...

Depicted are groups of people sitting at tabled and talking at UC Merced's Merced 2 Market event.

Projects to Make the World Better Promoted at Merced 2 Market

An artificial intelligence-powered system to ensure the safety of the elderly while still providing privacy. Wearable muscle monitoring to speed recovery from injury. A chemical-free method of...

Photo depicts dry, cracked land among weeds.

Can AI Help Predict and Manage Drought? UC Merced Researchers Explain in New Book

After a couple of years of sufficient water, much of California is showing "abnormally dry" conditions in spring 2026, according to the state drought monitor. And as climate...

A student hones communication skills by learning how to use comedy to deliver messages.

From Wild Mushrooms to Punchlines, Bobcats Learn in Out-of-the-Box Ways

Editor's note: This story is republished from the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of UC Merced Magazine. Walk across UC Merced’s campus on any weekday, and you might hear laughter spilling from...

Members of UC Merced's National Society of Black Engineers pose with their certificate at the convention in Baltimore.

Black Engineering Society Honored as Chapter of the Year, Again

UC Merced's chapter of the  National Society of Black Engineers was again honored as the Region VI Medium Chapter of the Year. It is the second consecutive year the organization received this...

Depicted are UC Merced and CITRIS representatives around a cake commemorating the organization's 25th anniversary.

Celebration of UC Merced and CITRIS Looks Both Back and Forward

A recent celebration marked important anniversaries for two partners in research and innovation, but both emphasized that the most exciting events still lie ahead. The commemoration at UC...

Professor YangQuan Chen is pictured standing behind a table with flowers at UC Merced on Main.

Remembering YangQuan Chen, Mechanical Engineering Innovator and Mentor to Many

Services are set Sunday afternoon for Professor YangQuan Chen, whose contibutions to UC Merced's School of Engineering and to the university as a whole will endure through programs he helped...

A graduate student eagerly anticipates her hooding ceremony.

Degrees, Cheers and a Record Number of Graduates Under the Open Sky

UC Merced is abuzz with celebration as students, families, friends, staff and faculty finish last-minute preparations for the largest commencement in university history. Across three outdoor...