School of Natural Sciences

UC Merced Sees Strong Gains in U.S. News Grad School Rankings

April 7, 2026

Top 100 Best Graduate Schools ranking, two students in a lab

UC Merced saw broad gains in the U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings with graduate programs rising in national standing, reflecting the campus’s growing academic and research profile. UC Merced’s School of Engineering broke into the top 100 in the rankings...

$2.2M NIH Grant Designed to Produce Highly Trained, Diverse Ph.D. Workforce

A five-year, $2.2 million training grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will assist UC Merced with the development of diverse cohorts of doctoral students in interdisciplinary...

Undergraduate Experience: Sean Nguyen

Name: Sean Nguyen Year: Graduating May 2021, School of Natural Sciences Commencement Student Speaker Major: Chemistry Hometown: San Jose What clubs or organizations were you part of at UC...

Professor Berhe Nominated to Lead Federal Office of Science

President Joe Biden has nominated UC Merced Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe to be the new director of the Office of Science in the federal Department of Energy. In honor of Earth Day, the White...

The Manilay and Spencer lab groups sit together on campus.

Collaboration Furthers Understanding of Immune Cell Development

Immunology Professor Jennifer Manilay and bioengineering Professor Joel Spencer are using a new grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand a project they’ve been working...

Five Years in, CCBM Looking to Expand Research and Student Opportunities

From graduate student Jose Zamora’s perspective, the CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines (CCBM) has been a spectacular success. “There is so much value to being part...

Federal Grant Preserves Critical Equipment for Molecular Exploration

An important and expensive piece of equipment that was nearing the end of its life is getting a vital upgrade, thanks to a new grant awarded to Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Professor...

Two New Faculty Members Expand Physics Department and Bring the Cosmos to Campus

UC Merced occupies just one small corner of the world. But through the research, teaching, experience, and connections of two new Department of Physics faculty members, students can access and begin...

Undergrad Experience: Allen Kalampukattussery

Name: Allen Kalampukattussery Year: Third year Major: Biological Sciences, Human Biology emphasis Hometown: San Jose What is a memorable project that you worked on during your...

Undergrad Experience: Austin John Escobar

Name: Austin John Escobar Year: Third year Major: Biological Sciences with Human Emphasis; minor in Education Hometowns: Dublin, Calif., and Manila, Philippines What is a memorable...