School of Social Sciences Humanities and Arts

Empathy is the Central Theme of Todo Cambia Film Festival

February 25, 2026

Brightly colored photo of Assyrian women from Miram Ohan multimedia project

em·pa·thy (noun): the ability to recognize, understand and share the thoughts, emotions and perspectives of another person. It is a means of connection, a path to understanding. Can you see where I’m coming from? Walk a mile in my shoes. Empathy is the keyword for the 2026...

Study: In China, Misinformation Skews Views of Government

Chinese people who have overly rosy views of socioeconomic conditions in the western world tend to have more negative views of their own government — but when their misconceptions of foreign...

Study: Smoke-Free Zones, Higher Taxes Deter Youth Smoking

Banning smoking in the workplace and increasing taxes on cigarettes have discouraged teens and young adults from taking up smoking, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco and UC ...

New Supercomputer Can Advance Diverse Array of Research

A new supercomputer assembled on campus this summer is the first step toward making UC Merced a computational training ground for researchers throughout the Central Valley. “We can do extraordinarily...

Twelve Fresh Faces Join UC Merced Faculty

There are more than a few new faces on campus this year. In addition to new first-year, transfer and graduate students, 12 tenure-track professors have chosen the University of California’s newest...

Student Examines Role of Gender in Perception of Political Scandals

With the 2016 presidential race already in full swing, political science graduate student Kayla Canelo’s research is particularly timely. This spring and summer, Canelo designed and carried out a...

Alumnus Takes Trailblazing Spirit to Washington

David Do sits in his office in Washington, D.C. — nearly 3,000 miles from UC Merced — reflecting on the path he’s cut for himself. Do, who now serves as director of the city’s Office of Asian and...

Campus Continues to Set Precedents in Sustainability

UC Merced is the only university in the country to have all of its buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. That body...

Literature Professor Wins Latino Book Award

UC Merced Professor Manuel M. Martín-Rodríguez recently won a 2015 International Latino Book Award for “With a Book in Their Hands: Chicano/a Readers and Readerships,” which beat six other finalists...

Robbins Named Dean of School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Jill Robbins has been named dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA) at the University of California, Merced, the university announced today. She will begin serving full time...