School of Social Sciences Humanities and Arts

A Husband’s Self-esteem Could Protect Against Preterm Births, Study Finds

November 20, 2025

A husband’s optimism and confidence might play a crucial, if often unseen, role in helping babies arrive healthy and on time. A new study from UC Merced psychology researchers found that when married fathers reported higher levels of resilience — a quality that includes traits...

Professor’s Research Shines a New Light on the Neurology of Dyslexia

Dyslexia is one of the oldest diagnosed learning disabilities – and one of the most widely researched. However, a UC Merced professor believes there is still more to learn and his recent research...

UC Merced's First Ph.D. Grad Now Leading the Class

UC Merced’s first Ph.D. graduate is back on campus. But this time, Ricardo Cisneros isn’t enrolled as a student; he’s a professor instead. Cisneros, who earned his doctorate in Environmental Systems...

New Blum Center at UC Merced to Focus on Valley Prosperity

UC Merced has a unique opportunity to help the San Joaquin Valley as the university forges the newest branch of the Blum Center for Developing Economies. The $400,000, two-year seed grant through the...

Cognitive Scientist Shows How the Brain Can Assemble New Ideas from Old Parts

People routinely encounter familiar components from everyday life in new combinations, such as when a co-worker takes on a new role or a sentence uses a word in a new way. We typically excel at...

Exhibit Brings Valley Threads Together

An exhibit coordinated by a UC Merced professor weaves together music, literature, photography, video and oral history to tell stories of the workers who keep the region’s economy moving. “Central...

UC Merced Alum Travels to U.K. for Master’s Program in Brain Sciences

With UC Merced in her hometown, Hillary Brown had an easy commute to her college campus. She’ll log many more miles on the way to graduate school. Brown is headed to the University of Glasgow in...

Mammoth Bones to be Displayed, Studied

The youngest University of California campus is now the steward of some ancient remains. Columbian mammoth bones dating back to the last Ice Age were transferred recently to a storage...

Merritt Writing Program Lecturer Reaches Students with Comic Books

In John Bultena’s writing classes, students often explore new literary classics. Like “Batwoman Volume 1: Hydrology.” Bultena, a lecturer in UC Merced’s Merritt Writing Program and recent panelist at...

Professor: Immigration Reform Should Consider Families, Social Ties

MERCED, Calif. — Immigration judges should be allowed to consider a person’s family and social ties to the United States before ordering the deportation of legal permanent residents for minor...