Women's History Month

Turlock Student Blends Public Health, Advocacy to Support Underserved Communities

April 16, 2026

Simone Samra’s dedication to education and community work is influenced by her mother's experience immigrating from India and her belief in the power of education for immigrant women. Samra is keenly aware of the barriers immigrants face when attempting to transfer their education or...

Chemistry and Chemical Biology Ph.D. student Aneelman Brar

Campus Grad Slam Champion Wows with Talk About Recycling CO2

Aneelman Brar wants to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The Chemistry and Chemical Biology Ph.D. student’s three-minute talk entitled “From Pollutant to Fuel and New Products:...

Doctoral Student Receives P.E.O. Scholar Award

Taylor Fugere is one of 110 doctoral students across the United States and Canada to receive a $20,000 Scholar Award from P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization dedicated to supporting...

An image depicts a tree and the Beginnings sculpture at UC Merced.

Advisory Committee Hit Hard by COVID-19 Rebuilding to Continue Supporting Women

The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (CACSW) has brought awareness to issues related to the campus climate for women since its founding at UC Merced in 2008. But after...

Erin Hestir, a professor in environmental engineering, is attending a global water conference.

UC Merced Researcher Taking Part in United Nations Water Conference

A UC Merced researcher has a prominent role at a worldwide conference on water taking place at the United Nations this week. Erin Hestir, a professor in environmental engineering and associate...

Female UC Merced researchers take home impressive awards already this year.

Female Researchers Receive Awards for Their Exemplary Research, Achievements

During Women’s History Month, we celebrate and reflect upon the achievements of women at UC Merced and beyond. 2023 is already shaping up to be a stellar year for female faculty members on...

Tammy Johnson, Diane Caton and Carmen Middleton are among the women who have worked at UC Merced since the beginning.

Women Make History at UC Merced

Innumerable changes have come to UC Merced since ground was broken for the campus in 2002. Some of the women who helped found the campus and remain employed by UC Merced, reflected recently on the...

Professor Rebecca Ryals and her students study soil organic amendments.

Ryals’ Teaching, Research and Service Earns Her Presidential Chair in Climate Change

Professor Rebecca Ryals has made campus history by being named UC Merced’s inaugural Presidential Chair in Climate Change. The appointment was recommended by her peers and Dean Betsy Dumont...

Enduring Legacies of Two Former Chancellors

At two significant junctures in its existence, UC Merced had the good fortune of being led by strong women – Carol Tomlinson-Keasey and Dorothy Leland. Both visionaries, they guided the newest...

Professor Stephanie Woo, left, and graduate student Leesa Strasser are trying to unlock the mechanics of endodermal cells.

Award Supports Study of Fish Embryos to Understand Process that Affects Birth Defects

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has given Professor Stephanie Woo the CAREER award to help her delve into congenital birth defects by looking at the embryonic cells of zebrafish. Woo is...