Staff & Faculty News

Championing the Transition to Clean Energy

June 11, 2025

Image depicts UC Merced mechanical engineering Professor Ricardo Pinto de Castro talking to students near a small robot.

Mechanical engineering Professor Ricardo Pinto de Castro has turned a penchant for systems-level thinking and a longtime love of cars into a climate-resilient research mission. From electric vehicles (EVs) traversing San Francisco's busiest streets to electric appliances such as...

Ehsan Choudhry and Kristen Wanderlich pose seated at a conference table.

Liaisons Partner With Faculty to Offer Support and Solutions

When UC Merced faculty members participated in last year’s Visioning and Change Alignment Summits, many provided feedback that cited a critical need for staff support with a variety of...

'Kopi's Hometown Connections' Highlights Merced 2020 Project

Kopi's Hometown Connections, a popular series of features on KMPH Fox 26 in Fresno, recently visited Merced to highlight the city's many successes, including the rapid growth of its...

Biologists Attend Prestigious Summer Teaching Institutes

UC Merced Professor Marcos Garcia-Ojeda and lecturer Kamal Dulai have received Macmillan Travel Awards to learn how to bring more effective teaching into the STEM classroom. The $500 awards cover...

Researchers Eye Social Media’s Influence on Relationships, Stress

Nearly 70 percent of Americans use some form of social media, according to a Pew Research Center survey. There is little doubt it affects our daily lives — but how? UC Merced Ph.D. graduate Holly Rus...

University Librarian Haipeng Li stands next to book shelves in the UC Merced Library

Library Association Bestows Equality Award to Haipeng Li

UC Merced’s Haipeng Li received the American Library Association’s 2017 Equality Award during the organization’s annual conference held in Chicago in late June. The annual honor...

Human Resources Debuts New Employee Orientation Program

UC Merced’s newest employees experienced a different introduction to the campus when Human Resources launched its new experiential and participatory orientation program in June. As previously...

Prachumsri Named Men’s Volleyball Coach

UC Merced’s Athletics Department has hired women's volleyball coach and alumnus Surabordin “Ai” Prachumsri as the men's volleyball head coach. He will remain coach of the women’s team, as well. After...

Governor Names Harris to Fair Employment and Housing Council

Mark T. Harris, J.D., has been appointed to the California Fair Employment and Housing Council by Gov. Jerry Brown. Harris is a continuing lecturer of management and business economics at UC Merced...

Mike Barbee Named New Cross Country Coach

UC Merced’s Athletics Department has hired Mike Barbee as men's and women's cross country coach. A 14-year coaching veteran with experience at the NCAA, community college and high school levels,...

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