Faculty

Hurricanes Create Powerful Changes Deep in the Ocean, Study Reveals

June 6, 2025

Hurricane Bud left some surprising changes in its wake, UC Merced researchers found.

With careful planning and a little luck, researchers found a surprising upside to hurricanes after a Category 4 storm disrupted their expedition off the coast of Mexico. The team was able to sample the ocean right after the storm passed and found that the storms churn the ocean so powerfully and...

Four Students Win Dan David Solar Fellowships

Four students from diverse disciplines have been named Dan David Solar Fellows through the University of California Advanced Solar Technologies Institute (UC Solar), headquartered at UC Merced. The...

Gasification Projects Could Benefit the Environment, Economy

Two overlapping research projects involving UC Merced professors could have big implications for the region’s economy and effects on renewable energy, water and wildfires. Professor Gerardo Diaz,...

Kids Under 2 Can Spy Deception in Others, Study Shows

In its most positive form, deception — when used in moderation — can be critical to maintaining social relationships. The ability to recognize and use deception is considered point of demarcation in...

Engineering Professor and Students Team Up with Chevron

Professor Ashlie Martini is one of only a few university researchers in the country who work on tribology — the study of friction, lubrication and wear. Her work and her willingness to develop...

Campus Research Taking a Healthy Approach

By Jeremy Olson for UC Merced Magazine Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the fall 2015 issue of UC Merced Magazine. The University of California, Merced, was plotted at the juncture...

Professor Studies Link Between Youth Unemployment, Mental Health

Young people who are neither employed nor pursuing an education are vulnerable to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, but their commitment to finding work is surprisingly strong...

New Grants Aid Chemist’s Research, Support Student Learning

Almost $2 million in grants will go a long way toward helping Professor Christine Isborn and colleagues at other universities learn more about the molecular processes involved in capturing solar...

Professor to Direct UC Education Abroad in Chile, Argentina

Professor Cristián Ricci won’t find himself in the classroom sharing his love of Spanish and Moroccan literature with UC Merced students this fall. That’s because he’ll be busy in his new role as...

UC Merced Experts Part of New UC Climate Report

The University of California aims to lead the way to a sustainable future in the face of global warming, and UC Merced professors have contributed to a report that offers practical steps to help get ...