News

UC Merced Poised to Go Further, Chancellor Says in State of the University Address

October 22, 2026
How do you take a university further? For UC Merced’s chancellor, the answer starts with record-setting enrollment and extends to student opportunities, strong community connections, and new homes for students, academics and research, along with an ever-growing national reputation. Chancellor Juan...

Study Finds Cannabis Addiction in Pregnancy Linked to Higher Risk of Postpartum Psychiatric Crises

October 22, 2026
Key points Pregnant women with cannabis use disorder (CUD) had a 10 percent rate of postpartum psychiatric emergency visits, compared to 2.7 percent among those without the disorder. CUD during pregnancy was linked to a 40 percent higher risk of psychiatric emergency visits during the first...

UC Merced Announces 2026 Hellman Fellows

October 21, 2026
Key points Three UC Merced professors have been named 2026 Hellman Fellows, representing the university’s School of Engineering, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, and School of Natural Sciences. The fellowships will advance innovative research across three fields, from heat-...

UC Merced Sociologist Assembles Global Handbook on Climate Action

October 6, 2026
Climate change is a global crisis and the search for solutions is increasingly technological. A new, 700-page volume edited by a UC Merced sociologist demonstrates that moving people, institutions and communities to act may be just as consequential. Sociology and environmental systems Professor...

UC Merced Gets Down to Business at HSI Battle of the Brains

September 28, 2026
Seven hand-chosen, whip-smart UC Merced students descend on Austin, Texas, this week to pit their teamwork and business skills against representatives of other Hispanic-serving institutions in a high-pressure — and potentially highly rewarding — competition. First, there’s the contest. Every team...

Study Highlights Hidden Labor Market Facing California’s Most Vulnerable Workers

September 17, 2026
When farmworkers decide conditions are so harsh they have to leave the fields, the story doesn’t end there — it moves to another corner of the labor market. UC Merced Sociology Ph.D. candidate Andrés Arias captures that in his article, “’It is worse in the fields:’ how racial capitalism disciplines...

Alumna Brings Behavioral Science to the Front Lines of Sleep Innovation

September 14, 2026
For Holly Rus, ’17, a passion for health psychology and real-world impact has led to a career at the forefront of consumer sleep research. She is head of scientific research at Sleep.ai, where she directs studies designed to improve health and wellness through better sleep. “I lead a team of...

UC Merced Ph.D. Students Receive ARCS Support for STEM Research

September 3, 2026
Five UC Merced doctoral students have earned prestigious awards from the Northern California Chapter of ARCS Foundation, joining a select group of scholars recognized for outstanding research. “Congratulations to this year’s ARCS Scholars. You are being recognized as outstanding scientists who are...

Big Smiles in Big Collection of New Bobcats at Scholars Bridge Crossing

August 25, 2026
A smiling throng of new faces took part Tuesday in one of UC Merced’s oldest traditions, the Scholars Bridge Crossing. Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz and other campus leaders led the march over the bridge. Blue and gold balloons arced over the span, which was lined with cheering staff, faculty and...

School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Faculty Named to Five Endowed Chairs

August 24, 2026
Five faculty members in the UC Merced School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts have been appointed to endowed chairs, recognizing their scholarship and contributions to research that serve underrepresented communities, advance human rights and shape the future of communications. The newly...

Pages