Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę

Brenda Ortiz

Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę campus photo of sign

Senior Public Information Representitive

Office: (209) 228-4203

Mobile: (209) 628-8263

bortiz@ucmerced.edu

Author Jorge Cham Simplifies Science in an Entertaining Way

ā€œRaise your hands if you want to know a secret,ā€ acclaimed author and cartoonist Jorge Cham instructed a crowd of young children. Hundreds of tiny arms shot up in unison toward the cafeteria ceiling.

ā€œButterflies drink with a straw,ā€ he said. Bustling with excitement, the students expressed their astonishment with ā€œoohsā€ and ā€œwows.ā€

Campus Grad Slam Winner Examines ā€˜Gut Viruses: Friends or Foes?’

Earlier this month, Ambarish Varadan competed in Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę’s finals and seized the title of Campus Champion.

This was the second time the (QSB) Ph.D. candidate from Fremont vied for the top prize. Last year, he placed second among the top 10 contenders.

Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę Foundation Board Trustee Robert Bernstein, M.D., and his wife, Diplomat Jane Binger, Ed.D.,Ā have made generous donations to support Grad Slam.

Graduate Division Hosts 10th Grad Slam Competition

Who will Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę’s Grad Slam champion be?

Cheer on the on April 8 and find out.

Graduate students from Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę’s three schools will take the stage to compete in the Graduate Division’s 10th Grad Slam finals.

Ph.D. Student Juggles Academic Demands with Managing a City

Glancing at Mike Futrell’s resume, one might ask, ā€œWhat hasn’t he done?ā€

He is a retired United States Navy captain with two submarine tours under his belt and 26 years of service; a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; a former senior staff member in the U.S. Senate; and he practiced corporate law for over a decade and is still licensed in Hawaii and Louisiana. Futrell has served as a California city manager for more than a decade.

He is also a at Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę.

Fellowship Expands Quantum, AI Training to Fill Industry Demand

Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę graduate students Anuvetha Govindarajan and Jocelyn Ornelas-Munoz have each received a $25,000 fellowship from SandboxAQ, which createsĀ solutions at the nexus of artificial intelligence and quantum technology — or AQ — to address some of the world's greatest challenges.

Ph.D. Student Pushes for Better Education Benefits for Veterans’ Dependents

A new state law will make a difference in accessing education for the dependents of disabled veterans in California, thanks to the initiative of Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę graduate student Karla Seijas.

ARCS Scholars Work to Advance STEM Research

Four Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę graduate students can focus fully on their research and academic studies this year thanks to a generous gift from the Northern California Chapter of the (ARCS) Foundation.

ARCS, a national organization established and operated entirely by women, is committed to the advancement of science in the United States by financially supporting distinguished graduate students in science, technology, engineering and medical research disciplines at its partner institutions.

Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę Alum Drives Innovation in Drug Manufacturing

You could almost say Edwin Shen was destined to become a bioengineer. His mother, a medical doctor, practices pathology in Northern California, and his father retired from a career as a mechanical engineer for medical device companies.

ā€œI guess what I do is right in the middle of my parents’ occupations,ā€ he said. ā€œBioengineering was something my dad recommended I try. I thought research might be something that aligned well with my personality. It turned out to be a perfect fit.ā€

Chemistry Postdoc Awarded Merck Research Award

Miguel Chacón-TerÔn was selected as one of 16 scientists from across the country to receive the 2023 Merck Research Award for Underrepresented Chemists of Color, intended to support rising chemists of color while also recognizing their resilience in pursuit of scientific excellence.

Fresno Native Takes Next Step to Becoming a Doctor

For Joslyn Conchas, becoming a physician wasn’t always the plan.

ā€œI wanted to be a veterinarian, but that was before I saw firsthand how impactful health disparities are within my community,ā€ she said.

Her grandfather was ill and she witnessed his struggles with the healthcare system while he was in and out of the hospital.