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Patty Guerra

UC Merced campus photo of sign

Research Center Aimed at New Ways to Make Natural Rubber

Natural rubber is used in a wide range of products used throughout the globe. Lab-produced rubber works for many applications but is insufficient for vital items like airplane tires and specialty medical products.

Natural rubber also is a precious resource; 90% of the plants that serve as its source for are grown in a tiny area of Southeast Asia.

Global CO2 emissions from forest fires increase by 60%

A major study publishing Friday in Science reveals that carbon dioxide emissions from forest fires have surged by 60% globally since 2001, and almost tripled in some of the most climate-sensitive northern boreal forests.

New Facility Will Expand UC Merced's Groundbreaking Stem Cell Research

Stem cells hold vast potential to help people live healthier lives. UC Merced researchers have delved into expanded uses of these cells, which can be used to create any cell in the body, to replace damaged cardiac tissue and grow new blood vessels, among other uses.

A $5.4 million grant from one of the world's largest institutions dedicated to regenerative medicine will fund a new facility to support research in vascular models and human stem cells.

UC Merced Curates Sweeping Chicano Art Exhibit at 3 Galleries

A three-site exhibit is celebrating Chicano art in a collaboration between a university and a community - the culmination of a professor's nine years of effort.

"Alma, Corazón, y Vida: Latino Art Legends from the Mike 'Surrito' Echeverría Collection" will be exhibited starting next month at the UC Merced Art Gallery, La Galería and the Merced Multicultural Arts Center (MAC).

UC Merced Graduate Ends Exciting Year with Professorship at Cal Poly

It is a serious understatement to say Carlos Diaz Alvarenga had a big year: He graduated from UC Merced, successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis and landed a position as an assistant professor at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

Oh, and he got married.

"Yeah, those are all big life events and I did them all in one year," Diaz Alvarenga said, laughing. "It's been super difficult, but it's been worth it."

As California Develops More Clean Energy, Researchers Delve Into How to Store it

As California lawmakers consider a package of bills aimed at increasing the production of clean energy, a major question arises: How would we store all this new power?

UC Merced Welcomes Students For Fall 2024 Semester

As classes begin Wednesday for UC Merced's 20th academic year, the campus and its offerings continue to grow to meet the needs of students and the community at large.

Edwin Lopez was so excited for his college experience to begin that he volunteered to help his fellow students move in last week. The first-year student from Firebaugh was set to attend Fresno State when he got a scholarship offer from UC Merced he said he couldn't refuse.

"This campus feels like home," he said. As soon as he visited, he knew he wanted to attend and couldn't wait to start.

Students Spend Summer Learning about Stem Cells

A diverse group of students participated in a stem cell training pilot program at UC Merced this summer.

It was the second summer for the Training Undergrads in Stem Cell Engineering and Biology (TUSCEB) program, funded through the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). It's a collaborative effort between the schools of Natural Sciences and Engineering led by professors Kara McCloskey and Jennifer Manilay and serviced through the university's Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI).

Climate Change is Transforming California Agriculture — But There are Ways to Adapt

California's agriculture faces challenges from a highly variable climate with temperatures that will increase over the next several decades. Droughts are worsening and the Sierra snowpack, integral to the water supply, is volatile.

However, there are a number of ways to mitigate those changes, as outlined in a new paper coauthored by a group of UC faculty.

Climate Change is Transforming California Agriculture — But There are Ways to Adapt

California's agriculture faces challenges from a highly variable climate with temperatures that will increase over the next several decades. Droughts are worsening and the Sierra snowpack, integral to the water supply, is volatile.

However, there are a number of ways to mitigate those changes, as outlined in a new paper coauthored by a group of UC faculty.