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Our past has been remarkable, and we know our future is brighter still.

 

UC Merced Chancellor, Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz

Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz assumed his role as UC Merced’s fourth chancellor on July 1, 2020, coming to UC from the University of Houston-Downtown, where he served as president since 2017. Having achieved his Bachelor's in Psychology at UC Santa Barbara and his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at UCLA, Muñoz’s move to UC Merced is a return to his California upbringing and academic roots. 

During his first year as chancellor, Muñoz has set the university's course for the next decade with an ambitious strategic plan that focuses on growth, impact and equity and justice. Muñoz was named the recipient of the 2020 Cesar Estrada Chavez Award from the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity for leadership on workers' rights and humanitarian issues, and in December 2020, Muñoz was appointed to the California Strategic Growth Council and currently serves with his wife, Dr. Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz, as a council member for the Yosemite Conservancy.

chancellor munoz headshot

Chancellor's Priorities

Writing and Remarks

March 6, 2024

Becoming a Hub for Innovation, Diversity, and Advancement

  To the campus community,   UC Merced has become a destination of choice.   When Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory began its national... Read More

February 1, 2024

Celebrating Black Excellence

  To the campus community:   In February the nation formally recognizes Black History Month, during which we look both backward — at the historic and... Read More

News

Graphic depicts the dates of the CENVAL-ARC Symposium, March 7 and 10, 2025.
October 29, 2024

When regents selected Merced for the newest University of California campus in 1995, the choice brought promise for the entire region: of an improved workforce, advanced technology, economic impact...

October 28, 2024

Student employees in UC Merced’s dining centers got an up-close look at the sustainable techniques at a family almond farm and were challenged to create locally sourced dishes as part of a workshop...

Photo depicts drones delivering water to crops.
October 23, 2024

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...

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