Patty Guerra

California's grasslands are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem, supporting native plants and endangered animal species. Yet the vast majority of them - more than 90 percent - have been lost to development and invasive non-native plants.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Natural Resources Agency, UC Merced, the California Rangeland Trust, Audubon California, and Point Blue Conservation Science jointly hosted a summit at the university that focused on nature‑based solutions (NBS) for California's grasslands.

An automatic vehicle delivered by tractor-trailer to UC Merced recently will be the focus of a two-year effort to improve travel options for people with disabilities.

The wheelchair-accessible, all-electric General Motors Cruise Origin is the focus of the Civic Progress Challenge, a student design competition developed by the car maker and SAE International, a nonprofit organization that develops and publishes standards used for the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries

A new agreement will provide a seamless transition for community college students across the state to continue their education at UC Merced - with money to help pay for it.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, in partnership with UC Merced, announced the university is now participating in the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program.

Joshua Edmon-Macias spent two weeks trying to figure out what was wrong with a small 3D-printed aerospace part.

"They didn't tell us what they are used for," said Edmon-Macias, a recent graduate of UC Merced. "We just know that on the inside they're not solid and there's a repeated pattern on the inside. … They are asking us to define the systems to see the defects that are inside the part."

A five-year, $4.5 million T32 institutional training grant from the National Institutes of Health will establish a new doctoral training program at UC Merced for students pursuing careers in biomedical research.

Areesha Tariq didn't intend to fly through college in two years.

As a student at El Capitan High School in Merced, Tariq enjoyed taking math and science classes. When she ran out of options there, she took courses through dual enrollment at Merced College. She earned associate's degrees in chemistry and biology.

She enrolled at UC Merced as a freshman, but the university had news for her: she would enter as a third-year student.

Recently, the university and the U.S. Green Building Council Central California hosted a tour showcasing the university's leadership in sustainable design and green business practices throughout the Central Valley.

UC Merced's Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations got off to a lively, colorful start on Tuesday, with a performance by Mariachi Los Bobcats, food and tabling in the university's Conference Center.

Attendees received a Loteria-themed T-shirt and were entered into a raffle drawing for a special deck and player cards of the Mexican bingo-like game.

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated nationally from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to history, culture and advancement.