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UC Merced School of Engineering

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Coordinates: 37°21′52.9″N 120°25′27.1″W / 37.364694°N 120.424194°W / 37.364694; -120.424194
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
University of California, Merced, School of Engineering
TypePublic engineering school
Established2005; 20 years ago (2005)
Parent institution
University of California, Merced
DeanRakesh Goel
Academic staff
83 (2025)[1]
Undergraduates3,018 (2025)[1]
Postgraduates257 (2025)[1]
Location
Merced, California, United States

37°21′52.9″N 120°25′27.1″W / 37.364694°N 120.424194°W / 37.364694; -120.424194
Websiteengineering.ucmerced.edu
Map

The UC Merced School of Engineering (SoE) is one of the university's three founding schools, at the University of California, Merced. Established in 2005, it offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a wide variety of engineering fields. It currently occipies three major buildings on campus which support the instructional and research needs of the school.[2] There are currently three ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering majors offered.[3]

History

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The School of Engineering was founded concurrently with the opening of the University of California, Merced in 2005, along with two other founding schools.[4] From its inception, the school was designed to serve as a hub for research and education addressing the demands for undergraduate and graduate education for the university.[5]

Early academic programs included Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Computer Science & Engineering, which have since expanded to encompass a diverse range of disciplines. Over the years, the school has developed research strengths in Biotechnology, Materials science, and sustainable infrastructure.[6][7]

In 2020, the completion of the UC Merced 2020 Project added new laboratory facilities, instructional spaces, and research centers, helping to expand the physical footprint of the engineering school. The Sustainability, Research and Engineering (SRE) building was one of the newest additions to the school.[8]

Academic departments and programs

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The School of Engineering houses both undergraduate and graduate programs organized under departments which offer different programs under them.[9] As of 2025, the school offers the following departments and majors offered:[3][10]

Science and Engineering Building 1, the first building of the School

Graduate research groups further integrate these areas with campus-wide programs in:

Research and facilities

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Science and Engineering 2 Building

Research within the School of Engineering spans a wide array of interdisciplinary topics such as:

The school is home to several notable laboratories and centers, including the UC Merced Energy Research Institute (UCMERI),[14] the Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI),[15] and the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute, which connects UC Merced researchers to collaborations across other UC campuses.[16][17]

Student organizations and activities

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There are several professional and academic organizations related to engineering on campus, including:[18][19]

The school also hosts the Innovate To Grow event every semester, where graduating students present their senior design projects to industry partners and the campus community.[22]

Leadership

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The School of Engineering is led by a dean appointed by the Chancellor of UC Merced. Past deans have included:

  • Jeffrey Wright, Founding Dean (2005–2009)[23]
  • Daniel Hirleman, Dean (2009–2015)
  • Mark Matsumoto, Dean (2015–2022)
  • Erik Roland Westerwick (Interim, 2022)
  • Rakesh Goel (2022–present)[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Facts, Rankings & Accolades". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  2. ^ "Buildings and Facilities". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Undergraduate Studies". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  4. ^ "Newest UC Campus Officially Opens in Merced". Los Angeles Times. September 6, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  5. ^ Jordan, Melissa (February 7, 2018). "BART Teams Up with UC Merced Engineering Students through Innovate to Grow Program". BART News. BART. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  6. ^ "UC Merced Engineers Focus on Sustainability and Innovation". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  7. ^ "UC Merced: The First New American Research University in the 21st Century". University of California Office of the President. University of California. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  8. ^ "Campus Preparing to Launch Merced 2020 Project's Second Phase". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  9. ^ "Engineering Majors at UC Merced Grow to Meet Workforce Demands". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  10. ^ "Graduate Programs". Graduate Division. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  11. ^ "New UC Merced engineering research center to focus on ag technology". Fruit Growers News. FruitGrowersNews. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "Research at UC Merced". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  13. ^ "Research Areas". MAE Department, UC Merced. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  14. ^ "UC Merced Energy Research Institute (UCMERI)". UCMERI. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  15. ^ "Sierra Nevada Research Institute". Sierra Nevada Research Institute. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "Research Centers and Institutes". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  17. ^ "CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Merced". CITRIS UC Merced. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  18. ^ "Engineering Professional Organizations". School of Engineering. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  19. ^ "Student Organizations - Vanguard". Engineering Academic Advising. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  20. ^ "American Society of Mechanical Engineers at UC Merced". UC Merced Presence. UC Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  21. ^ "Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Celebrates a Decade on Campus". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  22. ^ "Innovate to Grow Highlights Engineering, Software Capstone Projects". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  23. ^ "Jeff Wright". CITRIS UC. CITRIS. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  24. ^ "Campus Names New Dean for the School of Engineering". UC Merced News. University of California, Merced. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
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