Our faculty and students are asking big questions about the causes of poor health and the policies, social change, and community resources needed to protect and promote well-being. Our faculty are at the forefront of their subfields, expanding knowledge on issues ranging from the risk factors for suicide to the impact of climate change on maternal health to the inequities that immigrants experience in our health care system. We work with collaborators across the University of California system and other universities, as well as local partners engaged providing services and organizing communities. The foundation of our work is a commitment to contributing knowledge that can advance health equity locally, nationally, and globally.
Featured Research and Action
From preventing suicide to fostering a sense of belonging, Public Health faculty’s research advances mental health
Department of Public Health faculty are committed to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being in the San Joaquin Valley by addressing a wide range of pressing mental health challenges.
Improving environmental health through community-engaged research
UC Merced faculty are at the forefront of understanding and addressing the adverse health effects of environmental hazards and climate-change related health threats. We highlight their efforts to work with communities to monitor and mitigate environmental challenges such as air and water pollution and extreme heat.
UC Merced faculty conducted groundbreaking work, documenting racial disparities in health care access and combatting vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current research studies
Learn about the research being done by our faculty.
The Community Health Survey
This study seeks to understand the experiences of people in California and Arizona as they navigate health care and the resources in their community.
Student Research
Our graduate and undergraduate students are deeply involved in research on campus and in the community. Students receive mentorship from and collaborate with faculty on numerous studies. Our doctoral students are tackling a diverse range of issues that influence physical and mental health - from air pollution to occupational risks to racial inequity. They have published and presented their work in numerous venues. Many of our undergraduate students also pursue independent research with faculty and through our campus’ Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center.
