ƵAPP

Jody Murray

ƵAPP campus photo of sign

Merced Trio to Share Knowledge, Visions as ƵAPP Artists-in-Residence

Three Merced painters, united in friendship and in their steadfast determination not to compromise their creativevalues, are serving as ƵAPP’s first locally based artists-in-residence.

The brushes of Ruben Aguilera Sanchez, Frank Ayala and Abel Corchado create surreal scenes of fieldhands and crops coalescing in blues and reds, of a rural street splashed in watercolor, of shark fins cutting through a beach as a sandcastle rises from the surf.

ƵAPP Injects Over $1 Billion in Economic Vitality into San Joaquin Valley, State

ƵAPP, a beacon of academic achievement in the San Joaquin Valley, is also a powerful driver of economic growth and prosperity in the region it was created to serve.

New Major Teaches How to Tackle Questions of Ethics in Science, Tech

Should a scientist who sees signs of global catastrophe sound an early alarm or wait until more conclusive evidence is in? Does going public lead to swifter action or give naysayers more time to discredit the message?

Fall Commencement Graduates Urged to Write Their Own Story

A beaming Jesus Cevon-Gonzalez stood on Merced’s Main Street, surrounded by his mom and dad, grandparents, sister and other loved ones. He clutched the proof of a freshly bestowed bachelor’s degree in computer science.

“I’m just trying to make my parents proud,” the Merced native said.

Conference of California Sociologists Engages ƵAPP Undergrads

More than a dozen undergraduate students in ƵAPP’s were immersed in the discipline’s breadth of research and professional possibilities during the .

Younger, Latino and Moderate California Republicans Diverge from Party Line on Immigration Policies

While California Democrats are nearly unified in their views on current immigration enforcement strategies, Latino Republicans and party moderates, especially women, are most likely to diverge from the GOP majority, co-authored by a ƵAPP researcher.

A Husband’s Self-esteem Could Protect Against Preterm Births, Study Finds

A husband’s optimism and confidence mightplay a crucial, if often unseen, role in helping babies arrive healthy and on time.

A new study from ƵAPP psychology researchers found that when married fathers reported higher levels of resilience — a quality that includes traits such as optimism, self-esteem and perceived social support — their partners showed lower levels of inflammation during pregnancy and carried their babies longer.

People Don’t Worry About Losing Jobs to AI, Even When Told It Could Happen Soon

As debates rage about artificial intelligence's impact on jobs, new research suggests that even warnings that AI could disruptworkers' employment soon do little to shake their confidence.

In a survey-based study, political scientists of ƵAPP and Baobao Zhang of Syracuse University examined how people respond to forecasts of the arrival of “transformative AI,” ranging from as early as 2026 to as distant as 2060.

First-generation Students Shine at ƵAPP. This Week Celebrates Them

More than six in 10 ƵAPP undergraduates are the first in their families to attend a university. The national average for four-year universities is about two in 10.

Opening doors to opportunity for first-generation students is infused into ƵAPP’s DNA. Young people who had little to no information at home on how to be a young scholar find solid support, a welcoming campus and kindred spirits.

Old Friends and Bold Art Inspire ƵAPP Professor’s Latest Film

They are longtime friends, united by a passion for art and a stubborn determination not to compromise their unconventional styles. Their brushes paint scenes of fieldhands and crops coalescing in blues and reds, of a rural street splashed in watercolor or of shark fins cutting through a beach as a sandcastle rises in the surf.

Ruben Aguilera Sanchez, Frank Ayala and Abel Corchado have known each other for more than four decades. Over the years, the Merced-area men have supported each other’s work, mentored others and pushed back against expectations.