Leonardo Aleman Medina

"I love understanding the foundations of our environment. I want incoming ESS majors to understand, that it's not only about the bigger picture but also the smaller micropicture. Being comfortable in seeing the broad and the focused lens of environmental science will help shape your future path.."

Thalia Lizarraga

Thalia discovered her passion for earth science in a geology course her first year. By sophomore year, she had joined the Lukens Surface Processes Lab, where she studied how rocks and soils record climate and environmental change. In April 2026, she presented her research at a conference in Baja California Sur, Mexico. She is now continuing at UC Merced in the Environmental Systems Master's program.

"I love that ESS provides so many pathways and research opportunities. You can really immerse yourself in the areas that excite you. Everything connects—the concepts, the research, the people."

Antonio Gonzalez

Antonio worked in two research labs as an undergraduate—the Stable Isotope Ecosystem Lab and the Agroecology Lab—while also gaining field experience through the Natural Reserve System. Today, he's a researcher at UC's Lindcove Research and Extension Center, working on citrus agriculture.

"These experiences continue to yield lasting returns. I'm grateful for the people and opportunities that defined my time at UC Merced."

Jocelyn Rojas

Jocelyn worked in three labs during her time at UC Merced: the Sexton Lab studying plant ecology in the Sierra Nevada, the Moran Plant Lab researching climate adaptation, and the Ryals Agroecology Lab exploring community composting and soil health. She's now a PhD student at UC Santa Cruz, studying urban community gardens as both social and ecological spaces.