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Graduate Training

  • Grad Admissions has added MACES as a Fee Waiver Eligible Program:
    Grad Admissions has added MACES as a Fee Waiver Eligible Program. Graduate Division will provide a fee waiver to past students who participated in MACES, and are interested in applying to a UCM graduate program. The fee waiver is only available for UCM graduate applications. The list of eligible programs is available on the Graduate Division website.

    • The MACES Graduate Training program supports talented graduate students tackling exciting challenges in nanomaterials, especially those connected to NASA missions, in a dynamic, supportive, and multidisciplinary environment.

    Our training program includes:

    • Interdisciplinary Coursework:
      The MACES students participate in the nanotechnology emphasis tracks within the physics, chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, and biological engineering and small-scale technologies (BEST) graduate groups. Our tailored curriculum provides in-depth training in the home discipline as well as sustained exposure to other relevant fields, facilitating the cross-fertilization of ideas and collaborations.
    • Multidisciplinary and collaborative research training:
      MACES students address important challenges in nanomaterials for NASA missions, which require innovative and multidisciplinary solutions. MACES students interact and collaborate with other scientists and engineers who share a common interest in functional nanomaterials but have complementary expertise. All MACES fellows participate in one of the MACES Research Thrusts (Energy or Sensing), which meet monthly to promote collaboration.
    • Mentoring and professional development:
      MACES students benefit from comprehensive mentoring by faculty who are top experts in their fields. Our peer mentoring program pairs new graduate students with senior students who help them navigate the challenges of graduate school. MACES hosts workshops that help students improve their professional skills and specific research skills.
    • Outreach:
      MACES students are involved in outreach activities that enhance the public’s interest in and understanding of STEM. These activities also help our students hone their communication skills.
    • State-of-the-art equipment and facilities:
      MACES students have access to cutting-edge equipment and facilities at UC Merced and nearby National Labs.
    • NASA internships:
      MACES graduate students who are citizens of the USA are eligible to apply to our NASA internship program.

    Students interested in becoming MACES fellows or affiliated MACES students should apply for graduate programs at UC Merced:

    Center Mission

    Our research, undergraduate, and graduate training and educational outreach programs are carefully designed to mirror NASA MIRO objectives. Our goals include:

    • Enhancing the scientific environment at UC Merced by recruiting and retaining high-caliber faculty and promising graduate students, as well as building facilities for materials science research facilities.

    • Impacting education at UC Merced and beyond by inspiring and training a new generation of STEM workers in a multidisciplinary materials research environment—particularly underrepresented and underprivileged students.

    • Driving research at UC Merced by promoting innovative and collaborative research in functional nanomaterials for energy and sensing for NASA missions and for needs here on Earth.