Middle School Offerings (open to 6th-8th grade students)
Eligibility: Students entering 6th grade in Fall 2024 and students entering 9th grade in Spring 2024 are eligible to attend!
The Ins and Outs of Composting
Cost: $50
Available Seats: 24
June 17th – June 21st, 2024
The Ins and Outs of Composting will introduce students to the fascinating world of composting! Students will learn about energy flow within the environment, and properties of soil and compost while exploring the different types and mechanisms of composting. Student will end the week building their own composting system!
The academy was developed by the Central Valley Community Composting Collaborative composed of UC Merced researchers and community partners. To learn more about their composting initiatives, click here: https://www.cvccompost.com
* The reduced registration rate is made possible by the generous contribution from the Central Valley Community Composting Collaborative.
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The Future of Farming Technology: Microbits, Programming and Agriculture use
Cost: $25
Available Seats: 24
June 17th - June 21st, 2024
What do microbits and rovers have to do with the field of agriculture? Come join us for a week-long workshop learning how technology and sensors can help create more sustainable agriculture. Learn how to program rovers and engineer robots to perform tasks that will simulate the conservation of energy and water resources.
This academy was developed through the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) project at UC Merced. To learn more about this multi-university initiative, visit their website at https://iot4ag.us.
* The reduced registration rate is made possible by the generous contribution from the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) project.
¿Field Curious? Sustainable Ag from Field to Lab
Cost: $60
Available Seats: 24
June 24th – 25th, 2024 or July 18th-19th, 2024
During the ¿Field Curious? Academy students will conduct a short research project and perform analyses to learn field and lab research techniques. Students gain research experience in environmental science and sustainable agriculture while working closely with UCM scientists. In the ¿Field Curious? Academy, students will walk away with a sense of belonging and community around field science!
This academy was developed by the UC Merced, ¿Field Curious? Sustainable Agriculture from Field to Lab Initiative. To learn more about the Field Curious program click here.
Secure Water Future's: Super Soaker Water Academy
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
June 24th – June 28th, 2024
This is a week-long program that will teach students all about water and how it is stored and used in California. By the end of the week, students will have participated in water activities to teach them the relationship between water, agriculture, climate change, and how we can use technology to help our water systems. Includes a 2-hour kayaking field trip to Lake Yosemite.
This academy was developed by the Secure Water Future (SWF) collaborative of investigators across the US including faculty at UC Merced. SWF is aiming to improve agricultural and environmental water resilience. To learn more about SWF visit their website HERE.
The Magic of Marine Microbes!
Cost: $150
Available seats: 24
July 8th-July 12th, 2024
This academy will explore the connections between our oceans, the organisms that live there, and how our changing climate will impact both. We will first dive into how water moves both itself and the things that live in it, along with discovering the diversity of marine life. We will then examine the impacts climate change can have on these ecosystems. Finally, we will uncover the magic of microbes, how they associate with larger animals, and how they might help organisms in the face of climate change.
Watts a Circuit?!
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 8th – July 12th, 2024
In this academy, students will delve into the basics of electricity by investigating different ways that electricity can be generated and used to power different items in everyday life. Students will learn how to create simple and parallel circuits and use this knowledge to engineer products such as night lights, art robots, and solar cars.
Shark Survivor
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 15th – July 19th, 2024
Who doesn’t love sharks?! In this academy, students will examine shark species of the present and past in order to better understand how climate impacts this amazing creature! Come learn how sharks survived through mass extinction events and adapted to changing climates. Pick a shark species to champion and join in a competition to see if your shark can survive the full week!
This academy was developed by Dr. Sora Kim, Associate Professor of Life and Environmental Sciences, Ecogeochemistry. Dr. Kim was featured on Discovery Channels, Shark Week “Jaws vs. The Meg” as an expert on the megalodon! To learn more about Dr. Kim’s research, visit her website at https://sora.leekim.org
Deep Dive into the Study of Neuropsychology
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 15th – July 19th, 2024
In this academy, students will explore the topic of attention, memory, sleep, and the effects of trauma on the brain. They will expand their knowledge of the brain by learning about different brain parts, how neurons work, and how we develop as humans -- from prenatal to adulthood.
Fossils and Food Webs
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 22nd – July 26th, 2024
California is a special state, home to an abundance of wildlife and plants! This workshop will introduce students to the biodiversity of California to understand how species are connected to one another and their environments in the present day in order to better understand the past. Students will explore what these connections say about the future, and why biodiversity is important to humans!
This academy was developed by Dr. Jessica Blois who is a Professor of Life and Environmental Sciences at UC Merced. To read more about the research conducted by Dr. Blois, visit her website at https://jessicablois.com/.
Bobcat Files: Crime Scene Forensics Analysis
Cost: $125
Available Seats: 24
July 22nd – July 26th, 2024
In this innovative forensic academy, students will learn to preserve, gather, and analyze biological and physical crime scene evidence! Techniques may include collecting and analyzing DNA, bones, blood typing, footprint, weapon, and glass fracture analysis. Academy materials are age-appropriate and designed for 6th-8th grade students.
Exploration of Medical Careers
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 29th – August 2nd, 2024
Everyone wants to be a doctor, but did you know there is a huge need in other areas of medicine? Join us for a week-long exploration of various careers in the medical field, including veterinarians, emergency medicine, dentistry, sports medicine, and so much more!
Seeing the Forest for the Trees
Cost: $150
Available Seats: 24
July 29th – August 2nd, 2024
Trees can tell us so much about the past and present environment. Join us for a week exploring the biological processes of trees to understand how climate can influence the growth and health of the forest. Learn basic forestry techniques in the field and take samples to examine in the lab!
This academy was developed by Dr. Emily Moran an Associate Professor of Life and Environment Sciences at UC Merced and Dr. Jarmilla Pittermann a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. To learn more about the Moran Lab click HERE. To learn more about the Pittermann Lab click HERE.
