WELCOME TO CITRIS AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

ABOUT US

WHO WE ARE

The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) is a research unit with the University of California, Merced and is one of the four CITRIS campuses: UC Merced, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and UC Santa Cruz. CITRIS at UC Merced addresses California’s most pressing societal and environmental problems by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and developing novel research in the focus areas of ag-food-tech, health, aviation, and remote sensing. To equip the future workforce with skills and knowledge and inspire the next generation of innovators, we lead impactful outreach and education programs for all ages.

OUR PROGRAMS

Ag-Food-Tech

Ag-Food-Tech is an emergent strength of UC Merced’s faculty, with representation of experts from across the campus. Factulty address many aspects of production and adapt tools for food processing, contributing to many different production systems and California’s diversity of over 400 crops.

EDGE in TECH Initiative

The EDGE in Tech Initiative at the University of California (EDGE in Tech) is committed to addressing the challenges faced by women and other under-included identities in engineering and computer science fields by serving as a trusted center and resource that integrates research with action.

Tech for Social Good

The CITRIS TensorFlow for Social Good program, funded by Google Research, is designed to give undergraduate students a start in TensorFlow, Machine Learning; build camaraderie and teamwork, and add a project to their resumes while developing something of use to society.

NexTech

NexTech inspires middle school students about STEM. It brings an innovative and fun tech curriculum in order to introduce programming, engineering problem-solving and team science, along with helping them develop a sense of identity in STEM. UC Merced students take on the role of NexTech educators and guide the middle school students through building several versions of robots and puzzles. Students can see themselves succeeding in technology after exploring NexTech Robotics.

FLY CITRIS

Soar to New Heights with FLY CITRIS! Students not only gain valuable skills in programming but also cultivate critical thinking, mission planning, and spatial awareness. Equipped with CoDrone EDU drone kits and engaged in thrilling challenges, students embark on an extraordinary aerial adventure into real-world applications. As a bonus, they can even kickstart their journey towards a drone pilot license, opening doors to endless opportunities in the aviation industry.

Photo of a group of four CITRIS interns standing on a grass field

July 30, 2026Hanna Bartram

CITRIS Summer Interns Inspire Future Engineers, Transforming Tomorrow’s Workforce

During a four-week summer program at Don Stowell Elementary School, CITRIS interns Dina Lua, David Miguel, Judith Okolo, and Victoria Zepeda worked directly with Merced City School District’s Summer Academy students in grades 6 through 8, introducing foundational engineering concepts through interactive lessons and robotics projects...

A group of 8 people in formal clothing standing behind a table with a two tier cake and flowers. The blue tablecloth reads CITRIS and the Banatao Institute.

May 21, 2026Hanna Bartram

Celebration of UC Merced and CITRIS Looks Both Back and Forward

A commemoration at UC Merced on Main marked 25 years of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute and 20 years of UC Merced, one of its member institutions."Together these anniversaries tell a shared story - rooted in innovation and access and public impact," UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said...

Professor YangQuan Chen at CITRIS 25th anniversary celebration

May 7, 2026Hanna Bartram

In Memoriam: Dr. YangQuan Chen

With deep sadness, we mourn the passing of Dr. YangQuan Chen, Professor in the School of Engineering at UC Merced and founder and director of the Mechatronics, Embedded Systems and Automation (MESA) Lab. A respected scholar, educator, mentor, and innovator, Dr. Chen helped shape UC Merced’s engineering programs and advanced the fields of control systems and mechatronics. He was a highly valued member of...

NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is a global hackathon that typically occurs annually and is sponsored by NASA’s Earth Science Division. It brings together problem-solvers, coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists from across the globe. The goal is to use NASA’s open data to tackle real-world problems on Earth and in space.

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