Sung-Mo “Steve” Kang was inducted as the chancellor of UC
Merced in a Nov. 6 ceremony on the university’s campus.

Kang was joined by UC President Robert C. Dynes and Vice
Chairman of the UC Board of Regents Russell S. Gould, as well as other UC and
government officials.

More than 600 people, including UC Merced faculty, staff,
students and invited friends of the campus, witnessed the inauguration and
keynote speaker Arno Penzias, who received the 1978 Nobel Prize in physics.

“UC Merced is just stepping into its new phase, which, as an
engineer, I would call, ‘UC Merced 2.0,’” Kang said to the audience. “We have
come a long way in the short time since our campus opened. Our well-loved campus is thriving and poised for
great achievements.”

In his speech, Kang said he would strive to innovate every
aspect of the campus’ endeavors, including academic excellence, international
partnerships, community service programs, entrepreneurship, technology for
distance learning and medicine.

“Kang will lead UC Merced into a new era of ascendancy and
distinction,” Dynes said during the ceremony. “And it will be my privilege and
my joy to watch him do it. His passion for innovation will help realize the
founders’ vision of transforming the valley.”

Kang is the first Korean-American to lead a major research
university. More than 60 percent of UC Merced students come from
underrepresented ethnic or socioeconomic groups. In addition, more than half of
the university’s students are first-generation college students.