This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester.
Rolando Ortega is closing in on his dream of earning a Ph.D. This fall, the Cal-Bridge scholar from Los Angeles County joins UC Merced to start his doctoral journey. With experience spanning national labs, NASA outreach and cutting-edge research, Ortega is ready to design devices that push the boundaries of science and technology.
Where I come from: I was born and raised in Baldwin Park and graduated from Baldwin Park High School in 2018.
What I've done: After earning my associate’s degree from Citrus Community College in 2021, I transferred to California State University, San Bernardino, where I completed my bachelor’s degree in physics in fall 2024. I graduated cum laude and made the dean’s list in five of my six semesters. I helped reestablish the Society of Physics Students, which informs undergraduates about research and scholarship opportunities. I volunteered to be a NASA-partnered ambassador during the April 2024 solar eclipse, educating the community at a viewing event. For two years, I’ve worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, developing a code to assist in the calculation of lead contamination from radon exposure during the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment.
I’m participating in the Cal-Bridge program, a pathway designed to help CSU undergraduate students gain admission into a University of California Ph.D. program. Professors David Strubbe and Jay Sharping are Cal-Bridge mentors at UC Merced.
Why are you excited about coming to UC Merced? The opportunity to work in a system at the forefront of fundamental physics and real-world applications. I’m excited to work alongside professors such as Sayantani Ghosh, whose lab focuses on characterizing novel semiconductors for next-generation optoelectronic devices that find, detect and control light. I’m interested in the study of perovskite materials, a low-cost alternative to traditional semiconductors like silicon. This research will allow me to study multiple fields of science such as physics, chemistry and engineering. I am drawn to building devices that can change the world for the better, such as developing a gamma ray detector for space exploration.
Academic and personal goals: I hope to one day be a physics professor. I’ve always liked helping others and my time in the Cal-Bridge program has shown me how impactful a great mentor can be. I would like to open my own research laboratory and help first-generation students obtain research opportunities.
What do you do to relax? I usually play video games such as Smite 2 and Hi-Fi Rush. I also enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons once a week to keep in touch with my SoCal friends. Going to the gym with my friends is also relaxing for me.
My secret talent is: I am proficient in playing the euphonium after playing in classical ensembles and marching bands for eight years. I can also whistle any tune I hear.
It’s karaoke night, what is your go-to song? “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson because it also brings up the vibes at a party.
Quotable: "Changing is our normal state. Even if we're not changing on the outside, we're changing on the inside constantly. … As long as I know the shape of my soul, I'll be alright." -- Jake the Dog from “Adventure Time”
