Many may be familiar with the new dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, or CNAS. Peter Atkinson, a professor of genetics in the Department of Entomology, has been with UCR for 28 years. Less familiar may be his vision, which emphasizes social mobility, collaboration with other colleges, and CNAS as the premier...

The UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) is pleased to announce the dates of the 2025 Science Lecture Series, with faculty presentations taking place on February 5, March 4, April 12 and May 3. Since its inception, CNAS scientists have shared their knowledge and research with students, alumni, faculty, staff and community...

Susan Wessler, Distinguished Professor and Geneticist in the UC Riverside Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, has been elected to a four-year term as Vice President at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Professor Wessler assumed her duties as Vice President last month. The position, which also chairs the NAS Council Committee on Scientific Programs...

Mary Droser, Distinguished Professor of Geology in the UC Riverside Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, likes to say that she is the luckiest and most privileged person she knows. To anyone considering her prodigious list of professional accomplishments, the eponymous head of the Droser Paleoecology Lab on campus certainly seems to have had a...

Dear Colleagues, I am excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Peter Atkinson, Interim Dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), as the permanent CNAS Dean, effective January 6, 2025. A UCR faculty member since 1997, Peter is a professor in the Department of Entomology whose research focuses on developing novel, molecular...

While his profession turned out to be more dangerous than he anticipated when he enrolled at UCR as a biochemistry student in 1965, Goddard hasn’t looked back. His prolific career in law enforcement includes 12 years as a police criminalist and crime scene investigator working on gruesome homicides, drug raids, and robberies, and over four...

The UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) welcomed and celebrated 33 new faculty members for the 2024 academic year at the annual New Faculty Reception on October 29. Peter Atkinson, CNAS Interim Dean, welcomed the new faculty members and their families at the Alumni & Visitors Center for a special dinner, where...

Dear CNAS Students, Today marks the beginning of the 2024 academic year for the UC Riverside community, and I have been looking forward to the energy and enthusiasm that our students bring to campus! For the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) alone, we welcome 7,325 CNAS students, of which 1,780 are new first-year...

As part of the UC Riverside Natural Reserves Inclusivity Internship program, undergraduate students from campuses across Southern California celebrated the conclusion of their summer internship experience with the UCR Natural Reserves on August 16. The 10-week summer internship program paired undergraduate students from UC Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona, Citrus College, Cal State Fullerton and Mt...

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) — the nation’s largest organization of professional ecologists— held their annual meeting on August 4-9, 2024 where thousands of ecological scientists, educators, students, and practitioners gathered from around the world to share new research findings and discuss solutions to today’s ecological and environmental challenges. Dedicated to advancing the science...

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) hosted the Cooperative Extension (CE) Advisors and UCR CE Faculty Collaboration Meeting on May 23. CE advisors located in (or serving) over 14 counties across California were invited to learn about the ongoing research by UCR CE faculty to enhance collaboration between...

UC Riverside faculty and staff hosted the second annual STEM Summer Camp in late June 2024, bringing dozens of high school students to campus for an immersive, hands-on STEM experience and a taste of college life. "We wanted to make a connection between UC Riverside and high schools, as well as providing a pipeline from...

Effective July 1, 2024, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) welcomed three new divisional deans, who will lead CNAS student academic affairs and the College’s life and agricultural sciences core areas: CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs: Stephanie Dingwall, Associate Professor of Teaching in the Biochemistry Department...

Every graduating class from UC Riverside is special, but many of the students comprising the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences’ 70th Commencement ceremony hold a select status that they share with few others. Academically, they came of age during a worldwide pandemic and all the challenges that stemmed from it. The Class of 2024...

Each year, the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) honors students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and accomplishments throughout their time at UC Riverside. "Over the past few years, you've all navigated through these times with remarkable resilience, perseverance, and commitment—that is your legacy," said Peter W. Atkinson, CNAS Interim Dean, in his remarks...

The UC Riverside Mathematics department has announced the 2023-2024 awards honoring visiting assistant professors, graduate and undergraduate students: Outstanding Visiting Assistant Professor Award for Visiting Assistant Professor/Postdoctoral Scholars: The 2024-2024 Outstanding Visiting Assistant Professor Award winners are: Courtney George Courtney's dedication to teaching is evident from her glowing student evaluations, her impressive response rates (of...

PALM DESERT, CA - Dr. Elia Scudiero, Research Agronomist at the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) gave a talk entitled "From Dirt to Data: Precision Insights for Sustainable Agricultural Systems" at the UC Riverside Palm Desert Center on Tuesday, May 14. His lecture marked the final installment of the 2024 CNAS...

On Tuesday, May 14, Dr. Elia Scudiero, Research Agronomist in the Environmental Sciences Department at UC Riverside, will address the topic From Dirt to Data: Precision Insights for Sustainable Agricultural Systems as the final talk in CNAS’ 2024 Science Lecture Series. Dr. Scudiero will speak at the UCR Palm Desert Center in Palm Desert, CA...

RIVERSIDE, CA - In a day-long series of campus events on Tuesday April 30, UCR will honor Barry Barish, Nobel Laureate, Distinguished Professor, and Endowed Term Chair for Teaching, Research and Service, on being awarded the 2023 National Medal of Sciences – the highest award given to American scientists – this past fall by President...

On Saturday, April 13, admitted first-year students and their families will gather at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) campus for Highlander Day, the annual all-day open house showcasing the richly diverse and inclusive array of opportunities available at UCR. Highlander Day also gives students admitted to UCR’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS)...