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College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

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Hands-On Experience. World-Renowned Scientists.

Research Excellence
29,000
acres and more serve as a real-life laboratory for plant research
36,683
alumni and counting making a difference
2
Nobel Laureates and 18 National Academies members on the faculty
UCR Citrus Field Day for Growers & Industry Members
Citrus Field Day for Growers & Industry Members
Thursday, February 19, 2026
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
1060 Martin Luther King Blvd, Riverside, CA 92507
Learn more and Register
CNAS Commencement Auditions are Open
Auditions are Open
Audition for the role of student speaker or singer of the UCR Alma Mater or National Anthem during the CNAS Commencement Ceremony!
Submit the application form by Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Learn More & Apply Here
Frontiers of Cosmology Lecture
Frontiers of Cosmology Lecture
Waves are Everywhere: How Oscillations Shape Technology, Earth, and the Universe
Presented by Brad Marston, Professor of Physics, Brown University, President of the American Physical Society
February 26, 2026 | 5pm-8pm | University Lecture Hall, 1000
Learn More & Register
CNAS Dean Peter Atkinson's Office Hours
Dean's Office Hours
Dean Peter Atkinson holds regular office hours
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Prospective Students
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CNAS Student Research Opportunities
Student Research Opportunities
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CNAS Learning Communities
CNAS Learning Communities
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Graduate Student Careen Khachatoorian in the Talbot Lab
Graduate Programs
Opportunities for graduate students abound at CNAS
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Student in Science - Pursuing Advanced Degrees at CNAS
Pursuing Advanced Degrees at CNAS
CNAS’ graduate degree programs for M.S. and Ph.D. students
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Career Resources
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CNAS Prime Resources
CNAS marketing materials, logos, Drupal website tutorials, room schedules, and more are available here for students, faculty, and staff. CAS Login required.
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I chose UCR due to the collaborative atmosphere, countless research opportunities, and student support programs ...
Joel, biochemistry major
I am motivated by my desire to understand life ... and to educate the next generation of scientists ...
Xuemei Chen, Distinguished Professor of Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
A large part of the UCR community is the support you receive from both your peers and professors.
Oscar, biochemistry major

CNAS Science News

orange cup fungi
January 29, 2026
How fire-loving fungi learned to eat charcoal
Wildfire causes most living things to flee or die, but some fungi thrive afterward, even feasting on charred remains. New University of California, Riverside research finds the secret to post-fire flourishing hidden in their genes. 
Read More »
tortilla chips and guacamole served on a wooden tray
January 29, 2026
The science behind a great guacamole
Guacamole is a game-day favorite, but what does it take to perfect it? Researchers at UC Riverside are peeling back the science of what makes a great avocado and how to turn it into a winning bowl of guacamole. 
Read More »
Dark matter Webb and Hubble images
January 26, 2026
James Webb Space Telescope reveals new details about dark matter in the universe
Findings allow scientists to learn more about dark matter’s influence on stars, galaxies, and planets
Read More »
Taklamakan afforestation
January 26, 2026
Shrubs curb carbon emissions in China’s largest desert
An experiment in western China over the past four decades shows that it is possible to tame the expansion of desert lands with greenery, and, in the process, pull excess carbon dioxide out of the sky.
Read More »
View Latest Science News Stories

A Message from Dean Peter Atkinson

On behalf of the faculty, staff, and students from the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside, I welcome you to our college and campus.

 

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Science & Engineering Fair at UC Riverside

CNAS Welcomes Local Students and Families for Two Science and Engineering Fairs

UC Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) will welcome hundreds of young scientists, educators, and families to campus as it hosts two regional Science and Engineering Fairs in partnership with the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) and, for...

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Digital Agronomy Lab Members

Students in Elia Scudiero’s Lab Win Best Poster Award at American Society of Agronomy Meeting

Three students in Professor Elia Scudiero’s Digital Agronomy Lab at UC Riverside's College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) teamed up to win a Best Poster Award at the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) annual meeting held November 9-12 in...

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CNAS New Faculty Reception - October 20, 2025

CNAS Welcomes New Faculty Members for the 2025 Academic Year

The College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) welcomed its newest faculty on October 20, hosting a full day of events designed to connect them with the CNAS community. The program began at noon with the CNAS New Faculty Orientation...

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CNAS New Family Welcome 2025

CNAS New Family Welcome Kicks off CNAS Welcome Week 2025

Last Sunday afternoon marked the beginning of a fruitful scholastic journey for first-year and transfer students at CNAS when they, along with their families, attended the annual CNAS New Family Welcome get-together at the Highlander Union Building (HUB). Part of...
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College News Archive
Dr. Barry C. Barish (c) UCR
Dr. Barry C. Barish
2017 NOBEL PRIZE WINNER IN PHYSICS
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Richard R. Schrock (c) UCR
Dr. Richard R. Schrock
2005 NOBEL PRIZE WINNER IN CHEMISTRY
UCR ALUMNUS
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Start your #UCRScience journey today
Start your #UCRScience journey today
Learn more about being a CNAS graduate and undergraduate student

Inside UCR

Ryan Milton
February 05, 2026
UC Riverside doctoral student awarded prestigious DOE fellowship
Ryan Milton will conduct AI-based nuclear physics research at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
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Mahboubeh Ahmadi
February 03, 2026
Postdoc receives CURE Epilepsy’s Taking Flight Award
Mahboubeh Ahmadi will study hippocampal inhibitory circuits and seizure-related behaviors
Read More »
The Kane asteroid orbit
January 21, 2026
A UCR astrophysicist is now an asteroid
A scientist, his asteroid, and a happy hour
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Tango mandarin
January 19, 2026
Tango mandarin is ‘2026 Flavor of the Year’ in Spain and Portugal
A European trade association chooses the UCR-developed Tango mandarin as "Flavor of the Year" in Spain and Portugal.
Read More »
More "Inside UCR" CNAS News
looking through a digital microscope, Dr. Manuela Martins-Green
Give to the College
Donor support has a direct impact on CNAS students, empowering them to delve into research, stay curious, and prepares them to fill the gaps in the job market as research-minded scientists.
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CNAS in the Media

Scientists warn against breathing in secondhand vape ‘smoke’

NEWSWEEK - Breathing in lingering, secondhand e-cigarette vapors has the potential to damage lung tissues. This is the warning of a new study by researchers from the University of California Riverside, who found that aged vape aerosols contain fine particles...
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Fire-loving fungi have learned to eat charcoal — a useful skill for dealing with industrial waste

DISCOVER MAGAZINE - Although wildfires are a natural and recurring phenomenon in certain regions, climate change is intensifying their impact. Each year, fires now swallow around four percent of Earth’s land surface, leaving behind vast, unrecognizable charred landscapes. While most...
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Secondhand vape plumes could form lung-damaging radicals

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY - Electronic cigarettes — or vapes — can release puffs of vapor in aromatic clouds. The health risks of breathing in this secondhand or passive vapor aren’t fully understood. So, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science &...
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Mars's gravity may help control Earth’s cycle of ice ages

NEW SCIENTIST - Compared with Earth, Mars is tiny, yet it seems to have an outsized effect on our planet’s climate cycles. Similar small planets could affect the climates of worlds beyond our solar system, which we must begin to...
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CNAS Blog

students at the R'STEM Find Your Research Match

R’STEM Find Your Research Match Connects Students with Research Opportunities

Students looking to take the next step in their academic journeys had the opportunity to connect directly with faculty, graduate students, and campus partners during the R’STEM Find Your Research Match event, held on February 3, 2026, from 11:30 a.m...
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CNAS Graduate Students at REACH STEAM Academy Science Fair

CNAS Graduate Students Support REACH Leadership STEAM Academy Science Fair

On January 22, 2026, REACH Leadership STEAM Academy in Riverside hosted its annual science fair, welcoming students, educators, and community partners for a late-afternoon event that highlighted curiosity, experimentation, and discovery. UC Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS)...
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Marie-Rose Osei and Claire Van Der Linden with UCR Professor Viji Santhakumar - UCR Department of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology

A Tie That Binds

The story of how one chemistry teacher— Michelle Hampton—at Riverside Unified School District’s (RUSD) Martin Luther King High School (MLK) reached out to faculty at UC Riverside with an idea of giving her chemistry students practical experience in a bona...
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CNAS student sitting by Scotty statue

CNAS student Maritssa Nolasco wins 2025 ASA/CSSA/SSSA National Student Recognition Award

Maritssa Nolasco, a fourth-year Mathematics for Teachers of Secondary School (MTSS) major at the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences and a Digital Agriculture Fellowship (DAF) participant, has been awarded the 2025 National Student Recognition award. Co-sponsored by...
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