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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 Give Day 2026
UCR Give Day
Starts: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 12 PM PDT
Ends: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 12 PM PDT
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Katie Dehesh
Science Lecture Series 2026
Join us for a talk on Plant Metabolites: Nature’s Toolkit for Stress and Survival with Dr. Katayoon (Katie) Dehesh.
April 11, 2026
UCR Main Campus
Learn More and RSVP
Marko Spasojevic
Science Lecture Series 2026
Join us for a talk on What’s Wild in Riverside with Dr. Marko Spasojevic.
April 22, 2026 (Earth Day)
UCR Main Campus
Learn More and RSVP
Riverside Insect Fair
Riverside Insect Fair
Saturday, April 25th, 2026
10am–4pm
Downtown Riverside
Learn More about the Riverside Insect Fair
CNAS Dean Peter Atkinson's Office Hours
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Dean Peter Atkinson holds regular office hours
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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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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

orchard robot monitoring soil
April 02, 2026
Watering smarter, not more
Better farming through technology: A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it’s needed.
Read More »
dairy cows
March 31, 2026
Cow manure digesters really cut methane — unless they leak
UC Riverside study of nearly 100 dairy farms shows systems designed to capture methane from manure are highly effective, unless they leak.
Read More »
Van de Ven and lab plant specimens
March 24, 2026
How plants stop growing to survive stress
A UCR researcher worked years into retirement to uncover the biology behind plants' response to environmental stress. Her dedication could help us all.
Read More »
Elderly woman side view
March 18, 2026
Key Alzheimer’s proteins are competing inside brain cells
New UC Riverside-led research suggests Alzheimer’s arises not simply from plaques forming in the brain, as is widely believed, but from one protein interfering with the normal job of another 
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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hummingbird
Explore the UCR Botanic Gardens
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More College News

UCR students and staff at the R'Garden

Where students grow more than food: R’Garden’s new chapter takes root at UC Riverside

On a quiet stretch of campus near Lot 30, something different is happening. There are rows of vegetables pushing up through the soil, pollinators drifting between native plants, and students kneeling in the dirt—talking, learning, laughing, working side by side...
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CNAS at World Ag Expo 2026

CNAS Expands Industry Engagement and Visibility at 2026 World Ag Expo

The UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) strengthened its presence in the agricultural community at the 2026 World Ag Expo (WAE), held February 10–13 in Tulare, California, building on last year’s successful debut with an expanded slate...
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Jim Baird at Turfgrass Field Day 2026

Advancing Turfgrass Science at UC Riverside: The Development of Coachella Bermudagrass

For more than a decade, UC Riverside has been advancing turfgrass research through a revitalized breeding program focused on performance, resilience, and environmental efficiency. One of its most significant outcomes is Coachella Bermudagrass — a new cultivar developed through collaborative...
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RUSD Awards Ceremony at University Theater

UCR Celebrates Next Generation of Scientists at RUSD and Val Verde Science Fair Awards Ceremony

The University of California, Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences celebrated young scientific achievement on Friday, January 30, 2026, hosting awards ceremonies for both the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) and the Val Verde Unified School District Science and...
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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
Learn more about being a CNAS graduate and undergraduate student

Inside UCR

Mycologist Sydney Glassman holding a mushroom
March 11, 2026
A rising star in fungal science
UC Riverside mycologist Sydney Glassman wins national early-career award
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Brad Marston gives lecture
March 10, 2026
Gravitational physics community gathers at UCR
The 42nd Jim Isenberg Pacific Coast Gravity Meeting brought leading gravitational researchers to campus for the first time
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Manuela Martins-Green
February 18, 2026
Professor receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Wound Healing Society
Manuela Martins-Green’s lab pioneered studies on the role of chemokines in wound healing
Read More »
Marin Furukuwa and others at AES meeting
February 10, 2026
From diagnosis to discovery: Marin Furukuwa’s journey through epilepsy research
Undergraduate’s internship experience fueled her passion for neuroscience and healthcare
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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

Massive worldwide seawater study finds human-made chemicals prolific

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI - An analysis of more than 2,300 seawater samples from more than 20 field studies around the globe indicates that human-made chemicals—from plastic additives and industrial lubricants to pharmaceuticals and pesticides—are widespread in the marine environment, particularly...
Read More »

Plants pause their own growth to survive stress

EARTH.COM - Scientists have identified a single molecule that surges inside stressed plant cells and rapidly chokes off a growth pathway they cannot live without. The study recasts stunted growth as an active survival response, and it points to a...
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Plants can stop growing within minutes to survive sudden stress

EARTH.COM - Plants can’t run from danger. When sunlight suddenly becomes too intense, temperatures spike, or conditions turn hostile, they have to survive exactly where they are. To cope, they rely on rapid internal changes. One of the most important...
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Human-made chemicals now shape ocean chemistry worldwide

EARTH.COM - The ocean has always shown clear signs of human impact. You see plastic floating, oil on the surface, and rising temperatures. Those are easy to notice. But there’s another change happening quietly, and it’s only now becoming clear...
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CNAS Blog

Hoori Ajami at the WRCOG Women’s Day Forum

Celebrating Leadership and Community at WRCOG Women’s Day Forum

The Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) hosted its annual Women’s Day Forum on March 10 at the Moreno Valley Conference Center, bringing together more than 200 attendees from across the Inland Empire for a half-day of connection, reflection, and...

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Attendees of the Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare event

Inside the Expanding World of Science Careers: Insights from CNAS Alumni

Panel and dinner conversations highlight the breadth of opportunities available to science graduates. Students, alumni and campus partners gathered Feb. 18 at the UC Riverside Alumni and Visitors Center for “Dinner with Alumni: Science Careers Beyond Healthcare,” an evening designed...

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Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair

CNAS Students Support Young Scientists at Riverside County Science & Engineering Fair

On February 27, CNAS Science Ambassadors served as volunteer judges at the Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair at the Riverside Convention Center, joining educators, industry professionals, and community partners in supporting the region’s next generation of scientists. Hosted by...
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Inspire Science Symposium 2026

Inspire Science Opens Doors to the Future of Discovery

On January 29, 2026, UC Riverside's HUB 302 was filled with an uncommon mix of people: high school students seeing a research campus for the first time, undergraduates imagining what might come next, graduate students reflecting on how far they’ve...
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