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College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

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Angel Zarobinski, Mia Alvarado, Logan Reynosa, and faculty mentor Dr. Stephanie Dingwall in Washington, D.C.

From Riverside to Capitol Hill: UCR Students Advocate for the Future of Undergraduate Research

For a group of UC Riverside students, research didn’t just stay in the lab—it took them all the way to Capitol Hill. From March 1–2, 2026, four Highlanders—Angel Zarobinski, Mia Alvarado, Logan Reynosa, and faculty mentor Dr. Stephanie Dingwall—traveled to Washington, D.C. through the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Scholars Transforming through Research (STR) Program...

Inaugural Schrock Distinguished Lecture at UC Riverside.

From UCR to the Nobel Prize—and Back: Inaugural Schrock Distinguished Lecture Launches New Tradition in Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Riverside marked a significant milestone on April 1, 2026, with the launch of the inaugural Richard R. Schrock Distinguished Lecture, a new series designed to bring leading voices in chemistry to campus and inspire the next generation of scientists. The lecture honors Distinguished Professor of Chemistry...

UCR Hosting the Inaugural SoCal Single Cell Retreat

Seeding Community and Inspiring Innovation: UCR Hosts Inaugural SoCal Single Cell Retreat

Researchers from leading institutions gather at UC Riverside to advance collaboration in one of biology’s fastest-growing fields.

CNAS faculty and students at FFA California Leadership Conference 2026

CNAS Connects with Future Agricultural Leaders at California FFA Conference

The 98th Annual California FFA State Leadership Conference, held March 21–24, 2026, in Ontario, California, brought together more than 7,000 high school students, advisors, and guests—making it one of the largest statewide events dedicated to developing the next generation of agricultural leaders. For the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) at UC Riverside, the...
2026-Regional-Celebration

CNAS Welcomes Future Highlanders Across California—and Invites Them to Campus

Over the past two weekends, UC Riverside brought the Highlander experience on the road—welcoming newly admitted students and their families at Regional Celebrations in Oakland, San Diego, and Los Angeles. For many, these events marked their first introduction to the campus community they may soon call home. For others, they were a chance to begin...
UCR Natural Reserves

Tim Higham Appointed Director of the UCR Natural Reserves System

Dean CNAS Community, I am very pleased to announce the appointment, after an internal search, of Professor Tim Higham as the new Director of the UCR Natural Reserves System. Professor Higham will succeed Professor Kimberly Hammond, who is stepping down from this position. Professor Higham joined the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology in...
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. Some arrive for a volunteer shift. Others come for a class project. Some just want...
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 of faculty seminars and, for the first time, an interactive pavilion booth. Over three days...
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 research led by UCR Professor and Turfgrass Specialist, James H. Baird, and UCR Professor and...
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 Engineering Fairs. The events marked the culmination of weeks — and in many cases months...
Students and judges at Riverside Unified School District Science and Engineering Fair

Young Scientists Take Center Stage at UCR During Riverside Unified School District Science and Engineering Fair

On January 27, 2026, HUB 302 at the University of California, Riverside was filled with poster boards, lab notebooks, and a steady hum of scientific curiosity as students from across the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) gathered for the district’s annual Science and Engineering Fair. For a few hours, the room became a hub of...
Val Verde Unified School District Science and Engineering Fair Students

Val Verde Students Bring Curiosity and Creativity to UCR for First-Ever District Science Fair at CNAS

For many Val Verde Unified School District students, stepping onto the UC Riverside campus on Friday, Jan. 23, marked their first time visiting a major research university. By the end of the day, they weren’t just visitors — they were scientists. Val Verde USD students gathered at UCR for the district’s first-ever science fair hosted...
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 the first time, the Val Verde Unified School District (VVUSD). Bringing together elementary, middle, and...

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 Salt Lake City, UT. Bhawana Acharya attended the event in Salt Lake City and co-authored...

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 in HUB 269, continued with a campus tour led by the CNAS Science Ambassadors, and...

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 Welcome Week 2025, CNAS Dean Peter Atkinson, Stephanie Dingwall, CNAS Divisional Dean of Student Academic...
Catalyst research of UCR Nobel Laureate groundbreaking ceremony

Catalyst Research of UCR Nobel Laureate is Key in Construction of Innovative New Plant

Nobel Laureate, Richard R. Schrock, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, recently returned from Hungary where he attended a groundbreaking ceremony to build a new facility that will manufacture metathesis catalysts that enable environmentally friendly chemical processes. The production technology is based on his pioneering...
RUSD Earth & Space Sciences Symposium at UC Riverside

UCR Hosts Symposium on Earth and Space Sciences for Teachers from RUSD

In a day-long symposium on August 6, a panel of researchers from UC Riverside’s (UCR) College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) expounded on the earth and space sciences to an audience of high school and middle school science teachers from the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD). The Earth & Space Sciences Symposium, held on...

Research in Science and Engineering Program (RISE)

Riverside Students RISE to the Occasion in Summer Research Program at UCR

Well into its 10-week run, the Research in Science and Engineering Program (RISE) at UCR, not only benefits current UCR students, but also Riverside City College (RCC) students in ways that could shape their academic futures. RISE is designed for rising sophomores, juniors, incoming transfers (many from RCC), and seniors. The program is held annually...

CNAS Commencement 2025

For the CNAS Class of 2025, One Journey Ends and Another Begins

CNAS Dean Peter Atkinson had some special wisdom he wanted to impart to students making up the college’s 71st graduating class during commencement ceremonies held on June 16 at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA. “Science matters,” he said, “and science is never finished. Every answer leads to a new question. Every theory invites deeper...

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