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...
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 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...
The UC Riverside Academic Senate awarded paleontologist Mary Droser with its top prize during their annual awards. Droser, a distinguished professor of geology, is the recipient of the 2024-25 Faculty Research Lecturer Award, the highest honor bestowed to faculty based on a distinguished record in research. She will deliver a lecture next year.
Dear R’Garden supporters, Thank you sincerely for reaching out regarding the future of the R'Garden. We share in the disappointment that the recent student referendum to secure ongoing support for R’Garden did not meet the minimum 20% voter participation threshold for approval, despite majority support from those who voted. Although the R'Garden referendum did not...
Each year, the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) proudly recognizes a select group of students who have distinguished themselves through exceptional academic achievements, innovative research, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the science community. These outstanding individuals are more than just award recipients—they are a testament to the...
Ellie Armstrong is a scientist by training, a dog photographer by hobby, and a rescuer by nature. By day, she is an evolutionary biologist at UC Riverside building genomic tools to trace the ancestry of species facing extinction. In her free time, she takes glamour shots of foster dogs to help them get adopted. Both...
Angeliz Vargas Casillas from UC Riverside, who won third prize for her talk on using math to model keloid scar expansion, reflected, “It really made me think about where I'm going with my research. Where can I take it? What is the goal? You have those things in mind, but when you’re putting it together...
UC Riverside alumna Gabriella Moussa has a sterling piece of advice about the Pre-Professional Advising Center (PPAC) and the services it provides. “To any student looking to use the office’s resources, but who may be hesitant for whatever reason: Let yourself let THEM help you!” says Gabriella, who graduated from UC Riverside in 2022 with...
Nine speakers from the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) gave talks highlighting their diverse research programs at the World Ag Expo held February 11-13 in Tulare, CA. In 25-minute sessions, five of which focused on the citrus industry alone, UC Riverside professors educated audiences on such varied topics as improving food...
UC Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) convened a meeting of UC Cooperative Extension (CE) Specialists, Advisors, and Faculty to foster collaborations and showcase agricultural research at UC Riverside. The meeting, held Feb. 18, featured researchers and professors from CNAS and BCOE who addressed topics effecting agriculture and natural resources (ANR) that are...
On April 12, admitted first-year students and their families will converge onto the University of California, Riverside campus for Highlander Day – an all-day open house held annually to showcase the richly diverse and inclusive array of opportunities available at UCR. Highlander Day also gives students admitted to the UC Riverside College of Natural &...
Stephanie Dingwall, Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs for the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) and two CNAS students recently visited the Washington, D.C. offices of California Senate and Congressional Representatives on a two-day trip to advocate for more funding and recognition of undergraduate research. The trip, which took place from...
Miguel Arratia, Assistant Professor of Physics at the UC Riverside College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), conceives and designs detectors for experiments for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) in Upton, NY, which was developed to uncover the mysteries that bind the atomic nucleus together. The U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Science Advisory Committee has...
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 UC Riverside for 28 years. Less familiar may be his vision, which emphasizes social mobility, collaboration with other colleges, and CNAS as the...
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...