Bold Hearts. Brilliant Minds.

Two women examine a growing plant in a UCR greenhouse

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Breadcrumb

Make Discoveries That Save the World

Learn how insects impact our environment as an entomologist. Analyze meaningful data as a statistician. Prevent disruption to the Earth’s systems and species as an environmental scientist. And so much more. Our 17 majors — taught by world-renowned faculty at the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS)  — will help you to make a global impact!

 

 

 


Undergraduate Research

 

UCR offers research opportunities to all undergraduate students! This advantage catapults you to the “top of the list” for jobs and/or graduate school. Current CNAS research includes:

  • Creating a coating that allows paper to be reused 80+ times
  • Cracking the Zika Virus protein structure that will lead to a cure
  • Fighting killer diseases attacking the U.S. citrus industry — thanks to a $5.1 million USDA grant
Jasmin Tran, a Neuroscience Major, works in a lab.

“Here at UCR, there’s so many research opportunities for undergrads! My lab studies the effects of a class of indoor flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on behaviors such as anxiety, social recognition, sociability, and olfactory habituation to determine if PBDEs cause deficits in behavior by altering signals from the brain.”

Jasmin Tran (Neuroscience)

 

Research Programs

FR First-Year Students    TR Transfer Students


 

MARC U-STAR

TR

(For high-achieving, underrepresented students in their third and fourth years)
Take part in structured training programs to prepare for doctoral programs in biomedical research fields.


Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRIP)

TR

(For rising third- and fourth-year students and some rising masters students from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds)
Pursue your Ph.D with MSRIP.

 


 

Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) 

FR

TR

Prepare for graduate and professional studies with RISE research experiences, training, seminars, meetings with the divisional dean, and professional development workshops.

 

 

  CNAS Internships

CNAS offers paid internships, peer mentorships, and summer programs with stipends, professional development opportunities, and graduate school preparation.

Student Jorge Juarez Duarte (JJ) or

“UCR is really inclusive and respects you as a person. There’s always a place to go where someone will listen and understand your situation. Come here, where anything is possible. I know you will succeed.”

Jorge Juarez Duarte (Mathematics)

High-Profile Companies Hire CNAS Graduates

CNAS graduates go on to influence the pharmaceutical and plastics industries, manage space missions, track oil spills in the world’s oceans, and more.

The NASA logo
The logo for Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the California Institute of Technology
The logo for the Naval Surface Warfare Center
The logo for Dupont
The logo for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The logo for National Geographic

 

A UC Degree Is More Affordable Than You Might Think

 

 

87%

of UCR undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid.

 

 

98%

of financial aid recipients received gift-aid (grants and scholarships).

 

 

77%

of students’ financial aid need was met with need-based financial aid.

(Financial Aid Office, 2021–22)

Let us show you how:  financialaid.ucr.edu


CNAS Scholarships

First-year and transfer students could qualify for a CNAS scholarship.

Prestigious Scholarships and Awards

First-year and transfer UCR students can fund their education with prestigious scholarships, such as the Donald A. Strauss Scholarship and the Undergraduate Fulbright Scholars (Research and English Teaching Award). Support is offered throughout the application process. Also available are campus scholarships, and Financial Aid's Outside Agency Scholarship Search for regional and national scholarships.

M = Academic minors are also available for these majors.

T = Transfer Selecting major. If applying as a transfer student, specific pre-requisite courses must be completed.

 

Undecided? We Can Help!

CNAS helps students successfully transition 
into a major field of study that is consistent with their aptitudes, values, and goals.

Learn More

 

Take a Tour of CNAS

Tour groundbreaking laboratories and the world-renowned Citrus Variety Collection.

Notable Facts

 

Nobel Laureate logo to represent the two laureates on UCR's faculty

Nobel Laureates on Faculty

UCR Alumnus Richard R. Schrock (Chemistry, 2005) and Barry Barish (Physics, 2017)

National Academies Members logo of a woman with a torch in her hand

Award-Winning Faculty

12 National Academy of Sciences
5 American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2 National Academy of Inventors

A medal to wear around the neck representing an award

Ranked No. 3 in Hispanic STEM graduates and No. 8 in Asian STEM graduates in the nation. (National Science Foundation's 2019 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering Report)

A chemistry beaker to represent the research students do at UCR

Undergraduate Research 

Half of all CNAS undergraduates engage in research outside of coursework. Many co-author research papers!

Award-Winning Faculty

 

Faculty member S. Hollis Woodard
S. HOLLIS WOODARD

Assistant Professor of Entomology

Studies how bees use their “buzz” to pollinate plants, and was featured in The New York Times video, “Why Do Bees Buzz?” (2017).

Faculty member Jing Shi
JING SHI

Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Makes topological insulators (TI) magnetic well above room temperatures, helping to create faster, smaller devices that operate with infinite battery life.

 

FR First-Year Students    TR Transfer Students

Success Programs

 

Every program is designed to help you succeed from the moment you first step on campus, to the day you graduate.

A graphic of an orange above the words Did you know?

Every orange, lemon, and lime on Earth has a genetic connection to the trees in CNAS’ Citrus Research Center and Agricultural Experiment Station! In fact, that’s how UCR got its start — as a Citrus Experiment Station in 1907.

 


 

CNAS Scholars Learning Communities

FR

Builds a community of students with common academic goals and dedication to academic excellence.

 


 

Science Ambassador Program

TR

Represent CNAS as a student ambassador at official functions, make presentations, and serve as a student liaison to various communities both on and off campus.

 


 

California Teach/Science-Math Initiative (SMI)

FR

TR

(For future math and science teachers)
Get the support needed to teach in high-need schools.

 

First Year Success Series

FR

Get guidance during your first year with this series of workshops and seminars. Topics include stress management, resume writing, and campus involvement.

 


 

STEM Pathway Program

TR

Get support with workshops, peer mentoring, and academic and professional skill-building activities.

 


 

Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)
 

FR

TR

(For underrepresented students in the STEM fields)
Successfully complete your science degree and pursue your studies at the graduate and professional level with CAMP.

 

Student Spotlight

 

The 11 winners of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program award smile for the camera

 

Year after year, UCR students are awarded the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — the STEM — disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.

Each fellow receives a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 as well as a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education.

CNAS Alumni

 

Sonia Zarate
SONIA ZÁRATE ’07

(Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology) 

  • Program Officer, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • Executive Board Member, the Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Aaron Pomerantz
AARON POMERANTZ ’12

(Entomology)

  • Creator/host, “The Next Gen Scientist”
  • National Geographic Grant recipient
  • Science Reporter, “Rainforest Expeditions” covering the Peruvian Amazon
A decorated dorm room. Stairs to one side suggest it is a loft style room.
On-Campus Housing for First-Year CNAS Students

Live, learn, and make memories in the Students in Math and Science (SiMS) Living-Learning Community. SiMS is designed exclusively for first-year CNAS students and features study sessions, social events, and CNAS-specific programming.

Learn More

Career Center

 

UCR’s Career Center — and Virtual Career Center — offers full-service counseling and resources, regardless of major or class level.

Includes:

  • Career and graduate/professional school planning
  • Job/internship search strategies and database
  • Skill-building workshops, employer information sessions, and panel discussions
  • 15 fairs and special events, including the STEM Job Fair, and the Graduate and Professional School Information Day
An announcement for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Job Fair
An announcement for the Health Professions School Information Day Fair

 

 

 

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