Dear CNAS Community,

Having the UCR community back on campus this past quarter has made this holiday season a special one for me. When on campus, I have the opportunity to talk with you and discuss the amazing things happening across UCR and CNAS, in particular. I am incredibly proud of your contributions and accomplishments, even in the most challenging of times. We've accomplished so much! Some highlights include:

• For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named UC Riverside the top university in the nation for social mobility.
• Cutting edge research continues to make headline news including CNAS research that may have discovered a potential cause of Alzheimer’s Disease.
• Our state-of-the-art greenhouse facility — Plant Research 1 — was completed, renovations for Pierce Hall are finished, and the planning stages for the Bachelor Hall renovation is moving forward.
• CNAS kicked off the UCR Beyond Brilliant fundraising campaign to expand scholarships and fellowships for students in addition to creating additional resources, opportunities, and programs for students— which many of you have already supported with a generous donation.
• Five CNAS faculty members have received the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award.
• Six CNAS graduate programs were awarded the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) grant. For our doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, a $5 million grant will support the Training Program to Advance Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Research, Education and Workforce Diversity (TRANSCEND) to train young scientists and physicians in stem cell research.
• Our undergraduate students were awarded with the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which is one of the country’s most competitive honors in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, or STEM.  
• Through our Let’s Talk Science and Homecoming events, I was reminded how amazing our alumni are. CNAS alumni met with students to share their journey to pursue graduate degrees, apply to and attend medical school, getting started with a professional career, and being an entrepreneur in STEM.

There’s much more to share, but just know how proud I am to be Dean of the College Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Despite the challenges we face, we have also seen great progress.

As the year comes to an end, I invite you to consider making a gift that will enable the college to expand access and opportunity, empower innovative learning and teaching opportunities, and enhance our research capabilities. It’s your generosity that helps make UCR the world-renowned university that it is.  

Stay safe and stay healthy. 

Happy Holidays!

Kathryn Uhrich
Dean, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences