Rausser College of Natural Resources: An Overview

The Rausser College of Natural Resources (CNR) at the University of California, Berkeley, stands as a leading institution dedicated to the study of natural and human systems. By integrating biological, ecological, economic, and social science perspectives, the college addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. Its mission is deeply rooted in the University of California’s public service commitment, aimed at benefiting the people of California, the nation, and the world.

Introduction to Rausser College

The Rausser College of Natural Resources embraces the University of California’s public mission, serving the people of California, our nation, and the world. We conduct fundamental and applied research in the biological, physical, and social sciences. We train and educate future leaders and scholars, and engage with public and private partners to meet the pressing social and environmental challenges of our time. Through our research, teaching, and outreach, we seek equitable, scalable, and innovative solutions that address the climate crisis, promote ecological and economic sustainability, and improve human health and well-being.

Historical Roots and Evolution

The origins of Rausser College are intertwined with the establishment of the University of California system. The federal Morrill Act played a crucial role by establishing a national network of land grant universities focused on agricultural teaching and research. In 1868, the California legislature established the University of California in Berkeley and the College of Agriculture. The college is the first state-run agricultural experiment station. Plans for the creation of this public university were first developed at the 1849 Constitutional Convention, but when the State of California was established in 1850, it lacked the funds necessary to create such a school. By 1862, the State had secured the land necessary to establish a college as a result of the Morrill Act. On March 23, 1868, Governor H.H. Haight signed the Organic Act, which officially established the University of California. The Board of Regents began admitting women to the University of California in 1871, and the first woman to graduate was Rosa L. Scrivner in 1874.

Key Areas of Focus

Faculty, students, and researchers at Rausser College engage the issues that shape the complex, interconnected world of the 21st century. Issues that CNR engage in include sustainable food systems, obesity, water policy, energy policy, climate change, and the connections between the human genome, diet, and disease. The college focuses on:

Sustainable Food Systems: Researching and promoting methods to ensure food production is environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially equitable.
Obesity: Investigating the causes and consequences of obesity, and developing strategies for prevention and treatment.
Water Policy: Studying water management and policy to address issues of scarcity, quality, and access.
Energy Policy: Developing sustainable energy solutions and policies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change.
Climate Change: Addressing the far-reaching impacts of climate change through research, policy analysis, and technological innovation.
Human Health: Exploring the linkages between the human genome, diet, and disease to improve human health and well-being.

Academic Departments and Programs

Rausser College is home to four internationally top-ranked academic departments:

Agriculture and Resource Economics (ARE)
Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM)
Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology (NST)
Plant and Microbial Biology

It also houses one interdisciplinary program:

Energy and Resources Group (ERG)

These departments offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE)

Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) researches global food production, nutrition and health, development economics, climate change, environmental economics, applied econometrics, policy evaluation, energy economics, natural resource economics, and international trade. Admissions to ARE's graduate program are highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of 8.8%. ARE offers one undergraduate major, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Economics and Policy (EEP).

Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM)

Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM) is the largest department within Rausser College, with three interrelated divisions Ecosystems Sciences, Organisms and Environment, and Society and Environment divisions. Research, teaching and outreach themes include biosphere/critical zone, biodiversity/dynamic environments, stewardship and environmental changes, and humanity and future earth. Admissions to ESPM's graduate program are highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of 8.75%. ESPM graduates may earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, a M.A. in Forestry, or a M.S. in Range Management.

Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology (NST)

Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology (NST) researches the function of nutrients, phytochemicals, toxicants, and the metabolic interaction of these elements in living organisms in order to inform recommendations for dietary patterns to achieve optimum health and the treatment or prevent of chronic disease conditions. NST offers doctoral degrees in Molecular and Biochemical Nutrition, as well as in Molecular Toxicology.

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Plant and Microbial Biology

Plant and Microbial Biology encompasses theoretical and applied research in ecology, computational biology, genomics, host-microbe interactions, physiology, and biochemistry. It offers a Ph.D. in Plant or Microbial Biology, and oversees two similarly named undergraduate major programs.

Energy and Resources Group (ERG)

Energy and Resources Group (ERG) provides education and research for a sustainable environment and a just society. ERG is a collaborative community of graduate students, core faculty, over 100 affiliated faculty and researchers across the campus, and nearly 500 alumni across the globe. Degrees include MA, MS, and PhD.

Research and Innovation

The research conducted at Rausser College addresses critical issues such as climate change, sustainable energy, and natural resource management. Key areas of research include:

Climate Change Solutions: Developing new technologies and nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration and management, as well as sustainable and efficient energy and transportation systems. Applying expertise in economics and policy to help mitigate and adapt to the societal and environmental costs of climate change.
Ecosystem Stewardship: Studying terrestrial, aquatic, and marine systems and their relationship to biodiversity and human well-being. Offering new insights and best practices to promote sustainable ecosystems across California and around the world. Expertise includes human-wildlife interactions, biodiversity conservation, land use, air and water quality, waste, pollution, soil health, forests, and wildfire.
Biological Sciences and Systems: Generating critical advances in human health, resilient food systems, and the bioeconomy of the 21st century. Pursuing foundational research in plant, microbial, and metabolic biology to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of living systems. Applying this knowledge to understand both the functioning of healthy systems and the causes of disease, focusing on microbial diseases of plants and humans, and human diseases related to nutrition and metabolism.

A Personalized Educational Experience

Providing a small-college experience at the world’s greatest public university, Rausser combines hands-on experience with a rigorous education. We give our students a solid foundation and big-picture perspective that informs and inspires them after they leave our campus. Rausser College's personalized student services program sets us apart from other colleges and academic units on campus.

Rankings and Recognition

The UC Berkeley Rausser College of Natural Resources is proud to be an integral part of the number one public research university in the world. News and World Report, and several global rankings. Among the active faculty's many eminent honorees are four Nobel laureates affiliated with the 2007 Nobel Prize for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, seven MacArthur Fellows, 12 UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award winners, 40 Fulbright fellows, and 16 National Academy of Science Fellows.

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Facilities and Architecture

Located on the northwest end of the Berkeley campus, the college comprises six main buildings. These include the historic group of Wellman, Hilgard, and Giannini halls that composed the original college. The first hall, Wellman Hall, was designed under neoclassical architecture in 1912 by John Galen Howard. It was named after Harry R. Wellman, professor of agricultural economics and director of the Giannini Foundation. Hilgard Hall was constructed six years later by the same architect, and it was named after Eugene W. Hilgard, professor of agricultural chemistry and father of modern soil science. The original College of Agriculture consisted of the Hilgard, Wellman, and Giannini halls.

Design and Content Management

A key focus was developing a scalable architecture that could support multiple departments while providing a consistent user experience and streamlined content management. We created a flexible design system and modular content structure, allowing individual departments to showcase their unique identities within a cohesive college-wide framework.

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