Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Priorities, Strategies, and Metrics
Vision:
To be the catalyst for scientific excellence and breakthroughs, where curiosity is cultivated, creativity flourishes, and every person—regardless of background—can develop as a scientist, innovator, and leader committed to solving real-world challenges.
Mission:
To ignite scientific discovery and empower the next generation of innovators who will reshape how we address humanity's greatest challenges by:
- Advancing cutting-edge research and translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications.
- Delivering transformative, experiential education that inspires critical thinking, curiosity, and scientific leadership in a diverse community of learners.
- Building dynamic partnerships with regional, national, and global communities to amplify our impact and create solutions for a better, more resilient world.
Organization:
The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) is one of the University of Massachusetts Amherst's largest and most distinctive academic units, comprising thirteen departments and two schools: Astronomy, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Conservation, Food Science, Earth Geographic & Climate Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics, Microbiology, Physics, Polymer Science & Engineering, Veterinary & Animal Sciences, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and the School of Earth and Sustainability. CNS also provides oversight for the Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (CAFE) and the university's extension mission. With nearly 500 faculty and 500 staff members, the college represents a significant intellectual and operational force within the university.
Education:
CNS plays a central role in the university's teaching mission, serving approximately 8,000 undergraduate majors and 1,000 graduate students—representing roughly 30% of the university's undergraduate and doctoral enrollment. The college prioritizes experiential learning through innovative programs including Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), the SEA-PHAGES program, the Integrated Concentration in STEM (iCons) certificate program, the DesignBuild program (in collaboration with the College of Humanities and Fine Arts), the William Lee Science Impact Program (Lee-SIP), the CAFÉ Summer Scholars Program, and many others. CNS also houses two interdepartmental majors (Neuroscience and Statistics & Data Science) and four interdepartmental graduate programs (Neuroscience & Behavior, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Organismal & Evolutionary Biology, and Plant Biology).
Research:
The college's research enterprise is internationally recognized, securing $70-90 million in external grant awards annually over the past three years. Multiple units are ranked among the nation's and world's best, including Food Sciences and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, both ranked #1 nationally. Five CNS faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
The college operates across eighteen campus buildings, three greenhouses, and several off-campus research sites, including the Cranberry Station, Gloucester Marine Station, Cold Spring Orchard, the Joseph Troll Turf Research Facility, the Equine and Livestock Research and Education Farm, and the Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm.