New banners celebrate 50 years of the College of Natural Resources

For 50 years, the College of Natural Resources has helped propel UC Berkeley forward as a global academic leader. Formed during the merger of the School of Forestry and Conservation and the College of Agricultural Sciences in 1974, the College contributes to the societal understanding of natural and human systems from biological, ecological, economic, and social science perspectives.

To commemorate the past half-century of groundbreaking research, educational excellence, and outreach and engagement, 22 banners featuring Rausser College of Natural Resources students, faculty, and staff have been installed on light poles around campus. Among those featured on the banners are:

• Environmental Science, Policy, and Management professor Miranda Redmond and graduate student Alexis Bernal, who are enhancing our understanding of wildfire and forest management through research encompassing forest resilience, sustainable land management, ecosystem dynamics, and climate change.
• Plant and Microbial Biology professor Krishna Niyogi and graduate student Antonio Chaparro. They are two of Rausser College’s researchers who use cutting-edge synthetic biology and CRISPR gene editing techniques to help plants resist pathogens, improve crop yields, and remove carbon from the air.
• Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology instructor Mikelle McCoin and Master of Nutritional Science and Dietetics students Ghazal Rezaee and Paige Barrett. They build on the 50-year legacy of Professor Emerita Janet King and the College’s accredited dietetics program by translating scientific research into practical solutions for addressing nutritional challenges and promoting health and wellness.
• Agricultural and Resource Economics professor Meredith Fowlie, who holds the Class of 1935 Distinguished Professorship in Energy. Her extensive research on the economics of energy markets and the environment has supported the development of renewable energy projects and shaped policies like California's cap-and-trade program.
• Energy and Resources Group (ERG) graduate students Ari Ball-Burack, Jessica Katz, and Rachman Setiawan. They continue ERG’s 50-year track record of advancing interdisciplinary research and teaching across environmental economics, climate science, ecology, and other areas to create a more sustainable environment and an equitable society.

Each design showcases how the College’s more than 100 faculty and 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students work across departments and disciplines to advance research on equitable, scalable, and innovative solutions that address the climate crisis, promote ecological and economic sustainability, and improve human health and well-being. 

The Rausser College communications office produced the new banners in partnership with the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. They will remain up for a year as the College continues its 50th-anniversary celebrations. Read more about our history, fun facts, and other points of pride on our 50th anniversary page.

Save the Date: A 50th anniversary celebration and special Albright Lecture in Conservation featuring Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society, is planned for October 29, 2024. More details will be posted as they are available