From forests to farmland, Rausser College researchers are advancing science and solutions to support communities and ecosystems across the Golden State." An illustration of California is next to it.
California illustration by Jack Tite

Highlights from the Fall 2025 issue of Breakthroughs magazine

An illustration of the shape of California that features several figures and elements including two people setting a prescribed fire, a farmworker with their crops, a rangeland scene with a rancher, and several other elements.

A Letter from the Dean

Dean Ackerly on the importance of California’s rural and agricultural areas and how Rausser College faculty, students, and researchers are working to benefit all people, landscapes, and ecosystems.

A photo of black and brown cows on a green pasture

The Battle Over Cattle

Can California, home to the nation’s biggest dairy industry, balance the environmental benefits linked to cattle and other grazing animals with the impact of methane emissions associated with agricultural production?

Two people in orange coats and hard hats with drip torches starting a prescribed fire.

Burn, Learn, Repeat

UC Berkeley researchers are collaborating directly with policymakers and forest managers to bridge the gap between the laboratory and the landscape, studying new ways to mitigate wildfire while also using fire as a tool.

Illustration of collaborative farming practices

Partnerships with Purpose

Rausser College’s impact extends far beyond campus and the Bay Area, with many researchers leading community-rooted projects that center the health and well-being of Californians in rural and agricultural areas.

People outside discussing something

Bringing science to California’s high-priority crops

Houston Wilson, BS '05 Development Studies; PhD '14 Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, develops integrated pest management strategies for some of California’s most valuable agricultural commodities.

A headshot of a woman against a light grey background

Amplifying voices and resources for Tribal agriculture

Natalie Solares, BS ’13 Environmental Sciences, works to support the conservation, development, and use of agricultural resources of Native American Indian and Native Alaskan tribes.

Rausser College Peer Advising Leaders (PALS) in the refreshed Student Resource Center.

Fresh Look, Same Mission

A gift from the Rausser College of Natural Resources Advisory Board helped revitalize the College's Student Resource Center and improve the undergraduate student experience.

Cargo van with open door revealing a mobile laboratory designed for tracking air pollution.

On the Road to Healthy Air

UC Berkeley Professors Allen Goldstein and Joshua Apte, PhD ‘13 Energy and Resources, have embarked on a far-reaching field research campaign to take a “chemical fingerprint” of emissions across California communities.

About Breakthroughs Magazine

Since 1995, Breakthroughs magazine has been an important medium for showcasing the Rausser College of Natural Resources' research, teaching, and impact.

Created by the Rausser College Communications Office, the magazine is usually published twice per year, in the fall and spring semesters. 

A cover of the Fall 2025 issue of Breakthroughs magazine.

Fall 2025 Breakthroughs

Spring 2025 Breakthroughs magazine cover

Spring 2025 Breakthroughs

Breakthroughs Fall 2024

Fall 2024 Breakthroughs