The College of Sciences offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees to approximately 3,000 students in various areas.
With approximately 130 full-time faculty, the college has created a well-rounded curriculum by combining practical and empirical knowledge with scientific fundamentals and principles, which provides a solid foundation for a successful career in the sciences and other professional programs.
Hands-on Research
The research opportunities available to our students and faculty allow them to make inquiries and observations necessary for scientific discoveries. These discoveries are helping to protect and preserve Nevada and its citizens.
Community Service
Students, faculty, and staff participate in many programs that foster a positive relationship between UNLV and members of the community.
Facilities
Students have access to facilities, laboratories, research centers, and institutes on campus and throughout the country. This access enhances the classroom experience, fosters educational development, and builds relationships within the scientific community.
Preparation for Life
The college offers programs in life sciences, chemistry and biochemistry, geoscience, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, and water management.
The student-faculty relationship, hands-on research, and community service help ensure that students who graduate are prepared for whatever path they choose.
Mission Statement
The mission of the College of Sciences is to serve the students of UNLV, the citizens of Nevada and the United States, and society worldwide through research and discovery that expands knowledge in the natural, physical, and mathematical sciences. We communicate this knowledge to students in a rewarding learning environment, and to communities beyond the university through active engagement of diverse constituencies.
The College of Sciences endeavors to develop and nurture a community of scientists and scholars who are among the world leaders in their disciplinary areas, and who generate knowledge at the forefront of science. Research and discovery, in symbiosis with education, are our hallmarks. Addressing fundamental questions related to earth sciences, biological systems, physical and chemical systems, mathematics, and the universe will continue to be core focus areas. In conjunction with colleagues within and outside of the university, faculty and students participate in the application and exploitation of our scientific discoveries and expertise to the benefit of the university, the citizens of Nevada, and society at large.
The College of Sciences creates innovative and engaging learning environments in which students are educated to the full extent of their abilities. Our programs produce highly skilled and knowledgeable scientists educated in a premier research environment. In addition, we provide the education needed by diverse student populations, ranging from formal grounding in the sciences for technical disciplines, to a general appreciation and understanding of the sciences for non-specialists. We strive to develop comprehensive educational initiatives and services, and engage our alumni and friends in mutually beneficial relationships in support of teaching, research, and community service activities.
“The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”
Albert Einstein
Dean's Welcome
Eric L. Chronister
Welcome to the College of Sciences at UNLV. As an undergraduate or graduate student in the College of Sciences, you will have an opportunity to learn from nationally and internationally recognized scholars in astronomy, chemistry, geoscience, life sciences, mathematics, physics, and other interdisciplinary programs in the sciences.
Combining top-tier instruction with world-class research facilities, students study science and mathematics from the fundamental workings of nature through the application of science and mathematics directed at the many challenges facing society and mankind today. Our programs offer the Bachelor of Science degree through the Doctor of Philosophy degree, preparing students for a wide variety of scientific, professional, and educational careers.
In these web pages you can read about our distinguished faculty and departments, our diverse study opportunities, and the many other ways in which we engage and challenge students here at UNLV.
About Eric L. Chronister
Dr. Eric Chronister received his Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Illinois. He conducted postdoctoral work at UCLA, where he received his undergraduate degrees in chemistry and general physics. Chronister was at the University of California, Riverside for 30 years, where he served nine years as chair of the chemistry department.
In addition to serving nine years as undergraduate advisor in his department, Chronister developed research and tech-intensive courses and participated in research internship programs for underrepresented students. In 1997, he was awarded the UC Riverside Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Research for his mentorship.
A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Chronister’s research spans chemistry, physics, and materials science with a focus on how materials behave at the molecular level under extreme conditions.