The University of Texas at Austin has set forward its Change Starts Here plan, a 10-year strategy to become the world's highest-impact public research university. 

Bold leadership from the College of Natural Sciences community will help realize the university's aspiration. Building upon input from CNS students, staff, and faculty over the last months, our existing framework for action and our Committing to Equity plan, the college is ready to lead while fulfilling our mission and delivering on our core values. Inspired by our community, by a spirit of discovery and by a determination to have impact at scale, we will advance people, place and pursuits — through experiences, education and research — here in Texas Science.

College of Natural Sciences Mission:

To provide an excellent, research-oriented education in science, mathematics and computing that fosters the success of its students, to discover important new knowledge through research and to create an intellectually and scientifically enriched environment that advances a vibrant Texas and beyond.

Our Values:

Our values are: community, discovery and impact at scale. They are the foundation for our accomplishments today and serve as points of focus for our work moving forward. They shape our actions and how we work together. Along with our university values, they represent our Texas Science culture.

For more about these values, please see the 2022 State of the College Address.

"We have to get clear on some key values that underpin all of the work if we want to get big things done. ... We succeed when we have community... We stay inspired when we drive after discovery... And we are passionately focused on the impact we have at scale."

— Dean David Vanden Bout, State of the College Address, March 2022

Our Plan and Progress a Glance:

The College of Natural Sciences — UT Austin’s largest college and home to more top-10 ranked programs than any college at UT Austin— is primed to continue and grow in its role as a transformative leader on campus, nationally and in the world. To develop the college strategic plan and aspirations, we conducted listening sessions, forums and open surveys with Natural Sciences students, faculty, staff and stakeholders to guide us. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) priorities are interwoven throughout the college and university plans.

In the months ahead, we will continue to update and add to the initiatives described on the pages here, ensuring we are supporting a new generation of leaders in pursuing answers to societal and scientific problems and bringing benefit to society through the education, research and service of the College of Natural Sciences.