Science and Environment

Finding Answers in the River

An interdisciplinary team of Chico State faculty and graduate students conduct research on the Sacramento River to establish predictable patterns in drowning cases and create an app to aid law enforcement in decreasing recovery time.

Opting Outside: Students Plunge Into Watershed for Immersive Course

One class spent two incredible weekends camping on Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve and exploring study sites ranging from the Sacramento River all the way upstream to the creek headwaters, to understand how the watershed works as a whole and learn about the wildlife that exists there.

Get Ready: Chico State is Going Strawless

Chico State goes through 130,000 plastic straws every year. Starting April 23, these single-use items will be no longer be sold on campus.

On the Hunt for Avian Influenza Virus

While the work may be dirty, the goal is more glamorous. Chico State virologist Troy Cline and students are identifying avian influenza viruses in waterfowl in hopes of preventing threats to human health and the US poultry industry.

Saving the Salmon

Chico State students and faculty members join forces with high-profile partners and the United States Bureau of Reclamation in multi-million dollar mission to save the Chinook salmon.

Close Encounters of the Insect Kind

A trip to Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve to aid in the North American Butterfly Association's annual butterfly count proves more elusive than imagined.

The Quest for Sounder Structures

Curt Haselton, a Chico State alum and civil engineering professor, leads the development of the SP3 software that can evaluate and predict the damages a building might receive in the event of an earthquake, making it possible to improve building code to minimize overall damages.

Bones Abroad

Forensic anthropology graduate students spent their summers abroad digging for research opportunities: Sarah Hall excavated human remains in a 19th-century cemetary in Bogota, Columbia, while Valerie Sgheiza traveled to the beaches of Antigua in the West Indies to examine the remains of 17th-century British soldiers.

Professor Leads Annual Wild Goose Chase—Literally

During the annual Snow Goose Festival, Chico State biology professor and avid birder Jay Bogiatto leads a not-for-the-faint-of-heart birding field trip around the Northern Sacramento Valley.

Big Finish For Chico State’s Tiny House

CSU, Chico's Tiny House Club designed and built a home measuring less than 200 square feet, impressing judges at the recent Sacramento Municipal Utility District's Tiny House Competition.

Charged and Ready to Go

This week, the nation's first thin-film photovoltaic charging station opened on the Chico State campus, offering campus and the community eight traditional power outlets and four USB portals from the comfort of a shaded table.

Biology Lab Goes Fishin’

A student research lab on campus uses fish to pursue treatments for blood-related diseases.

Building a Better Bee Hotel

The University Farm was abuzz as more than 60 students and community members crowded a classroom for a workshop on constructing wild bee habitats commonly known as bee hotels.

Supporting a North State Resource

On the first floor of Holt Hall lies one of the Central Valley's largest collection of pressed and preserved flora, totaling at over 117,000 specimens that live in the University's herbarium.

Infographic: Campus Conservation Saves Millions of Gallons of Water

With state-mandated reductions, the University is doing its part to be good neighbors and good stewards of water during California's drought.

Chico State Forensic Anthropology Program

Our forensic archaeology program gives students a rare opportunity to learn field recovery methods by documenting mock crime scenes that replicate real-life cases. Graduate students working in the Human Identification Lab assist faculty in the recovery of human remains for local and federal agencies. How has Chico State enriched your learning experience? Tag your posts […]