Values and Impact

Our goal is to be the world’s highest-impact public research university for science, mathematics and computing, unleashing knowledge, opportunity and innovation from the heart of Texas.

What We Stand For


Discovery starts here in the College of Natural Sciences, where we are changing the world through transformative experiences, education and research. Our college values are community, discovery and impact at scale. Alongside University values, these ensure we stand for a community of belonging, a spirit of inquiry and a dedication to service through science.

Student and Advisor in discussion over a laptop

Supporting Our People: Students, Faculty and Staff


Equipping our students for lifelong success and fulfillment—and ensuring our students, faculty and staff have the support they need—provides the foundation for community success.

Learn about our well-being commitment

See our strategic plans for Community

Students tending to plants in a large greenhouse located on the rooftop of the Norman Hackerman Building. The UT Tower is visible in the background.

Advancing Educational Pursuits


College of Natural Sciences students study across 15 distinct majors. They select from dozens of degree offerings. They conduct research in hundreds of different faculty labs and dozens of different streams of the Freshman Research Initiative and Inventors Program.

Learn about our stem education advances

See our strategic plan for education

3-D model of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

Leading World-Changing Research


Conducting boundary-breaking research that makes history is our tradition. From the inventor of core technology found in COVID-19 vaccines to the astronomers leading some of the biggest projects on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to multiple winners of the Abel Prize, often called the Nobel of mathematics, UT Austin researchers are people with a restless desire to change the world.

learn more about research in the college

See our strategic plan for Research

Physical sciences students tabling on the main mall. The students are gesturing Hook 'em hand gestures and posing with an inflatible green alien.

Driving Transformational Experiences


We believe in anchoring our education and research in meaningful encounters for our community and for the public that our science serves. On-campus achievements and societal benefits stem from our ongoing efforts to deepen relationships between the public and our on-campus community through outreach initiatives, K–12 offerings, public events and more.

discover the values that drive experiences here

See our strategic plan for experiences

Photo of Norman Hackerman Building (NHB) with "Monochrome" canoe sculpture and students

Amplifying Austin and Texas


One of the best cities in the country and a true tech hub, Austin offers unique opportunities for partnership with industry, nonprofits and government agencies. The College of Natural Sciences also has campuses off of the Forty Acres, such as our McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, our Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, our Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station in Smithville and more. All are places where College of Natural Sciences community members live, work and help to advance discovery.

Learn about our spaces and places

See our strategic plan for amplifying Austin & Texas

Abstract, colorful watercolor painting of overlapping circles and rectangles.

Y’all Means All.


Our steadfast commitment is to transformative and enriching educational, research and work experiences for all of our community—students, faculty and staff. We aim to be a welcoming place that sees and celebrates every Longhorn individually and accomplishes big things together. 

Explore and learn about working in the college

Learn about our culture of connections