VCU Life Sciences and Sustainability

08/28/2026

Starting your journey at VCU can feel like a lot, but you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Check out our quick guide to help you get settled, connected, and make the most of your time at SLSS.

08/26/2026

VCU is exploring what’s possible in K-12 education through innovation, collaboration and real-world learning.

A recent VCU News feature highlights the work of the Shift Education Lab and its partnerships across VCU — including the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability and the VCU Rice Rivers Center.

We’re excited to see Rice Rivers Center’s role in supporting future STEM education initiatives and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Read the full story below

We are thrilled to collaborate with VCU’s Shift Education Lab to help shape the future of K-12 education. By combining environmental science and strategic innovation, this partnership supports data science in STEM education for local secondary teachers and students.

Together, we are bridging the gap between traditional learning and modern technology to prepare the next generation to be scientifically literate and excited to learn.

Read full story: https://news.vcu.edu/article/shift-education-lab-brings-innovation-to-the-evolving-k-12-landscape?utm_source=VCUNewsNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VCUNewsNewsletter&utm_content=news.vcu.edu/article/shift-education-lab-brings-innovation-to-the-evolving-k-12-landscape

08/26/2026

Mark your calendar! Join us Wednesday, September 2 from 1-4 PM in the Trani Life Sciences Courtyard.

SLSS is more than your classes. Meet the students, faculty, staff, organizations and campus partners who make our community what it is!

Curious about research? Meet SLSS students, learn about their work and discover ways to get involved.

Find your people and get involved. Connect with student organizations, explore SLSS program and partners, or just come hang out at Quad Fest.

Stop by and connect, explore, and find your place in the SLSS community.

08/21/2026

Isra’a Nour, a 2015 VCU graduate with degrees in anthropology and biology, has built a career centered on humanitarian work, human rights, equity and justice. Her story highlights how experiences across disciplines can shape the way we understand people, communities and complex systems.

Proud to see the work of a VCU alum making an impact far beyond the classroom.

Read the full Meet-a-Ram story:

The 2015 graduate, powered by her service in Sudan, now works in the U.S. to support human rights, equity and justice.

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

From the classroom to the research lab!

VCU Biology student and Honors College student Melody Ngo spent her summer gaining hands-on research experience through the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program (HSURP).

Working with Dr. Adolfo Mauro, Melody contributed to research exploring heart disease in female carriers of a genetic mutation associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The experience helped her build research skills and discover how she hopes to incorporate research into her future career in medicine.

We’re proud to see our students putting their knowledge into practice and contributing to meaningful research!

Read the full story from VCU News:

Biology major Melody Ngo embraces how the Honors College and Wright Center offer ‘a crash run in what it is like to work in a lab day to day.’

08/18/2026

Welcome back, Rams! A new semester is here, and we’re excited to have our SLSS community back on campus. Wishing everyone a great start to Fall 2026!

08/12/2026

Save the Date!

Your stage awaits at SLSS Quad Fest! Join us Wednesday, September 2, from 1–4 PM in the Trani Life Sciences Courtyard.

Meet faculty and advisors, connect with student organizations, explore student research, enjoy hands-on activities, lawn games and more!

📅 September 2, 1–4 PM
📍 Trani Life Sciences Courtyard, 1000 W. Cary St.

08/10/2026

From VCU to NASA. 🚀

Environmental Studies student Cree Taylor spent her summer participating in NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program, where she flew on research missions, learned Python and conducted research on how GPS satellites can help map flooding.

The experience helped Cree find a stronger sense of direction for her research interests and sparked her interest in pursuing graduate study in environmental science, all while staying true to her love of “dabbling” in new opportunities.

Read more about Cree’s summer with NASA and her journey as an Environmental Studies student:

The agency’s Student Airborne Research Program encouraged the self-identified ‘dabbler’ to home in on research with a personal connection.