Strategic Plan

Bold leadership from the College of Natural Sciences is key to our campus-wide aspiration to be the world’s highest-impact public research university for science.

Community. Discovery. Impact at Scale.

Professor at chalk board with students in class

Inspired by our community, by a spirit of discovery and by a determination to have impact at scale, we are committing in our strategic plan to becoming the highest-impact college of science at a public research university. To do this, we must advance people, place and pursuits — through experiences, education and research — here in Texas Science.

Our 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, nation and planet.

Girl with petri dish in lab

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

Our Values

Community, discovery and impact at scale 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. More about these values can be found in the 2022 State of the College Address.

Some key values underpin all of our work 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 at 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.

People


An exceptional, diverse community of learners and scholars, leaders and trailblazers 

Place


...amplifying the unmatched potential of Austin and Texas 

Pusuits


...and changing the world through transformative… 

Progress to Date

We continually 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.