Facilities — Chico State Skip to Main Content
California State University, Chico

Facilities

Chico State's College of Natural Sciences offers a wide range of labs, field sites, and student spaces that support hands-on learning and research in the sciences. These physical spaces located on campus can be found within the Chico State campus map.

Science Building exterior

Tours

Want to explore the state-of-the-art Science Building? Join us for a guided tour of our creative, collaborative, and engagement spaces.

Register for a Tour

Labs, Museums, Centers, and Field Sites

  • People explore the Ahart Herbarium

    Ahart Herbarium

    Located in Holt Hall room 129, the Herbarium is the most complete repository of plant specimens from northeastern California. The emphasis is on the northern California flora, and includes a great number of rare, threatened, and endangered plant species.

  • The Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve contains 7,835 acres of diverse canyon and ridge habitats

    Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

    A 7,835-acre Chico State field station dedicated to education, research, and habitat stewardship. Its diverse canyon and ridge landscapes support classes, fieldwork, and ecological studies while preserving vital natural resources for students, faculty, and the broader community.

  • A person holding a child at a farmers market.

    Center for Health Communities

    A Chico State–based organization that delivers more than 30 programs across California focused on community health, food security, nutrition education, physical activity, food safety, and student training. It is recognized statewide and nationally for excellence in community health promotion.

  • Krista Strand (center) and regional elementary teachers learn new math related teaching techniques during the Chico Math Project

    Center for Mathematics and Science Education

    A nonprofit organization at Chico State dedicated to strengthening mathematics and science education across the K–16 spectrum. Established in 1993, CMSE serves as a regional liaison connecting the University, K–12 schools, colleges, and the business community.

  • A new mural by Jacob Davenport and Becka Matthews Hickerson is located on the entry of Gateway Science Museum

    Gateway Science Museum

    With a mission to spark curiosity and science literacy for visitors of all ages, The Gateway serves as a portal connecting the university and community, offering interactive exhibits, STEM-focused educational programming, and partnerships that promote stewardship, sustainability, and lifelong learning.

  • Adil Syed works with a PerkinElmer NexION 2000 Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)

    Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Lab

    Chico State’s ICP-MS Lab is a high-precision geochemical analysis facility operated by the Geochemistry Research Group, using a PerkinElmer NexION 2000B to detect and quantify trace elements, metals, and isotopes in geological, environmental, biological, and industrial samples with exceptional accuracy.

    Location: SCI 343
    Contact: icpms@csuchico.edu

  • students work on homework and practice math concepts with student tutors in the Math Learning Lab

    Math Learning Lab

    A drop-in support center for students enrolled in lower-division math courses. It provides a structured space where students can work on homework, practice concepts, and get guidance from trained math learning assistants.

  • Nursing students work with high-fidelity adult mannequins in a state-of-the-art simulation center equipped for recording and debriefing training scenarios

    Rural Clinical Simulation Center

    A partnership between Chico State, Enloe Medical Center, and Oroville Hospital designed to provide state-of-the-art clinical simulation training for students and healthcare professionals. It strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration and builds clinical competency without risk to real patients.

  • Students work in the ECC Student Success Center

    Student Success Lab and Advising

    A dedicated support space located in Science Building Room 450 for students with majors or minors in Natural Sciences. The lab offers academic advising, major exploration, faculty connections, resource navigation, and career or professional development support. Students can also use the lab as a study space or for printing.

  • Student use the TESCAN VEGA-3 LMU VP scanning electron microscope in the Scanning Electron Microscopy Lab

    Scanning Electron Microscopy Lab

    A research facility operated by the Geobiology Research Group and the College of Natural Sciences, located in the Science Building (SCI 124). The lab maintains a TESCAN VEGA-3 LMU VP scanning electron microscope equipped with an EDAX Octane Elect EDS detector, allowing users to capture high-resolution digital images and analyze elemental composition at micro- to nanoscale.

Department Highlights

  • student works on making influenza drugs as part of the Chemistry Summer Research Institute (CSRI)

    Chemistry and Biochemistry Facilities and Instruments

    Our chemistry and biochemistry facilities feature modern laboratories equipped with sophisticated analytical and preparative instruments. Students get access to tools for chromatography, spectroscopy, electrophoresis, inert-environment chemistry, thermal analysis, and more.

    Instrumentation includes:


    • Chromatography
    • Electrochemistry
    • Gel Electrophoresis
    • Inert Environment
    • Optical Spectroscopy
    • Mass Spectrometry
    • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
    • Specialized Solvent Systems
    • Thermal Analysis
  • Student performing research on stormwater biofiltration systems by checking the caps in the bottom of the biofilters

    Earth and Environmental Sciences Research Labs

    The Earth and Environmental Sciences Department maintains research labs that involve students in applied geological, atmospheric, and environmental inquiry. These spaces support field-based work, laboratory analysis, remote sensing, and high-precision geochemical measurements.

    Facilities include:

    • Applied Ecology Lab - SCI 426
    • Aqueous Geochemistry Lab - SCI 427
    • Atmospheric Science Lab - SCI 212
    • Geology Research Lab - SCI 260
    • Magma Research Lab - SCI 427A
    • Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Lab
    • Scanning Electron Microscopy Lab

Science Building

Students walk past the Science Building

Opened in Fall 2021, this 110,200-square-foot facility is not only the most state-of-the-art building on campus, but also one of the most visionary buildings within the 23-campus California State University system. Designed for energy efficiency, the Science Building is certified LEED Gold by the US Green Building Council rating system, and features spaces for the Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Science Education departments. Beyond science majors, students studying education, engineering, agriculture, and other fields take classes here, and many general education science classes are also held in the Science Building. The green space just outside the building is called Bahapki Commons in honor of the native people who originally inhabited the grounds. Bahapki was a Mechoopda village on the banks of Big Chico Creek where the campus is today.

  • Bioswales are being installed around the Science building

    Two Bioswales (Rain Gardens)

    The Science Building uses two bioswales (also referred to as rain gardens) and four flow-through planters to prevent stormwater runoff into neighboring Big Chico Creek. Instead, disconnected downspouts divert rooftop water to the bioswales and native planters along its perimeter, which restores natural watershed processes and filters metals and organic contaminants.

  • Students on the second floor of the Sciences Building

    Designed for Student Success

    Designed with student success in mind, the new building includes active-learning classrooms, undergraduate and graduate research spaces, student conference rooms, faculty offices, and administrative and support areas. In addition, there are many collaborative workspaces for students to gather to brainstorm, work in groups, study, and advance cross-disciplinary projects.

Collage of Science Building - exterior in fall, students in open natural light interior

Science Building Wins Education Facility Design Award

Heralded as a model for 21st-century learning and sustainability since its opening in 2021 and continuing to serve as a model, Chico State’s Science Building earned a prestigious Education Facility Design Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

College of Natural Sciences

Want to learn more about programs? Contact us for detailed information or to schedule an advising appointment with our dedicated team.

Contact Information