VCU's River Campus

The VCU Rice Rivers Center, a part of VCU Life Sciences, supports scholarship and student instruction across diverse disciplines, including water resources, climate science, wildlife conservation and wetlands restoration.

Located midway between Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia along the historic James River, our 360 acres of riparian marshes, tidal creeks and mature forests represent a unique outdoor laboratory for important applied research and innovative, experiential classes. The center’s modern facilities offer offices, classrooms, laboratories and overnight lodging for students, faculty, visiting scholars and community groups. State-of-the-art technologies are deployed onsite to collect information on air and water quality, fish and avian migrations, changing sea levels and a host of other critical data sources. Our ongoing partnerships with state and federal natural resource and earth science agencies provide significant training opportunities for student scholars.

Science that matters to everyone

News

Prolonged periods of extreme heat are becoming more common due to climate change, costing the U.S. approximately $1 billion in health care costs every summer, according to a new report. (Getty Images)

July 17, 2023

Interdisciplinary study from VCU reveals health care costs of extreme heat

Physicians, earth scientists, staff and students collaborated to better understand the health impact of extremely hot days in Virginia and across the nation – and they estimate a toll of $1 billion per summer.

April 20, 2023

Environmental Studies graduate students win awards at VAMLIS GeoCon 2023 Conference

Nina Brundle and Andrew Cameron win for their Map Galleries.

Text: Beyond Sustainability, climate justice charrette.  Our world is descending into climate crisis. We need to consider ambitious and innovative solutions - and all of us need to be part of this creative process.

Feb. 2, 2023

Beyond Sustainability: Climate Justice Charrette begins February 15

This unique opportunity is open to all VCU students to propose and develop climate justice/sustainability action plans

Research and Restoration

a warbler perched atop someone's hand

VCU researchers and partners study the breeding biology of the prothonotary warbler along the lower James River using the project and its data to explore population genetics, disease and migration ecology, the role of song and plumage in reproductive fitness, and the impact of climate change on diet and timing of breeding.