Dr. Tombes speaking at the grand opening of the VCU Rice Rivers Center Research Facility

VCU's River Campus

The VCU Rice Rivers Center, VCU's river campus, 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.

News & Events

News

Environmental studies major Cree Taylor (left) spent her summer flying in planes, working in the field and learning to code through NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program. (Contributed photo)

Aug. 10, 2026

NASA summer program helped Cree Taylor soar – and land on her academic focus

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

Students in the Field Experiences in Anthropology course helped research the ancient DNA of corn pollen. (Contributed photo)

Aug. 10, 2026

VCU Rice Rivers Center offers its first coordinated summer session

With hands-on learning and high-tech tools, the field station hosts five courses that explore the land, water and air along the James River.

Aug. 6, 2026

Here’s how one VCU lab keeps watch over the James River

For almost two decades – and with a new $1M grant to cover at least five more years – this research duo has braved the elements year-round to track the river’s health.

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