About Us

The Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences is at the forefront of efforts to understand two of the most important topics of our time: the nature and sustainability of life on Earth. It's home to more than 100 world-class scientists, state-of-the-art facilities, and a collection of nearly 46 million scientific specimens—one of the largest and most diverse in the world.

Through expeditions around the globe and investigations in the lab, the Institute’s scientists work to understand the evolution and interconnectedness of organisms and ecosystems, the threats they face around the world, and the most effective strategies for sustaining them into the future. With innovative collaborations and public engagement initiatives, they also guide critical sustainability and conservation decisions worldwide, inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists, and help citizens become responsible stewards of our planet.

The Academy is an innovative leader in efforts to increase scientific and environmental literacy worldwide. Our science educators, highly trained docents, and scientists engage people of all ages—both here in California and around the world—in the scientific concepts and issues that will shape our future.

Educators host teacher workshops, create classroom materials, and facilitate field trips year-round to inspire the next generation of scientists. Daily museum programs, innovative exhibits, digital media offerings, and science visualization productions bring the natural world to life for tens of thousands of learners of all ages each year.

The Academy has recently launched bold new initiatives that expand our mission to explore, explain, and sustain life on Earth. See how we're doing it:

• On gender balance and institutional diversity
• On divesting in fossil fuels
• On evolution
• On sustainability