Established in 1995, NCEAS was the first synthesis science center in the world. We pioneered the movement toward this collaborative approach to science and have helped build a community of scientists around it.

NCEAS conducts transformational science focused on informing solutions that will allow people and nature to thrive. We are an independent research affiliate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a global network and impact.

Our Mission: We work to accelerate scientific discoveries that will enhance our understanding of the world and benefit people and nature, as well as to transform the scientific culture to be more open, efficient, and collaborative. We do this by • Enabling collaborations between the brightest minds in the environmental sciences • Conducting breakthrough science that is grounded in big-picture thinking • Improving analyses through computing innovations that increase the (re)usability of data • Partnering with agencies and organizations that can help put the science to action • Training and inspiring generations of scientists to practice synthesis and open science

Our Approach: Synthesis Science. We don’t collect new data, but discover new insights from existing data, thereby generating big-picture knowledge and solutions. Team Science. We enable productive scientific collaborations, recognizing that environmental challenges are complex and their solutions require diverse perspectives and sets of expertise. Open Science. Data transparency and reproducibility are essential to the utility of the environmental sciences, and we work to advance scientific culture in the direction of open science.