Office of the Dean
Meet Roger Haro, PhD

A message to CEFNS students
I appreciate your interest in the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences (CEFNS) at Northern Arizona University (NAU).
I want to share an observation from when I was relatively new to NAU and the role of Dean: the talent and engagement of our students, staff, and faculty members in this college is striking.
The classic rock band Steely Dan wrote a famous song lyric that recognizes the impact of people who mix talent and engagement for the betterment of others: “You crossed a diamond with a pearl and turned it on the world.” This song line represents many positive synergistic activities in the CEFNS community. Let me show you what I mean with some examples of engaged students and faculty steeped in impactful research through NAU’s teacher-scholar model.
Real-life applications in campus labs
Our students and faculty play critical roles in running NAU’s world-class scientific research centers, like the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI), which you may recognize from the world-famous 2001 anthrax attacks. Students at the PMI identify infectious diseases—such as valley fever and the bubonic plague—that affect people and livestock in Arizona and around the world. They receive training and are responsible for managing the PMI’s operations as a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) lab. They learn to work safely with select agents that can potentially pose a severe threat to public health and safety, aligning with NAU’s 100% Career Ready initiative.
Discover our community

There’s a lot to be proud of in CEFNS. For our students, discovering their talents and potential would not be possible without the expertise and dedication to excellence found in our faculty and staff. Whether you are a current or future student in one of our undergraduate or graduate degree programs, a community member looking for engagement, or a researcher interested in partnering in discovery—come connect with CEFNS. We are a welcoming community that discovers together.
Sincerely,
Roger J. “RJ” Haro, PhD
CEFNS Dean
Office of the Dean location
We are located in Bury Hall on north campus in Flagstaff.
610 S. Knoles Dr. | Building #8, room 201