Geography

We are located in one of the most active physical settings on Earth, and we are surrounded by one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world. For example, our students sometimes walk on two tectonic plates during labs, and our primary service area (as a 4-year university) covers a larger region than several states: reaching from the Colorado River, Imperial Valley, and Mojave Desert to the densely settled suburbs of L.A. and the nearby mountains (with ski resorts). Within this region are the highest and lowest points in the continental United States, as well as some of the hottest and coolest locales and some of the wettest and driest places.