UC Merced contributes to a sustainable future in California and related regions worldwide in part through research integrating the natural and social sciences and engineering. Faculty and other researchers affiliated with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI) carry out research that is relevant to understanding linkages between the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley, a region that leads the nation in agricultural production and many natural resource and recreational sectors. Despite its importance, the region’s health and sustainability face increased threats from rapid population growth, competition for natural resources, changing climate and land use, and air, water and soil pollution. We offer a multidisciplinary approach that will enable UC Merced to sustain and expand research that supports California’s vital infrastructure and resources, including water and energy, and to develop new and more effective ways of evaluating and communicating information about risk management and resource sustainability. This strategic initiative outlines six specific areas of growth that build on core strengths at UC Merced: i) agricultural sustainability; ii) renewable energy; iii) climate and atmosphere; iv) ecosystem services; v) risk communication and management; and vi) environment and health. These areas represent opportunities within the UC system, are central to building a sustainable future for California, and finding solutions for such resource issues will serve as a model for sustainability in other areas of the world. This proposal complements that submitted jointly through the Life and Environmental Sciences faculty cluster and the Environmental Systems Graduate Group, primarily through its focus on engineering and sustainability solutions as well as science.