Each year the department receives 500 student applications for just 50 openings. The University s Cinema Department in the College of Creative Arts has produced many Academy Award winners and nominees. Cinema offers the only MFA in film making in Northern California, and its animation program is the most comprehensive in Northern California. The Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies is the only academic research facility on San Francisco Bay. Resident scientists, in collaboration with students and researchers from local institutions, engage in a variety of research projects on the Bay and surrounding environments.
Current work includes studying the effects of invasive species on native Bay plants and animals.
Tom Smith, professor of biology and director of the Center for Tropical Research at SFSU, has done research which has challenged conventional evolutionary theory. His discovery that new tropical species form most rapidly in the transition areas between forest and grassland, rather than in isolation as had been thought, has pointed to the need for international changes in tropical conservation practices. The Art Department Gallery at San Francisco State presents four exhibitions annually of both student and professional work. Professional and student shows are well-supported and have received important critical press both locally and internationally. Community Partnerships The San Francisco Urban Institute at San Francisco State is dedicated to evaluating and addressing issues critical to the city of San Francisco including housing, inner-city education and health, and economic development.