GRADUATE COUNCIL REPORT TO THE RIVERSIDE DIVISION ACADEMIC SENATE MAY 20, 2008

Transcription

1 GRADUATE COUNCIL REPORT TO THE RIVERSIDE DIVISION ACADEMIC SENATE MAY 20, 2008 TO BE ADOPTED: The Riverside Division of the Academic Senate approves the proposal for a Proposal for a Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology Between the University of California, Riverside and San Diego State University (revised April 2008). JUSTIFICATION (adapted from program proposal) At UCR, the Evolutionary, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB) Graduate Program will administer the joint doctoral program. The detailed administration of the program will be handled almost entirely at SDSU by a faculty member charged to be the SDSU JDPEB Coordinator. Similarly, the joint doctoral faculty of the EEOB graduate program at UCR will have a designated UCR JDPEB Coordinator (Graduate Advisor). The faculty at both institutions, through their respective JDPEB Coordinators, shall confer on matters regarding administration of the program and shall submit proposals for modification of the program to the Graduate Councils at UCR and SDSU. The principal purpose of this program is to allow talented students interested in integrative evolutionary studies to pursue graduate work towards a doctoral degree jointly at UCR and at SDSU. This experience will result in academic training and research expertise not otherwise sustainable in the programs working in isolation. Perhaps more importantly, the students themselves will form the nexus for novel collaborations and synergism between faculty at both institutions. The students will be directly involved in, and indeed be the reason, for innovative research directions in evolutionary biology. This JDPEB will provide multiple benefits to faculty and students at both SDSU and UCR. The Department of Biology at SDSU has strength in systematics, paleontology molecular population biology, and organismal/biodiversity biology. UCR is also strong in these areas, enabling natural partnerships between the two faculties. Equally important to the joint doctoral program are UCR's complementary research areas that include experimental evolutionary biology, evolutionary ecology, comparative physiology, and genome evolution. As a result, joint doctoral students in this program will benefit from intellectual and research expertise in a full range of sub-disciplines in evolutionary biology. The Interaction among faculty that will be fostered by this program will increase collaborative studies among laboratories, resulting in more innovative and cross-disciplinary research programs. In short, both universities will be strengthened by having complementary and overlapping fields represented in a single, integrative program. 373

2 San Diego State University has a long and successful history with joint doctoral programs. SDSU presently has 16 joint doctoral programs, three of which are among the top five in the country in their respective fields (Chronicle of Higher Education, January 2007). Currently, two joint doctoral programs are administered by the SDSU Department of Biology in the areas of cell and molecular biology (with U.C. San Diego) and ecology (with U.C. Davis). These two programs have been extremely successful for several decades. The current proposal for a joint doctoral program in evolutionary biology will allow all sub-disciplines in the SDSU Department of Biology to award PhD degrees, via the establishment of a unique and integrative doctoral program between SDSU and the EEOB Graduate Program at UCR. A direct benefit of the joint doctoral program to UCR is the increase in the number of students trained by EEOB faculty. Additionally, other benefits are expected to emerge from the increased interaction between the two institutions. For example, strengthening the relationships between SDSU and UCR faculty will facilitate the development of new, multi-campus research collaborations and potentially increase the pool of talented students coming to UCR. The proposal has been examined and unanimously approved by the following committees of the Academic Senate: Graduate Council, Educational Policy, and Library. The Planning and Budget Committee voted 3 in favor, 3 opposed, with 1 abstention. Planning & Budget views the proposal as a minimal cost proposal, but equally considers the benefits as minimal. The proposal has the approval of the Executive Committee and the Dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Ilya Dumer, Chair Graduate Council Enclosures: Program Proposal (including memos of support) 374

3 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 1 A PROPOSAL FOR A JOINT DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY April 28,

4 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION 4 1. Aims and objectives of the joint doctoral program 4 2. The importance of evolutionary biology 5 3. The benefits of a joint doctoral program in evolutionary biology 6 4. Timetable for development of the program and enrollment projection 8 5. Department or group that will administer the program 9 6. Plan for evaluation of the program 9 SECTION 2. THE PROGRAM 9 1. Admission and residency requirements 9 2. Program of study 10 A. Master s Degree 10 B. Ph.D. Degree Foreign language requirement Specific fields of emphasis Course requirements Teaching requirement Qualifying examination and committee Dissertation committee Completion of the dissertation Certification (award of the degree) Normative time from matriculation to degree 12 SECTION 3. PROJECTED NEEDS Student demand for the program Opportunities for placement of graduates Importance to the discipline Ways in which the program will meet the needs of society Relationship of the program to research and to the professional interests of the faculty Benefits of the program to UC Riverside Program differentiation 15 SECTION 4. STAFF Participating Faculty Faculty at SDSU Faculty at UCR 16 SECTION 5. COURSES Graduate courses at UCR Graduate courses at SDSU

5 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 3 SECTION 6. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS Resources at UCR 18 A. FTE faculty 18 B. Library acquisition 18 C. Computing costs 18 D. Equipment 18 E. Space and other capital facilities 18 F. Other operating costs Resources at SDSU 19 A. FTE faculty 19 B. Library acquisition 19 C. Computing costs 19 D. Equipment 20 E. Space and other capital facilities 20 F. Other operating costs 21 SECTION 7. GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT 21 APPENDICES A. Program Summary B. Evolutionary Biology and the National Research Agenda supporting document C. University of California, Riverside Course Descriptions D. San Diego State University Course Descriptions E. Supplemental Admission Requirements F. Permission to Negotiate letters G. Support Letters H. Budgets I. San Diego State University Faculty Vitae J. University of California, Riverside Faculty Vitae 377

6 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 4 A PROPOSAL FOR A JOINT DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION 1. Aims and objectives of the Joint Doctoral Program This is a proposal to establish a joint doctoral program in Evolutionary Biology (JDPEB) between the Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB) at the University of California Riverside and the Department of Biology at San Diego State University. Faculty at both campuses are highly engaged in research which provides a strong base for a JD in Evolutionary Biology. SDSU has traditionally graduated many highly qualified M.S. students in evolutionary biology, reflecting the long-standing strength of SDSU faculty in this field. The principal purpose of this program is to allow talented students interested in integrative evolutionary studies to pursue graduate work towards a doctoral degree jointly at UCR and at SDSU. This program will be unique for everyone involved. Doctoral students will be immersed in a deep and rich intellectual environment and exposed to diverse ideas and cutting edge research methodologies. This experience will result in academic training and research expertise not otherwise attainable in the programs working in isolation. Perhaps more importantly, the students themselves will form the nexus for novel collaborations and synergism between faculty at both institutions. The students will be directly involved in, and indeed be the reason for, innovative research directions in evolutionary biology. San Diego State University has a long and successful history with joint doctoral programs. SDSU presently has 16 joint doctoral programs, three of which are among the top five in the country in their respective fields (Chronicle of Higher Education, January 2007). Currently, two joint doctoral programs are administered by the SDSU Department of Biology in the areas of cell and molecular biology (with U.C. San Diego) and ecology (with U.C. Davis). These two programs have been extremely successful for several decades. The current proposal for a joint doctoral program in evolutionary biology will allow all sub-disciplines in the SDSU Department of Biology to award PhD degrees, via the establishment of a unique and integrative doctoral program between SDSU and the EEOB Graduate Program at UCR. A direct benefit of the joint doctoral program to UCR is the increase in the number of students trained by EEOB faculty. Additionally, other benefits are expected to emerge from the increased interaction between the two institutions. For example, strengthening the relationships between SDSU and UCR faculty will facilitate the development of new, multi-campus research collaborations. The benefits to both campuses are further detailed in Section 1.3. As described below, the methods and perspectives of evolutionary biology pervade fields as disparate as psychology, medicine, behavior, genetics and ecology. The field has made innumerable contributions to societal needs that include human health, agriculture and renewable resources, and environmental management and conservation. Students with doctoral training in Evolutionary Biology are in great need at universities and colleges, museums, biotechnology companies, environmental consulting firms, and local, state and federal agencies. 378

7 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 5 2. The Importance of Evolutionary Biology The famous evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky once wrote, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Because all living organisms have descended with modification from common ancestors, a complete understanding of any biological process or characteristic can only be obtained through an evolutionary perspective. Consequently, a recent report from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences emphasized that evolution is the most important concept in modern biology- a concept central to understanding key aspects of living things. The evolutionary thread that accounts both for the unity and diversity of life extends across levels of biological organization that range from the DNA molecule to entire species, from individual organisms to ecological communities. Working under a complex and continually advancing body of theory, evolutionary biologists unravel the complexities of this thread using an integrative diversity of approaches. The implications of this research have profound and farreaching importance. As highlighted below, novel insight in traditional areas of study and newly developing connections across previously isolated disciplines ensure that the importance of evolutionary biology will continue to increase in the future (also see Appendices A and B). Evolutionary biology has been traditionally defined to encompass broadly studies of both historical patterns (including discovering, describing, and classifying the diversity of past and present life) and evolutionary processes (including population genetics, reproductive mechanisms, and speciation). The interface of these two focal areas has blurred recently, and for any given feature (e.g., the vertebrate limb), it is now possible to analyze structure and function, study ontogeny or developmental history, and reconstruct phylogeny and evolutionary transitions. This combination of complementary pattern- and process-based research characterizes the best of modern-day evolutionary biology. The integration of broad biological disciplines such as comparative physiology, functional morphology, evolutionary ecology, genome evolution and conservation biology further enriches the core of the field (Figure 1). Modern evolutionary biology is a synthesis of diverse scientific approaches conducted using field, laboratory, and computational methods. No issue in public education holds greater urgency or importance than communicating the nature, implications and application of evolutionary biology. Figure 1. Diagram illustrating the disciplines of biology that are integrated in evolutionary biological studies. 379

8 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 6 Two examples illustrate the relevance of evolutionary biology in society today. First, the myriad benefits of life's richness are eroding due to human-related activities. Because of habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, and long-term climatic change, species are going extinct at a rate unprecedented in the earth's history. The loss of this biodiversity has profound impacts on human welfare, as we depend on the diversity of life for food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and recreation. Evolutionary biologists play many key roles in the study of biodiversity, serving as caretakers of the knowledge and resources (e.g., museum collections) required to answer the most basic of questions, What is the diversity of life in a region? Evolutionary biologists also seek to elucidate the processes of diversification and extinction that underlie this biodiversity, the distribution of biodiversity across phylogenetic groups, and the assemblage of ecological communities through time. The ability of biologists to predict and mitigate the future effects of global change is predicated on a full understanding of these patterns and processes in space and time. As with other life sciences, the technological advances of molecular biology have revolutionized evolutionary biology over the past two decades. Our understanding of the evolutionary relationships among the major groups of life on Earth (and the origin of life itself) has been completely restructured based on molecular evidence. Molecular genetics is providing astounding and unforeseen insight into the development and evolution of life. Conversely, the theoretical and research framework provided by evolutionary biology has also impacted the sciences of molecular biology, biotechnology, and biomedicine. The structure and function of all molecules become modified in evolving lineages. This includes all medically important viruses (e.g., HIV), such that evolutionary epidemiology is emerging as an exceedingly important medicinal discipline. Tremendous resources have been directed at the sequencing of numerous genomes (including the human genome), and the ultimate value of these data is contingent upon a comparative evolutionary framework. Throughout many other applications of evolutionary biology, the basic principle of descent with modification provides a powerful conceptual framework for advancing research. 3. The Benefits of a Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology This JDPEB will provide multiple benefits to faculty and students at both SDSU and UCR. The Department of Biology at SDSU has strength in systematics, paleontology, molecular population biology, and organismal/biodiversity biology. UCR is also strong in these areas, enabling natural partnerships between the two faculties. Equally important to the joint doctoral program are UCR's complementary research areas that include experimental evolutionary biology, evolutionary ecology, comparative physiology, and genome evolution. As a result, joint doctoral students in this program will benefit from intellectual and research expertise in a full range of sub-disciplines in evolutionary biology. The interaction among faculty that will be fostered by this program will increase collaborative studies among laboratories, resulting in more innovative and cross-disciplinary research programs. In short, both universities will be strengthened by having complementary and overlapping fields represented in a single, integrative program. The establishment of a joint doctoral program in evolutionary biology will benefit SDSU faculty within and outside of the Biology Department s Evolutionary Biology (EB) Program Area. Already, four EB faculty are adjunct members of the department s other joint doctoral programs. With full access to a dedicated program, all faculty in the program area will be able to pursue research projects that require students that are more advanced, and student-led projects 380

9 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 7 that require longer periods of time. The joint doctoral students will benefit from world-class mentoring and training, through access to an unusually large, diverse and research-active complement of faculty. Finally, larger societal needs in the twenty-first century will be met with an investment in evolutionary biology while there is still time to change current environmental and educational trends. (For example, a substantial portion of the public is skeptical about, or even hostile to, the very concept of evolution). Specific benefits of the joint doctoral program in Evolutionary Biology include the following: As outlined below under Projected Needs, there are great employment needs for students with training in evolutionary biology. A major benefit to UCR is the influx of additional highly talented students from the joint program. These students will not only participate in collaborative research at UCR, but will also serve to further increase the intellectual depth and breadth of the graduate student body at UCR. As described below, SDSU's program in evolutionary biology has historically graduated many excellent students who have gone on to lead the field. These leaders include faculty at major research universities and curators at the most prominent national museums. The joint doctoral program would greatly facilitate collaborative research between UCR and SDSU faculty and students, and would increase the visibility of each independent faculty group. The close geographic locations of SDSU and UCR provide a logical basis for conducting collaborative field research in southern California. SDSU currently operates field stations in southern California that would be accessible to faculty and students of UCR. These stations span a variety of ecosystem types, including some habitat types not represented in the UC Reserve System. In addition, because SDSU maintains close collaborations with researchers at the San Diego Natural History Museum, the joint program can serve as a gateway to research in the chaparral, deserts, and mountains of Baja California. These resources will be more easily available to UCR researchers through this joint program. UCR EEOB students can potentially access SDSU lab facilities, field stations and other logistical resources. SDSU will fund a joint seminar series for talks given alternately at UCR and at SDSU by faculty members or advanced Ph.D. candidates. The close geographic proximity of the campuses makes this arrangement highly feasible. Finally, there will be an increased potential to track some of the best-qualified undergraduate and M.S. biology students at SDSU into UCR s EEOB doctoral program. The obvious major benefit to SDSU is the development of a doctoral program for an area in which faculty and M.S. student research is already strong. With 12 faculty pursuing research in evolutionary biology, the Department of Biology at SDSU already contains one of the largest evolutionary biology programs in southern California. Development of a Ph.D. program would further enhance SDSU s success in research, education, and student mentoring and training in evolutionary biology. Of the potential collaborating institutions in southern California (e.g., UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UCLA), the evolutionary biologists at SDSU believe UC Riverside to be the strongest and most obvious candidate, for several reasons, including: The Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology graduate program at UCR (EEOB) emphasizes vertical integration of the life sciences. The faculty of the EEOB program strive to make fundamental and unifying discoveries at all levels of the biological hierarchy ranging 381

10 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 8 from cellular and molecular mechanisms to evolutionary mechanisms to ecology and conservation biology. There is a strong group of faculty (30 out of 38, including Cooperating Faculty from outside the Biology department that participate in the EEOB graduate program) that shares a common interest in evolutionary mechanisms (including systematic biology, development, molecular evolution, evolutionary physiology, and evolutionary ecology). The graduate program in UCR s Department of Biology has been nationally ranked by the National Research Council as being in the top 20% of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior programs in the nation (1995 NRC ranking). While the UCR EEOB graduate program is administered primarily by the Department of Biology, the program also includes 13 Cooperating Faculty Members from three of UCR s extensive life sciences departments (Entomology, Botany and Plant Sciences, and Earth Sciences), with the potential for additional membership in the future. Because they share many of the same general programmatic interests, the Department of Biology at SDSU and the EEOB program at UCR are complementary, not competitive, promising much very fruitful collaboration. For instance: expertise in plant molecular evolution and morphological systematics at SDSU can be paired with plant molecular systematics at UCR. Spider phylogeography and phylogenetics at SDSU can be interfaced with spider molecular evolution at UCR. Similarly, mammalian morphological systematics at SDSU can intersect with mammalian molecular systematics at UCR. Finally herpetological molecular systematics at SDSU can be combined with vertebrate comparative biology at UCR. This list highlights only some of the possibilities for integrative research between the institutions. The geographic proximity between the two universities is an important practical consideration for this collaboration. Local field research areas are near both institutions, and faculty and students participating in the joint doctoral program will be able to meet regularly without the loss of a great deal of time and money spent in traveling. The strength in evolutionary biology at SDSU is one of the key ways in which the proposed program meets the criteria for approval. SDSU is currently classified as a University-High research activity in Carnegie rankings. In particular, SDSU s Department of Biology is exceptionally strong in research activity and committed to graduate training. Much of that strength is in the area of evolutionary biology (12 of 41 faculty), and graduate research in the Department has been nationally regarded for decades. The establishment of a joint doctoral program in evolutionary biology will not only enhance the academic environment at SDSU (complementing the existing joint doctoral programs in Cellular/Molecular Biology with UC San Diego and Ecology with UC Davis), but will also provide a new and distinctive doctoral program in southern California. 4. Timetable for development of the program and enrollment projection Because the faculties at both institutions are already in place, only administrative details need to be worked out. As detailed below, this only requires a part-time staff person at and funded by SDSU for administrative support. As soon as the administrations on both campuses agree and the state board grants approval, the program may begin to accept applications, with a strong goal of beginning the program in Fall The JDPEB is anticipated to be a six -year program, with a steady state enrollment of up to 20 students. 382

11 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 9 5. Department or group that will administer the program At UCR, the EEOB Graduate Program will administer the joint doctoral program. The detailed administration of the program will be handled almost entirely at SDSU by a faculty member charged to be the SDSU JDPEB Coordinator. Similarly, the joint doctoral faculty of the EEOB graduate program at UCR will have a designated UCR JDPEB Coordinator (Graduate Advisor). The faculty at both institutions, through their respective JDPEB Coordinators, shall confer on matters regarding administration of the program and shall submit proposals for modification of the program to the Graduate Councils at UCR and SDSU. Changes in the JDPEB program and its bylaws must be approved by both Graduate Councils. 6. Plan for evaluation of the program As with other academic programs, an external committee will review the program, submit a proposal concerning the program s future operation to the two Graduate Councils for approval, and report to the Joint Doctoral Board at appropriate intervals (e.g., five years). Established review procedures at each institution will be followed. SECTION 2. THE PROGRAM 1. Admission and Residency Requirements Applicants for admission to the JDPEB will apply to the SDSU-UCR Evolutionary Biology JDP. The application process will be coordinated by SDSU. Potential applicants should have a bachelor's degree in one of the life sciences or physical sciences. Promising students with other academic backgrounds are also encouraged to apply if they have strong undergraduate coursework in biology. The applicant must have a bachelor's and/or master's degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution, with training comparable to that provided by the SDSU and UCR programs. The applications to the JDPEB will be evaluated by the Joint Admissions Committee, a four member committee consisting of two SDSU Evolutionary Biology faculty and two UCR EEOB faculty. Successful applicants must meet the general requirements for admission of both institutions with graduate standing, as outlined in the respective graduate catalogs, and must also receive approval from the UCR EEOB Graduate Advisory Committee to ensure that the JDPEB and EEOB graduate programs have comparable admissions standards. To facilitate communication between the Joint Admissions Committee and EEOB Graduate Advisory Committee, at least one UCR faculty member will serve on both committees. Admission recommendations by the Joint Admissions Committee and supported by the EEOB Graduate Advisory Committee will require acceptance by the Graduate Divisions of both SDSU and UCR. After formal admission to the joint doctoral program, the student must satisfy the minimum academic residency requirements for both institutions. For UCR this would normally be three quarters and for SDSU, two semesters. By completing one year of graduate studies at SDSU before attending UCR, the students will be more academically prepared and in a better position to maximize their research experience at UCR. Also, some students may have coursework deficiencies, which are typically prerequisites that they have yet to take before enrolling in particular graduate classes. If these deficiencies are fulfilled in the first year at SDSU, the students can focus on graduate-level courses and research while at UCR. Normally, the one-year residency at UCR would encompass consecutive Fall, Winter, and Spring terms during the 383

12 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 10 student s second year in the program. In some cases, with approval by the UCR and SDSU joint graduate advisors, the student may satisfy the UCR three quarter residency requirement by taking terms in more than one academic year. This is in accordance with other joint programs between SDSU and UC campuses in which no program requires more than one year of residence at the UC institution. Permission to stay longer than one year at UCR may be granted by the student s joint guidance committee. At the start of the student s first year in the program, the student will form a Guidance Committee. This committee will consist of four faculty members, two chosen from each institution. From SDSU, the committee must include the student's prospective dissertation advisor and an additional, programmatically appropriate, member. From UCR, the committee members will be drawn from faculty within the EEOB graduate program. In consultation with the student, the Guidance Committee plans the student's program through Advancement to Candidacy. 2. Program of Study A. Master s Degree Because this is a joint doctoral program, and because San Diego State University already offers a Master s degree, this aspect does not apply to the program. Students who leave the joint doctoral program may be eligible to obtain an M.S. degree from SDSU (but not UCR) upon completion of the Master s program requirements. B. Ph.D. Degree 1. Foreign Language Requirement Students are expected to understand the relevant literature in their field in whatever foreign languages are appropriate. There is no language exam administered by the program. 2. Specific fields of emphasis This program emphasizes evolutionary biology; there are no specific emphases within the program, although research specialties may be quite diverse. 3. Course Requirements The Guidance Committee works with the student to develop an individualized course of study and identify potential deficiencies. Students in the joint doctoral program will have similar requirements as students in UCR s EEOB graduate program. Specifically, the joint doctoral students will take the Theory of Evolution (UCR Biol 216) and at least two disciplinary courses (see below; the two required disciplinary courses must cover different disciplines; at least one disciplinary course must be taken at UCR). In addition, the students will enroll in a current research topics seminar course during each UCR quarter or SDSU semester of residence. UCR course descriptions are in Appendix C and SDSU course descriptions are in Appendix D. The majority of required course work should be completed prior to the Written Qualifying Exam, which is taken at the end of the second year. All required disciplinary courses (see below) must be completed before taking the Oral Qualifying Exam. Students in good standing must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall in upper division and graduate level course work related to the degree. An example of the required coursework and anticipated schedule for completion is presented below: 384

13 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 11 Year 1 at SDSU Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (each semester) (SDSU Biol 796A) At least one of the following courses: Phylogenetic Systematics (SDSU Biol 740) Population Genetics (SDSU Biol 624) Year 2 at UCR The Theory of Evolution (UCR Biol 216) At least one of the following courses: Ecology: Genes to Ecosystems (UCR Biol 211) Ecological Systems in Space and Time (UCR Biol 212) Behavioral Ecology (UCR Biol 213) Evolutionary Genetics (UCR Biol 214) Population and Community Ecology (UCR Biol 217) Theory of Systematics (UCR Biol 219) Evolutionary Physiology (UCR Biol 220) During each quarter of residence: General Colloquium in Biology (UCR Biol 252 or another disciplinary colloquium) Advances in Population and Evolutionary Biology (UCR Biol 265) 4. Teaching Requirement All joint doctoral students are required to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant for at least two semesters at SDSU. 5. Qualifying Examination and Committee By the end of the second year, students are expected to have taken a written qualifying examination, according to similar requirements of the EEOB Evolutionary Biology PhD Track at UCR. The Written Exam consists of a review paper in the intended topic of the dissertation; details of the structure of the exam are provided during the Fall quarter of the year in which the exam is to be taken. The written exam is evaluated by an ad hoc committee of faculty participating in the JDPEB program. The committee will have a minimum of 4 faculty, at least 2 from UCR EEOB and 2 from SDSU EB. Upon passing the written examination, the student (in consultation with their SDSU and UCR co-advisors) selects an Oral Examination Committee. This committee normally consists of five faculty members: a minimum of 2 UCR EEOB faculty, a UCR outside committee member, and a minimum of 2 SDSU EB faculty. The SDSU major advisor cannot be a member of the Oral Exam Committee. The student then writes a detailed research proposal, which is a different document from the review paper described above, and schedules an oral examination. During the exam, the candidate must defend the research proposal and may be questioned on other topics by the Oral Examination Committee. Assuming normative progress, the Oral Exam occurs in the Fall term of the student s third year. 6. Dissertation Committee After passing the Written and Oral Exams, students file for Advancement to Candidacy with the Graduate Divisions at UCR and SDSU. On the petitions, the student states the topic of their dissertation and names the members of the Dissertation Committee, which is approved by the 385

14 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 12 Graduate Divisions. This committee consists of at least four faculty members, including the major advisor. In all, at least two members must be from the EEOB faculty of UCR and at least two members must be from the EB faculty of SDSU (with approval from the Graduate Division at UCR). Any changes to the composition of the Dissertation Committee must adhere to the above requirement. The Dissertation Committee is responsible for advising the student on the research and provides final approval of the dissertation. 7. Completion of the Dissertation Upon completion of the dissertation, the student will present research seminars at both UCR and SDSU. At one institution, which will be determined by the student s Dissertation Committee, the research seminar may be followed by a final oral dissertation defense to be administered by the Dissertation Committee. Preferably, the seminars will be given during the academic year of each institution. Completion of the oral dissertation defense requires either unanimous positive votes or no more than one negative vote from the Dissertation Committee. While it is strongly encouraged that the students prepare the dissertation in the form of a manuscript (or series of manuscripts) to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals to expedite the publication of their research, the completed dissertation must be formatted and filed in accordance with the requirements currently in force at UCR. 8. Certification (Award of the Degree) The Doctor of Philosophy degree in EEOB will be awarded jointly by the Regents of the University of California and the Trustees of the California State University in the names of both institutions. 9. Normative time from matriculation to degree The normative time for completion of the doctoral program will be six years from admission, but students should be able to finish in five years. Advancement to candidacy will normally be completed early in their third year; students not advancing by the end of their third year must petition to avoid being subject to probation and dismissal from the program. Total registered time in the program cannot exceed four years following advancement to candidacy. SECTION 3. PROJECTED NEEDS 1. Student Demand for the Program The number of applications to evolutionary biology-oriented Ph.D. programs in California and across the nation far exceeds the ability of the various programs and departments to accommodate the highly qualified students who apply. The UCR EEOB graduate program attracts some of the best applicants to UCR. By adding the strengths of the SDSU EB faculty to the UCR EEOB faculty, the joint doctoral program will draw even more high-caliber students to UCR. Further, it is anticipated that the number of applicants will increase to parallel the rising number of jobs in academia, government, and industry that are related to evolutionary biology. This rise in interest is largely the result of the increasingly central role of evolution in all fields of biology. As a result of both the rapid growth of the evolutionary biology workforce and technological advances in areas such as molecular methodology, computing and information processing (i.e. bioinformatics), progress in evolutionary biology is more rapid now than ever before. With the appropriate and necessary support in education and research, evolutionary 386

15 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 13 biology will make even greater contributions to knowledge of the history of life and the processes that account for this history. Understanding the history of life and processes of evolution informs every area of biology. Given this, there is a need for a new, focused, intellectually sound, and technologically advanced doctoral program in evolutionary biology. 2. Opportunities for Placement of Graduates The JDPEB will emphasize the intellectual content of evolutionary biology through its commitment to research. Graduates of this program will be fully prepared to enter traditional academic pursuits in evolutionary biology and related sub-disciplines (e.g., systematics, population genetics, comparative physiology, evolutionary ecology, molecular evolution). Employment in these fields can be found in colleges, universities and museums, where evolutionary biologists typically constitute 15-50% of a department s faculty (up to 100% in research intensive natural history museums). In recent years, ~20-25% of the biology faculty positions advertised in Science required expertise in one or more sub-disciplines of evolutionary biology. Based on analyses of positions posted/advertised on the Evolution Directory ( and in Science over the past few years, at least jobs are widely and internationally advertised each year for individuals with PhDs in Evolutionary Biology. Of these jobs, approx. 30% are tenure-track faculty positions, and 55% are postdoctoral research positions. An additional unknown number of jobs in evolutionary biology may be advertised locally, and undoubtedly, many more tenure-track positions in a general field (e.g., biology, physiology, zoology, genetics) are also available. The most recent job search for an evolutionary biologist in the UCR Department of Biology attracted over 55 applicants. In the SDSU Biology department, the past four job searches for faculty in Evolutionary Biology have received an average of 55 applicants, compared to for Cell and Molecular Biology or Ecology. Increasingly, individuals with evolutionary biology training are also sought by private companies, and government agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and state fish and game departments. Based on (1) the breadth and quality of the faculty participating in the program, (2) the experiences of recent graduates from comparable programs elsewhere, and (3) anticipated increases in the need for biologists with evolutionary biology training, the joint doctoral program graduates should have few problems obtaining placement in an academic and non-academic setting (typically following 1-3 years of postdoctoral research experience). 3. Importance to the Discipline This aspect is addressed in detail in Sections 1.1 and Ways in which the program will meet the needs of society Some students in this program will choose to pursue careers outside of academia. For example, training in comparative physiology may lead to a career in environmental toxicology (private, municipal, state and federal jobs). Expertise in avian or marine mammal biology and evolution is required for employment in zoos, wildlife rehabilitation organizations and private conservation groups. These organizations, as well as museums and an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies that bioprospect for new drugs, also seek systematists with doctoral degrees. Training in conservation genetics can lead to employment by federal agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Biological Resources Division of the USGS. Also, 387

16 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 14 individuals trained in biodiversity assessment are increasingly being sought by state, federal and international agencies dealing with biotic management, conservation, and environmental issues. Evolutionary perspectives on pest and invasive species may lead to employment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the California Department of Food and Agriculture (or similar agencies in other states). Physiologists, molecular geneticists and population geneticists are employed by the National Institutes of Health. Finally, we anticipate that many of our joint doctoral students will be needed to analyze and interpret the enormous amounts of comparative genomics information currently being generated by the many on-going genome projects in the growing field of bioinformatics. To meet these goals, the doctoral students will receive training in field techniques (collection of specimens) for extant and extinct vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, or microorganisms. Laboratory skills will include specimen preparation, curation, identification using morphological and genetic data, physiological analysis, and molecular analysis (e.g., PCR, sequencing, cloning). Quantitative analytic skills will include statistics, modeling, data mining, bioinformatics, and the use and design of genetic analysis software. Most importantly, students will receive the training in the principles and concepts necessary to interpret evolutionary patterns of biodiversity at the level of the gene, individual, species and higher taxon. 5. Relationship of the Program to the Research and Professional Interests of the Faculty As can be seen from the attached vitae, SDSU s faculty research is well established in the field of evolutionary biology. Furthermore, there are strong complementary research programs between the evolutionary biology faculties at UCR and SDSU. This will allow the sharing of research ideas and the creation of new synergistic opportunities for students and faculty. 6. Benefits of the program to UC Riverside The students and faculty at SDSU involved in this program will benefit from the interactive collaboration with UCR students and faculty, as well as the opportunity for students to use the collections and facilities at UCR. However, there are clear benefits to UCR as well. Six principal benefits were listed and explained in Section 1.1, above. UCR faculty will be able to expand their interactions with talented graduate students, and the program will benefit from these students who perform research in UCR laboratories and/or UC field sites. The UCR EEOB program has been highly selective about the number of students admitted for graduate work. In part this is because the EEOB faculty must have adequate space for these students and be able to provide financial support for at least five years. The joint Ph.D. program offers an expanded opportunity for graduate student mentoring and collaboration in research. The faculty will also be able to contribute to the education of a greater number of Ph.D. students who will embody the integrative approach to evolutionary biology that is the hallmark of the UCR program. The faculty of the two institutions will also have a much greater opportunity for sharing of ideas and expanded research collaboration. This offers the possibility of a larger virtual faculty and a much deeper talent pool available to both the SDSU and UCR biology programs. Finally, because most SDSU students tend to do their fieldwork in southern California and adjacent areas, this brings enhanced research opportunities to UCR faculty and students. It should be emphasized that this program does not simply entail a year of coursework at Riverside, taught by UCR professors. The students generally admitted to this program will be selected because their research interests potentially overlap with those of specific UCR professors. Perhaps just as importantly, the SDSU students will be able to interact with the UCR 388

17 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 15 students. These contacts will not only take place in the specific laboratories the SDSU students join, but throughout the whole EEOB program at UCR. It is expected that students will enter this program because there are collections, facilities, expertise, and research projects at UCR from which mutual benefit can be derived. We anticipate, because research materials and methods will be closely shared, that students enrolled in the joint program will typically spend more time with their UCR professors than the one year mandated by the program. 7. Program Differentiation These aspects were detailed in Sections 1.1 and 1.3. This proposed doctoral program is differentiated from all others at California campuses by being the only Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology between a U.C. and C.S.U. Also, the specific and complementary research interests of the UCR EEOB and SDSU Evolutionary Biology faculties create unique opportunities for graduate training. SECTION 4. STAFF 1. Participating Faculty The faculty for the JDPEB will incorporate all members of the UCR EEOB graduate program who wish to participate in the joint doctoral program. Also, evolutionary biologists in other UCR departments who wish to participate may be listed as participating members. Participating faculty may be involved in the JDPEB through a variety of activities, including hosting lab rotations, membership on JDPEB committees (Joint Admissions Committee, Guidance Committees, Qualifying Examination Committees, Dissertation Committtees), teaching in relevant graduate courses, and serving as the UCR JDPEB Coordinator (Graduate Advisor). From SDSU, those members of the faculty who are qualified on the basis of their research interest and professional growth records may participate in joint doctoral training in Evolutionary Biology. All individuals listed as faculty for the program have Ph.D.s. The list of doctoral faculty submitted for SDSU represents the combined judgment of the faculties of the two programs and will be approved following established procedures of the Office of Graduate and Research Affairs.. New faculty hires at SDSU will be selected, in part, on their preparation and qualifications to participate in the joint Ph.D. program and will be incorporated into the doctoral faculty. This selection process can be initiated either by new faculty or by the coordinators of the program at UCR and SDSU. It is expected that participation in the program will be both selfselective and logically appropriate; however, approval for new faculty to be involved rests with the existing faculty, by consent of the coordinators of the program. 2. Faculty at SDSU The following is a list of the SDSU faculty who have agreed to participate actively in the joint doctoral program as dissertation advisors. All are faculty in the Department of Biology. Appendix I contains a Curriculum Vita for each SDSU faculty member. J. David Archibald, Prof. Mammal systematics & paleontology; K/T boundary vertebrate radiation. Annalisa Berta, Prof. Mammal systematics & evolution, functional anatomy. Andrew J. Bohonak, Assoc. Prof. Population genetics, freshwater invertebrates. 389

18 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 16 Kevin Burns, Assoc. Prof. Ornithology, systematic biology, molecular evolution. Rulon Clark, Asst. Prof. Behavioral ecology, predator-prey interactions, animal communication, foraging behavior, conservation ecology, integrating animal behavior with population ecology Forest Rohwer, Assoc. Prof. Genomic analysis of marine phage, opportunistic infections and coral disease, diversity of coral-associated bacteria. Marshal C. Hedin, Assoc. Prof. Speciation, phylogenetics, biodiversity, spider biology & evolution, evolution in caves. Scott Kelley, Assist. Prof. Insect systematics, microbial ecology & evolution, bioinformatics. Tod W. Reeder, Assoc. Prof. Evolution and molecular ecology of amphibians and reptiles, particularly those of southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Michael G. Simpson, Prof. Plant systematics, anatomy, embryology, palynology. Elizabeth Waters, Assist. Prof. Plant evolution, origin of land plants, molecular evolution. Robert W. Zeller, Assoc. Prof. Developmental biology of ascidians; evolution of developmental gene regulatory networks in primitive chordates. It is anticipated that one additional tenure track position (comparative animal physiologist) will be filled during the 2007/08 academic year, with an anticipated start of Fall Faculty at UCR The following is a list of the UCR EEOB faculty who have agreed to actively participate in the joint doctoral program. The faculty, all Ph.D.s, are named here with research interests. Appendix J contains a Curriculum Vita with a list of selected research publications for each UCR faculty member. Douglas Altshuler, Asst. Prof. of Biology. Physiology, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, avian flight Michael Allen, Prof. of Plant Pathology and Biology. Community and ecosystem processes, conservation and restoration biology Richard Cardullo, Prof. and Chair of Biology. Cell and molecular biology, physiology, neuroscience. Mark Chappell, Prof. of Biology. Physiology, evolutionary biology. Norman Ellstrand, Prof. of Botany and Plant Sciences. Applied plant population genetics, biotechnology risks, evolution of invasiveness, conservation genetics Daphne Fairbairn, Prof. of Biology. Evolutionary biology, quantitative genetics, sexual selection, sexual dimorphism in size and morphology Theodore Garland, Jr., Prof. of Biology. Physiology, evolutionary biology. John Gatesy, Assoc. Prof. of Biology. Molecular systematics, phylogenetic methods, macroevolution, molecular evolution. Kimberly Hammond, Assoc. Prof. of Biology. Physiology, evolutionary biology. Cheryl Hayashi, Assoc. Prof. of Biology. Systematics, molecular evolution, evolution of silk, spider biology. Seung Chul-Kim, Asst. Prof. of Botany and Plant Sciences. Molecular phylogenetics, conservation genetics, plant systematics Nigel Hughes, Prof. of Earth Sciences. Paleobiology Leonard Nunney, Prof. of Biology. Population and evolutionary genetics, with an emphasis on the application of basic theory to practical problems 390

19 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 17 Timothy Paine, Prof. of Entomology. Biology and ecology of introduced insects in urban environments Richard Redak, Prof. of Entomology. Plant-insect interactions, conservation biology and community ecology of insects, IPM of commercial floricultural and ornamental plants Helen Regan, Asst. Prof. of Biology. Quantitative conservation biology David Reznick, Prof. of Biology. Evolutionary biology, evolution of life history traits, evolution of aging, experimental evolution Derek Roff, Prof. of Biology. Theoretical and empirical studies of population and quantitative genetics, life-history, and the importance of trade-offs in shaping life history evolution John Rotenberry, Prof. of Biology. Community ecology, conservation biology, avian ecology Joel Sachs, Asst. Prof. of Biology. Evolution of cooperation and conflict Mark Springer, Prof. of Biology. Molecular evolution and systematics, mammalian evolution Kirk Visscher, Assoc. Prof. of Entomology. Social behavior and ecology of social insects, role and management of bees in agriculture, evolution of social behavior William Walton, Prof. of Entomology. Biogeography of freshwater flora and fauna, trophic interactions of freshwater food webs, IPM of vector and pest arthropods Marlene Zuk, Prof. of Biology. Behavioral ecology, host/parasite interactions SECTION 5. COURSES Course descriptions from both UCR and SDSU are appended (Appendices C and D). Their subject matters reflect the fields of evolution, systematic biology, zoology, botany, and paleontology and related courses in ecology, conservation, biodiversity, and so on. 1. Graduate Courses at UCR This is not an exhaustive list, but represents some relevant graduate courses offered by Biology at UCR. See Appendix C for the General Catalog descriptions of these courses. The student s advisors may recommend other appropriate courses in Biology or in other departments. Biol 208. Host-Parasite Relationships Biol 211. Ecology: Genes to Ecosystems Biol 212. Ecological Systems in Space and Time Biol 213. Behavioral Ecology Biol 214. Evolutionary Genetics Biol 215. Advanced Methods of Data Analysis in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Biol 216. The Theory of Evolution Biol 217. Advanced Population and Community Ecology Biol 219. Theory of Systematics Biol 220. Evolutionary Physiology Biol 252. General Colloquium in Biology Biol 265. Advances in Population and Evolutionary Biology Biol 282. Seminar in Genetics and Evolution 2. Graduate Courses at SDSU This is not an exhaustive list, but represents some courses offered by Biology at SDSU exclusively for graduate students. See Appendix D for the General Catalog descriptions of these 391

20 Evolutionary Biology Joint Doctoral Proposal: 18 courses. Other appropriate courses in Biology and other departments may be recommended at the discretion of the student's advisors. Biol 624. Population Genetics Biol 645. Theory and Principles of Ecology Biol 740. Phylogenetic Systematics Biol 766. Advanced Topics in Population and Community Ecology Biol 770. Seminar in Systematics and Evolution Biol 796A. Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (new course listing proposed) SECTION 6. RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS 1. Resources at UCR Few additional resources will be required for UCR. The resources described below are not requested of the joint doctoral program nor of SDSU. These requests will be made by EEOB faculty to the UCR administration. Existing administrative staff will handle applications, admission, and student advising. Also, a diverse course curriculum already exists. The program costs (i.e., joint doctoral student stipends, tuition, some research funds) for the required one-year residence at UCR will be covered by SDSU. SDSU will handle the administrative expenses and workload related to joint admission, coordination, and transfers of necessary records. Note that in some cases, collaborations may grow such that it would be fruitful to all involved for students to extend their stay at UCR. If any joint doctoral students stay any additional terms at UCR (up to one additional year) the funding for their stay will come from individual PI funds at UCR. The financial details will have to be worked out on a student-by-student basis, but there is no explicit requirement that the funds will be provided by UCR standing programs or the EEOB administrative budget. A. FTE Faculty No additional FTE faculty are requested. B. Library acquisition None. C. Computing costs None. D. Equipment Given the existing research equipment base in the laboratories of the UCR JDPEB participating faculty, the joint doctoral program can be initiated without additional equipment acquisitions. E. Space and other capital facilities While in residence at UCR, the joint doctoral students will require office space. Office space for graduate students will be assigned by the department chairs of the hosting PIs. 392