Multidisciplinary Regional Studies Graduate Training Program: A Critical Need

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GER-9553614 Fox Natural ecosystems are rarely pristine, almost all are modified by anthropogenic effects to varying degrees. Human activities are rarely treated as integral parts of those systems, either in research or training. Ecological communities are structured by top-down and bottom-up processes and interactions between them; human activities affect the same ecological processes in similar ways. The University of California at Santa Cruz recently initiated an interdepartmental, multidisciplinary program of research and training (the Monterey Bay Regional Studies (MBRS) program ) focused on basic understanding of regional coastal processes and their relation to specific regional issues. The regional approach provides a foundation for integrating research and training across different research scales and traditions. Scientists from different disciplines engage in multidisciplinary studies to examine complex environmental processes. Recently hired new faculty, high student interest and new doctoral program have rapidly increased our capacity to train students, but limited funds for their support restrict our ability to reach our potential. The quality and innovation of our program and the established need for multidisciplinary training programs in environmental biology make a strong case for support of this proposal. A Graduate Research Traineeship will allow us to expand the MBRS training component significantly, and to attract students seeking a broader, multidisciplinary foundation for their research. GRT students will participate in symposia, discussions, seminars and research in projects supported by MBRS. In addition, we will develop a graduate seminar course, student seminars and an apprenticeship program aimed to encourage multidisciplinary awareness and respect.