Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Address Crises in Health of Marine Ecosystems
(Dead Zones, Overfishing, Ecosystem Collapse)
US Commission on Ocean Policy
Pew Oceans Commission
Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Integrated Graduate Education and Research Training
(IGERT)
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
A new type of graduate education
Our program links training in the biological, social,
economic and political issues of marine conservation with
technical competence in informatics and communication
skills
Our goal
To prepare the next generation of professionals
who can both identify and solve problems facing
the world’s oceans for placement in government,
NGOs and academia.
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
Program Requirements and Opportunities
 Intensive summer program
 Interdisciplinary Case studies (MSEP)
 Expanded PhD committee
International internships
Mini-grant program
$30,000 stipend + $10,500 tuition and fees
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
IGERT Summer Program
17 credit lecture and lab course
PhD, Masters and Certificate Students
Weeks 1 & 2
Intro to marine biological and
physical sciences
Weeks 3 & 4
Intro to economics and policy
Week 5
Ecosystems
Week 6
Special guest lectures (governance
and law, NGOs, informatics)
Week 7
Communications
Week 8
Case studies (oil spills, dead zones,
mercury, land-sea coupling)
Week 9
Group projects
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
Christine Whitcraft Kristen Gruenthal
Ayana Johnson
Loren McClenachan
Jason Murray Maria Damon
A Selection of the
2003-2005 IGERT Cohorts
Sheila Walsh
Gustavo Paredes
Melissa Ohman
Kate Hanson
Jeff Wescott
Ben Neal
Marco Hatch
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
Benefits
• Increase in quality and number of applicants (many are also
NSF or EPA graduate fellows) - 1/3 of SIO applicants!!
• Increase in donor support (including for foreign students)
• Increase in student diversity (matching grants from UCSD)
• Increase in student registration for IGERT classes (graduate
and undergraduate)
• Increase in number of faculty and departments participating
(e.g. Economics, International Relations/Pacific Studies,
Anthropology, Communications, NOAA Fisheries, San
Diego Super Computer)
• Creation of MAS program using IGERT courses
• Innovative curriculum development
• Inspiration for campus-wide sustainability initiative
IGERT
Marine Biodiversity: Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Funding for foreign students & administrative support
Long-term sustainability of program
Buy-in from faculty with “traditional” orientation
Incentives for faculty participation
Breadth vs depth in program focus
Living up to promises made
Burn-out in core faculty
BUT CERTAINLY NO REGRETS!!