Graduate Research in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics - Overview

The staff associated with the Graduate program in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics have a wide range of professional experience including animal, plant and microbial ecology and evolution, behavioural, physiological and theoretical ecology, conservation biology, molecular evolution, population genetics, animal and plant systematics, information technology, environmental management, geography and prehistory. They have experience in many parts of the world including Europe, Africa, North America and the Pacific region as well as Australia.

The Program is centred mostly in the School of Botany & Zoology, but we also have students that are based in the Ecosystem Dynamics Group and the Visual Sciences Group at the Research School of Biological Sciences and we have a number of students who are based in the various divisions of CSIRO across the road. However, participants also come from other sections of the ANU and there are joint ventures with other Graduate Studies areas.

As a student, your participation in our program centres on original research, which you must write up in a thesis. However, to help you develop as a scientist, the Program runs a series of graduate seminars and discussion groups in which students, staff and guests meet regularly to discuss current research and major biological issues. The graduate seminars/discussions also provide you with the opportunity to present your own research plans and progress in an informal setting. You have the opportunity to interact with and learn from a diversity of other students and staff with similar interests to your own.

From time to time we offer special seminars and workshops dealing with such topics as student-supervisor roles and responsibilities, effective oral presentation, writing papers and grant and job applications, and thesis preparation and examination.